iluvpackers

Hello I am new to the thread and I was hoping to get some help. Ok so I am trying to find out what is wrong with my 1971 olds cutlass s. My Turn signal does not come on, not even the click,just simply nothing happens. But the weird thing is that my hazards work. What do you think the problem is. I was thinking switch but it is such a big job I would hate to do it and that not be the problem. All fuses are good. Any help would be great. Thanks

fourtwenty

Does it click into place and nothing happens or it won't click into place. If it won't I would suspect switch if it does maybe the flasher?

MDchanic

Bad flasher.

Your 4-way flasher is good, but your signal light flasher is bad.

To confirm, just switch the two - your 4-ways will stop working and your signal lights will start working.

- Eric

iluvpackers

genius, Thanks

iluvpackers

I have tryed switching the relays and the hazerds stopped working and the signals still did not work. I can not figure this thing out

MDchanic

There should be one flasher plugged into the top corner of the fusebox, and one plugged into a wire that's hanging behind the dash (there IS a clip to hold it, but it's NEVER in the clip). Just remove the flasher and replace it with a jumper wire or a bent paper clip between the two terminals, then the signals or hazards (whichever one you're at) should just stay on continuously. If that doesn't do it, then it's time to start going through the wiring diagram in the Chassis Service Manual and checking for power at each point where it's supposed to be until you find where it's not. These sorts of problems can also be caused by a bad signal light switch, where the hazard switch terminals don't go back completely to where they should be in the OFF position, and so the signal lights don't get power (the switch is set up to give you hazards or signals, but not both).

Oh, you did check the fuses, right?

- Eric

iluvpackers

The fuses have been checked. Thank you for the help I will try the bent paperclip idea, but I do not see how that would be diffrent from a good relay.

oldsonharmont

If your flashers work, then maybe it's the cam in the column. I had a similar problem with mine and ended up pulling the steering wheel and replacing the cam and cancel pieces and cleaning up the contacts. Everything works great now!

MDchanic

Technically, it wouldn't, but sometimes something more definite like that will work because of factors like slight corrosion of the terminals lowering the voltage enough that the flasher won't click, etc. Also, you're sure you don't have any fuse box corrosion, right? That is to say, you've got good voltage when touching either side of the fuse?

Like I said, next step is to follow the circuit from the source, checking voltage at each plug, until you find the dead spot. Could well be the signal light switch.

- Eric

iluvpackers

Thanks for the help, I can see how the whole paper clip thing might be the diffrence. I hope I can figure this thing out so I can get her running the streets again.

joe_padavano

Just to be clear, the flasher unit is not a relay. It's a flasher. They have completely different functions. The flasher is simply a thermally-controlled switch that heats up, opens, cools, closes, etc. As noted above, the turn signals use a different flasher unit from the four ways. The turn signal flasher unit is the one on the pigtail under the dash next to the steering column. If that is not the problem, then it's likely the switch, since the four way contacts are separate from the turn signal contacts within the switch.