Need a sanity check. 1968 442, wiring is original as far as I know and everything is correct color/path.

The issue is that my passenger front park/blinker won't blink when the park/lights are on. It blinks with them off, and it blinks with the 4 ways both with and without park lights. When I first turned the lights on and tested, the right turn dash light was solid, so bad ground right? I fix the ground, dashlight goes off, still no flashy flashy when park or lights are on.

Here's the odd thing. If I mess with the light switch going from lights to park and back holding it just so, I can get it to blink one time. Is this a bad headlight switch or am I creating a temporary short messing with the switch and getting a flash?

So far my options are: 1 check all grounds again, 2 swap the flashers out since left is fine, 3 replace the bulb, 4 but could be 1 depending on what you all say is new headlight switch. Cost is between $0 - $40 and I hate electrical so I am all ears.

Thanks!!

 

It's a bulb

 

Yes

 

First, some common sense: A single flasher operates all the bulbs. If any one bulb flashes correctly, the flasher CANNOT be the problem.
If an 1157 bulb flashes correctly with park lights off but not with them on, the problem MUST be a bad ground. This can be in the bulb itself, in the socket, or in the wiring from the socket, but that is the only possible cause of this failure. When the park lights are off, the turn signal filament will ground through the park light circuit. When the park lights are on, there's 12V on both sides of the filament and thus it won't light up. Find the ground problem.

 

Thanks all for the responses.

I will be picking up a new bulb on the way home. And will recheck the grounds too.

So would you all agree that the fact that I can get it to flash a single flash when messing with the headlight switch is a fluke?

 

Yes, because you are momentarily interrupting/providing the ground.
While you have the bulb out, check resistance to ground on the socket sheath.

 

Will do, thanks!

 

Oh, and while you're in there, clean all the old dielectric grease out (Brakleen), and install new diabolical grease.

 

Alright. New bulb installed. I now have a slow blink for about 30 seconds then it stops. Checking grounds and resistance now...

 

Your issue/situation should (IMO) be regarded as an opportunity to clean every bulb socket and replace every bulb in the entire circuit. A 1968 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 should in a nutshell (IMO) require a cleaning of each socket, examination of the wiring at each socket, possible socket replacement and replacement of all bulbs. Fifty four years of dirt, grime, dust, soot, oxidation/corrosion - yeah, it needs to be done.

 

I had between 0 and .3 ohms of resistance between the socket and the negative post on the battery. I found what I thought was good metal was really just a washer and there was some engine bay grime on it. Cleaned that up and now have a steady 0 ohms.

Blink has spead up but is still half the speed of the drivers side with park lights on. And only blinks once or twice when the headlights are on.

I only have a battery maintainer hooked up. Should I be testing with the car running? Battery is at 13 volts with the maintainer.

 

Working through that now. So far, other than the false positive on the ground on this side, which is now fixed, all sockets and connection have been clean and in excellent condition. Checking tail lights now.

I read on an older thread that someone had uneven blink rates and a new flasher fixed it. Not sure if that's a good fix or not.

 

Yes, it can be the appropriate/correct fix. The bi-metal contacts oxidize/corrode. You may (even) find someone replaced the flasher w/ an incorrect flasher. You're at the point/stage/period/lifespan where replacement of electrical components is a benefit to the entire circuitry.

 

Flasher looks brand new. Not sure if this is the correct one as the interwebs suggest multiple.

 

I buy Bussmann flashers because historically I've found they're good well-made flashers, but the flasher you have pictured should work fine.

 

You don't need to be testing w/ the car running. A battery reading >12VDC<13VDC is a fully charged battery.

NOTE: Some flashers are sold specifically to increase flash rate while some are sold to decrease flash rate. Most often was the case when these beasts were new you didn't have a choice of flasher based upon flash rate.

 

So I ran a jumper from the signal ground straight to the negative terminal. Signal improved but is still slow/weak especially with headlights on.

Negative battery cable pulled apart and crumbs of copper spilled out during this so I think I found my grounding issue.

New cable and new flasher will be bought and installed tomorrow.

 

I apologize if I didn't read further up to the beginning and you have already done this, but the three primary ground sources should be squeaky clean with solid clean wires, clean wire terminals and clean metal where the cables attach - don't overlook these three vital ground sources. They're the primary ground source(s) for the entire car. Greater than ~90% of wiring issues are related to ground. Ensure you have good ground(s).

(1) Battery to Engine block - clean the wire terminal ends, wire brush/sandpaper the block where the cable attaches;
(2) Battery ground wire to side baffle of radiator shroud; and,
(3) Rear RH (passenger) side braided ground strap from engine head to firewall.

 

I wasn't sure how deep & far to go on battery cables. But, yeah....the big & beefy cables are prone to oxidation/corrosion - both the (-) and (+) cables. Glad you found the (-) cable crumbling/falling apart. It's your primary ground source (but, read what I just said above Post #18). You can take a knife/razor blade and slice into the (+) positive battery cable about 4"-6" in length. If you find danky/skanky looking green/blue oxidation running down the (+) cable replace it, as well. You can buy both the (-) & (+) cables from your basic electrical supply houses, you can have them made if you have an electrical supply house nearby, I have mine made at a local marine store which carries spools of "0", "00", "000", "0000" grade copper wire and assorted lug terminal attachment ends. They fabricate marine wire cables daily for many boats/ships pretty darn cheap. They have the industrial crimps to secure the terminal ends.

 

No worries, I appreciate the help!
I've got 1 of 3. No ground strap at all on the firewall. And now no battery to the block.

You'd think with rewiring an entire Mopar A body i wpuld have learned a thing or two.

 

You could swap known proven to be good bulbs from one side of the car to the other side, one at a time cleaning the sockets/contacts at the same time. Also could try a jumper ground wire to the metal body of each bulb socket.

 

These images are 1972 PIM images which I believe are same as 1968. My 1968 images are terrible so I'm using these. They should help identify ground cable locations.


Battery>Engine Block: Battery Ground>Side Baffle Radiator Shroud

 

Thanks again all for the help! Problem has been solved.

I swapped out the negative battery cable and got some improvement. So I put in a new flasher and it got even better, but not quite 100%. So I rechecked all the bulbs and sockets. I don't know if I broke it or missed it last night, but one of the tail light bulbs was toasted. Replaced that and I'm now at 100%!

Now, onto the gas guage that's pegged past full. Confident that one is grounding as well since the wire coming from above the tank looks like it was burned and submerged in water at the same time. At least im street legal now.

 

"Now, onto the gas guage that's pegged past full. Confident that one is grounding as well since the wire coming from above the tank looks like it was burned and submerged in water at the same time. At least im street legal now."

For diagnosing the fuel gauge, an open circuit will peg it past full. A shorted to ground circuit will peg it on E.

Kudos to your persistence, great to see all the CO members pitching in...

 

It's always good to see someone get their problem fixed. I would have never guessed the battery cable.
You can test the fuel gauge by grounding the sender wire. If it drops the gauge, then the problem is the sender or the ground. But, if the ground is suspect as is, definitely fix that first.

 

Thanks! Definitely the ground and or sender. Gauge dropped to E when I grounded it. I just got gas so I'll have to drive a bit before I can drop the tank. The whole ground cable is fried.

 

Absolutely appreciate all the help. Always good to have a group of great members.

 

Some like them broiled. Baked or fried not so much.

 

That's funny...