Dave’s Holiday 55

The turn signal flasher in my 55 is barely audible. All the lights work, including the indicator lights in the dash. Problem is, I simply can not hear the tic, tic, tic. So like all Oldsmobile owners who want everything to be “just right”, I bought a new flasher. Removed the glove box and installed the new one. You’ve probably already guessed, it’s no louder than the old one. It is attached with a metal strap in the top hole of the fuse block under the dashboard. It seems to me it might make a louder sound if it was attached to something metal but the wire is short and I don’t see a good place to mount it to a metal surface. Anyone else having this problem. Any ideas?

Vintage Chief

Try a different manufacturer. The old metal dinka-dinka-dinka-dinka loud metallic sounding flashers can be had. I believe Tridon makes a HD electromagnet flasher. I think many of the newer manufacturers don't think much about the loudness factor, some do, some don't.

redoldsman

I have one I took out of the 54 I had that I think is still good. It is a 3-prong Tung-Sol P273D and was made in the USA. PM me your address and I will mail it to you.

Dave’s Holiday 55

Thanks for the offer. I have a new one. I got the same one that is sold by Fusick. I may try to relocate it and attach it to something metal. I don’t remember if the ‘55 I had in the sixties had an audible flasher or not. It’d be interesting to here from others if they they can hear the ones in their mid 50’s Oldsmobiles.

redoldsman

I know I didn't have to take the glovebox out to change the one on hte 54. It just plugged in on the fusebox. Glad you got it taken care of. I just changed the one on my 75 to one that works with LED bulbs. It is literally hidden up under the dash.

Greg Rogers

I bought a beeping flasher for my old truck. Oh yeah it is irritating, but you won't leave it on for 50 miles like I did once. It was about 8 bucks shipped. Look on ebay or amazon.

ignachuck

As Glenn mentioned above (Hi Glenn!) the Tung-Sol P273D is the correct signal flasher for your car. I have this in my '56 and I can hear it (but it's not wicked loud).

By the way, when you install the one from Fusick, if both directional lights on the dash flash at the same time, you got the wrong flasher. It's not the bulbs or the wiring, it's the wrong flasher. Been there, done that. I have a drawer full of wrong flashers that were supposed to be correct.

redoldsman

I cannot remember why I changed the flasher on the 54 but I do remember this one is still good. It needed a loud flasher because the turn signals did not cancel. I miss that car but knew I would.

Dave’s Holiday 55

Just checked on the flasher operation. The outside lights work fine but both indicator lights on the dash flash simultaneously. Guess I really do have the wrong one.

Dave’s Holiday 55

The Tung-Sol P273D flashers I’m finding are two prong. My car needs a thee prong. It appears that number might be Tong-Sol P373D. Could that be the correct one?

Dave’s Holiday 55

Now I’m even more confused. I have now found P273D with both two and three prong models. P373D is also available in three prong. What’s the best choice?

redoldsman

You need a 3-prong.

ignachuck

or:

redoldsman

I am still confused about where and how it is mounted. To the best of my memory, it just plugs into the fuse block which is on the firewall on the inside near the driver's feet. Frank correct me if I am wrong. I assume you took a 3-prong one out if everything was working. Why would you put t 2-prong one in it's place.

ignachuck

I don't know about the '55 (where's Tedd when we need him?) but in '56, the fuse block is on the backside of the dashboard, facing the rear of the car, which probably made it easier to access than the '54, but you still had to stand on your head. The flasher plug in '56 was not part of the fuse block. It was a separate plug. Having said all that, as Glenn said if you just replace the three prong P273D with a three prong P273D you will be all set for many years to come.