I need to wire in additional turn signals
July 16th, 2011, 09:59 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 266
I need to wire in additional turn signals
So I'm trying to get my car inspected here in Japan and get it on the road. They require I have amber turn signals though. The combined brake/turn signals and the fact they are all red doesn't fly here. So I ordered some LED trailer signals and they fit/look pretty good and put no additional load (not much anyways) on the electrical system, so I just fed them off the yellow and brown wires (or green and brown on the other side) that going right in to the bulb sockets in the trunk. I just had it pointed out to me though the new signal lights are also coming on with the brakes, and that will fail me.
I need the new additional LED signals to come on ONLY with the turn signals/hazards, and I can't figure out how. I can't find any wire back there that is a simple switched ground or switched 12v for the signals. I know there has to be a way to do this short of running wires from the front of the car from the 2 wire blinkers on the front quarter panels. Can anybody help me figure this one out?
I need the new additional LED signals to come on ONLY with the turn signals/hazards, and I can't figure out how. I can't find any wire back there that is a simple switched ground or switched 12v for the signals. I know there has to be a way to do this short of running wires from the front of the car from the 2 wire blinkers on the front quarter panels. Can anybody help me figure this one out?
July 16th, 2011, 10:09 PM
#2
Connoisseur d'Junque
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Hudson Valley
Posts: 21,183
There is no easy way to do this. The system is wired to use the same bulbs for the brake and signal lights, and you cannot separate the two.
Since you want the signal lights to operate completely independently of the brake lights all the time, I would recommend leaving the signals connected as they are, and disconnecting the brake light wire at the brake light switch, then running a new wire to the existing lights, and wiring them in as brake lights only.
Makes you wonder who really won the war...
- Eric
Since you want the signal lights to operate completely independently of the brake lights all the time, I would recommend leaving the signals connected as they are, and disconnecting the brake light wire at the brake light switch, then running a new wire to the existing lights, and wiring them in as brake lights only.
Makes you wonder who really won the war...
- Eric
July 17th, 2011, 04:21 AM
#3
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 266
Okay, thanks. Wouldn't it be easier though to just run one from the front side turn signal? Well, simpler at least. Maybe not easier. I was just trying to avoid running wires from up front all the way to the back. O well, thanks for the input!!
July 17th, 2011, 04:32 AM
#4
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Paw Paw,IL 61353
Posts: 1,507
You can go with an old aftermarket on the column turn signal. Some old cars and most old trucks didnt come with turn signals. In the 60s that all started to change. Something like this http://www.ecklerstrucks.com/chevy-t...universal.html Run some temp wires along with your new lights just to pass inspection, after you pass then just take it back off. Just a thought.
July 17th, 2011, 05:38 AM
#5
Connoisseur d'Junque
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Hudson Valley
Posts: 21,183
Would you rather run one wire to the rear lights, or two?
You've got to run at least one, because there aren't enough there now to do the job. No way around it.
If he drives with the car like that, he'll get a big ticket, and they'll keep him from driving it till it's fixed.
- Eric
July 17th, 2011, 05:44 AM
#6
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Paw Paw,IL 61353
Posts: 1,507
Not really.
Would you rather run one wire to the rear lights, or two?
You've got to run at least one, because there aren't enough there now to do the job. No way around it.
There is NO way that this is easier than running a single wire from the brake light switch.
You don't understand. This is Japan. There's no "getting away with" anything there.
If he drives with the car like that, he'll get a big ticket, and they'll keep him from driving it till it's fixed.
- Eric
Would you rather run one wire to the rear lights, or two?
You've got to run at least one, because there aren't enough there now to do the job. No way around it.
There is NO way that this is easier than running a single wire from the brake light switch.
You don't understand. This is Japan. There's no "getting away with" anything there.
If he drives with the car like that, he'll get a big ticket, and they'll keep him from driving it till it's fixed.
- Eric
July 17th, 2011, 05:52 AM
#7
Administrator
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Poteau, Ok
Posts: 40,643
Any wiring can be run easily under the car, tie wrapped to the frame. As suggested above you can seperate the brake light system from the rest with just one wire to your existing tailights. Then take your existing wirig and connect it to the amber lights you just installed.
July 17th, 2011, 06:45 AM
#8
Connoisseur d'Junque
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Hudson Valley
Posts: 21,183
Scoot the wire under the rug fron the left hand corner of the firewall / kick panel to the door sill trim, then under the trim to the back, then under the carpet to under the rear seat, then into the trunk. The bottom seat cushion would have to come out, but that's no big deal.
- Eric
- Eric
July 17th, 2011, 03:18 PM
#9
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 266
Thanks guys, I'll think I'll go that route with it. How do I yank the rear seat? Also, where exactly is a good place to get at the turn signal switch wiring? I'm thinking right under the steering wheel column under the dash? Thanks!
July 17th, 2011, 03:32 PM
#10
Connoisseur d'Junque
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Hudson Valley
Posts: 21,183
Your car is a mid-'70's Cutlass, right? I believe that the rear seat comes out just like all the others: Get in behind the front seat and PUSH the bottom of the back seat cushion about 2" to the rear of the car (the very bottom piece of the seat), then kick UP at the last part. Do this on each side. The front of the bottom cushion will come up out of its clips, and the you will be able to lift the front up and pull the back out toward you to remove it.
Installation is the reverse, and you'll know what you're doing because you'll have seen the clips and how they engage.
As for wiring access - NO!
Don't go near the signal light wiring.
Go right to the brake light switch because it's the easiest to do without great confusion.
(If you're good with wiring and want to track down the right wire in the column harness, go for it, but it's more complicated).
Just lie down upside down, with your head on the floor and your feet going over the top of the seat. Look up to the top of the brake pedal. There will be a switch with two wires - one will test hot with the ignition switch on, the other will go hot when the switch is on and you press the brake pedal. That's the one you want.
Follow it and find a convenient place to cut it (you may want to reconnect it later).
Cut the wire, leave the side that's not attached to the switch hanging, and connect the side that's coming from the switch to your wire to the taillights.
Then in the trunk, cut the wires that go to the signal / brake bulbs (they are now connected to your yellow lights instead) and connect the cut ends (the parts that go to the bulbs, not the other parts) to your new wire from the brake light switch.
Now, when you step on the brakes, all of your former signal lights will come on steady.
- Eric
Installation is the reverse, and you'll know what you're doing because you'll have seen the clips and how they engage.
As for wiring access - NO!
Don't go near the signal light wiring.
Go right to the brake light switch because it's the easiest to do without great confusion.
(If you're good with wiring and want to track down the right wire in the column harness, go for it, but it's more complicated).
Just lie down upside down, with your head on the floor and your feet going over the top of the seat. Look up to the top of the brake pedal. There will be a switch with two wires - one will test hot with the ignition switch on, the other will go hot when the switch is on and you press the brake pedal. That's the one you want.
Follow it and find a convenient place to cut it (you may want to reconnect it later).
Cut the wire, leave the side that's not attached to the switch hanging, and connect the side that's coming from the switch to your wire to the taillights.
Then in the trunk, cut the wires that go to the signal / brake bulbs (they are now connected to your yellow lights instead) and connect the cut ends (the parts that go to the bulbs, not the other parts) to your new wire from the brake light switch.
Now, when you step on the brakes, all of your former signal lights will come on steady.
- Eric
July 17th, 2011, 07:59 PM
#11
Oldsdruid
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southside Vajenya
Posts: 10,311
Indeed. Instead of forcing the Europeans and Japanese to conform to US automobile lighting standards, the US altered their own standards to allow those cars to be sold in this country without modification.
But an American car over there is forced to conform to their mess? If there's a light blinking indicating the car is turning, who cares whether it's red or amber, or incorporated in the brakelight or separated? The intent should be obvious, and I daresay most Japanese driving in the US figure it out pretty quick.
July 17th, 2011, 08:01 PM
#12
Administrator
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Poteau, Ok
Posts: 40,643
The brake light switch will have power whether the ignition switch is on or off. I would cap the the dangling wire as it will have power on it thru the reverse feed of the signal lamps.
I suggested running the one wire under the car because it was temporary and he could poke it thru where ever he was attatching his amber light housings.
I suggested running the one wire under the car because it was temporary and he could poke it thru where ever he was attatching his amber light housings.
July 18th, 2011, 01:49 AM
#13
'87 Delta 88 Royale
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Margate, England
Posts: 2,513
We have the same issues
In the UK amber turn signals have been required since 1966.
A popular way round this problem is to isolate the turn signals from the brake lights as described above and install stand alone turn signals or run the rears through the backup lights with amber bulbs and doing the same with the front sidelights (marker lights in the USA?).
If the car has twin front and rear marker lights it is straightforward, or side markers can be installed in the headlamps, finding suitable headlights in Japan shouldn't be a problem as the japanese used them in a lot of models.
For the rears you can graft in amber lenses if there are two lights each side, leaving a red light for markers and brake lights on the rear and white for the front lights.
If you want the car to retain its original looks putting a blue lamp behind a red lens will give an amber light, over here you can buy blue paint for the bulbs if blue bulbs are unobtainable, in the UK showing a blue light is illegal as they are only allowed on emergency service vehicles (police, fire, ambulance, customs and coastguard).
I understand the Japanese are very strict about vehicles complying with regulations, you may want to check about the legality of any modifications before you attack your wiring system.
Hope this helps.
Roger.
A popular way round this problem is to isolate the turn signals from the brake lights as described above and install stand alone turn signals or run the rears through the backup lights with amber bulbs and doing the same with the front sidelights (marker lights in the USA?).
If the car has twin front and rear marker lights it is straightforward, or side markers can be installed in the headlamps, finding suitable headlights in Japan shouldn't be a problem as the japanese used them in a lot of models.
For the rears you can graft in amber lenses if there are two lights each side, leaving a red light for markers and brake lights on the rear and white for the front lights.
If you want the car to retain its original looks putting a blue lamp behind a red lens will give an amber light, over here you can buy blue paint for the bulbs if blue bulbs are unobtainable, in the UK showing a blue light is illegal as they are only allowed on emergency service vehicles (police, fire, ambulance, customs and coastguard).
I understand the Japanese are very strict about vehicles complying with regulations, you may want to check about the legality of any modifications before you attack your wiring system.
Hope this helps.
Roger.
July 18th, 2011, 02:29 AM
#14
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 266
Well, I tried the method MDchanic suggested, but it was a no go. The blinkers in both front and back stayed on steady with out blinking. I thought maybe there wasn't enough load (the new amber signals are LED), so I wired in several different incandescent bulbs for load, and still not dice. I tried different ground locations including the body and both tail light wires. Nothing made them blink. I finally wired it back up to stock and just ran a couple of wires from the front corner blinkers and it's working well now. I would have like to have done it with one wire from just inside the cab, but this works.
Also, just for reference, my '75 had two bolts holding the bottom of the back seat down, and I never could figure out how to get the back seat off, but I didn't need to and could run wires around it. Thanks for all the help everybody and wish me luck tomorrow!
BTW---Japanese people are EXTREMELY **** retentive about pretty much EVERYTHING. One thing they might fail me on is the headrests not being large enough. It doesn't matter they are part of the seat and not. The rule is written assuming the headrest is separate and adjustable. It only sticks up 9cm above the rest of the seat, and not 10cm. Doesn't matter They are high enough for my 6'2" ***. My wife made some "cushions" for them, so we'll see if that's good enough. There's a lot of stuff like that, but that just gives you an idea of what I'm dealing with here.
Also, just for reference, my '75 had two bolts holding the bottom of the back seat down, and I never could figure out how to get the back seat off, but I didn't need to and could run wires around it. Thanks for all the help everybody and wish me luck tomorrow!
BTW---Japanese people are EXTREMELY **** retentive about pretty much EVERYTHING. One thing they might fail me on is the headrests not being large enough. It doesn't matter they are part of the seat and not. The rule is written assuming the headrest is separate and adjustable. It only sticks up 9cm above the rest of the seat, and not 10cm. Doesn't matter They are high enough for my 6'2" ***. My wife made some "cushions" for them, so we'll see if that's good enough. There's a lot of stuff like that, but that just gives you an idea of what I'm dealing with here.
July 18th, 2011, 03:58 AM
#15
Connoisseur d'Junque
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Hudson Valley
Posts: 21,183
Oh, man, I forgot about the fact that they're LEDs.
LEDs draw almost no current, and therefore do not draw enough to heat up the bimetallic strip in the flasher to make it flash.
This can be corrected by installing extra light bulbs or resistors to ground in each signal light circuit, or an LED-capable electronic flasher (getting easier to find these days, but probably about $20).
Sorry.
- Eric
LEDs draw almost no current, and therefore do not draw enough to heat up the bimetallic strip in the flasher to make it flash.
This can be corrected by installing extra light bulbs or resistors to ground in each signal light circuit, or an LED-capable electronic flasher (getting easier to find these days, but probably about $20).
Sorry.
- Eric
July 18th, 2011, 04:44 AM
#16
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 266
That's the weird thing. I did try wiring in additional bulbs, and the system still had the other bulbs up front. Should have been more than enough to make them flash, or at least flash quicker than normal. I went out to the junkyard and swiped a couple of brake light bulbs/plugs and wired them in and it didn't help. I was scratching my head pretty good. We just went with the KISS principle, especially since it's getting inspected in the morning. I'm sure they will find something to ding me on, but I've nailed down all the things I know already they will fail me for (accept maybe the headrest question) so we'll see. Thanks for the input anyways though :-)
July 18th, 2011, 06:52 AM
#18
'87 Delta 88 Royale
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Margate, England
Posts: 2,513
When I wired up my '87 Delta 88 for towing the blinkers didn't work properly (they flashed too quickly).
I got round this by fitting a 3 prong flasher unit from a Volkswagen with #49 & 49a spades in the original fitting; the third terminal was run to earth.
The flashers now work at the correct rate no matter what the load (how many bulbs are connected). the flasher is rated to work up to a maximum of 96 watts.
It doesn't have to be a VW part, any flasher like it will work.
Roger.
I got round this by fitting a 3 prong flasher unit from a Volkswagen with #49 & 49a spades in the original fitting; the third terminal was run to earth.
The flashers now work at the correct rate no matter what the load (how many bulbs are connected). the flasher is rated to work up to a maximum of 96 watts.
It doesn't have to be a VW part, any flasher like it will work.
Roger.
July 18th, 2011, 08:00 AM
#19
Lt. Buzzkill (ret.)
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Western New York
Posts: 1,297
July 18th, 2011, 05:46 PM
#20
Connoisseur d'Junque
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Hudson Valley
Posts: 21,183
I just thought of another dumb question I should have asked:
When you hooked up the extra light bulbs from the junkyard, you hooked them up in parallel, right, and not in series? That is, you connected one terminal to the positive and one to ground, and did not connect them "in between" the positive wire and the positive light terminal.
Just checking...
- Eric
When you hooked up the extra light bulbs from the junkyard, you hooked them up in parallel, right, and not in series? That is, you connected one terminal to the positive and one to ground, and did not connect them "in between" the positive wire and the positive light terminal.
Just checking...
- Eric
July 19th, 2011, 12:40 AM
#21
'87 Delta 88 Royale
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Margate, England
Posts: 2,513
I know I had too much load, the point of fitting the type of flasher I used was that it consistently flashes at the same rate up to a 96 watt load, it also works with only a 5w bulb in the circuit, it will work with LED lights as well.
It isn't an electronic flasher, it works by the current passing through #49 terminal to earth to operate. Ford UK use a similar unit, no doubt many others do as well.
Roger.
It isn't an electronic flasher, it works by the current passing through #49 terminal to earth to operate. Ford UK use a similar unit, no doubt many others do as well.
Roger.
July 19th, 2011, 01:56 AM
#22
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 266
I just thought of another dumb question I should have asked:
When you hooked up the extra light bulbs from the junkyard, you hooked them up in parallel, right, and not in series? That is, you connected one terminal to the positive and one to ground, and did not connect them "in between" the positive wire and the positive light terminal.
Just checking...
- Eric
When you hooked up the extra light bulbs from the junkyard, you hooked them up in parallel, right, and not in series? That is, you connected one terminal to the positive and one to ground, and did not connect them "in between" the positive wire and the positive light terminal.
Just checking...
- Eric
So I went and inspected today. If any of you ever question how **** Japanese people can be, just re-read my post.............
This is copy and pasted from another forum. I'll try and edit out all my "colorful" language and other stuff that wouldn't make sense, but sorry if I miss anything.
I had like every inspector in the joint going over my car, and the head guy was arguing with the others. They were saying stuff was okay, and he was like "no, it's no good!" and actually yelling at them. Clazy Plick. They also made me wait for an hour while they all took lunch and just left like 15 cars sitting in line behind the inspection building. Welcome to Okinawa 
Here's the list of **** that failed.............
1) Headlights--while aligned properly, they "move the wrong way" when i flip on the high beams, although they are still pointed correctly according to them
Fix: Hopefully just swapping out some JDM sealed beam units (7" round same as the Jimny) will get me compliant.
2) License Plate mounts--not the right size.
Fix: Need to make a bracket for the front since the holes aren't the same distance apart and the bumper is curved. The back I should just be able to re-drill the bumper with different holes. I hate to drill the bumper, but meh, needs doing. He said something about welding a nut on the back, but I think thread the thick as bumper might be okay.
3) No red safety reflectors on the rear
Fix: Stick on some reflectors to the bumper--easy.
4) No horn emblem on the steering wheel to show where to push for "honk"
Fix: Stencil one on or find an OEM kind of sticker. No paper and tape homemade stickers. Easy I think.
5) Side mirrors stick out 1cm past the edge of the body and are non-folding type
Fix: F*ck me. Either take apart the door and move the hole ******* mirror assembly up, or add trim to the car to make it wider. Ghey.
6) License Plate light not bright enough--really?? How the hell could you tell since it was day time?
Fix: Brighter/more lights. Easy.
7) Brake lights also indicate with turn signals. I guess too much info might confuse people on my intentions of turning or not
Fix: I'm going to have to get creative with wiring, but I think I know how---and Dave, before you answer, one thing we didn't think about yesterday was whether or not the running (parking) lights still worked when we hooked them up directly to the brake switch. Didn't check, but I will tonight.
8) My custom addition rear amber turn signals aren't big enough--well, actually they are, but the middle part has all the LED's in it and they only counted that area even though the whole thing lights up, so that's not big enough.
Fix: Bigger indicators. Shouldn't be too bad as long as I can find some place on island that carries trailer supply kinda thing. I've only got 15 days to re-do, so getting it from the states will be cutting it close.
9) The front Parking lights/turn signals can't be both. Only one or the other. Seriously? This is going to be hard since I'm pretty sure, like the rear signal/brake lamps, there is only one power wire and no switched ground going to the bulb, so there is no separate signal to wire off of.
Fix: Make the current front and side marker/signal lamps work only as turn signals, and wire in additional parking lamps up front (size restriction on parking lamps?) Maybe easier said than done.
10) E-brake cable rubs the underside of the body (by design) and needs a protective sheath around it. I'll give them that one. Seems kinda unsafe to me too.
Fix: Tube or some **** around the cable where it rubs. Should be pretty easy.
Here's the list of **** that failed.............
1) Headlights--while aligned properly, they "move the wrong way" when i flip on the high beams, although they are still pointed correctly according to them
Fix: Hopefully just swapping out some JDM sealed beam units (7" round same as the Jimny) will get me compliant.
2) License Plate mounts--not the right size.
Fix: Need to make a bracket for the front since the holes aren't the same distance apart and the bumper is curved. The back I should just be able to re-drill the bumper with different holes. I hate to drill the bumper, but meh, needs doing. He said something about welding a nut on the back, but I think thread the thick as bumper might be okay.
3) No red safety reflectors on the rear
Fix: Stick on some reflectors to the bumper--easy.
4) No horn emblem on the steering wheel to show where to push for "honk"
Fix: Stencil one on or find an OEM kind of sticker. No paper and tape homemade stickers. Easy I think.
5) Side mirrors stick out 1cm past the edge of the body and are non-folding type
Fix: F*ck me. Either take apart the door and move the hole ******* mirror assembly up, or add trim to the car to make it wider. Ghey.
6) License Plate light not bright enough--really?? How the hell could you tell since it was day time?
Fix: Brighter/more lights. Easy.
7) Brake lights also indicate with turn signals. I guess too much info might confuse people on my intentions of turning or not
Fix: I'm going to have to get creative with wiring, but I think I know how---and Dave, before you answer, one thing we didn't think about yesterday was whether or not the running (parking) lights still worked when we hooked them up directly to the brake switch. Didn't check, but I will tonight.
8) My custom addition rear amber turn signals aren't big enough--well, actually they are, but the middle part has all the LED's in it and they only counted that area even though the whole thing lights up, so that's not big enough.
Fix: Bigger indicators. Shouldn't be too bad as long as I can find some place on island that carries trailer supply kinda thing. I've only got 15 days to re-do, so getting it from the states will be cutting it close.
9) The front Parking lights/turn signals can't be both. Only one or the other. Seriously? This is going to be hard since I'm pretty sure, like the rear signal/brake lamps, there is only one power wire and no switched ground going to the bulb, so there is no separate signal to wire off of.
Fix: Make the current front and side marker/signal lamps work only as turn signals, and wire in additional parking lamps up front (size restriction on parking lamps?) Maybe easier said than done.
10) E-brake cable rubs the underside of the body (by design) and needs a protective sheath around it. I'll give them that one. Seems kinda unsafe to me too.
Fix: Tube or some **** around the cable where it rubs. Should be pretty easy.
July 19th, 2011, 02:39 AM
#23
'87 Delta 88 Royale
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Margate, England
Posts: 2,513
How the f##k did Japan get to be the worlds 2nd largest economy with that kind of attitude?.
Problem #1; You should be able to get 7" sealed beams with a window for marker lights, use the originals for stand alone turn signals.
Problem #9; You should have 2 wires to the front markers, one for 5w markers the other for 21w turn signals. See problem #1.
Problem #7; Isolate the brake lights from all other circuits, same for the turn signals, you will need to run some new wires.
GOOD LUCK!!!!!, seems you could use some, oh hang on, you are dealing with the Japanese, you will need lottery winning amounts of luck.
Roger.
Problem #1; You should be able to get 7" sealed beams with a window for marker lights, use the originals for stand alone turn signals.
Problem #9; You should have 2 wires to the front markers, one for 5w markers the other for 21w turn signals. See problem #1.
Problem #7; Isolate the brake lights from all other circuits, same for the turn signals, you will need to run some new wires.
GOOD LUCK!!!!!, seems you could use some, oh hang on, you are dealing with the Japanese, you will need lottery winning amounts of luck.
Roger.
July 19th, 2011, 04:09 AM
#24
Connoisseur d'Junque
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Hudson Valley
Posts: 21,183
I can't write at length right now, but for the headlights, I think they mean that you've got LHD headlights in their RHD world - your headlights make a bright patch to the right of the car, because that's where the curb is over here. Over there, they point into oncoming traffic. Japanese (or British) bulbs should fix this.
And you've got reflectors built into your taillights.
- Eric
And you've got reflectors built into your taillights.
- Eric
July 19th, 2011, 04:13 AM
#25
Connoisseur d'Junque
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Hudson Valley
Posts: 21,183
And, yes, if you want to add additional load to trick your flasher into working with LEDs, you need to wire those extra bulbs (actually just acting as resistors) in PARALLEL between the hot and ground (or get an electronic LED flasher).
- Eric
July 19th, 2011, 04:19 AM
#26
Connoisseur d'Junque
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Hudson Valley
Posts: 21,183
Bataan
Death
March
Remember, their school books still say that WE started the war.
Still.
Even now.
- Eric
July 19th, 2011, 06:28 AM
#27
Official Tire Kicker
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Sasebo, Japan.
Posts: 576
Chris,
That is an AMAZING list. They need to take that list and shove it where the sun don't shine. Sounds to me like they went WWWWWAAAAYYYYYY overboard! Crawling around UNDER the car and hitting the emergency brake cable? REALLY?
That is an AMAZING list. They need to take that list and shove it where the sun don't shine. Sounds to me like they went WWWWWAAAAYYYYYY overboard! Crawling around UNDER the car and hitting the emergency brake cable? REALLY?
July 19th, 2011, 06:34 AM
#28
Official Tire Kicker
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Sasebo, Japan.
Posts: 576
I told you that I didn't see any of that kind of crap on any of the cars at that Yokohama car show, here is a picture of one of the cars rear ends and low and behold no yellow lights. I don't know if they took them off after inspection or not but I don't think so. I think the inspectors in Okinawa just go too far, it's called "job security."
July 19th, 2011, 07:37 AM
#29
Connoisseur d'Junque
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Hudson Valley
Posts: 21,183
It's called "Let's kick the gaijin in his big hairy ****."
It's a sport enjoyed 'round the world. I'm sure we're not immune to doing it here in the US either
(though we seem to have grown out of most of it in the past thirty years or so...).
-Eric
It's a sport enjoyed 'round the world. I'm sure we're not immune to doing it here in the US either
(though we seem to have grown out of most of it in the past thirty years or so...).-Eric
July 19th, 2011, 05:39 PM
#30
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 266
Hey now, I take offense to that. My wife makes me keep my butt hair pretty trim 
Yeah Kieth, it looks like they are screwing with me pretty hard. They spent a LONG time under it trying to find something wrong like leaks and stuff. Couldn't find squat. Maybe I should have given them an easy leak so it would have satisfied them LOL.
On wiring the other bulbs/resistors, what kind of resistors could i buy? I'm not real excited about leaving bulbs wired up in my trunk. Also, do you think you can give me a quick Microsoft Paint diagram of how you would wire up the brake lights? Remember, I now have the turn signals going off the front signal markers and the brake lights are back to stock.
Yeah Kieth, it looks like they are screwing with me pretty hard. They spent a LONG time under it trying to find something wrong like leaks and stuff. Couldn't find squat. Maybe I should have given them an easy leak so it would have satisfied them LOL.
On wiring the other bulbs/resistors, what kind of resistors could i buy? I'm not real excited about leaving bulbs wired up in my trunk. Also, do you think you can give me a quick Microsoft Paint diagram of how you would wire up the brake lights? Remember, I now have the turn signals going off the front signal markers and the brake lights are back to stock.
July 19th, 2011, 06:06 PM
#31
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 266
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...ng-access.html
In case anybody has any inputs for my new quest to move my mirrors a smidge
In case anybody has any inputs for my new quest to move my mirrors a smidge
July 19th, 2011, 07:19 PM
#32
Connoisseur d'Junque
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Hudson Valley
Posts: 21,183
.On wiring the other bulbs/resistors, what kind of resistors could i buy? I'm not real excited about leaving bulbs wired up in my trunk. Also, do you think you can give me a quick Microsoft Paint diagram of how you would wire up the brake lights? Remember, I now have the turn signals going off the front signal markers and the brake lights are back to stock.
New wire from brake light switch goes to the signal light wires of the left and right taillights. Other wires to those lights (parking light circuit and ground) stay the same.
Wires from signal light switch for left and right signals go to new, larger LED lights.
Connect a single resistor, about 6 ohms and at least 1 watt (10Ω or 5Ω would probably work) on each side (one left, and one right) from the LED light (+) terminal to ground.
The other (-) terminals of the LED lights go directly to ground.
So, you've got a resistor between the two terminals of each LED unit.
The resistors are bleeding off extra current (in other words, completely wasting it), so that the old-style mechanical flasher will work.
Notes:
- Resistors have no polarity - it doesn't matter which way you connect them.
- If one resistor value doesn't quite work, feel free to try another one - nothing in this range will hurt anything.
- If the resistor is of too small a power (wattage) value, it will burn out. This will probably take a while, unless it's WAY off, so even one that's too small should let you pass.
Don't worry - just hook some stuff up and make it work!
- Eric
July 28th, 2011, 04:27 PM
#34
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 266
Yup, just passed yesterday afternoon! Thanks for all the help everybody, I really appreciate it. I'll puts pics and discussion into the non-tech thread so I don't clutter up this section..........
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post305637
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post305637
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
davesdelta
Electrical
4
August 13th, 2012 07:18 PM
dmontanagrizzlies
Interior/Upholstery
13
July 28th, 2009 07:18 AM
