On the trip last week I often found myself unintentionally driving down the road with the turn signals on, probably for miles at sometimes. When the sun is bright the turn signals indicators get lost in the chrome bensil. Do they make brighter style bulbs or LED bulbs that I can insert into existing bulb holders? I thought of maybe installing a louder flasher that will click loud enough that I won't ignore but I hate the thoughts of that annoying sound but there were times when I needed to badley turn in heavy traffic only to realize that I had my signal on for the last five minutes pointing in the opposite way I needed to go. I'm open for any ideas....Tedd

 

Hi Tedd,
Two thoughts: Have you pulled your flasher indicator bulbs, and cleaned or replaced them? Also you can clean the back side of the lense with a damp Q-Tip.
Also, they make a loud flasher unit that makes a noticable "katink, katink" sound. Mount it to the steering column, and you would probably "feel it". too.

Jerry

 

LED replacement bulbs are made in most sizes that your car might require. You can do a search for them on Google, or check eBay. If you only change out the dash bulbs, you won't need to worry about changing out the flasher (due to low current draw of LED's).

 

So you are driving an Oldsmobile for miles with the turn signal on like an old man. What's wrong with that? I find that happening quite often to me, I think I'm entitled.
Don't worry about it, just wave out the window and enjoy the ride.

 

Even in my retarded state of elderly dementia I'm afraid someone thinking I.m younger and still have all my sences will smash into the car.....Tedd

 

Tedd, you're not alone,my wife points that problem out often.She says a hearing aid might help,but I'm thinking maybe another horn with a hot wire running from the flasher would be much cheaper! Larry

 

I like the horn Idea but I think I'm going to look into LED's first, just a little less annoying to the wife. ...Tedd

 

I think they call that selective hearing Larry, at least thats what my wife says when I miss some of her comments...

 

Didn't JC whitney sell a flasher that played a tune? For some reason I think it was Elvis and love me tender. Swear it was in their old paper catalog that fascinated me when I was a kid. (Hey, we only got 4 channels of TV)

 

LEDs work great. I have them in my 68 and 78, next week I'm putting them in my 87. Beware though, the ones I have used are polarized. If you put one in and it doesn't work, take it out, turn it 180° and it will work.

 

First pop the bulbs out to see if they are dirty or burned inside. I have seen bulbs turn black inside.
Next check the inner lens. Shine a flashlight through it and make sure it is nice and green. Make sure the lightguide tube is clean also.
If those look good, make sure the bulbs are #194 (2cp) or #168 (3cp).
If right and still dim, put a volmeter across a bulb, turn on the blinkers, and make sure you have 12V across the bulb. Repeat for the other one.

If all of this come out good, as in nothing wrong, then consider LEDs

 

Sorry for the late post, my computer had a virus and I had to shut it down till it was fixed.

The bulbs look fine (all the bulbs were replaced when I rebuilt the car the first time) and the inside tubes and lenses are clean. I think the problem is all the chrome and reflection around the indicators when the sun is coming from behind. The indicators are a light green color and there isn't enough contrast for old eyes to pick up. I think LED's in red will be my first attempt to fix this....Tedd

 

Just an FYI, Green LED's give off the most lumens (light) of any of the primary colors. White are the brightest of all.

 

Ted, speaking of the color contrast of your turn signal's (possibly sun faded) light green lens. Depending on how you reworked your cluster initially by either reusing or replacing the green plastic lens material the following may help. Did you notice that the oval shaped green lens material's installation is not symmetrical in its relation to the instrument panel openings? When I did mine I found that the green lens material can be removed, rotated 180 degrees and then reinstalled in its original place. You then get a "new" portion of the green plastic lens material facing out of the indicator's arrow window. This little portion of the green lens material has been protected from the sun for nearly 60 years.

 

Thanks oldave55, I'll give it a try when I change out the bulbs...Tedd