traintech55
Senior Member
So have I. Bill
stupid turn signal switch...grr...
- Thread starter 70Tom
- Start date
Just some thoughts....
Let's say that you have 3 turn signal bulbs. I believe a 1157 bulb is about 20 watts each, so 20 watts at for the front light and 40 watts for the two bulbs at the rear. 40 watts at 12 volts equals 3.4 amp draw. Add a dash indicator bulb and maybe a little resistance here and there and you should have ~ 4 amp draw to the rear and ~2 to the front. Let's just say less than 5 to either circuit.
Follow me?
So... If you were to put a DMM in series right after the switch to either the front or the rear circuits, you should have less than 5 amps draw.
If I wanted to test how much draw I had on each right turn signal circuit, I would disconnect the harness from the switch, and hook 12 volts through a DMM to the front circuit and see what the reading is and then do it again to the rear circuit. I would expect the front to be ~ half the reading of the rear.
I'd also do the left side to get a comparison.
So.... I would assume that one of the right turn signal circuits is over 5 amps and the source of the problem.
From there, you can start picking apart the wiring, sockets and bulbs to that circuit.
Again... that's just some thoughts on diagnosing the problem. YMMV.
Let's say that you have 3 turn signal bulbs. I believe a 1157 bulb is about 20 watts each, so 20 watts at for the front light and 40 watts for the two bulbs at the rear. 40 watts at 12 volts equals 3.4 amp draw. Add a dash indicator bulb and maybe a little resistance here and there and you should have ~ 4 amp draw to the rear and ~2 to the front. Let's just say less than 5 to either circuit.
Follow me?
So... If you were to put a DMM in series right after the switch to either the front or the rear circuits, you should have less than 5 amps draw.
If I wanted to test how much draw I had on each right turn signal circuit, I would disconnect the harness from the switch, and hook 12 volts through a DMM to the front circuit and see what the reading is and then do it again to the rear circuit. I would expect the front to be ~ half the reading of the rear.
I'd also do the left side to get a comparison.
So.... I would assume that one of the right turn signal circuits is over 5 amps and the source of the problem.
From there, you can start picking apart the wiring, sockets and bulbs to that circuit.
Again... that's just some thoughts on diagnosing the problem. YMMV.
GM/Saginaw might have made the column for Chrysler, BUT to Chrysler specs. The tilt column in my '80 Newport looks (on the outside) just like what was in '85 Caprices, but nothing inside is the same. Chrysler steering columns have a nicer feel to operate than the similar GM columns, by observation.
CBODY67
Just curious . . . when did the smoke escape? Just driving along normally or with the rh turn signals deployed? If deployed, how long did it take "until smoke"? Were the outside lights on?
BE SURE to check the resistance of the terminal/wire connection at EACH terminal in the switch connector, both sides! As the plastic connector is melted, you might take that wire out and do a QC check on the terminal installation onto the wire as that's where the hot spot was, not some other place in the harness. THEN do a close look-see on the NOS switch you've got, for good measure.
If you find something amiss on the connector, the vendor should parts warranty it as a defective switch. Or at least refund your money?
CBODY67
BE SURE to check the resistance of the terminal/wire connection at EACH terminal in the switch connector, both sides! As the plastic connector is melted, you might take that wire out and do a QC check on the terminal installation onto the wire as that's where the hot spot was, not some other place in the harness. THEN do a close look-see on the NOS switch you've got, for good measure.
If you find something amiss on the connector, the vendor should parts warranty it as a defective switch. Or at least refund your money?
CBODY67
I don't believe that he has said the connector was melted. Dobalover has posted a pic of the red power wire having melted on his car, which is a typical failure at the connector.
I'm understanding that the failure is at the switch itself, assuming it's at the switch contacts.
Or am I wrong here?
70Tom
Senior Member
The failure is at the switch itself, I believe. It started smoking when I had the right turn signal on. As I was trying to merge right and was having a difficult time getting over due to traffic, the right signal was on for a fair amount of time.
This damage is not typical of short or overload, it is most likely a dirty or loose connection.
I bypassed the connector with a patch wire and has been working good since however 50 year old wiring scares me
There are a lot of cars out there with that damage and you are correct that it is the fault of a bad connection. For some reason, Chrysler decided to use a small bullet connector in that spot. ALL the current that is switched on with the ignition switch runs through that wire. I've seen more of the connectors discolored than not, and a lot (like mine) melted and needing to be bypassed.
It's definitely a weak spot in the design.
70Tom
Senior Member
Taking the car back to the electrician today. Wish me luck. Mainly that I don't blow a gasket when discussing the work they should have already done properly on the car so I wouldn't be going through this, and that it really doesn't take more than 15 minutes to change out the switch so I better not have a $200 charge on my bill for the work.
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