Blinkers - weak and rapid

[Redmond49]

My '49 has an Allstate aftermarket blinker unit clamped onto the steering column. The blinkers do (barely) work at the rear, but they are very, very weak and they flash very rapidly. In contrast, the tail lights are very bright (as is the center brake light). Any thoughts on why the blinkers flash so weakly and rapidly, compared to how bright the tail lights are?

 

Based on some of the other threads I've read, it sounds like they probably never hooked up the front parking lights as blinkers - is that a valid assumption?

[greg g]

did you change the pigtails at the front to accept dual filament light bulbs? Are you bulbs indexed correctly at the rear?  quick flashing usually indicated insufficient resistance to properly operate the flasher. either through incorrect bulbs, incorrectly indexed filaments, or poor grounds. 

[DJ194950]

How to the brake lights work? I'm thinking  a weak ground. Takes more amps. for the brake/turn bulbs to work properally. ??

 

Doug

[Redmond49]

The single middle brake light works perfectly, and the rear running lights also work just fine. It's just the blinkers. From the looks of the blinker unit and the research I did, the allstate unit is probably as old as the car. So in terms of the front, I don't really know if they typically hooked up the front lights as blinkers or not then. I do know that when the front headlights are on, the parking lights up front don't work, and I understand that is per factory specs. Not sure I understand some of the terms -

 

- Are the 'pigtails' the light sockets?

- No idea what you mean by "are the bulbs indexed correctly"

[Don Coatney]

In addition to the above advice, are any of the bulbs (front or rear) burned out? Are the correct bulbs (6 or 12 volt etc) being used?

[_shel_ny]

- No idea what you mean by "are the bulbs indexed correctly"

There is a pin on either side of the bulb base. Some bulbs the pins are parallel to each other and allow the bulb to be put in 180 out. Others are 1 pin higher than the other and can only go in one way.

 

 

Edit: spelling

Edited November 9, 2013 by shel_ny

[Merle Coggins]

With a thermal flasher rapid flashing usually means it's pulling too much amperage because of high resistance in the circuit. The symptom of dim signals at the back would also indicate resistance in the circuit causing a voltage drop at the lamps. Double check all of the connections between the flasher, signal switch, and the lamps. Be sure they are all clean and making good contact. If that's not it, it may be in the wires themselves.  

 

Merle

[greg g]

There is a pin on either side of the bulb base. Some bulbs the pins are parallel to each other and allow the bulb to be put in 180 out. Others are 1 pin higher than the other and can only go in one way.

 

 

Edit: spelling

If you have them in incorrectly the element for the brighter brake/signal will be on with headlights on and the dimmer element will be aligned to the brake/flasher, which could cause the problem as described.  This is especially possible because our lamp sockets are of the non offset type. By indexing them the other way the proper elements will be lined up with the proper circuit.

[suntennis]

Over the years, whenever I detect a rapid flashing of turn signal lites, the reason for it was that either  a front or rear turn bulb had failed. After replacing the inop bulb, the flashing rate returned to the normal.

[Redmond49]

Thanks for the additional explanation. This should get me going

[52b3b Joe]

It could be the flasher can. I just had this problem with the blinkers going too fast. It clicked them on for such a short time the filaments could not fully light up. I looked into grounding problems and everything else I could think of. Finally after no luck I thought I'd change the can for fun and it ended up being the issue. Just a thought...

[Redmond49]

The flasher can is relatively new, there was an old one in the glovebox. Between yesterday and when I first posted this question, one of the front parking lamps burned out.  The lamps that were in the front were dual-filament 1158s with pins that were at the same place on each side. The parts store didn't have them, so I thought I would give the offset pin ones a try - 1154 - which are the lights in the taillights. At first, one front light was lighting up both filaments at the same time, but I put the correct side up finally and got them to match and run one filament each in the front. So, now, all the parking lights work, but when I use the turn signal, only the FRONT lights blink. Before I changed the front bulbs, only the BACK lights blinked. It sort of seems like the bulb combination is wrong, perhaps, more than anything.

 

I thought I would try two things:

• Would reverting the front parking lights to single filament bulbs work? 
• Go find or order replacement 1158s. 

Thoughts?

[Young Ed]

A new flasher can could still be your issue. I went through a bunch of new 6v ones that are cheap overseas crap. I finally started grabbing used ones from junkyards and am running those in both my cars. They work much better.

[Dave72dt]

How did you manage to get an offset pinned bulb in a socket designed for straight across pinned bulbs?  Bulbs and sockets need to at least match.  At one time there used to be regular flashers and hd flashers, at least in 12v.  The regular ones would flash rapidly where the hd flashed at a slower rate.

[Jerry Roberts]

How did you manage to get an offset pinned bulb in a socket designed for straight across pinned bulbs?  Bulbs and sockets need to at least match.  At one time there used to be regular flashers and hd flashers, at least in 12v.  The regular ones would flash rapidly where the hd flashed at a slower rate.

 The 6 volt flashers came in HD too . I am using one in my truck . A very old NOS item . I also had troubles with the imports and no trouble with the old American made one . 

[Plymouthy Adams]

check you blinker fluid level...

 

 

sorry..will do a time out in the corner for that...

[Niel Hoback]

   Laugh if you want, but I am using a flasher from an old 6 volt Trabant.  It is wired the same and works very well.  They are still available in Europe.

[Redmond49]

I packed the car off to the classic car shop for a few things so it doesn't turn into an immobile project in my garage, so hopefully it will come back with four blinkers that work reliably. But I tried first Thanks, all.