Driving lights overpower turn signal

[Butch65]

OK guys, I'm stoked to have one issue resolved ( thanks again to all for your support!) and now need to dive into the next one.

With headlight switch off, both front turn signals are visible and working (although not very strong)

With headlights turned on, both front signals work, but the running light filament is so bright you can't see the blinker.

Course of action ? :huh:

Mahalo!

Butch

 

[MechEng]

It sounds like your lights might be wired backwards, that the filament that's supposed to be the turn signal is wired to the running light and vice versa. What year car do you have? I have the wiring diagram for the 73 and can tell you which pin should be which. The other thing is to make sure you have the right kind of bulb. There are a number that look basically identical but are slightly different (like having the filaments reversed)

 

[Butch65]

Mech-

1973, convertible.

Bulbs are 1157a's brand new today. I had Advance Auto check the database for the right ones, 'cuz I didn't trust what I pulled out were correct. Please pass along the pin info and I'll get after it tomorrow.

Mahalo!

Butch

 

[72HCODE]

my memory is hazy but... pop both front bulbs out test electrical to see if it is the sport grill lights causing the problem.

pop in one bulb at a time, test electrical, if it faults, turn the bulb 180 degrees then put it back in the socket and lock it in.

Do one bulb at a time and test the electrical and then do the other if no fault.

I just remember some 1157 bulbs didn't orient correctly in the sockets and caused a short. there are 2 pegs on the bulbs and the socket is suppose to allow you to put them in one way but sometimes the plastic gets messed up from somebody jamming it in the wrong way. maybe you will still find a socket is shorting inside the plastic this way as well.

 

[pedstagn71]

that also sound like it could be a bad ground in your light wiring it should be grounded on both sides of the radiator support a bad ground can do strange things

 

[Butch65]

72HCode-

Your memory is right on. I switched the bulbs around and that did the trick.

I'll need to find a new turn signal socket assembly, one of ours is a challenge to unlock from the light housing, and has a loose wire that I'm going to chase down now to see if I can remedy it until a replacement can be found.

Thanks for the help, gents!

 

[72HCODE]

those sport grill sockets are impossible to find, even don at ohio didn't have any.

I had a cut up engine bay harness and when i redid the wiring i chopped off the one replacement socket and attempted to get a replacement. that was when i found out it was near impossible.

I ended up finding a Junk 73 engine bay harness that had one sport light socket on it. i cut it off and that was when i realized the 73 was a 3 wire and the 71-72 a 2 wire socket. I ended up ripping the 73 socket apart and i rewired it for 71-72 operation, the socket has bullet connectors so i was able to repair the main harness, rewire the 73 socket and when done snap everything back together.

It worked but then i also discovered the 73 socket is a little deeper then the 71-72, they looked the same until i installed them in the 72 sport grill... soooo my sport grill works but one light looks a little dimmer because it is sitting about 10mm deeper in the light bucket.

I have been looking for a replacement original 71-72 socket for years and Never could find one. i would have to buy a complete engine bay harness from a sport grill car and then tear off the one connector, and i wasn't going to pay 100$s to do it.

If the bulb locks in and works but you feel its a little loose you could wrap electrical tape around the ground of the bulb away from the tab that touches the bulb ground and just keep it held in place, or wrap the socket and the bulb base together to hold it in place, you won't be able to see it inside the socket and it will save you a ton of money and time.

glad i could help.

 

[midlife]

Napa sells a replacement 73 socket, but it isn't terribly good quality. I harvest them from mid 70's to mid-80's Ford trucks (rear lights). You should be able to use the 3 pin bulbs on a 2 pin design by ignoring the third wire (ground).

You can also repair the original sockets by pulling the contacts out, cleaning them, and if you're lucky, you can remove the pin for recrimping. I just did this for Totalled.

 

[Butch65]

I was surprised to find a decent quality replacement at Advanced for about $10.00. The wire color coding may be generic, but now the bulb can only engage in the correct orientation and the socket locks and unlocks cleanly from the housing.

Butch