Right turn signal not working

1 = What turn signal switch do you have. 4-5-6-or 7 wire signal switch and manufacture.
2= Are we confirmed on 12V system.
3= Are you running 1157 type park/turn (front) and 1157 marker/stop (rear).
4= 2 or 3 prong flasher. (3 prong 550 heavy duty)?.
5= Are you using a 4 way after market flasher switch.
6= Are you using separate lights at rear for stop and tail?
Answer these please so we are on the same page with your jeep.

 

Answer to the questions (except number 3):

1 = 7 wire signal switch (see photo)
2 = 12V system (mesured across battery teminal)
3 = do not know
4 = 3 prong flasher (thermnal)
5 = no
6 = one set of rear lights (LED)


I have discovered the the turn signal switch very intermittent so I have cut it out (see wires and switch below)

Wires:


wire colors left to right:
brown
white
black
yellow
black with bulb
orange
blue/green

Bad switch


Now I would like to test my turn signals using these wires and test with a meter, but do not what wires are what.

Recall the parking lights all work (tested after switch removed).

 

OK we have a start point but we don't have anything that is stock to the 63 jeep cj. The picture of the switch is to small to recognize what it is. Was this possibly a kit for the LED system? Are you using stock steering column with externally mounted turn signal switch? Where was this switch mounted?

 

My bad! now that I think about it my problem was that the blinkers on the signal housing were not working and not the actual turn signal linght itself. Had been about a year. never mind me carry on!!

 

the led lights need a "no-load" flasher, as they have less resistance and won't work the flasher.

 

I think the switch is stock, it looks really old, as does the whole colum unit. As for the post about a no-load flasher (LEDs), I am not sure where to get one. At NAPA they just gave me a thermal and electronic flasher for a 63 CJ5. I tried both.

Sorry about the small photos, here they are larger:








I guess I can test my turn signals using the wires, just by touching them together, but I do not know what is what.

 

I would right now Draw, Take a picture, or something identifying what wire goes were now when you still have bits of the insulation on the wires stuck to the switch.

 

I was going to hang onto the switch until I have my turn signals working.

 

A clearer picture shows that to be the correct one and they are really a very simple switch. Not much to go bad. To open the switch you hold it with the circuit board up and you will see four small bent over tabs. Holding the assy together, straighten out the tabs. There are four springs in there so hold tightly. After tabs are straightened, you can ease the board from the metal can. Note where the parts are located or take a picture of the inside. You will need to clean the contacts and the complete inside including the slider. After a good cleaning you can lube the sliding parts with a small amount of vaseline. Once re-assembled, make sure the slider moves from side to side and returns to center on it's own. Once we have that done then we will ohm out the circuit functions for continuity.

 

I will take apart the switch and clean it. Can I test my turn signals using just the wires? I think I should be able to touch select wires together and get my lights to come on? I would like to do this to verify it is the switch, and not something else.

 

Yes. You should have a wire that comes hot (12V) when you push on the brakes. That one goes to the turn signal switch as an input power source. You will have another input power source coming from the flasher "L" terminal (load) and another from the flasher "P" terminal for the little light in the turn signal housing. Keep those three separate from the others. The four wires left are for each of the four lights. Just apply 12V to all four and light em up or one at a time as you wish.

 

Confused newbie.

Read continuity from the yellow wire (see picture above) to a contact in the left front light socket.

Read continuity from the black wire (see picture above) to a contact in the right front light socket.

Read about 12V from the white wire (see picture above).

Clipped white wire to yellow wire, turn key to on position, read about 12V from left front light socket.

Put bulb in, does not light.

Clipped white wire to black wire,turn key to on position, read about 12V from right front light socket.

Put bulb in, does not light.

I think the orange and blue wires are for the two rear lights, and the brown a possible a ground for the little bulb by the switch.

How can I have about 12V in each of the front sockets, and the bulbs not light?

 

A clear picture of the inside one of your front and rear lights without the bulb would be a big help. Would eliminate a lot of second guessing.

 

Not to butt in (Walt, you seem to have a good handle on this) but, are the sockets and/or housings grounded properly? And somebody mentioned about a special flasher unit for use with LED lights. I've heard that somewhere else as well. Might want to check into that if no other issues are present.

 

Here is what the front light socket look like:





From my earlier post:

Read continuity from the yellow wire (see picture above) to a contact in the left front light socket.

Read continuity from the black wire (see picture above) to a contact in the right front light socket.

Read about 12V from the white wire (see picture above).

Clipped white wire to yellow wire, turn key to on position, read about 12V from left front light socket.

Put bulb in, does not light.

Clipped white wire to black wire,turn key to on position, read about 12V from right front light socket.

Put bulb in, does not light.

I think the orange and blue wires are for the two rear lights, and the brown a possible a ground for the little bulb by the switch.

How can I have about 12V in each of the front sockets, and the bulbs not light?

 

More trouble shooting:

Read continuity from the blue wire (see picture above) to a contact in the left rear light.

Read continuity from the orange wire (see picture above) to a contact in the right rear light.

Clipped white wire to blue wire, turn key to on position, left rear light comes on.

Clipped white wire to orange wire, turn key to on position, right rear light comes on.

I do not know what my next move is?

 

The front light sockets use an 1157 type (dual element) bulb for front marker and turn.

To test the socket ground using your test light.
Connect power to one of the wires (either one) and probe with your test light to confirm power is present at one of the buttons in the socket.
With power showing at the socket, now insert a known good 1157 bulb. If the ground is bad then the bulb will not be lit. To prove this you connect the test light alligator clip to a good ground and put the probe point against the bulb base (brass part) and the test light should be lit. Now move the probe tip to the socket housing. If the test light does not light then the inside of the socket is too corroded and must be cleaned. If the test light does light, then move the probe to the park light housing. If the test light does come on then move the probe to a clean metal spot on the grille. If the test light still comes on you have a bad ground at the body to frame.

Rear lights.
You say you are using LED's so this will have to be approached differently than the front. I will ask if you have 4 led's with resistor for turn and 2 led's for tail in each light or show a pic of what you have.

 

I noticed one other thing, when the parking lights are on (all work), I looked closely at the two front lights, and notice that only one of the two filaments is on in each light. Does this mean anything?

 

I clipped the yellow and white wire together, measured 11.9V on one of the pins in the socket, put in a know good 1157A bulb, does not light, with power on and bulb in, measured continuity (same as test light?) from the brass part of the bulb to ground, and socket housing to ground.


Switched clipped (now black) wires, and repeated with same results on the other front side light.

Reading your post it sounds like bad ground at the body to frame? Not sure how to find that?

 

Yes this means you have lost ground and the circuit is back-feeding (searching for a ground) and it found it through another device.
A continuity tester will not load the circuit under test and rust will show continuity (or high resistance) even though the connection will not pass adequate current to operate the bulb, so this is why I said to use the test light. The test light will give you true results. A volt or resistance reading will not tell you if the circuit will carry adequate current.

You don't want to have your head-light or park light switch on during this circuit test as it only confuses the human tester and
in this case, that is me.

So, with power applied to the front bulb (either one) and putting power through the turn signal wire going to the front, you will then put the test light into the circuit by connecting the alligator clip to the negative post on the battery and the probe point into clean metal on the grille. If the test light comes "ON" that means there is no ground between the grille and battery negative. If no test light "ON" then move probe point to the light mounting base. If no light "ON" then move probe to the light socket. If no test light "ON" then move probe point to brass base of bulb where you will find the test light will turn "ON". This means you have lost connection between bulb base and socket.

This is just the reverse of the previous test procedure and may work better for you. HTH