1971 - Directional issues

[jhalseyk]

A head scratcher here for me....

Directionals just straight up stopped working. However, Hazards work fine. I've confirmed all fuses are good.

My thinking: if hazards work at all four corners, then connections: + supply and - ground are good from flasher. Is it a control issue at directional switch? The hazard switch?

I have a Brad Artigue 1969 - 1973 Wiring Diagram (God bless that man!) Although I just visited his site and came up with broken links to the current electrical diagrams??

Thanks in advance for any insight.

Halsey

[aj81spider]

Based on your description I'd start with the directional switch. Check the voltage on the other side of the switch in both positions. If you're not getting anything then the switch is probably bad.

[jhalseyk]

Good morning A.J.,

Thanks for the reply. Yes, it feels like one control point (directional switch) is not feeding the circuit, but the other control point (hazard switch) does. In perusing the forums, I couldn't tell if somehow a faulty HS can affect DS. It's a 1971, so just straight up copper, no circuit boards/black boxes to diagnose...lol!

Seems odd to just stop working, but, I guess after almost 50 years it has a right to fail...

Halsey

[spider2081]

Looking at a 1970 wire diagram turn signal power comes from fuse 9 then goes to the hand brake switch and continues to the hazard switch. When the hazard switch is in the turn signal position this power is then fed to the turn signal flasher + terminal.

Does you hand brake light work when the hand brake is not all the way down?? If neither the hand brake lwarning light or the turn signals work it might be a switched power issue.

[scrapironchef]

I have a Brad Artigue 1969 - 1973 Wiring Diagram (God bless that man!) Although I just visited his site and came up with broken links to the current electrical diagrams??

Thanks in advance for any insight.

Halsey

Most of Brad's stuff has moved over to Mirafiori.com .

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Keep in mind that the '71 has two "flasher relays": One for the hazard flashers, located behind the instrument cluster up near the window, and one for the turn signals, a 1" cylinder located in the driver's footwell, just to the right of the steering box.

For some reason, the turn signal flashers don't work very well when the voltage to them drops below 11 or 10 volts, while the hazard flasher relay operates down to almost when the battery is dead. Also, turn signal flasher relays do go bad, so try replacing yours. I've also had to try different brands of turn signal relays before finding one that always worked in my '71 (and '69), even when the engine was turned off (and thus the system was at 12 volts or so rather than 13 to 14 volts).

-Bryan

[jhalseyk]

Thanks to all for your comments. Work had me out of town last few days, I'll investigate this weekend and provide an update.

Thanks again,

Halsey

[jhalseyk]

Weekend update…

Thanks Bryan – I didn’t realize 2 separate flasher circuits for Hazards & Directionals – I’d been thinking if Hazards working, it couldn’t be a Flasher issue. But of course it was - 12VDC at flasher feed and circuit to column directional lever, jumping Violet & Grey terminals, and using directional lever to close circuit illuminated both L & R lamps. So, must be bad flasher – although the Ground via spring clamp is suspect. To remedy, I added ground wire, secured to flasher body with SS hose clamp.

New flasher on order, I think that will be the solution. Occam's Razor - right? lol!

Again, big thanks to all for your thoughts.

Halsey

[fiat218]

when the blinkers work, which light blinks up front, the outer or inner bulbs

[18Fiatsandcounting]

when the blinkers work, which light blinks up front, the outer or inner bulbs

A very good question, and I really don't know the answer. Both my '69 and '71 came wired up with the turn signals being the inner bulbs, which seems counter-intuitive. So I tried reversing them, but the + wires for both the turn signals and the parking lights were the wrong lengths near the light assembly.

I finally decided that the front turn signals really should be the outer bulbs, so I had to lengthen the + wire to the bulb socket to make it reach, but there you have it. Weird.

-Bryan

[fiat218]

I have a 70. if you look at the electrical diagram , it shows the blulb, but my inner blinks
i was just wondering if that the true turning single bulb

[fiat218]

I have a 70. if you look at the electrical diagram, it shows the outer bulb is the turning single bulb , but my inner blinks
i was just wondering if that the true turning single bulb

[18Fiatsandcounting]

My reasoning was the the front configuration should be the same as the rear, and in the rear, the turn signal bulb is definitely the outer bulb and the inner bulb is for parking lights/brake lights. I say it's definitely that way because the color of the taillight lenses match its function (yellow for turn signal, red for parking/brake).

So I wired up both my cars with the front turn signal being the outer bulb, but I had to lengthen one of the wires as this was not the same as the way it was originally set up. There are three wires to the assembly (black is the ground, blue, and yellow), and I think the blue wire is for the turn signals (going by memory here).

-Bryan