57 Hawk turn signals

[Kdancy]

I have power thru the flasher and the front and rear turn signals glow but no flash flash. I installed a new flasher in and still no flash flash.
What to check next ??

[Dan Timberlake]

Did they used to work, wired as now?
Do they all glow at teh same time, or the side-pair that should flash just glows ? Full brightness, or dim? Bad grounds can to some crazy things. I'd step my way along the each circuit using a volt meter.

[N8N]

What bulbs are you using, and are you using a new or "vintage" flasher?

If you are using a new flasher from your FLAPS with old 1034 bulbs, the flasher may flash slowly or not at all, as the "modern" 1157 bulbs draw more current. The fix is to either use an old flasher, or else replace the bulbs with 1157s.

If the bulbs are glowing noticeably more dimly than they should, it's time to check all the wiring connections, as well as the grounding of the light housings.

nate

[Gallivan]

I put in 1034's and ended up screwing a ground wire to my taillight housing- works fine now

[StudeRich]

I have power thru the flasher and the front and rear turn signals glow but no flash flash. I installed a new flasher in and still no flash flash.
What to check next ??

Have you checked the rear BULBS? Useing a Standard flasher, if the rears are out you get a fast flicker from the front or no flash.
A Heavy Duty 6 bulb + Flasher will flash somewhat normally on one end if the bulbs are dead in the other end.

[Kdancy]

yes, they did work before.
When I turn the signals on, I get bright turn lights on that side, front and back, switch to the other side and same thing, just no flash flash. I have juice running on both sides of the flasher, just no flashing.

[StudeRich]

Well that kinda leaves the flasher doesn't it? New is not always good! What about the dash indicators, are they working, lighting solid like the parking lights and tail lights?

[bondobilly]

yes, they did work before.
When I turn the signals on, I get bright turn lights on that side, front and back, switch to the other side and same thing, just no flash flash. I have juice running on both sides of the flasher, just no flashing.

You have a bad ground somewhere, since it is a Hawk, I am going to bet it is on one of the front fenders. Unscrew the perking light units and with a screw driver or a air powered brush, clean around the area where the screws come down. Make sure there is a good ground up there. That area gets really grimed up and a ground can be lost.

[Tom Bredehoft]

I had a very similar problem with my '55 the last time I reassembled it. The front lights would glow very dimly when supposed to be flashing. I rotated the bulb in the socket, got a better ground and they flashed nicely.

[Kdancy]

Ok, now to re-cap-
When I turn the turn signal arm to the on position- left or right- I get bright lights on both bulbs on the side that is indicated, including the dash indicators. But no flash flash.
I checked the ground with an ohm meter and even added an extra ground to the rear tail light, all good. I get juice to the flasher terminal and across the fuses. The flasher post's have juice. Installed new flasher, not worky, installed new electronic flasher, still no worky. When I hook my test light up from ground to the flasher on the weak side, and then take it off, I can hear the flasher click. On the strong side, I get a good bright light.
So, I'm going back out and will run an extra ground to the front turn signal plate and see if that changes anything. (even tho the ohm meter is reading resistance when I test the light to ground)

UPDATE-
I ran a ground straight from the battery over to the front turn signal plate that bulb goes into. I have good bright lights (both filaments light up) on front and rear drivers side turn signals, but no flash flash. I ran ground wires from the inside trunk side metal all the way to tail light housing as well, both filaments light up bright, no flashy flashy ??? (changed flasher to new electronic flasher)

[Kdancy]

UPDATE---- found the culprit ---
some time in the past, the turn signal switch in the steering column had been changed out. Every wire is the same color, red, and all go through and out of the column in one bundle. My friend, Jerry, came over with his 57 GH as he was having horn problems so we pulled the steering wheel on his and I made a diagram of the switch wire position and color. Then checked it against the one I am working on while using the ohm meter to locate both ends of the wire and found two wires not hooked properly. Got the wires hooked up right and Flash Flash Flash Flash --- HA
I found the problem with his horn wire as well so we knocked out two jobs at the same time. This one had about whipped my a%$.
No way it could have been working and flashing before that I can see, maybe the owner just saw the lights come on ----

[Tom Bredehoft]

We've all found that occasionally Previous Owners are not a reliable as we would like. Someone once said "if you want it done right, do it yourself.