Joined: Jun 09, 2011 Posts: 776 Location: Bellmore, NY
Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 10:44 am Post subject: I keep having problems
with my early turn signal kit. At first, it was all installed and working perfectly. Then, one of the flashers stopped working. So I connected the right and left flashers, so both worked now. Then I was able to find a fairly cheap NOS turn signal box, and replaced the box. So, problem gone, for awhile. Now a new problem has reared it's ugly head. I hit the control lever right or left, and it blinks at super speed-like 3x faster than normal, or sometimes just turns solid. And it only works with the marker lights on, not with the full headlights. I can buy another box, but I'll have to pay $100. Not only that, but I have no guarantee it won't malfunction again! Any suggestions? Can I maybe just replace the flasher in the box? _________________ 1952 M38A1
Marine core reinforced rear bumper, military transistorized turn signal upgrade, arctic heater, 11" drum brakes, 200L PTO winch, Huffy overdrive, deep water fording kit, RT 68 vehicle mounted radio, Trac Locs front and rear.
www.danhenk.com
You are in over your head Dan. Many things can cause your symptoms with that system. Burned out bulbs, Incorrect wattage bulbs, bad grounds, aged components, corroded or dirty contacts and so on. You need a sharp auto electrician to troubleshoot your issue. Otherwise swapping parts is the expensive answer and often will never solve your problem.
Personally I would not use that very old and over-complicated system when brand new production, out of the box components are readily available. This is especially true when the jeep is a daily driver or only ride as in your case. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Joined: Jun 09, 2011 Posts: 776 Location: Bellmore, NY
Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 12:37 pm Post subject:
Hey Wes, I'll stop by the same classic car shop I just used for my alignment. I hear the flasher clicking at hyper speed, which makes me think it is the flasher. I'll check the ground too.
I have no problem switching to the later, transistorized system. Does that require quite a bit of rewiring (it took me forever to wire in the current system). Do you also know who sells the newer system? _________________ 1952 M38A1
Marine core reinforced rear bumper, military transistorized turn signal upgrade, arctic heater, 11" drum brakes, 200L PTO winch, Huffy overdrive, deep water fording kit, RT 68 vehicle mounted radio, Trac Locs front and rear.
www.danhenk.com
The later GI transistorized system is still not a brand new out of the box system. It is also NOS at best leftover from the 80/90's. By new I mean a brand new from your auto store Signalstat which is available with a 24 volt flasher and the only modification needed to the switch is to replace the 12 volt pilot lamp with a 24 volt pilot lamp. It is wired into the service brake light system just like any other car.
Usually when a flasher goes rapid it has suddenly been unloaded meaning a burned out bulb or loss of electrical continuity to a lamp fed by that flasher. Are all of your lamps functioning correctly when this rapid flashing occurs? _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Joined: Jun 09, 2011 Posts: 776 Location: Bellmore, NY
Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 2:12 pm Post subject:
I went through the connections on the box, and one screw had backed out quite a bit. I tightened it back in, and the flashers returned to normal. But by normal, i mean that they work fine when I have the marker lights on, but they stop working when I put the full headlights on. It has pretty much always done this, with the exception that sometimes, out of no where, it works with the full headlights. At other times, if I play with the 3 lever light switch controls a little, I can make it work with the headlights on. _________________ 1952 M38A1
Marine core reinforced rear bumper, military transistorized turn signal upgrade, arctic heater, 11" drum brakes, 200L PTO winch, Huffy overdrive, deep water fording kit, RT 68 vehicle mounted radio, Trac Locs front and rear.
www.danhenk.com
Sounds like that problem is in the 3 lever light switch. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Joined: May 04, 2013 Posts: 11 Location: Weatherford Oklahoma
Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 11:43 am Post subject:
I agree with Wes it is probably not making good contact inside the 3 lever switch to function but when you move it to the marker side it makes a good connection. A good cleaning of the contacts and some corrosion protection would be in order inside there. _________________ Chris
The military 3 lever and push button switches for the most part are throw aways. A few like the very early 1950's Bendix-Scintilla switches were re-buildable. A couple of the later switches are also repairable since they are closed up with removable snap rings but the majority have rolled closed edges and were never meant to be opened up. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Joined: Jun 09, 2011 Posts: 776 Location: Bellmore, NY
Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 1:26 am Post subject:
I got a good deal on a fairly modern NOS 3 lever switch. I replaced my old one, and took a look at the harness. One wire was loose on a pin, having pulled itself partially out. I soldered it firmly in place, screwed the whole thing together, and now everything works well. _________________ 1952 M38A1
Marine core reinforced rear bumper, military transistorized turn signal upgrade, arctic heater, 11" drum brakes, 200L PTO winch, Huffy overdrive, deep water fording kit, RT 68 vehicle mounted radio, Trac Locs front and rear.
www.danhenk.com
Joined: Nov 24, 2010 Posts: 1390 Location: Orem, UT
Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 7:16 am Post subject:
Good job. Getting resolution on your own accord is rewarding and gives you confidence for your next venture. _________________ Brett
'51 M38
PHOTO DIARY OF MY BUILD
Joined: Jun 09, 2011 Posts: 776 Location: Bellmore, NY
Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:43 pm Post subject:
So, now the flasher is acting up again. It flashes in both marker lights and full headlights, but faster than normal, and sometimes just turns solid. I checked all the bulbs, and they are good. I checked all the signal light connections, and they are also fine. I went over each connection on the relay box with a circuit tester, and they all seem fine, and are securely tightened. I checked the ground, and it's a solid connection. So, that makes me think it must be the relay box. This, incidentally, is the second relay box. The first one stopped working on the passenger side, and I had to run a wire between the two relay connections to get both to flash. So, I decided to keep it as military looking as possible, but update to the transistorized system. I found the three parts.The direction control assembly, the connecting cable, and the flasher box. Where can I find a wiring diagram? I assume I can use the connections to the relay box, clamp a packard connector on the ends, and plug them into the new harness, but it would really help if I knew what the wires on the harness controlled. _________________ 1952 M38A1
Marine core reinforced rear bumper, military transistorized turn signal upgrade, arctic heater, 11" drum brakes, 200L PTO winch, Huffy overdrive, deep water fording kit, RT 68 vehicle mounted radio, Trac Locs front and rear.
www.danhenk.com
I hope you get lucky and have a transistorized switch and controller that are actually in good operating order. I still suggest you go buy a simple Signal-Stat 900 series and wire it in and be modern and trouble free for a few years.
As I have often mentioned here in the past, folks seem to completely overlook or ignore my photo album with 100's of technical photos and illustrations and instruction sheets and wiring diagrams and on and on.
If you will simply go to the member's photo albums you will find Ryan Miller's album is first and mine (Wes Knettle) is second. Open up mine and go to page 2 and click on "Turn Signals" _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Joined: Jun 09, 2011 Posts: 776 Location: Bellmore, NY
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 1:18 am Post subject:
That was the first place I went Wes, and I swear I didn't see more than one photo the first time! The old relay system had everything, but not the newer transistor system. Then I looked again, just now, and I saw it. So, my fault. The stuff I ordered is "NOS", and if it doesn't work, I can return it. I ordered a direction assembly, a control box, and a wiring harness. If that all I need? I see some more parts in your photo album. _________________ 1952 M38A1
Marine core reinforced rear bumper, military transistorized turn signal upgrade, arctic heater, 11" drum brakes, 200L PTO winch, Huffy overdrive, deep water fording kit, RT 68 vehicle mounted radio, Trac Locs front and rear.
www.danhenk.com
If you look closely you will see only the three parts you have and a few close-ups of the electrical connectors used in your harness. There are no extra parts shown.
I hope you got the return authorization in writing. I have not found a single supplier that warrants electrical parts. If you have a written warranty on electrical components removed from their packaging please let the other members know from what vendor. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Joined: Aug 31, 2010 Posts: 1741 Location: SO IDAHO
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 9:34 am Post subject:
Dan, something as important as flashers should not be troublesome
on a daily driver for obvious safety reasons. Instead of monkeying
around with the apparently problematic military set-up, why not
consider the signal-stat 900 as Wes mentioned above?
I wired one up in my M-38 and it has worked without a
hitch for a couple of years now. Simple and dependable. _________________ keep 'em rollin'
RICKG MC 51986 DOD 01-52, '50 CJ3a
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