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Turn signals

2K views 32 replies 6 participants last post by  aggiejon 
#1 ·
Hey y'all I have an 85 cj7 that I put new led tail lights on. Since I have done this my tail lights come on. I have reverse and brakes but my turn signals in back only flash manually and my front turn signals do not come on at all. Suggestions please
 
#2 ·
If I remember correctly, many LED lights will require a ballast (resistor) to allow the flasher to function properly because the load is different than from an incandescent bulb.

I hope that helps.
Stormpaw
 
#6 ·
Thanks y'all
I was thinking the electronic flasher. Hope that takes care of front lights not working at all to.

Thanks again
Yeah, I think an eflasher will help the backs but you are going to have to hunt down the problem in the front separately.

Did the front turn signal work before the conversion? Did the Parking lights work before also?
 
#7 ·
Ok
Yes the flashers did work before the conversion. The left light has 5 wires coming into the plug. The right has 3 or 4. (Sorry can't remember that) The right side also had a pigtail coming out of tail light socket which ran to the solid white wire. I connected the one solid white to 2 solid whites going into plug.

I did put in electronic flasher but I still only have manual flashers and no parking lights in front?? What am I missing?
 
#11 ·
A resistor (ballast) shouldn't be necessary with an electronic flasher. It would just allow the old style flasher to function.

However, I believe with an electronic flasher the "flash" should be independent of the "load". In other words, when given power, it should "flash" regardless. If the rear lights stay on instead of flashing when power is applied, it may not be hooked up correctly. Did you replace the flasher unit for both the emergency flasher and the regular flasher? Do they act differently?

The switch in the column is pretty simple. If it seems to be functioning (completes/breaks the circuit as expected), it is probably fine (though it never hurts to take a look). If you want to take apart the steering column you will need a steering wheel puller.

Keep in mind, I am not an expert.
Stormpaw
 
#12 ·
the rear lights do stay on instead of flashing. what gets me is the front turn signals not even lighting up. i think there is a wire that is not getting power to them or something. i will have to test the wires from the fuse box and trace until i find.
 
#13 ·
I am thinking your troubles may still be caused by the flasher. When you changed it, did the lamps act any differently than before? What type of electronic flasher did you put in? Did you put one in for both the emergency flasher and the signal flasher slots?

The best way I can think of testing that is to unplug the rear lights and see if the front lamps start working. If not try putting the original flasher back in with the rear still disconnected and see if that works.
 
#15 ·
K first the flasher is on top left of fuse box labeled turn with an arrow pointing. Up. Second I had this issue the last time I went to do a safety check and it was due to a bad ground. Do your parking lights work. While I was unscrewing mine they just came back on. Test to make sure they are grounded good.
 
#18 ·
Do t mean hijack the thread. So I'm trying to make all maligned work without throwing in the towel and rewiring everything.

Background - replaced all lights with led bulbs. Dash, front turns, side markers, and tails. Was replaced with a painless wiring kit 12 years ago during frame off. Everything mostly worked.

I'll start at the front and work backwards. All front park, tail and side markers work when park and headlights are on. Front left blinker works with park/headlights on and off. Right blinker doesn't work.

Rear - brake lights work with head/park lights on or off. blinkers work when headlights and park lights are off, but don't work when head/park lights are on.

I'm sure it's something that is crossed, but I don't know. Also, my dash lights stay on all the time, so I'm looking into if my dash lights are incorrectly tied into a constant power source, rather than to the headlight switch.

I've replaced both hazard and flasher with electronic ones.
 
#20 ·
"everything mostly worked", dash lights worked intermittently - complete rewire of dash. blinkers worked, added leds, everything worked. had to rebuild the steering column due to some bearings being out. new turn signal cancel cam. now it isn't working. checked fuses, flasher. about to replace with a new flasher. Did discover with a test light that evidently I have a bad ground somewhere because while poking around when I hit the park light wire with the test light, the light doubled in brightness. ?????

fuel, temp, and oil gauge don't work.
 
#27 ·
So I did it. Ripped the front wiring harness out and replaced. Headlights rewired with relays. Markers, turn/park, and headlights all got dedicated grounds and soldered joints. So should not have any bad ground or wiring issues.

Which prompted the same in the rear. Maybe today I'll get that finished.

I pulled my dash out to work a little more on making sure there aren't any issues. I found some under dash wires that were cracked. Disappointed since I used a painless harness 13 years ago.

Just going to have to see what happens after I get everything buttoned back up. Hoping it will correct itself. If not, guess I'll be back with more questions. I feel like there is something wrong with my turn signal switch in the column, even though it was recently replaced. Don't know why I think that. Just a feeling I have.

While I'm waiting on some jacketed 7 wire cables to show up to tie my front lights and rear lights together, I'm working on wiring my headlight switch. I didn't realize 79 was the split for wiring. My painless wiring harness from 13 years ago has the following wires going to the headlight switch. Trying to figure out where everything goes. This is what I have:

Brown - rear tail
Brown - front park
Blue w/ yellow - Dimmer Switch
Orange - Power B+
Red w/ black - Power B+ (heavy gauge wire)

Going to extrapolate here. Correct me if my line of thinking is wrong......

Both browns (rear tail, front park) go together to the parking light post. Blue w/ yellow (dimmer) goes to headlight post. Are orange and red w/black (both Power B+) join to go to 12v battery? I will run the dash light wire into the switch when I get the dash redone. That one is obvious. And I don't have a dome light, and will be switched on the dash, rather than the switch. Parking light fuse??? Don't have a line for that one.

Mostly elementary questions, but just trying to get things right. As I mentioned before, wiring isn't my forte in the least!
 
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