No signal lights, everything else works fine. 1973 Charger

[FabianC18]

Hello everyone, hope you all are doing well.
I did a lot of research in this forum and others first but could not find the answer so I decided to start another turn signal thread
1973 Charger with Rallye cluster.
My turn signals don`t work at all. Nothing. Neither front, rear, left, right or indicator lights in the dash (Rallye cluster). Hazard lights and brake lights work fine (all 4 corners and dash). Light bulbs, ground at the lights and fuse are ok.
I have power at the turn signal switch TSS (red cable) when the TSS is in neutral. As soon as I move the TSS into either the left or right turn position, power is gone. When I measure (TSS in neutral) with a multimeter I get a fluctuating voltage of 8-10V (if I use a 12V test light instead of the multimeter its flashes dimly). Again, as soon as I move the TSS up or down (right turn, left turn), power is gone at the red cable (hazard lights and brake lights still working). I get exactly the same measurement at the TS flasher (two pin flasher next to the ash tray). Even at the power feed cable (black) cable to the flasher I get a fluctuating voltage. Same if I bypass the TS flasher. I thought the TS flasher makes the voltage fluctuating but it gets already fluctuating voltage. Lights, wipers, gauges, work fine. Dash lights and blower don`t work (haven`t started to look into those yet).
Does anyone have an idea why the voltage to the TS flasher is already fluctuating? I could not figure that out or is the TS flasher getting power from the hazard flasher? What else could make the voltage fluctuating? And why do I loose power completely when I activate the TSS? My TSS doesn't look great (right turn isn`t locking and horn pin is missing). Is the black horn cable needed to provide ground to the TSS ? If so, why are the brake lights and hazard lights working?
Any help would be very much appreciated.
Thanks a lot.
Fabian

 

[Doorkicker]

Maybe not perfect, but the first thing I do when I have these issues is change the indicator switch (what you have pictured) in the steering wheel. It's fixed the problem every time (I've done it 4 times, 4 cars, in the last year or so). BUT... that is basically throwing your wallet at the problem. They're not cheap, and it may not fix your problem... so I guess I've had great luck. Just one dude's experience...

 

[FabianC18]

I actually suspect the TSS as well but as you said, they are expensive and the cheap repops are junk. Before I replace the TSS I just want to make sure I checked everything else. You know how it is, sometime you overthink a problem and miss the obvious :-D

 

[pnora]

For some reason you do not have a keyed 12 volt power supply feeding the turn signals. The black at the flasher has to be hot. Simple test run a jumper from the battery or a good 12 volt source to the black wire at the flasher and see if it works. Does the radio and back up lights work?

 

[FabianC18]

Hello, thanks for your reply. Radio is not hooked up and back up lights don't work. I checked all the fuses but will check again tonight. I`ll also try to jump 12V directly to the flasher. I have 8-10V but will try with steady 12V. thanks
I`ll report back Thursday.
Fabian

 

[pnora]

Hello, thanks for your reply. Radio is not hooked up and back up lights don't work. I checked all the fuses but will check again tonight. I`ll also try to jump 12V directly to the flasher. I have 8-10V but will try with steady 12V. thanks
I`ll report back Thursday.
Fabian

Do not just look at the fuses. Test them. Radio, backup lights and turn signals are on that circuit. Its a very simple system

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

Hello, thanks for your reply. Radio is not hooked up and back up lights don't work. I checked all the fuses but will check again tonight. I`ll also try to jump 12V directly to the flasher. I have 8-10V but will try with steady 12V. thanks
I`ll report back Thursday.
Fabian

Is the original radio power connector still intact? If it has been cut off and the red & black wires have not been re-connected, you will lose key-switched power to the flasher. Wouldn't explain the back-up lights not working however.

If it’s not obvious, one of the cancel cams is broken off on that switch and the horn switch roller contact is missing.

 

[FabianC18]

Hello everyone and thanks a lot for the input. I found the issue (although I still don`t understand it). It`s the fuses. Fuse 5 & fuse 7 caused the issues (signal lights, blower motor, etc.).
The strange thing about it is, I checked the fused first of course and I used a multimeter to do so. All fuses showed zero resistance. Even the two fuses 5 & 7 show zero resistance and they look perfectly fine. There is no dirt, rust whatsoever in the fuse box or on the fuses. When I take the fuses out and measure them, they show zero Ohms (as they are supposed to do) and the string is intact. When I jump the two contacts in the fuse box with a cable (w/o fuse) everything works. As soon as I put the fuse back in, it doesn`t work. I don`t see anything wrong with the fuses but will replace them and hope it works.
I`ll keep you posted.
Fabian

 

[pnora]

Hello everyone and thanks a lot for the input. I found the issue (although I still don`t understand it). It`s the fuses. Fuse 5 & fuse 7 caused the issues (signal lights, blower motor, etc.).
The strange thing about it is, I checked the fused first of course and I used a multimeter to do so. All fuses showed zero resistance. Even the two fuses 5 & 7 show zero resistance and they look perfectly fine. There is no dirt, rust whatsoever in the fuse box or on the fuses. When I take the fuses out and measure them, they show zero Ohms (as they are supposed to do) and the string is intact. When I jump the two contacts in the fuse box with a cable (w/o fuse) everything works. As soon as I put the fuse back in, it doesn`t work. I don`t see anything wrong with the fuses but will replace them and hope it works.
I`ll keep you posted.
Fabian

Test the circuit with a volt meter or test light. You are missing something very simple.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Bad contact or some resistance on fuse clips againts fuse caps. It allows to read voltage with zero load, but as soon it gets load sucked by the bulbs there is no capacity for power response and all the load gets “stuck” on fuse box, either fuse clips, fuse caps, or even on back of fusebox with corroed/sulfated crimps.

If this last one, lemon juice or vinegar will make the job to clean the copper/leads on rear clip crimp.

Fuse clips could also require some clean up job.

I have been dealing with some resistance problem causing overheat on “BATT” circuit (pink wire) circuit able to melt the fuse box cavity. However I can’t recall if it was the buss bar side or the wire side. 11 years now with my Charger away from me.

This problem made me to get quite often dimming dome light, parking light and brake lights problems (missing these last when this happened)

 

[Nacho-RT74]

On a side note… the cancelling cam can be replaced on that TSS, HOWEVER the missed horn switch stud makes mandatory the full TSS replacement.

About the new units being available nowdays. There have been mixed experiences. So is about luck. In Venezuela I still haven’t known about these being bad, BUT A friend of mine got one with couple of wires riveted crossed at the TSS end. It took us around couple of hours chatting via WA and following the wires between the original he had and the replacement, with another one original I had in hands thinking on why it wasn’t working until we found that issue. After he corrected the fail, he haven’t had any other problem with it.

 

[FabianC18]

Hello everyone, the fuse clips and the fuse box are all clean. I replaced the fuses and everything works now. I still don`t understand what's wrong with the fuses but as long as it works I`m happy. Yes, the broken horn contact pin would require a new TSS but just by looking at the cheap repop I bought at Rockauto, I`d rather keep my original TSS and just yell out of the window.
Thanks so much for all you replies. You guys are great.
Fabian