and pick up a regulator while you are there.  Have you checked the regulator connector?  You might remove it, check the contacts re-seat to be sure.

Novi be sure to get the over voltage issue straightened out FIRST.  You can ruin and even explode the battery giving it 18V.  Just found that out the hard way on my old Ford tractor that had been switched to 12V with a Chevy one wire alternator. The Alt. started putting out 18V and I didn't know it. If you have good grounds, I would say you probably need another regulator, do you still have the old one to switch them out?  Good luck and be sure to always wear safety glasses or a face shield whenever you work on a battery.  Mike

Have you tried just replacing the switch?  I know you have a new one in there, but I have had new stuff fail also.

Rick, I remember in one of your posts you said you the turn signals stoped working. If they are still not working and all bulbs are good, the flasher may have been damaged with the high voltage issue.

The halogen lights needing relays is a myth.  I had them on my car for 20 years with the old wiring and original switch.  Yeah, they might burn a little brighter with relays, but halogen lights are not going to trash a switch on their own.

Novi David wrote:

I'm Novi Rick's son. Here's an update on the situation.

I replaced the headlight switch today and that appears to have solved the problem with the headlights. However, the turn signals are still not working. The only thing we know for sure is that it is not because of blown bulbs. Any ideas?

 Hallelujah on the headlight switch.  It is usually the simple solution that always gets tried last.

Do the brake lights work?  If they do, you need to work on or replace the turn signal switch.

The brake lights work when the lights are on and when the pedal is depressed. When the turn signal switch is on, the side of the car that should be flashing is off.

Did you check your fuses. The brake and turn signal get positive from 2 different sources even though they operate the same bulb. Sorry if I had you buy a new flasher. Send me the bill I'm good for it. If fuses are all good pull wires from flasher, with key on one should have solid 12 volt positive to ground. Let us know someone can take it from there.

Is there a special tool to remove the wire connecting pins from the harness or can something else be used?  I seem to recall I had a difficult time removing these wires the first time and broke some of the pin off the harness.

Replaced the turn signal switch and we are still having problems.

Right turn signal seems to function normally although blinks a little fast.

Left turn signal blinks but dimly.  At the same time the ALT light blinks too.  Brake lights are both working and normal brightness so it's not the bulb. What are the likely problems and how do I test to confirm? Possible bad connection with the left side wiring? Bad turn signal switch out of the box? Short?

Ugh!  By the way, this is my son David (about 13 years ago).

Bulb backwards?  Didn't know a bulb could be installed backwards.

If the turn signal bulb is backwards, why would the brake light bulb work normally?  And the turn signals worked correctly before my over charging issues.  Connections, swittch or grounds seem more likely.  How do I go about testing for this electrical issue?

Man, there is so much that I don't know it scares me to think that I put any of this car back together and that anything works at all!

When you say the light is "Blinking Fast", are you looking at the actual turn lights - both front and rear?  Fast blinking is usually caused by one of the bulbs not functioning.  "Dim Light", is that both front and rear or just one?  Usually caused by bad ground at the light that is not working.  Something else that can cause misery - if one of the filaments in a bulb has burned in two, and fallen onto the good filament.  You should be able to see this by visual inspection.  And, as a last suggestion, run a jumper wire from the negative battery post to a good CHASSIS ground and see if it makes a difference.
Good luck.

To check for short: Pull both plugs going into steering column (6 pin & 2 pin), start with side of plug that goes up the column. Use an ohm meter about a 200 ohm setting. Measure ohms from a good ground to each pin. Readings should all be infinite. If these readings are not infinite you have a short n the column NEXT If your wiring uses same colors as stock, measure ohms from blue wire. With right turn signal on measure blue to orange/blue then measure blue to white/blue. Should read zero ohms on both tests. With left signal on, measure blue to green/white then measure blue to green/orange. Should read zero ohms on both tests. Start with this more to come.

I should add when checking each pin to ground check with turn signal sw. in each position. Left, Right and Center. Expecially Letf, thats wher your having the most trouble.

Last edited by wsinsle (5/15/2013 11:08 AM)