Blinker question

[chuck500cc]

Did the search thing and couldn't find the answer. I saw a post just recently about the blinkers but I want to make sure that I know what I am looking for. I went and screened my truck yesterday and everthing was good but the blinkers. I couldn't test brake light cause I was there by myself. I turn the blinkers on and the light comes on but not blink. The indicator light on the swithch comes on but also no blink. The r/r tail light bulb is out but that should have no effect on the other side not blinking, right?

Thanks
Chuck XD Fan

 

[Barrman]

A solid non blinking light at the blinker arm and nowhere else is almost always a bad solid state blinker box. I have one doing the same thing right now.

 

[Manstein]

10-4 on that. Unlike a 12 volt car system, this one will flash the indicator bulb even if the tail light or turnsignal bulb is bad. You might check the ground on the box but, you probably need one.

 

[oifvet]

I haven't heard the word "blinker" in years!! Great to see it brought it back to life!

"Turn your blinker on!"

It's one of those words that everyone understands, uses, but is really just made up. Kind of like "sticker bush."

"Watch out for that sticker bush!"

Funny!

(Sorry. It's Friday @ 3:00 p.m.)

 

[chuck500cc]

Yea sorry bout' that. I work in the service area at a car dealership and you get used to using third grade words with people who can't understand why thier car quits when it is out of coolant.

Chuck XD Fan

 

[M813rc]

Before you replace the flasher unit, try giving it a couple of whacks. When mine quit on the M813, Sarge told me to do that, so I banged it several times with a padlock (all I had with me at the time). It immediately started working again, been fine for 2 years.

 

[steelandcanvas]

Before you replace the flasher unit, try giving it a couple of whacks. When mine quit on the M813, Sarge told me to do that, so I banged it several times with a padlock (all I had with me at the time). It immediately started working again, been fine for 2 years.

Why would something "solid state" start working again by banging on it? Bad connection?
Bjorn, What is your take on this?

 

[M813rc]

Unknown, but it worked! I am an endless source of dumb questions, Sarge is my endless (and patient) source of intelligent answers.

 

[steelandcanvas]

Sarge "the story teller"? The only dumb question is the one that isn't asked.

 

[M813rc]

Yep, Sarge the Story Teller. He is my good friend and neighbour (the friend part came first and caused the second). He is very talented with machinery, electronics and computers. I, unfortunately, am not, but I'm slowly learning. I read the books, then ask him to interpret the parts I don't get. He patiently explains the very basic stuff to me. Calls me "Grasshopper" a lot for some reason......

 

[steelandcanvas]

I think you're a lucky man to have a friend like that. I always enjoy his stories!

 

[timntrucks]

i too like his story posts and one day i hope to meet up with sarge at a rally Tim

 

[cranetruck]

....
Why would something "solid state" start working again by banging on it? Bad connection?
Bjorn, What is your take on this?

As as stated, a bad connection could be fixed with a "wack".
The newer flasher units use a power transistor to do the switching and they are not easy to protect from overloads (the transistor itself is likely to fail before the protection circuitry has a chance to work). I took one new unit apart for my MVM article on this and found no protective circuitry what-so-ever, a shorted bulb would, and apparently did, blow the transistor in a millisec.
Do a search on this to see my relay solution....

 

[oifvet]

Yea sorry bout' that. I work in the service area at a car dealership and you get used to using third grade words with people who can't understand why thier car quits when it is out of coolant.Chuck XD Fan

It's absolutely amazing!! I often wonder how humanity has survived this long! I know of a girl who drove her car with the red "oil" light on. When the engine seized, and she was asked if she checked the oil, she said, "No." She did say the oil light was on, but thought it would, "get brighter before the oil actually ran out."

We live in a time when people change their flat tire with a cell phone instead of a lug wrench.

I could go on, but that's not the topic of this thread. Sorry to stray off-topic.

Banging on things (without going overboard) is amazingly effective on certain things.

There must be a stuck relay or something mechanical I would think.

 

[sermis]

I have my air assist lines running over the blinker wireing. Left turn does not work all the time. Lift the air lines and move the wireing and it works again. It is not always the flasher but sometimes the wireing.