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I have a '57 Chev. Turn signals are not working. Lights on turn signal indicators on dash board do not light up at all when you move the turn signal lever to either the left or rignt side. I look at the front and tail light lenses of the vehicle while having the turn signal lever turned to the left and then the right side. Bulbs do not light up. Head lights and park lights work fine. Thanks Ernie for your help.
Francis
Just an added thought, but an important one:
The most common electrical problem in older vehicles is corroded or oxidised connections within connectors. Contact resistance goes up as oxidation develops and, in those connections which carry a few amps of current, heating will occur which will exacerbate the problem.
Opening connectors for inspection will reveal oxidation and corrosion problems, if any. While any corrosion that has caused loss of metal should call for replacement of the connector, surface oxidation may countered very easily by (i) cleaning using emory cloth and contact cleaner and (ii) lubricating the contacts with electrical contact grease before reassembling the connectors.
Try the above before doing much else (other than checking the bulbs and the flasher, of course). Servicing those connectors may well be all it will take to bring back your turn signals.
Cheers, and thanks for the kudo ... EGK
original answer:
I am sure that someone must have wiring diagrams for such a famous classic as the 57 Chevy available on-line! I have taken personal charge of that for the 1958 and 1959 Edsels by virtue of having the shop manuals, along with a scanner and Adobe Acrobat. Check into this, because having a diagram that shows the colour codes along with the whereabouts of harness connectors will save you much time.
If you cannot get this, you may as well begin from the turn signal switch assembly and, after verifying that 12V power is getting to it when the ignition switch is in the accessory position, work forward through, eventually if need be, to the front and rear lights.
By the way, do the STOP lights work? If they do, that would verify the connections from the TS switch to the rear lights for most circuits.
One more simple thing: is the flasher itself okay? The old ones were a three-terminal (on Fords anyway) thermally-activated interrupter relay, whereas the newer replacements are RC time-constant magnetic interrupters; both work equally well and should continue to be readily available as they were generic standard items for years.
I probably don't need to ask if you checked the bulbs ... ! I know that the park lights work, but they are dual-filament and, well, you never know ... !
Continuity testing of the harness should proceed on a wire-by-wire connector-by-connector basis, using the low-ohms beeper-enabled range on any digital multimeter (DMM), or using a battery and test light if that is all you have.
If you do have to find the wires without the aid of the diagram, may I suggest that you use the opportunity to produce your own wire and harness identification table or diagram as you proceed. Documentation of your work takes a little more time up front, but aids in understanding the system and can save much time later; as well, keeping a record of work in a log will promote confidence in yourself and in anyone else reading it ... a good thing all around.
Happy hunting ... EGK
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| Comment | thank you Ernie for your prompt reply and thoroughness. This is my first time to ask a question at this site and you were most helpful. Have a great day! | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Ernest (Ernie) Kenward
Expertise
The challenges I most enjoy are thoughtful technical questions of a trouble-shooting nature in both electrical, power electronic and mechanical systems, mainly automotive but also machine control and small-machine PLC applications. Please note, however, that I am NOT a walking shop manual! I DO, however, make it a point to have those manuals and other service literature for those vehicles I DO own, and highly recommend that anyone serious about maintenance or modification of their vehicles do the same; MOST of your answers WILL be found there. For that matter, I do NOT go out of my way to acquire shop manuals for any vehicle I do NOT own! That being the case, any general query to me along the lines of "What is the meaning of this code read from the ECU of my 2015 XYZ?" or "Where is the fuse for the windshield washer pump found?" (try your car's electrical distribution panel for a start!) will not go far. What I do offer is a pretty good collection of literature, insights and hands-on experience with 1950s to 1980's Ford products (plus a developing database of information and practice with the Mercedes diesel cars), along with an engineering perspective and the ability to design and implement custom control, electrical and mechanical subsystems for vehicles. For that reason, I am happy to make my thoughts and efforts available to those who are of like mind and/or are seriously making a point of learning about their vehicles. Use the Opportunity to Learn!
Experience
A key skill in my work and hobby pursuits both is STRATEGIC TROUBLESHOOTING. I am a senior instructor in Electrical Engineering Technology at a leading Canadian polytechnic, my areas being Electrical Power and Industrial Control, electrical and electronics design and manufacturing, and AutoCAD and related CAD/CAE software - plus equipment problem-solving and new equipment design and prototyping.
Hobby-wise, I have 30-plus years of experience in auto restoration, mostly in electrical and mechanical systems. Ongoing projects include a 1959 Edsel Corsair, my 1978 Ford E250 class-B motorhome conversion, and the care and upkeep of my Mercedes 300CD.
My vehicles become engineering test beds for electrical and mechanical upgrades as ideas present themselves. This includes the design and production of circuit boards to restore or enhance features for which no OEM replacement parts are obtainable, or where better specifications or reliability can be had via newer concepts. Regarding the E250 RV conversion, I designed and continue to revise a custom power distribution system, managed by a Programmable Controller (PLC); this has made most revisions as easy as uploading new firmware as I develop it.
The "mini" PLC is a powerful device for custom automotive control systems. One good example (there are many) would be the Moeller "Easy Relay"; these offer a wealth of control, monitoring and variable-and-status display options for such projects. A good example project which has worked well is that one for my RV noted above, which has been on the job - revised in firmware only - for a decade now. It is a load management and charging control system to avoid the sulfation-induced early failure that often befalls deep-cycle batteries used in RV power applications. The battery installed in 2003 lasted long enough to more tnan pay for the PLC that contributed to its longer life ... and the PLC will be there for the next battery as well!
Organizations
IEEE - senior member ... past WCC Student Activities;
SME - senior member ... past chair, greater Vancouver chapter chair 318;
Edsel Owners' Club - have served in various capacities on chapter executive during seventies;
have been Power and Driveline resource on the Edsel Owners' Club "E-team" for more than a decade.
Education/Credentials
Graduate of UBC
Awards and Honors
Certificates of appreciation from IEEE and SME for work in student and chapter activities
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