Electrical

Happy Monday to all. Putting my 64 back together after paint so I can register it. I have all the lights working, but I can't get the left turn signal working. Flashers work fine, parking lights work fine and the right turn signal works as it should, but nothing on the left. Any help would be appreciated !

if the left rear rear brake light works,,,then its probably the turn signal switch,,,,,,,check for power at the connector by the turn signal switch,,,,,the yellow wire goes to the Left rear turn signal,,,,

donivan65 wrote:if the left rear rear brake light works,,,then its probably the turn signal switch,,,,,,,check for power at the connector by the turn signal switch,,,,,the yellow wire goes to the Left rear turn signal,,,,

Ok, an updated development. No power to that yellow wire...also, and I did not know this before but the break lights don't work either.


So on the break lights, power is going to the switch, and when switch is activated power is leaving the switch.

I took the turn signal switch apart and both legs are getting power, and I cleaned terminals while in there. I put it back together and still only have right signal working.

All four parking lights still work as well as flashers, and parking lights

As Doni says, sounds like turn signal switch is worn out.  The brake lights go through the switch and there is a set of small springlike reed contacts in there that get all boogered up after 50 years.  GM sold packs of replacements for dealers back in the day to replace them, but long gone.  If all the wiring and power feed to the multi plugs are working, its in the switch.  If you don't have the shop manual with the wiring diagrams, go to the archives section of this site and print out the color diagrams that are posted there.  Decent switches with the right connectors are found on eBay like this:   http://www.ebay.com/itm/SM202-OE-Turn-Signal-Switch-Chevrolet-Chevrolet-Truck-64-66-/251225330742?fits=Year%3A1964%7CMake%3AChevrolet&hash=item3a7e325436:m:m_s_p8XafF2XByKtKKJlPig&vxp=mtr

I used a similar one and all my signal and brake light issues went away...there are some cheaper ones too.  If you replace it, there is a procedure to remove the curved plugs so you can feed the wires through the collar opening and then you put the plugs back on, even described in the shop manual as the only way to do it!
Also check all grounds and bulb sockets, some times a bad ground at the socket causes the problem too.  Use a meter and check everything as per the diagrams. Get a long wire with some clips so you can attach to the rear socket and touch the other test lead to the connector up front.

Well Sherlock,,,,,,if you want to mess with electricity,,,,,,jump the pins to test your wiring, grounds and bulbs,,,,

the peg on the bottom of the cancelling cam could not be pushing the ,,,,,,,,bobby pins,,,,far enough,,,,but its probably just a worn out switch,,,,,RockAuto has them,,,,,,www.truckandcarshop.com has them,,,,,,corvettes, corvairs and pick ups use them,,,,,,,you are looking for GM 910821,,,,,Delco D6202

donivan65 wrote:Well Sherlock,,,,,,if you want to mess with electricity,,,,,,jump the pins to test your wiring, grounds and bulbs,,,,

Well I did my sleuthing thanks to the photo (very helpful picture, thank you!) long story short, I ordered a new switch. Now to make the story long. So I'm getting power to the break pin, but that is pretty much where it stops. If I wiggle the joining tabs a bit I can get one wire to light up when I tap the break pedal. So as someone pointed out, after 50 plus years something is bound to wear out. I'll keep u posted. Thanks for all the help!

There are 9 contact points those bobby pins have to make in there,,,,,and a REAL turn signal flasher aint made to flash unless it sees the dash arrow bulb , and both turn bulbs,,,,,,thats a safety item to let you know a bulb is out,,,,,,so with a test light, you should see where you aint making contact,,,,,,and them bobby pins dont like to be touched,,,,,you touch them and they will never work right again,,,,,,

donivan65 wrote:Well Sherlock,,,,,,if you want to mess with electricity,,,,,,jump the pins to test your wiring, grounds and bulbs,,,,

Doni, when I opened my 50 year old switch, half those reeds were worn through and broken or bent!  I actually saw a GM dealer pack of them on eBay once, there are still sets listed, but it was easier to replace the whole switch, IMHO, if the contacts are worn, so is the rest of the switch like the cam, bearing, etc, so just replace the whole thing and sleep at night...I bet this is where his problem is...also, while you're at it, replace the brake light switch at the same time, or at the very least, pry open the old one if it is original and clean and lube the internal wiper and contact points, this can be done one time, the cover it crimped over the base. But this switch is exposed up front in the grill to 50 years of wind and rain bombarding it and they get wet inside and corrode, less than $20 for a new one....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/i-NOS-1963-Impala-Bel-Air-63-64-Nova-Turn-Signal-Switch-Contact-Unit-GM-5954706-/322230019337?hash=item4b0667e509:g:4OEAAOSw65FXszpl&vxp=mtr

Thats what we do, give people choices,,,,,I would never replace the reeds,,,,,,the old ones have to be perfect to work,,,,you try and bend them to make better contact and you will never get them right,,,,there are 9 points of contact in the switch, you just cant get the old ones to act just right,,,,what about the cancelling cam and the peg that actually moves them,,,,,,that usually goes 1st,,,,,a switch is the way to go,,,,,,,I put up the information to verify the problem, in case he can or wants to run some tests,,,,,,some of us have fun playing detective to figure out problems,,,,,,some people just throw parts at a problem,,,,,its all good,,,,,,,,,,,

That's the ticket, well said!

Happy Friday! Well all works as it should after installing new switchI was kinda thinking I was going to have to replace it, but because electrical is really not my thing I was hoping for input , thank you all!