| Author | Message | ||
     Mortarmanmike120 |
Strange problem that I've researched here on badweb and haven't found the solution. I had my subframe apart to polish the tail and siderails. I got everything back together just as before. I installed Oberon LED lights for the rear turnsignals. Here are my strange symptoms: Right side (front and rear) work great. Left side front works great. All other lights function properly. Left rear is constantly on. All signals flash correctly because I used a low rate digital flasher like American Sport Bike sells but I got it at O'Reillys. I switched the two LED signals, they both operate correctly on the right side. Left rear is still constant on. I replaced the LED rears with the OEM parts. Left rear is still constant on. I put the original flasher back. Left rear is still constant on. All fuzes look good. I believe that the negative signal wire from the harness is constantly to ground. I've back tracked the harness as well as possible and can't find any shorts to ground. Does anybody think this sounds like the actual TS switch? Any suggestions? Believe me, I spent an hour looking through the archives and haven't found anything like this. Thanks. | ||
| Bomber |
I'm thinkin like you -- a short to ground on th eleftrear path -- have to thrown a meter on it? that'll help ya find whether it's the switch PDQ | ||
| Justin_case |
Short to ground between L.R. turn sig. and flasher. | ||
| Mortarmanmike120 |
Damn, that's what I suspected. Crap! Thanks guys, I didn't think many people really looked in the KV. Any ideas on how to track it down? I've visually inspected the loom as far as possible, don't see any obvious kinks, frays, etc... How would I use a meter to track it down. I'm not sure of the process. Thanks again. | ||
| Mortarmanmike120 |
Anybody? | ||
| Rocketman |
I don't think you have a short to ground. If you did you still shouldn't have a light on as there is still no live until you hit the switch. I suspect when you put the tail section back together you have somehow fed a live to that particular indicator and the ground is there already, as it should be, but perhaps finding ground through the loom or relay. The only way that grounding a wire would make that light glow constant is if it also had a permanent live feed. Using a meter test the two wires for ground and live. Black probe to chassis, red to either wire - one at a time. Read the voltage. If you have permanent voltage, around 12v, at one of those wires then you need to know where that voltage is coming from. If the voltage supply was correct you should read the voltage between zero volts and 12v volts at the same rate the light should flash. By the way Mike, I'm not an electrician - and it isn't easy describing in layman's terms how to help you. Rocket | ||
| Justin_case |
Dosen't the flasher interupt the ground, if so a short to ground would cause a steady light? | ||
| Rocketman |
Sorry, I thought Mike was saying the left rear was on all the time. Not just when the left indicators are switched on. Rocket | ||
| Mortarmanmike120 |
Thanks guys, I haven't had a chance to look at it for the last couple days but I've been mulling it over in my head. Now I am a little confused. I was assuming they worked this way: Power line to the signal was always hot and ground wire was controlled by flasher. Looking at the wiring diagram in the manual this is not the case. The flasher is on the high side of the circuit (relative to the light). So the flasher doesn't provide ground it provides positive. (laymans) The only way I can now see how this is happening is if there is some kind of short which bypasses the flasher and the hand control. But.... 1) the short has to be after the ignition (because the light is off unless key is turned) 2) the short has to be after the fuse box (because the light didn't explode, wires melt, etc...) | ||
| Mortarmanmike120 |
 .....vs.....  Like Justin, I initially thought Case #2 was true and I had a short to ground. The manual shows the Flasher upstream. Plus that would still require an additional short that bypassed the hand control. I believe Case #1 must be happening. I was extremely careful putting everything back the way it was. Maybe I was doing too many things at one time. Anybody have any ideas to find the short (or other scenarios that would cause this?) | ||
| Mortarmanmike120 |
I'm pretty sure it's not the switch because the flasher would still interrupt the flow meaning the light would be constantly flashing. AGGGG, HELP | ||
| Mortarmanmike120 |
Sean, I reread your post. It fits the symptoms and should be easy to verify the way you described it. I'll try it out Saturday. The more I think about it I bet you're right. I just hope actually finding the short isn't as big a PITA as I suspect it will be. Thanks. | ||
| Rocketman |
Well, I'm convinced you have a permanent live feed to that particular light. It's worthy of mention that it's possible a 'false' ground is being sought through the relay if my above permanent live scenario is the case. That is to say, the ground if 'false' is still not your problem, the live feed is. Use a meter, lol, and good luck. Rocket | ||
| Rocketman |
Mike, there are some real electricians on this board that can help you I'm sure, but it just occurred to me, they might not be reading this thread if like me they got here through the search engine (rather than topic header), as the title seems to suggest the thread is about Nascar racing. Just a thought  Rocket | ||
| Pilot |
I very much doubt you have a short to earth. But rather have the feed to that light connected to a tail light feed. Hence live when the ign is on and therefore you would have a spare connection left over,which would be the indicator feed or you maybe have the taillight (running light)and indicator connectors transposed.Most important is that you do not let the smoke out or it will need major repairs( sparky joke)Let me know what you find.I play an auto electrician in real life most of the time when not being the local Funeral Director. |
