Electrical bug

[swervin ervin]

Not on my pickup, but the 87 van.

When I turn on my lights or park lights, the turn signal indicators come on and stay on. Turn signals still work, but are a tad slower than they are with the lights off. It was only the left one until I changed both park light bulbs today, now it's both.

Like I say, they both flash, so I don't think it's the flasher. Some kind of wiring or grounding problem I'm guessing. I've never seen this happen in all my years. I guess there's always a first for everything.

Any ideas. I'm open to all suggestions at this point.

Edit: I forgot to add, I don't have any park lights. In other words, when the lights are on, no park lights. The turn signals work though.

[79Silv4x4]

Well, I say try a flasher anyways--had the same symptoms on my '83 and that was the fix. At least you won't be out any major $ to try it.

[1FaastC10]

my grandpa's '79 Blazer had the same problem. he was told that it was a bad spot in teh printed circuit on the back of the cluster.

[old Rusty C10]

on the old chevy wagons that was the problem when bulbs were out somewhere in the circuts by any chance is the lilght switch in the column could be a short in there if it is

[Cole's 87]

The ground sounds about right. I had the a simlar problem with my headlights one would always be dimmer that the others and when you would turn on the high beams it would go off . Come to find out there was only a couple of stands of wire connected at the headlight. Or you might have some wires grounding in the wire harness. Any 16 yr old truck/ car probably has some wire fatiuge.

[ElGracho]

Sounds like a grounding problem to me. It is probably in one of the bulbs themselves. I would change all of the marker light and turn signal bulbs first. If that didn't do it I would start looking at the wiring going to each of them, I don't think the printed circuit on the gauge cluster would do that. It definately wouldn't make extra lights come on, I could see it making them not work though.

[swervin ervin]

Well, I pulled the gauge bezel today. I replaced the headlight switch too, but it didn't change anything. I checked all the instrument lamps and replaced any that was burned out. A couple holders were missing, the check engine light and oil light. I used two of the instrument lamp holders for these. I've done a complete turn up, so no check engine light came on, but the oil light did. I guess this is why someone pulled the lamp holder. Probably thought it was easier to do this instead of replacing the sender.

Anyway, messing with these lights didn't change anything with the park light/turn signal indicators. Both indicators come on when the lights are on. What's weird is I have no park lights at all, or side markers. I'm starting to believe it's a wiring thing. Man, I hate messing with someone elses mess.

Like the rear brakes. I have been hearing it scrub a little when on the brakes. I had real good brakes, but I could hear the rear shoes grinding a little. I go to pull the drums today, the passenger side came off easy, shoes were not worn out either. The drivers side would not come off. No place in the backing plate or drum for a knock out. I've never seen this before. Anyway, after 30 minutes of prying, I finally get to the drum to come off. Looks like some dumbass went to replace the shoes and couldn't get it off before, so they decided to leave it. The shoes were totally gone, all the way down to metal. The rivets had cut two 1/4" deep grooves in the drum. So, after replacing both drums and shoes, it doesn't grind anymore.

It never stops amazing some of the stupid stuff folks do. I'm slowly but surely getting it tip top shape. I guess it's time to start tracing some wiring now. Can't wait.

[Lester]

Mike,

The individual light sockets are grounded and you have lost the ground in one or more of these sockets one on each side.

When this happens the parking light circuit will jump to the turn signal circuit then feedback to the dash seeking a ground on the indicator light before they ground in the switch. When you turn on the lights chack the turn siganl element in the bulg it will likely be glowing faintly.

Common problem for nearly all cars and trucks, eventually. Luckily GM circuits are simple to work with and are made of high quality copper and insulator.

Isolate it by removing one bulb at a time to find the faulty socket.
I'd start with the rear sockets they get this way first.
The fix will range from just cleaning the socket to replacing the ground wire or the socket. The socket can be cleaned with 7UP or Coke. Pour some in a small plastic bowl and dip the socket for a while. The acid will clean the contact points.

This problem can cause a break in the printed circuit in the dash but not usually, those things are tough.

Hope this helps.

Lester

[bagged78]

I had kind of the same thing happen with the 82 clip, just one light, bumper park light, had some corrosion in the socket, just popped the wiriing thruogh the socket, took some emery cloth and pen-lube to it, put it back together, added some diolectric grease, and the damn thing worked.
I got lucky finding it, but i'll take that.
Good luck..

[swervin ervin]

Thanks guys.

I'll clean up all the sockets tomorrow. I do know when I first got the van, I had no brake lights or tail lights. The tail light fuse was blown and the brake light pedal switch needed adjusting to make them work.

I hope it's as easy as cleaning the sockets. I couldn't be that lucky though.