Non-canceling turn signal

[rtaylor]

Hey guys. When I use my left turn signal is does not self cancel. The right signal does cancel. Can't find any old threads about this. What's the fix?

Thanks

[Arne]

Two possibilities, Randy. One is that one of the pins on the back side of the steering wheel is bent or missing. (These pins are what trigger the cancelation.)

The other is that the left side cancel mechanism on the turn signal switch is either broken (possibly one of the little springs) or gummed up.

You'll need to remove the steering wheel to look for this. If nothing looks bad, try putting the steering wheel on upside down (180 degrees off). If the left side still doesn't cancel, it's in the switch. If the problem reverses (right side doesn't cancel) it's the pins on the steering wheel.

[rtaylor]

Thanks Arne. That sounds like an easy way to check it out. Appreciate your insight.

[EScanlon]

I don't think R&R'ing the steering wheel @ 180° off will prove anything.

The Pin on the back of the steering wheel hub and the turn signal canceling levers are such that ONE pin would suffice in both directions. I don't recall the Z's wheel having one or two pins, but they wouldn't be "sided".

The problem more than likely is in the little lever gate that is supposed to allow the steering wheel pin to pass while turning in the direction of the turn signal being operated, but NOT to the other side. At that point the little metal tab acts as a stop and forces the pin to cancel the signal. It's the same pin / lever method for each direction.

More than likely the little swivel on the lower "gate" is gunked up and needs cleaning.

2¢

E

[rtaylor]

Thanks E. I'll pull it and see what is happening, or not, inside there.

[Arne]

I don't think R&R'ing the steering wheel @ 180° off will prove anything.

The Pin on the back of the steering wheel hub and the turn signal canceling levers are such that ONE pin would suffice in both directions. I don't recall the Z's wheel having one or two pins, but they wouldn't be "sided".

Good point, E. I do know that my wheels all have two pins, but now that I think about it, the second pin should not normally come into play. Maybe it's for RHD? Are the turn signal and combo switches reversed on the RHD cars?

[EScanlon]

The switches ARE reversed ( I have a set for the RHD ) but the turn signal switch and canceling mechanism are the same for both L and R HD systems.

The system is a "wrist pin" type lever that will allow the pin to go past (and move the lever) as it rotates in the direction of the turn. When the St. Wheel Pin now reverses direction, the lever blocks the pin and is forced (pushed) out of the way which is what cancels the turn-signal.

The turn signal canceling mechanism would allow the steering wheel to turn numerous times IN the direction of the turn selected on the lever and therefore the pin to pass the "gate", but the first time the pin reversed direction and came at the gate from the other direction it would force the gate out of the path of the pin. If you turn the steering wheel more than ONE 360 degree rotation, the single pin will have passed the gate TWICE. In a TWO pin situation, the two pins would have totaled FOUR passes on the gate. However, the FIRST pin going in the opposite direction would push the gate back and cancel the signal.

I can post a pic of the turn signal system if that would help.

E

[Arne]

Makes sense. By using two pins 180 degrees apart, the main effect is that the cancellation should happen any time the wheel is turned more than 90 degrees in either direction whether the car is LHD or RHD. Since the cancellation mechanisms are at top and bottom, the pin needs to be 9:00 for LHD and 3:00 for RHD. Hence -- two pins means Nissan only needed one steering wheel for all markets.

[rtaylor]

Brilliant deductions!!!

[rtaylor]

Just pulled the steering wheel. I lubricated the little gate plates (for lack of a better word) and everthing worls like new. Thanks Arne and E.

[gogriz91]

For $40 this struck me as a bargain. Mine are in Dave's hands right now and if they're anywhere near the quality of his harnesses, I'm going to be a very happy man for another 30+ years.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24304&highlight=turn+switch

[Arne]

For $40 this struck me as a bargain. Mine are in Dave's hands right now and if they're anywhere near the quality of his harnesses, I'm going to be a very happy man for another 30+ years.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24304&highlight=turn+switch

For most 240Zs Dave's switch rebuild IS a bargain. But IIRC Randy's 240Z has less than 30k on it, so de-gunking and lubricating was all it needed.