Right front turn light (amber) not working

[jalexquijano]

I have recently received my 1972 Datsun 240z and have started checking all the interior and exterior lights, most seem okay but have found the following problems:

1- Front Right Turn light is not flashing when engaging the turn light switch to the right. The rear light does work and flashes but the front does not. Even in the dashboard the right arrow is not flashing. My mechanic says it is the wiring harness of the lamp and that it may have a broken internal ground:

Datsun 240Z/260Z Parking & Turn Signal Lamp (To Aug.-'74)

He also recommends changing the flasher relay for the turn signal switch. This seems ackward as the tailight are working correctly when activating to the left and right.

2- The clock is not working

3- The oil gauge marks 1/4. Could the sender be damaged?

4- The Fasten seat belt light is not working. The bulb is good.

Your advice is greatly appreciated.

[zKars]

Is it not best to check the simpliest things first? I'de be changing that bulb and seeing i that fixes it. The fact that they the rear light on that side works, removes the switch and flasher relay as causes. If it's not the bulb, the check it's socket and wiring connections next.

[Stanley]

Maybe two problems, the bulb and the mechanic.

[SteveJ]

Hazard Switch ? Brake Light ? Turn Signal Circuit Analysis | Fiddling With Z Cars

If it's two out of three bulbs on the right, it's likely to be grounding issues. You can unplug the connector on the light and check the wiring harness to ground. Use the drawing in the link above to find the ground wire. I see that I need to revise it to include the turn signal indicators in the tach. The socket for the right turn signal indicator may not be seated properly.

[Stanley]

Thanks jalexquijano and all, reminded me I've had the same exact trouble a couple weeks, got to it this afternoon. The front right turn signal is out, everything else including front right parking light works. Pulled out the socket and removed the bulb, it was all corroded. The filaments look OK. Popped in a new bulb, didn't work, maybe still too much corrosion. Got dark so try again tomorrow.

SteveJ, that's a good link, forgot I had it. It's real easy to reach the bulb if you turn the wheels. Twist the socket a little and it pops out.

[Captain_Zeros]

Check your switch! The front turn signals and the dashboard indicators are on a separate contactor than the rear turn signals, something to do with the rear signals having an interruptor for the brake light switch in them and the front indicators don't!

[Mikes Z car]

This may or may not help with checking the switch. The picture immediately below is the backside of a turn signal switch, probably from a 1/1970 car. The wire colors may vary. Click to make readable.

The picture below shows six contactors on the inside of the turn signal switch, three on the left and three on the right. The two contactors for right turn are the two lower right ones. One of the contactors feeds the front right light and the right turn indicator and the other contactor goes to the rear light. I don't know which ones does which.

Click for animation.

Edited February 18, 2014 by Mikes Z car
grammar

[djwarner]

Mike shows exactly the problem I had with my Z. A quick way to isolate the switch is to turn on the 4 way hazard flasher. The hazard flasher does not use this particular set of contacts.

One point of caution, if it does prove to be the turn signal switch, the metal tabs that hold the switch together will work harden and break off if flexed too many times. Also, when putting the switch back together, keeping the little ball bearing in position can be problematic. I use a tiny dab of Vaseline to hold it in position.

[Stanley]

Jalex, hope it's OK if I post my question here since my right front turn signal is out and everything else works except the right indicator arrow, exactly like you said in the first post. Front parking light works.

1. Cleaned off the corrosion and tried a new bulb, that didn't work.

2. Removed the short triple wire, about a foot long that goes from the light housing to the parking light harness. Now the right TS arrow works.

3. Stuck the voltmeter leads in the parking light harness where I pulled off the short wire. Steady voltage to parking light, and voltage at the turn signal side in time with the beat.

4. Plugged the short wire with the bulb back in. Parking light works, TS light doesn't work, and the right arrow light goes back out.

5. Checked the short wire for continuity all three conductors, all OK. New bulb has continuity.

Don't know what to try next.

[SteveJ]

If you had of posted this a couple of weeks ago, I would have tried to help you when I was in LA.

[Mikes Z car]

What if the two wires on the turn switch for a right turn that go to the front light, the turn indicator and the rear light were temporarily shorted at the turn switch with a flat blade screwdriver with the ignition on and right turn selected while an assistant watched the front right light (and others) to see if all of the lights are now properly indicating a right turn. If all three of the right turn lights now work (including the indicator light) wouldn't it mean one of the contactors is bad on the switch. Is that Correct? Leaving the wires shorted would be bad as it would cause extra current to flow through the remaining good turn switch contactor.

Edited February 19, 2014 by Mikes Z car

[Stanley]

Can the socket for the parking light/TS bulb be taken apart? I'm getting voltage to the socket for the turn signal bulb, but the bulb and receptacle were corroded so maybe there's corrosion inside (the area with the spring) that not letting enough current through to light up the TS filament.

The clear plastic cap under the rubber cover on the back of the socket isn't coming off easily, don't want to wreck it.

Found a part number for the socket and short harness: 26124-E4600, but there probably aren't any. Good chance it's not the problem anyway.