Cleaning '73 Hazard Light Switch

[Stanley]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]69880[/ATTACH]

Trying to fix my right front turn signal, getting voltage but not enough current to the bulb, mechanic told me to check hazard light switch for corrosion (builds up because it never gets used). Mine doesn't look like the other pictures posted. Can't believe there's that many wires going in that tiny box.

Can I open this thing and clean the contacts, like the earlier ones? Do I need to remove the screw in the back to remove it?

I can't even get my head up high enough under the dash to see the thing. Don't know if I can get both hands up there to unhook (and re-connect)the two wiring harnesses. Hate doing this but got to have the turn signal.

[siteunseen]

Your attachment's invalid, it's not coming up for me.

[SteveJ]

You have to get the switch knob off, and then you can loosen the ring that holds it on. Be careful. There are parts you can lose.

Disconnecting isn't too bad. The challenging part IIRC is getting the optical fiber back in place for the light.

[Stanley]

Here's a better photo. Thanks Steve, maybe it won't be the 3 hour job (with the brake pedal as a pillow) I imagined. Removing the knob was easy, after I looked up the technique. Too bad there isn't a hole to just spray some contact cleaner in there.

Looked like you need remove the lighter with it, guess that was just a trick of the camera angle.

A small, mechanically inclined, double-jointed monkey would have no trouble with the job.

Might have to send the fiber optics portion over to Cal Tech / JPL for repair.

[Stanley]

OK, got it out, wasn't that bad. Except when I pulled the switch out the back heard something fall off inside, maybe a washer. Think it fell down in the metal housing for the haz and lighter but couldn't reach in to feel around. Hope it's not important.

The mind-blower: the fiber optics are real. Accidentally turned on the lights, and I was looking at light coming out of the end of a wire. Is it just a regular light bulb in the housing that the optic cables come out of ? What a cool way to get light to the hazard knob. Never read anything about fiber optics in the Z.

[Captain_Zeros]

Yeah! Real fiber optics, and just a normal lightbulb in that housing.

I love pointing out that my 40 year old Datsun has fiber optics in the dashboard and carburetor oil dipsticks

[Stanley]

Cleaned the switch, was slightly corroded on the contacts, looked like it's been cleaned before. Got it back together OK except the threaded shaft sticks out about 1/4 inch to far, guess that thing I heard fall off when I pulled the switch out was a spacer. Couldn't find it, might be under the radio somewhere. Maybe it will fall out someday, if not I'll put some washers.

It didn't fix the rt. front turn signal though. Probably the hazard switch needed cleaning anyway.

[SteveJ]

If I can remember to track it down, I'll look for my spare switch and take pictures for you, so you can see what you're missing.

[Stanley]

Thanks, here's a shot of the switch insides before cleaning it.