SPCL FX

I be got a problem and not sure how to proceed from here ! I put the headlight switch from my 79 parts car and put it in my 77 ! That gave me low beams , tail lights , backups , side markers , hazard lights , and the right front turn/parking lite all work ! Now the problem ! When I turn on the left blinker the left taillight goes out and the same thing when I turn on the right side , but , they don't blink on either side ! Also , if I put in a bulb in left front turn/parking socket it doesn't come on and the left side marker light goes dim or off! I don't have high beams because I think someone tried to use the blinker rod instead of the the tilt rod and while it moves it does nothing at all ! (Doesn't click)

Btw the windshield wipers do work and yes this is the one where the wipers, the blinkers , and the high beams are all operated by the same rod!
So what should I do now ? Have I got a ground issue? Is it the broken headlight switch! Something I haven't thought of yet ? Combination of different things happening!

So what would be the direction I should go now to figure this out ? Any suggestions anyone??
Thanks in advance to anyone that can help with this! Can hardly wait to get this all figured out so I can try to figure out the headlight vacuum system!

Kacyc3

Anytime you have an electrical issue just assume its a bad ground, these cars are notorious for bad grounds. Second I think you have a column or switch from another car in your car, my 79 doesnt have wipers on the turn signal switch.

The13Bats

He is working on a 77, took the headlight switch from a 79, if i understood.

77 had a lot of one year stuff, and a quick Google look shows either 68 to 77 or 74 to 77 then 78 to 82 for headlight switchs, so for some reason they dont use the 78 to 82 in eariler cars, thats the first hurdle to cross, should the 79 switch work correctly in a 77?

Did the signals work before the switch change?

You must have good bulbs in all sockets to know what works and what doesnt,

Do the lamps flash in hazard mode?

SPCL FX

Yes you are correct the switch is from a 79 and is plugged in to a 77 and appears to function correctly although I haven't tested it for a vacume leak yet!

Don't know if the blinkers worked or not !

I replaced the front left turn /running light socket with one on the right side that I knew worked and with a little wiggling got it to work so I plug the other one in on the right and now that works !

Yes the hazard lites work okay and when I pulled the flasher unit out they stopped!

Still I have no turn signals and the other thing that has changed is the left taillight goes out only when they are on right turn ! It was right and left before I got the left front turn signal /running light working !

Maybe I'm just dealing with a ground problem now??
To recap everything is working except the turn signals and when on right turn the left taillight goes out and still no signals!
Thanks for the quick response guys!!
Ray

The13Bats

To troubleshoot this good bulbs in each socket are a must then be sure the ground is good,
But you said hazards worked, they use same grounds, try swapping flashers,
Then if all that fails could be the turn switch,

SPCL FX

That steering column is tilt/tell and the wiper /turn signal /high beam-low beam on one rod is 77 only ! My parts car is a 79 ! I'm beginning to think that it is ground issue at this point , but , I still don't know what to do to solve it if in fact that is the problem!

Kacyc3

Post a pic of the switch/column

SPCL FX

Does the same flasher unit operate the blinkers too ??
I know that all the bulbs are good !
Is it possible that the turn switch was damaged along with the high/low beam switch? Is there a way to test the turn switch ??
Is there a ground I should look at or do I have to look at them all !
I've been trying to figure this out for about two weeks now and the only success I've had is to get a running light working that wasn't!

SPCL FX

Here's a couple!




Didn't have time to do anything with this part today ! I'm trying to vacuum test the headlight system at the same time and I go back and forth from one to the other! Keeps me from removing what hair I have left!

SwampeastMike

See if your front turn/park lamps have a fairly short pigtail that connects to the main harness. If so disassemble and clean the contacts very well. I had a very similar problem with my '79 and it was due to corroded contacts in those non weather-resistant connectors.

SPCL FX

Yes they are about 6 in. long or so ! I'll make sure I pull them apart while I wait for the order of stuff I'm going to have to get one of which will be an AIM manual! I figured out which one was for mine on the Willcox site the other day , but since I knew I would probably need some other things I chose to wait and turns out that was a good thing too!

While I was working on making all the lites function I have also been doin a vacuum test on the headlight system ! Mine worked but the left would come up slowly to about halfway and then the right would come up all the way and then the left would come all the way up ! Also they didn't move at all till I pulled the pull down switch and when I pushed it in then the left would go down quickly but I had to wait another minute to a minute and a half for the right one to slam shut !

Along with needing an manual I'm going to need a headlight switch, a pull down switch, a check valve, a filter , a rebuild kit for the actuators ( one bad ,might as well do both ) and not sure if I can rebuild or just have to replace the relays !

If all that wasn't enough I was trying to remove the headlight switch to test for vacume and somehow while I was trying to get the rod to release ( because of coarse it decide it wasn't going to come out ) some how I managed to break the arm for the turn signal/ wiper/high,low beam rod off !

That's pretty much a complete day for me !! All I gotta do now is replace all the components in the headlight vacume system and rebuild the steering column so I can find out if the turn signals work

I did finally manage to clean off my desk in my shop so I have a clean spot to work on things again ! Or break them!
It's all good though ! I'm already way ahead of the game just cause I didn't have to pull the engine out and replace it ! I'll check back in with everyone after I get the parts and get all that back together and I'll still be trying to learn all I can about these cars and mine!

Thanks everybody for all the feedback and I'll make sure those pigtails are clean before I try the signals again ! I'm thinking that it's going to be the switch it self simply because of how easy that rod snapped off ( I pushed further forward than it was supposed to go) !

Kacyc3

That's a different turn signal arm than mine. Could that be an 80+ column? Maybe the wiring is different?

SPCL FX

Mine is a 77 , can't guarantee that it's not, but as far as I know it has not been changed at anytime ! One of that characters of a 77 is the steering column and the set up on it is one year only from what I've been told on here ! I've looked up the rod for the turn signals and mine is correct ! Is yours a 77 ? What does yours look like so others can have a chance to help with this question ! Some that anyone else that want too could also take a stab at why I have a hole in the floor on driver and passenger side ! Looks to be a factory thing ( stamped ) and was covered by the factory heat/sound deadener with no plug ! It is seen in the pic below the column! Can't imagine them being built this way , but , what do I know ? Special entrance for mice maybe??

Kacyc3

no my car is a 79, I thought I read you swapped the entire column.

SPCL FX

No, just the headlight switch ! I have a 79 parts car but I grabbed it to use what I could and then sell off or trade what I couldn't to help others with their project ! At three hundred dollars just for the little things just to fix these little things I think I'm going to have to get a third job just to buy parts and that being added to my VA disability check! Lol
It's all good though a little at a time I'll get there and it will be a sweet ride again!!
Ray!😎

Kacyc3

not sure what happened there. Take the parts you need then sell the rest to help fund your project.

SPCL FX

No , really it's all good I just wasn't expecting all the parts for the headlights to have to be replaced except the vacuum canister to fix the operation of the doors! And if that wasn't enough I broke the blinker rod off the column accidentally so I went to one of the venders website and added the price of the parts I needed together plus an assembly manual and I'm into a $300.00 dollar bill and I was like ouch! That is right after a $350.00 bill for a tranny in one of my trucks but as soon I get it fixed I have that truck sold and while I will have a little less than what I thought for the truck I will still be able to use a good chunk of that on my Vette but it means I gotta wait till my mechanic can put that tranny in !
As I said I'm good I just don't like the hurry up and wait thing ! Once I get all the mechanicles done then it'll be time to do the easy stuff for me like making that baby shine so I can enjoy living my dream !!

Kacyc3

Unless you are doing a NCRS restoration I would see if i could use the pivot arm thing from the 79 to replace the broken on of the 77. Might save you $350

SPCL FX

The steering column stuff isn't the largest chunk of the money! It's all the parts for the headlight vacuum system and the fact that except for one actuator and the vacuum reservoir I need to replace all of it and the one actuator will also get rebuilt cause I don't want to have any issues with it when I'm done !
This being my first Vette I get a little frustrated because life keeps getting in my way and keeping me from moving as fast as I want to ! That's when I just have to kick back and take a deep breath and know that eventually I'll get to drive it more than just around the building! I'm supposed to have the S-10 fixed this Friday and I can sell it allowing me to move forward again ! Once I've used all the parts I need and want and I'm able to drive mine then I will systematically tear the parts car apart , in part training for doing the same thing to mine in full restore mode . I would rather make a mistake if I make one on the parts car than to make one on the one I'm going to restore as well as organizing all the parts and having them ready to ship to those in need ! Although there are a couple things that I've taken off I could sell I'm trying to focus on making mine functional but if I see someone on the forum looking for something I have that I've taken off I wouldn't be against offering it up for sale! Mostly I'm looking forward to the time when I move into paint time cause for me that will be easy work and once done it'll be be time to ride! Plus I found out they changed the entry level for the Saturday nite cruise here and from what I've been told I'll be able to participate in it!

SPCL FX

Sorry bout the size of the pic, I have no idea why it did that!!
Apparently one of the former owners had a turn signal problem on my car ! He decided to call "bubba" and ask him to come help him fix it ! This is the solution that he came up with !
The piece on the right was plugged into the harness and then the flasher unit was plugged in ! Wonder how come that didn't work ??
Once I get all the parts I need and install then we are gonna have to track down why "bubba" was called in !!:rofl
That is all for now!