NEED HELP- front turn signal socket questions
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Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 29
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NEED HELP- front turn signal socket questions
Hey all , I have a 74 vette. Here is the problem: the front passenger side marker lightbulb does not work when the bulb for the front passenger turn signal indicator is plugged in. Why is this happening ? When I pull the bulb out of the front passenger turn signal socket , the front passenger side marker light begins to work. The socket I have now for the turn signal indicator is all rusted and looks to be in awful shape. Is this problem as simple as getting a new front turn signal indicator socket and simply unplugging the old and plugging in the new ? Any and old help is appreciated !
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,450
Likes: 40
From: Panama City Beach, Florida
I would start by replacing that socket AND check all the other sockets AND while you are there double check that the correct bulbs are installed - Weird stuff happens when all is not well with bulbs and sockets. I was helping a friend with a '74 and the dash lights would come on during the day when you put on the brakes, turns out the wrong bulb was jammed in a brake light socket which was also rusty.
Good Luck !
Frank
Good Luck !
Frank
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,365
Likes: 428
From: Cape Girardeau Missouri
I don't know about '74 but on my '79 both those lamps are on factory pigtail harnesses connected to the main harness in the front lower corners. They are not weather resistant connectors and even though they're in a fairly protected area they get corroded and filthy.
Those front marker lamps are wired rather strangely. When the parking or headlamps are NOT on they get their ground via "backflow" through the rest of the park lamps both front and rear. This makes them blink in concert with the front turn signal. With the parking lamps on, both leads to the front marker get +12V when the front turn lamp is on so it goes out. When the front turn lamp goes out power is cut to one of the leads and the turn lamp now gets ground via its associated front turn lamp and instrument panel indicator lamp. With the parking lights on the front marker lamps flash in opposition to the signal lamp. This wiring arrangement makes those front marker lamps EXTREMELY sensitive to poor grounds, dirty lamp/harness connectors and even burned out bulbs throughout the car! Bizarre things happen in that circuit when there are poor/dirty/missing connections!
Those front marker lamps are wired rather strangely. When the parking or headlamps are NOT on they get their ground via "backflow" through the rest of the park lamps both front and rear. This makes them blink in concert with the front turn signal. With the parking lamps on, both leads to the front marker get +12V when the front turn lamp is on so it goes out. When the front turn lamp goes out power is cut to one of the leads and the turn lamp now gets ground via its associated front turn lamp and instrument panel indicator lamp. With the parking lights on the front marker lamps flash in opposition to the signal lamp. This wiring arrangement makes those front marker lamps EXTREMELY sensitive to poor grounds, dirty lamp/harness connectors and even burned out bulbs throughout the car! Bizarre things happen in that circuit when there are poor/dirty/missing connections!
