Turn signal blinking fast

Hi,

I have a 99 1500 Silverado with a minor blinker problem.

The right turn signal works properly, but the left turn signal blinks at 2x the rate it is supposed to. I tried (Just for kicks) replacing the fuses for the left turn signal in the box under the hood and it did nothing. Same 10a fuse.

What could be causing this and how can I fix it? I located the thing that makes the clicking noise.... which is elevated above where my feet go and electrical taped to some other wiring... I touched it while doing the left and right blinkers and it is the same box making the clicking but it is still the correct speed for right... and 2x the speed for the left.

What can I do???

Reply to
GeeBeer
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reverse the left tail lamp in its socket

you have it in there so that the stop lamp filament (takes more current) is where the tail lamp should be

those things are supposed to be keyed to prevent such things..........did it go in there hard ?

Reply to
TranSurgeon

I don't think he even replaced the lamp.

GeeBeer, turn the left signal on and check all bulbs on that side of the truck. If you don't see one blinking in either the front or the rear, replace that bulb.

Reply to
Mike Levy

Hey! Thats all it was... I had a bulb out.... the amber blinker that faces front right next to the running light. I replaced that bulb and now the blinker is blinking normally. Thanks a million!

Reply to
GeeBeer

If you check that light for continuity it will have 0ohms, AKA a dead short. That short heats up the bi-metal spring in the blinker box faster, and thus disconnects it faster, so it blinks faster.

GMC Gremlin

things..........did

Reply to
GMC Gremlin

Hunh? A blown bulb produces a dead short? What am I missing here?

Reply to
Just Al

Sometimes the filament after it blows will connect to it's self. I was as confused as you, I kept checking it and saying - it should work!!! Changing the bulb fixed the problem. Trust me on this & remember, you'll run into it one day.

GMC Gremlin

Reply to
GMC Gremlin

Thanks for the heads up. I'm in my 40th year of repairing and this is a new one. How is it a dead short to ground doesn't blow a fuse?

Al

Reply to
Just Al

My guess would be because it isn't a dead short to ground, or because the blinker only allows it for such a short period of time.

GMC Gremlin

Reply to
GMC Gremlin

Just a technical note here,

A short is an inadvertant/unplanned connection between two different aspects of an insulated circuit. A ground is a connection between some aspect of a circuit (that should be insulated from ground) and ground. A short isn't "to ground", never was and never will be.

H>My guess would be because it isn't a dead short to ground, or because the

Reply to
George Vigneron

In all the electronic books/mags/text files/and USNET conversations I have either read or partaken in, I have never heard them differently defined. Where have you ascertained this bit of trivia?

GMC Gremlin

Reply to
GMC Gremlin

Reply to
George Vigneron

Oh yes, one more source, right after high school I spent some time in what was then known as GM Factory Training School, specializing in Delco automotive electrics.

D>In all the electronic books/mags/text files/and USNET conversations I have

Reply to
George Vigneron

Hi George, looks like I must be losing it in my old age. Lets say we have a battery and a light bulb. We're talking DC here. From the + terminal we go to one side of the bulb's filament. The other side of the filament goes to the negative terminal, commonly referred to as ground. Now lets say the filament blows and "shorts" or connects the two sides of posts of the bulb, which I've never actual seen happen BTW. Would we now not have a direct connection from the positive to the negative (or commonly referred to as ground in this application) through the "shorted" ground? Can you help a brother out here? Maybe it's time I turn in my Ham ticket. ;-) Al

Just a technical note here,

A short is an inadvertant/unplanned connection between two different aspects of an insulated circuit. A ground is a connection between some aspect of a circuit (that should be insulated from ground) and ground. A short isn't "to ground", never was and never will be.

Hope that helps.

Reply to
Just Al

Not saying your wrong. For example I sell computer memory. EDO/FPM type memory has a feature called "Buffering" SDRAM and DDR type memory has a feature called "Registry" Basically the same thing, and often interchanged by the less knowledgeable (such as mother board manufacturer's... lol)

GMC Gremlin

Reply to
GMC Gremlin

Hi Al,

You chose a good scenario. In the early days of radio we had battery powered circuits, I remember them too.

You aren't losing it yet. In your example the filament would in fact connect the "insulated" side of the circuit to the "ground" side of the circuit, which is in fact the normal status of the filament and the resultant current flow causes the light. Right?? Am I not correct here, a filament connects one side of the circuit to the other side of the circuit and the circuit then allows current to flow and the heat caused by the current flow causes the filament to glow and light is produced. Am I missing something here too?? ;-)

After I posted my earlier comments I did some checking and I discovered that what was once an exacting definition of a circuit being either normal, shorted, or grounded has been dumbed down for the John Doe public and the term "shorted to ground" now is found in reference materials readily available. However I do remember well my early teen years when studying for my first Ham "ticket" and I made such a comment and our resident club mentor (an Amatuer Extra of considerable local reputation) corrected me and then I read and studied many references on the subject and they all were very distinct on the subject. When studying for my apprenticeship for the Air Force I still encountered those same exacting definitions but that was some years ago. And when I was in GM's factory training school our instructor still made the same distinctions. Apparently that has all changed now as the dumbing down of America continues.

I stand corrected. And I suppose I had better eat some humble pie while putting on my asbestos shorts so the flameing can begin.

In more modern circuitry (non automotive) it is the norm for all "legs" of the circuit to be floating at some point above or below chassis "ground." That aspect alone makes it a very different situation. But none the less, I digress, I have been put in my place.

Keep your ticket Al.

Just Al wrote:

Reply to
George Vigneron

I like your definition better.

GMC Gremlin

Reply to
GMC Gremlin

Responded inline

Thanks George. I tried to get across what I was thinking and for a change it worked

You're not missing a thing as far as I know.

You, sir, have hit the nail square on the head, and have expressed it more eloquently than I ever could. This is why I stated "commonly referred to" in my post. Take a look at what it takes to be licensed today and it aint nuthin to be proud of anymore. Wait a minute. I better save this for the Old Codger Forum I'm going to start up.

I don't think there should be any humble pie eating around here, and definitely no flames. Maybe a spark or two from the short to ground but that's it.

I by no means meant to put you or anyone else in their place and you probably would be better off not thinking some dork like me would be able to do that. I was just asking a question is all.

Thanks for the advice George, I think I will. What the hell, where else can you get a Federal License for free?

Nice meeting you es 73. Al BTW, you might like the old radios on my web page here:

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Reply to
Just Al

Responded inline

Thanks George. I tried to get across what I was thinking and for a change it worked

You're not missing a thing as far as I know.

You, sir, have hit the nail square on the head, and have expressed it more eloquently than I ever could. This is why I stated "commonly referred to" in my post. Take a look at what it takes to be licensed today and it aint nuthin to be proud of anymore. Wait a minute. I better save this for the Old Codger Forum I'm going to start up.

I don't think there should be any humble pie eating around here, and definitely no flames. Maybe a spark or two from the short to ground but that's it.

I by no means meant to put you or anyone else in their place and you probably would be better off not thinking some dork like me would be able to do that. I was just asking a question is all.

Thanks for the advice George, I think I will. What the hell, where else can you get a Federal License for free?

Nice meeting you es 73. Al BTW, you might like the old radios on my web page here:

formatting link

Reply to
Just Al
1990 GM factory service manual mentions "shorted to ground" I bet webster would consider them synonyms too... Guess I'm part of the dumbing down of amerika.

GMC Gremlin

Reply to
GMC Gremlin

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