Totally wierd turn-signal/flasher relay

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

This is crazy. I have a couple of very minor problems in my turn signal/flasher circuitry--problems that almost aren't worth bothering with, but I thought what the hell, let's get everything in the car working perfectly. (It's an '83 SC.) The two problems are 1/that the little light in the emergency-flasher switch doesn't flash when I turn the flashers on, though the flashers themselves work just fine. Second problem is 2/that every once in a while, the turn signals don't work, but if I cycle the flasher switch once, they work fine and continue working fine for weeks.

So I replaced the flasher switch (bulb was fine) and that didn't do a thing.

Next I decided I'd replace the flasher/turn signal relay. Got a new one, it was slightly shorter than the original one in the car, but all the spades and the circuit numbers next to the spades matched the old one perfectly. Plugged it in and now when I push the flasher relay, all four flasher lights come on steadily, no blinking. When I turn the key on and try the turn signals, they too simply come on steadily. (And, oddly, the indicator lights on the tach indicate correctly for a second and then indicate the opposite turn signal is on.)

Put the old flasher/turn signal relay back in place and everything works perfectly again.

Decided the new relay was faulty, got a second one. Same thing.

Anybody ever experienced anything like this?

Stephan