electrical poltergiest

Ok so I don't know how to spell but I do have a strange entity possessing my blinker switch.
I've posted about this before and I just wanted to mention that the problem has not only persisted, it has gotten so bad that I don't want to use my blinkers because they blink as fast as a machine gun.
It is directly related to the cold weather.

Any more ideas?

Could it be the flasher relay itself? regards jer

Leland, I don't have much experience with my 911 yet, but I used to have a 1968 Camaro and I thought I remember your symptoms being associated with a burned out bulb. Like that was the car's way of telling you "one of your bulbs is out."

I also thought of the relay thing but it may not be the case in a 911. Not much help huh?

------------------
Mark Isaak
'74 Targa

please excuse this response if what I have to say is redundant. I tried to find the thread on your "blinker problem" but came up empty handed.

I had a crazy blinker on the passenger side. I traced the problem to my front passenger bulb. I thought it was bad, so replaced it. It worked fine for a day, and then went out and started the blinker to speed up. I replaced it again (jeeze hello) and it did the same thing. After several futile hours looking for a short I gave up and replaced the bulb. Lo and behold the damn thing was back to normal... hmmm.
To make a long story short, I thoroughly cleaned the bulb socket (electrical parts cleaner and a wire brush) and have not had a problem since. It must have just been a poor contact.
Hope this helps.
Dan Tolley
1987 911 Coupe (getting ready for the big sleep)

webpage http://members.rennlist.com/jdaniel/

I'll have to check, but what I don't get is that it only speeds up when it's cold out (especially in the morning) as the ambient temp. rises the signal slows down to almost normally in the afternoon.
I'm just boggled as to how air temp. can affect my turn signals.


------------------
Leland Pate

___79 SC Targa

Cold temps can have an effect on a bad connection... With the cold weather, metal contracts, possibly making a mediocre connection into a bad connection.

Which makes me think that it is indeed corrosion as stated before.

Hope you find it!!

Scott

If temperature is affecting the speed, it could be the flasher. Some flashers have bi-metal contacts and a small resistor serving as a heater to open and close the contacts.

I must agree with scott. Remember High School physics? There was a item call "linear coefficient of expansion due to heat" basically meaning as metal gets warmer, it expands. If there is an "open" conection in the scoket , bulb or wire harness, it just might be closing when the car/wires/bulb heat up. Does the problem happen both in the winter and the summer? I actually had this problem on a old Saab, very difficult to find

VW and Porsche have been using flasher relays that are a combination of relays, resisistors, capacitors, diodes, and transistors soldered to a printed circuit board since 1966 or so ... bad solder connections can be quite heat sensitive, and 40-60 degrees F can be cold enough to affect circuit operating characteristics!

------------------
Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

Hey Leland don't you live up in the brush in Idaho. Well we are getting frost here in the mornings (Washington coast) you must be also. I little moisture would help those bad bad electrons find a ground which will cause the flasher to flash faster and as the frost or moisture disapates so does your helping hand to ground. Sounds good to me anyway.

Randy Jones
1971 911

Leland,
This might work to check the relay. If you have a blow dryer, before you run the car on a cold morning, heat the relay with the dryer (don't get it hot, just warm it) then check your signals. If they work normal you may have what's known as a "cold solder" connection in the relay.

------------------
Howie
79SC