Wits end with blinkers

[Carbster]

1987 Carerra. My right side blinker is in hyper drive.
My list of what Ive done.

1. checked and replaced all bulbs
2. checked all connections in tail lights as Ive added replacement housings.
3. checked and cleaned the ground lug near the battery
4. checked and cleaned all lugs in fuse panel
5. replaced all bulbs in rear housings
6. New oem headlight/signal switch replaced 2 months ago for another issue

So today I pull the right front lenses off as I notice the lights are rather dim compared to the left side. I clean up all connections on the right parking lamp, the blinker housing is recent. I put a new tag light bulb in as it had been out

Then the **** hits the fan. same old deal no change until I turn off the ignition and the damn right side lights are still on! even with the key off!! wtf!.

I bought a new blinker relay as I don't know what else would send volts to the blinkers with the car off. This is driving me crazy... I had to disconnect the battery. I couldn't find the darn relay, I thought it was under the bulkhead... Where is that booger?

If the relay doesn't do the trick I'm at a loss. Is there another grounding area for the signals? New headlights and the wiring in the buckets is fine.

Does anyone have a good diagram for the ignition switch and turn signal switch? I have a Bentley but it is not to clear on these items. I will hit this area next.

[Cooper911SC]

Definitely replace your blinker relay. I had similar strange intermittent flashing issues on my SC.

Second, in case you aren't aware of the European/German parking light function.
When you turn the car off, if you 'click' the turnsignal lever either left or right the parking lights on that side of the vehicle will stay illuminated.

Cooper

[theiceman]

Fast flashing is indicative of wrong current draw through relay, usually wrong wattage bulbs.

[Norm Faustino]

I had a similar problem and it turned out to be the piggy back (double prong) connector on the multi position headlight switch. It had come off. Worth a look.

[Carbster]

Originally Posted by Cooper911SC

Definitely replace your blinker relay. I had similar strange intermittent flashing issues on my SC.

Second, in case you aren't aware of the European/German parking light function.
When you turn the car off, if you 'click' the turnsignal lever either left or right the parking lights on that side of the vehicle will stay illuminated.

Cooper

Holy crap, I had no idea.

[Lapkritis]

Have seen similar with wrong bulb used.

[Carbster]

Yes, thought wrong type bulb could do this and went through most all of these, ordered many from our host as they are quite cheap and the right type.
I'll hopefully find the flasher and this will solve the issue... Oh and flip the sign switch off, I hope that was the reason they stayed lit kn that side. Very odd thing that lighting with ignition off, why is that I wonder?
Thanks to all for the help and input.

Does anyone know exactly where the right signal package is grounded? I though maybe at the ground lug in front of the battery...

Also how does one remove these turn signal lights without bumper removal? Possible??

[1990C4S]

Make sure the wattage of all the bulbs is correct, and make sure the turn signal stalk is in the neutral position.

[HawgRyder]

With a standard type blinker relay...the current pulled through determines the blink rate.
With an electronic type relay...it blinks at the same rate no matter how many bulbs (or LEDs) are attached.
Bob

[ganun]

Carbster, if all else fails check the wiring at the lights themselves, the front bumper has to come off, then as in the rear lights the wires have individual spades. And it's tricky because its the same fixxture just flipped for the opposite side so it's a mirror arrangement of the wires.
It's happened to me, the wires get crossed so easily.

[yelcab1]

Originally Posted by Carbster

.. Very odd thing that lighting with ignition off, why is that I wonder? ...??

Because in Europe, people park on the side of the unmarked road in the dark without street lights. So if you leave your side parking lite on, other drivers can see you and not hit your car.

The Porsche is a European car. No such feature in US made cars for US consumption.

[kenhep]

Originally Posted by ganun

Carbster, if all else fails check the wiring at the lights themselves, the front bumper has to come off, then as in the rear lights the wires have individual spades. And it's tricky because its the same fixxture just flipped for the opposite side so it's a mirror arrangement of the wires.
It's happened to me, the wires get crossed so easily.

^^^^+1This exact thing happened to me. Blinker was in hyper drive because I had the 2 spade connectors flipped.

[wwest]

Originally Posted by HawgRyder

With a standard type blinker relay...the current pulled through determines the blink rate.
With an electronic type relay...it blinks at the same rate no matter how many bulbs (or LEDs) are attached.
Bob

Not any more. More modern electronic flasher relays will fast blink as an indication of bulb failure.

[wwest]

Originally Posted by yelcab1

Because in Europe, people park on the side of the unmarked road in the dark without street lights. So if you leave your side parking lite on, other drivers can see you and not hit your car.

The Porsche is a European car. No such feature in US made cars for US consumption.

Funny, my 78, purchased in the US new, does exactly that if you leave the turn signal lever "on".

[timmy2]

Originally Posted by yelcab1

Because in Europe, people park on the side of the unmarked road in the dark without street lights. So if you leave your side parking lite on, other drivers can see you and not hit your car.

The Porsche is a European car. No such feature in US made cars for US consumption.

Originally Posted by wwest

Funny, my 78, purchased in the US new, does exactly that if you leave the turn signal lever "on".

Your '78 Porsche was made in the US for US consumption?

[porwolf]

Originally Posted by wwest

Funny, my 78, purchased in the US new, does exactly that if you leave the turn signal lever "on".

Same with my US, California specified 79SC. It has all the European features plus it satisfies the American/Californian smog features, sugar scoop headlights, and all red colored tail light lenses. But it also has the European "parking light" functions: When you have the directional switch in a right or left position and turn off the lights and lock the car those directional lights stay on permanently. If you install H4 headlights they are even wired for permanent "parking lights" if you install the small 2 W light bulb in the H4 headlights.

[theiceman]

Originally Posted by wwest

Funny, my 78, purchased in the US new, does exactly that if you leave the turn signal lever "on".

Originally Posted by porwolf

Same with my US, California specified 79SC. It has all the European features plus it satisfies the American/Californian smog features, sugar scoop headlights, and all red colored tail light lenses. But it also has the European "parking light" functions: When you have the directional switch in a right or left position and turn off the lights and lock the car those directional lights stay on permanently. If you install H4 headlights they are even wired for permanent "parking lights" if you install the small 2 W light bulb in the H4 headlights.

wow you two had US made Porsches ? .. id be asking for my money back, the rest of ours were made in Europe .. some were sold in the US however

[Carbster]

Originally Posted by kenhep

^^^^+this exact thing happened to me. Blinker was in hyper drive because I had the 2 spade connectors flipped.

This could be an issue^^ Maybe, hell Ive changed ever damn bulb now, including rear housings. Anyone have a clear cut and dry color scheme for the right side?

I swapped out the flasher with a pelican unit. No change, of course the blinker stalk back in neutral now. I still have dim lamps on the front right bumper. I need to trace this ground check and clean and verify the bulb wattage or number, 1125 for the turn signal I believe. The other parking lamp I need to verify but I replaced it with a unit specified for that unit.

[wayner]

Check all your grounds. Also check the seating of bulbs in the sockets

These cars are weird. I had a dim headlight and it turned out to be a loose tail light bulb...

[Carguy59]

I had the same problem, bad ground wire to ground lug by battery. Ran a new ground wire to the lug for the fix.