Troubleshooters - '74 turn signal & indicator
 

Well,

those of you who saw my thread 'you're not going to like this...' with pics of damage to my left rear quarter panel will remember my gold '74 911. First of all, just want to say that my baby is back from the body shop as of yesterday (5 days of withdrawal) and they did a fantastic job of matching the paint.

Anyway, on with the problem...

First of all, the turnsignal indicators have always been a little squirelly, as in both will illuminate when you select either left or right (but at half brightness for both). Tonight the turnsignal lights just both stay on...the right signals outside actually work, but the left won't. now - turn off the headlights and both turnsignals outside work normally. Somehow the headlights factor into this equation, then.

I tried removing the #9 fuse and this extinguishes the dash indicators, removing the #10 doesn't. So for now I'm driving with a functioning right turn signal, but no left with headlights on. Turn out the headlights and both turn signals work. Can't remember if turning off the headlights extinguished the two lit turnsignal indicators in the cabin. I'm thinking when I check my manual later I may find that a relay is on the fritz... What are your thoughts?

Ryan

:(

1974 911 2.7 CIS coupe w/sunroof

i would check your grounds, the blinkers could be pulling ground through the headlight switch. then changes when the headlights are activated.
if the lights were removed for your repair you may have a break in the wire, i would start looking there.
my .02

Yep, intermittant missing or missing ground.
Get a six foot length of wire, crock clip both ends.
Put car into faulty condition, one end of wire on a good ground, then probe your BROWN wires when only one indicator flashes that is your missing ground.
Jeff

Hey, thanks guys,

The 'ground' idea may just be the ticket. In fact, I'm taking the car back to the shop on Monday morning because when I picked it up I observed that the top of the bumper on the side where the damage was done was scratched up a bit. When they removed the left rear tail light lens to go inside to repair the dent, they apparently didn't disconnect the wires completely but just pulled it out and placed it on the bumper. This caused the scratches. Maybe, as you two suggest, something has been pulled loose. It seems like a very logical place to check. Thanks...guess I may have missed the forest for the trees!

Ryan ;)

New problem this morning...

After starting the car, my alternator never came online for some reason. As is typical with these cars, the alternator light usually stays lit until rpm's hit about 2K and then always extinguishes. This morning, however, it's staying lit even after a short drive. It affects idle and low speed driveability, causing it to surge and sometimes die at a stop. It's never behaved like this before. Odd that I get it back from the body shop with a rash of electrical gremlins. Thoughts before I go back out to troubleshoot? :(

Ryan

bigchill,

I've been chasing similar problems with my '74 targa. Can't be of too much help, yet, though. Ever since I've owned the car (only about six months) the dash blinkers have behaved exactly the way you first described (both blinking at half brightness). Although the direction I selected will be brighter for a couple of seconds first. I thought this was normal, but it did seem kind of odd.

Keep us posted on this one, I'd like to know the outcome.

Thanks!

Hey Mike,

I just posted a similar thread and a guy replied about 'both signals flashing' that it's a problem with a 'brown ground'. I've just replied to get a further explanation. Sounds like he's suggesting a faulty ground wire.

Ryan