Can I put a relay on my 63 Valiant Turn Signals

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bearwolf64

bearwolf64

Bearwolf50
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I put a relay in my turn signal circuit at the connector that is located in the kick panel. Now the turn signal don't work. Can or can't I do this?

Bear
 
I dont understand the question. Are you trying to fix the turn signals ?
 
If they worked before you added something and now they don't, try putting it back the way it was.
 
I upgrade my Headlight and taillights with relays and wire. I also installed relays on the turn signal circuits. I install new wires from the kick panel disconnect plugs
I use two separate relays for the left and right turn signals. I ran the wires from the dash (turn signal switch) to pin 86 on the relays. I ran the new wires from the rear turn signal lights to 87 on the relays. I ran power wires off my new power bus to pin 30 on the relays. I ran good grounds to pin 85 on the relays. My new relays for my headlights and tail lights work great. So a couple questions:
1. Can I ran a relays in the turn signal circuit?
2. Can I have to run relays for the front turn lights too?

Bear
 
You can put relays on your turn signals if you feel for some reason that you must, but it's really pretty needless (though not quite so needless as putting the taillamps on relays). This modification will delay the light-up of the stop lights when you step on the brake. Not by much, but every bit of delayed light-up means that much less reaction time and stopping distance for the driver behind you. Better to leave out the relays and simply beef up the circuit to minimise voltage drop. Also, the double-clicking from the turn signal flasher and the relays would certainly annoy me; if for some strange reason I decided to put relays on my turn signal circuit I'd use solid-state relays that don't click.

After all that: the reason why your turn signals no longer work is that the flasher is dependent for its function on a particular amount of current draw. You've slashed the current draw through the flasher to a tiny fraction of what it needs to see, because the relay coil draws almost no current. If you're bound and determined to run relays, you'll need a load-insensitive flasher. Me, I use Ideal #EL-12, which is an "electronic" load-insensitive flasher (capacitive rather than thermal) with very low resistance across the contacts; much lower than the standard flasher. That alone improves feed to the signals without need of relays.

Keep in mind that adding relays where they aren't needed isn't an improvement. It increases the likelihood of failure because you have more components and connections in the system.
 
A relay is nothing more than switch gear. It has practical applications and impractical applications. Not only is there absolutely no need for relays in turn signals but you actullay add another place for brake light failure to occur.
Just because you can do it doesn't mean you should.
 
My goal was to increase the illumination of taillights and headlights. To include the turn signals. What you're saying is that the turn signal lights should not have been put on a relay. I do see a marked increase in the headlights and taillights as far as illumination. I'll take the turn signal relay out. But I how do I get brighter taillights. Prior to the installation of the relays the tail lights very dim to the point of not being able to see them. I did run new 14 gauge wire from the lights bulbs to relays. If I ran these NEW wires to the back of the dash cluster (where the original wires are coming from) will get it product a better illumination then the original wires?
 
I agree with some others here. No need to complicate the wiring for a future failure point if it's not needed. I once drove a Porsche 914 across the country in the winter and several critical relays failed because they got moisture in them then froze up which opened the contacts. As soon as things warmed up they started working again.
 
bearwolf64 said:
But I how do I get brighter taillights. Prior to the installation of the relays the tail lights very dim to the point of not being able to see them. I did run new 14 gauge wire from the lights bulbs to relays. If I ran these NEW wires to the back of the dash cluster (where the original wires are coming from) will get it product a better illumination then the original wires?
Click to expand...

Are we now talking tail or turn?

But in either case, you really need to do some troubleshooting. You could be experiencing voltage drop in ANY or more than one place in the circuit path

Let's take tail lights

The circuit path is:

From battery through fuse link, through bulkhead (main battery feed) to the ammeter, and the "in harness splice" This is a factory welded splice, taped up in the black ammeter wire, which branches off and feeds several things

From the in harness main splice, a wire from the ammeter circuit feeds the "hot buss" in the fuse panel.

The tail light fuse is connected to this buss, then a wire goes from the fuse to the headlight switch, and from the switch, up front to the park lights, and to the rear, to the kick panel connector, and on to the tail lights

So you could have drop at ANY of those points. Check the easy ones first.

BEST way is by checking voltage drop DIRECTLY. "Rig" a long piece of no 14 or no12 wire on one probe of your meter (covered and taped) and hook to the battery +, such as the start relay "big stud."

Turn on the park/ tail lamps, (YOU MUST CHECK UNDER LOAD)

and probe the fuse and fuse clips. You should not see much drop, a small fraction of a volt. If you do, you have already isolated the problem to between the fuse panel and the battery. So problem areas are the bulkhead main battery feed (that is the bulkhead itself) the ammeter circuit/ and "in harness" welded splice, or the riveted connections in the fuse panel for the fuse clips.

Look carefully at the fuse clips for rust/ corrosion, heat damage, looseness.

If you don't see much drop at the fuse clips, remove the kick panel and probe the connector for the rear harness. Pull it apart, inspect, and work it in/ out to scrub the connections clean, and feel for "how tight" the connector terminals are.

If you see a drop at the kick panel, but did not at the fuse panel, what is "in between" is a little bit of wire and the HEADLIGHT SWITCH. Time to pull it out and check it. Might be the switch, or just the connector

NAPA had one in stock for my 67, so these fit a lot of years, and are easy to get.

If you don't see much drop at the kick panel, the only thing to the rear is wire and the tail lights. Inspect the sockets for rust, "feel" for the tension of the socket springs. Try soldering auxiliary ground pigtails to the sockets and bolt solidly with toothed washers to the body.

AND LAST

Don't discount "old" or improper bulbs, or tarnished, dirty lenses and reflectors in your housings!!!

Good luck. This is a dirty job, but somebody has to do it!! LOL
 
67Dart273

I ran new wires to the tail lights and the headlights and parking lights. I ran the wires right thru the bulkhead. I put relays in the headlights circuits ( High & Low)
I bypass the ammeter and install a hot junction strip and ran all the hot lines from the welding point and the ammeter to it. All is working now with the exception of the right rear brake light. When I step on the brake the left rear works great the right rear does not light up. I believe it in the turn signal switch.

Bear
 
Hi, Bear. If the rear turn signal works on both sides but only one brake light works, it surely must be the switch.
 
Ya that's what I got down to. 49 years not too bad. I'm going to Carlisle maybe I can find one there... Thanks for all your help....

Bear
 
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