Author Topic: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch  (Read 19088 times)

Longtooth

  • Guest
High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« on: July 24, 2003, 05:31:11 »
I'm trying to figure out why my high beam flasher on the column won't work... read the piece in the tech forum... all wires / terminals on my plugs (male and female) are wired... so that suggestion didn't help.  

My MB Owners Manual shows the wiring diagram with the flasher wired so unless there was some unique California or import reg's issue for '67 250 SL's, I have to assume the flasher switch was orginally working (I bought in '84 and it wasn't working then either).

All other items on the column swith (window washer pump, wipers at both speeds, turn signals) work (and have always worked) flawlessly... no hesitation or intermittant conditions that would make me suspect a worn-out switch contact or anything.

I've got the switch out (in car, but pulled out 8" from the column) so I can see the soldered terminals on the switch asm, and see the innards working --- springs & some of the contacts are viewable without taking the switch apart itself (it comes apart .... i.e. it went together with screws and some press fits in the shaft, so I know it comes apart one way or another).  Nothing I can discern appears to be non-operational in the mechanical functions, though I can't exactly see how the flashing contacts are being made when pulling (toward driver) on the handle.  The turn signal terminals and mechanics are all visible... as is the washer pump mechanical contact method.  I can't see the flasher mechanical contacts though... so they must be further under the terminal block 'cover' somewhere.  

I hear a very slight 'click' sound when I actuate the flasher switch... which is comforting since I expect some very light soud from the mechanical contact slides or ball contact.

But none of the above is giving me a working flasher unit or any insight as to what's broken if anything... yet at least.

I'm trying to test continuity between each of the soldered terminals on the switch and their corresponding male terminals on the plug to see which belong to which (the color coded wires exposed at the switch end itself are so short many of the wire's color codes aren't able to be accurately identified... by process of elimination in testing and obvious mechanics I'm hoping to isolate which 2 terminals belong to the flasher switch.... once I've done that I can then actuate and determine whether the switch is actually making contact on actuator or not.  Hard to believe that one of the actual internal switch terminals would fail though (and had already failed by '84) when all the others are still in perfect working order, so I'm hoping it's something else wrong.

If anybody has any knowledge about the flasher switch unit or it's design in the '67 250SL or what might actually be wrong please respond.

BTW, in case it's a broken switch in fact, has anybody had any experience fixing one?  Or failing that, are there readily available replacement units (orig design)?  



Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
95 SL500

rwmastel

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, OH, Canal Winchester
  • Posts: 4369
  • Pagoda SL Group: 20+ years and going strong!
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2003, 06:40:12 »
I didn't think mine worked either until it was suggested that I simply pull really hard.  It worked!  I was just pulling lightly, as I would in a new car.  The contact must be "adjusted" or worn down from use.  Try a firm pull on the lever.

Rodd
1966 230SL Euro
1994 E420
Rodd

Did you search the forum before asking?
2017 C43 AMG
2006 Wrangler Rubicon
1980 450SL
1966 230SL

n/a

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2003, 08:02:37 »
Longtooth,
I recall a discussion about 3 months earlier regarding the flasher switch.
Check the wiring on the terminal strip behind the fuse panel. I thought that some people found that the wires were present, but not connected.

Regards,
Stan

n/a

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2003, 08:08:33 »
I have a related question about the turn signals. Seems that every time I turn left (or is it right?) the fuse blows. Clearly a short somewhere and I'm suspecting the switch. Has anyone done an overhall of this very rare and expensive part? I'm using hand signals or just being rude now. Wouldn't be a problem if I lived in Boston. A Bostonian friend of mine says signalling is a sign of weakness.

Douglas

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2003, 09:39:14 »
i think there's a "donor/parts" turn-signal switch for a 113 on ebay right now.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
#018260

George Davis

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2003, 09:48:52 »
Srock, here is a possible cause of the fuse blowing.  Inside the turn signal switch are two rocker arms mounted on posts.  The tops of the posts are mashed over like a rivet head to hold the rocker arms on.  Under that head is a small washer.  The mashed over part can break off after years of wear.  The signal may not self-cancel after this happens, but in addition, there is now one or more small pieces of metal and maybe a small washer or two floating around loose in the switch, and they can cause a short to ground and blow the fuse.

George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual

n/a

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2003, 10:43:52 »
Doug, thanks for the heads up on the ebay item. Maybe I can make 1 good one out of 2 bad ones.

Longtooth, I remember reading somewhere that the headlight flasher was Euro only. This may account for the post indicating that some folks found the wires disconnected. I've never tried this on my car. Would be neat to get the flasher to work by connecting a couple of wires.

Ray Ortiz

  • Associate Member
  • Junior Level
  • *
  • USA, CA, San Juan Capistrano
  • Posts: 30
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2003, 12:30:50 »
Over at the Pagoda 113 they have an article on how to conncect the headlights flasher. In the US production cars the wire was taped behind the fuse box. You need to reconnect this wire to the one coming from the steering column  (or something like that...) It's a step by step article to do it yourself.
'69 280SL
red/blk, ac,auto,chrms.,lthr,nardi,pwr antenna,coco mats,electronic ignition,

Longtooth

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #8 on: July 24, 2003, 13:07:16 »
There's another difference between my 250SL's high beam flasher on the column switch and the descriptions I've read in the tech topics (Lights).  The tech articles (at least one of them) indicates the high beam flasher unit circuits are always hot... i.e. "powered" to the switch.  

The circuit diagram on my '67 shows that the high beam flasher switch on the column is powered only when the lights are 'on' at 2nd rotary light switch position --- i.e. normal driving lights position.

I'd like to power the high beam flash switch on the column all the time (i.e. when ignition is on), but as it stands on my stock '67 250SL it appears that I'd have to rewire by by-passing the rotary light switch or paralleling from a powered side (with ignition on) of the ignition switch directly to the powered side of Fuse #9... which is where the final leg of the circuit to the column high beam flash switch comes from.

Alas, I still haven't been able to find the reason for the existing condition to get the column high beam flash switch to work under any circumstance so I'll decide to work on rewiring after I can make the existing switch work.

Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
95 SL500

tuultyme

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #9 on: July 24, 2003, 13:20:24 »
I got my Multifunction Switch to work on my 1970 280SL this last winter.  There were a few wires that were not installed at the factory on US delivered cars.  In other words there was not a complete circuit from the power thru the mutifunctional switch and back to the high beam hook up at the fuse #10.
 
1.  I had to add a lead wire from fuse #1 to the connector block at the wire end of the Multifunction Switch at pin #5. The rt/bl/ws wire was missing from the fuse pin to this point.

2.  There is no ws/vi wire between the connector block at the wire end of the Multifunctional switch at pin #8 to the next up feed connector block; so I added a jumper at this point.

3.  Now my flashers work when the ignition is off.  If one wants it to work only when the ignition is on make the power connection to fuse #2.

I will repost a question a posted on the pagoda site:  Does anyone have a wire color code for the 280SL?  Both the Daimler-Benz Service manual and the Haynes manual have color codes for the other cars listed but not for the 230SL thru 280SL.

Bruce; Green 1970 280SL

Longtooth

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #10 on: July 24, 2003, 19:37:18 »
Update: Found High Beam column Flasher problem!

Problem's in the contact mechanism itself ... i.e. the switch contacts.  I had to take the terminal board unit off the switch mechanical piece to find it though. Not a problem as long as you don't lose the little spring that forces the blinker Cu slide to the terminal board contacts, or lose the little Cu slide itself.  It installs with the convex edge to the outside edge of the terminal board in case it falls off before you get a chance to see where it came from and how it was installed... the spring pushes it up and off when you pull the terminal board off (4 corner screws hold the terminal board to the switch mechanical section).

The entire switch & contacts for both the flasher and washer are inside / on the terminal board itself. The only part the mechanical section plays is that when you push down (washer) or pull up (flasher) on the stalk, the mechanical section pushes one of two  little ceramic cylinder's out -- which pusher cylinder moves depends on whether you push or pull on the stalk ... The activated cylinder then pushes against the cantilever Cu spring (one for the washer switch, the other for the flasher switch) that serve as the contact mechanism in the terminal block.

I was able to trace and verify that both the flasher contacts are wired to the male plug end terminals (terminals 3 & 10... counting from the wire entry end with male pins facing you, with terminal #1 on the left, counting down to terminal #6 on the same side (left), then starting back at the wire entry end on the right side with terminal # 7 and down to #12 on the same side... right)... and the corresponding female plug too... but I haven't traced from there yet to insure the wires aren't terminated in air somewhere else.  I'll trace that after I fix the actual contact mechanism in the switch.

Meanwhile, the mechanism is simple.... a copper cantilever spring is mounted on the terminal board.  The spring end (not the mounted end)of the cantilever spring sits under another Cu contact leaf with some clearance between them.  When you pull on the stalk, the stalk simply pushes a ceramic cylinder plunger thru a slot in the terminal board which plunger pushes against cantilever spring to push it against the fixed leaf and voila'... circuit is made.

The mechanism's design problem is that the cantilever spring's fixed end is not an integral member of the fixed terminal contact on that end, rather it's joined by what appears to be a tiny spud on the underside of the fixed terminal which presses down on the cantilever spring's fixed end.... which end is held firmly in place by simple spacial interference.... i.e. the tiny spud would have to be thicker (longer) than the space between the terminal and the bottom of a groove in the terminal board in which the cantilever spring sits.

What happened for whatever reason is that

1) either the tiny spud came loose and fell out or

2) the fixed end termination piece was initally installed incorrectly (i.e. mfg'ing tolerances) so that the interference between it and the spring's fixed end is no longer an interference, but rather a slight space.... so the spring has to be pushed on both ends simultaneously to make contact with the fixed end and the other contact.  This won't ever occur if the space on either end of the cantilever spring to it's contacts is too large .... hence no flasher switch.  If the space on either end is small enough, then pulling very hard on the stalk may allow the contact to be made on both ends... it depends on the space (distance) between the cantilever spring ends and their respective terminals whether pulling harder on the stalk will work or not. In my case it doesn't....the spaces are too large.

Either way, the mechanism isn't worn, the plungers both move freely by more than enough distance to push the cantilever spring to it's other contact... over pushing won't damage the spring or contacts... there are no wear patterns in the contacting pieces... so it's a mfg'ing defective condition.  The likelyhood is that MB's vendor for this part used a high level of quality control (i.e. circa 5200 250SL's mfg'ed in all of '67), so the contact probably worked when it left the vendor's factory... and probably when it left the MB factory installed in the car. So the likelyhood is that the tiny spud was tenuously attached to the fixed terminal initially, and came loose, falling out shortly after the car was shipped and the flasher unit actuated a few times.  This is what we (in my business) refer to as early life failures due to mfg'ing quality escapes, as opposed to fundamental reliability failures... i.e. like wear-out, fatigue cracks, etc.  

Since this type mechanism is used for both the washer and flasher switch, there were 2 such mechanism's per shipped vehicle in '67.... i.e. circa 11K mechanisms in ~5500 cars.  It's possible I suppose that I got a 1/10K defective unit -- my bad luck.  On the other hand, what's more likely is that the vendor's process for attaching the spud to the fixed contact went awry for awhile, producing poor spud to terminal joints... causing several to fail outright at both the vendor's quality / test before shipping the part to MB and at MB before the car's were shipped.... the normal action under these circumstances is to stop shipment of the defective lot or lots, send them back to the vendor to rework or scrap (which depends on whether it's cheaper to rework or build a new one).  BUT, since the mechanism of failure is a poor joint, some joints were good enough to get thru without failing outright... but failed a short time later.

Anyway, that's my best engineering guess on why the unit I have failed.  BTW, I'll bet a dollar to doughnuts that rwmastel's 'pull real hard' method of making the flasher work is directly related to the same fundamental mechanism failure  --- an interesting thought which might shed light on MB's design reliability and/or the vendor's process control.  

To fix it I've got to re-establish a fixed contact of the spring's fixed end with the fixed terminal.  There are a couple of possible methods depending on whether the tiny spud is still in-between the fixed terminal and the spring or not.... and unless I undo the tiny rivet joint which mounts the terminal to the terminal block I can't peer into the groove.

1. If the spud's still there I may be able to plastically deform the fixed terminal (bending it downwards in direction of the depth of the groove) to re-establish the interference fit --- so that the spud is wedged tightly enough between the fixed terminal and the spring to insure constant contact.  This is a tenuous fix option... I'll have to bend the fixed terminal into a very slight "S" shape to enable it to press down with force on the spring (thru the spud)... though if it works it's the most reliable since there's no forces that can subsequently be applied to plastically deform the terminal back.    

2. If the spud's not still there, or I can't make option 1) work reliably enough for a good fixed contact, I'll have to clean the Cu mating surfaces and stick solder into the groove under the fixed contact to wet (reflow solder) from the fixed terminal to the fixed end of the spring. The difficulty with this approach is that I have to keep the solder from wetting out the length of the cantilever spring... which is very short, btw, (or it will solder the cantilever spring on both ends... constant high beam), and still insure the solder wets to the mating Cu surfaces I'm trying to join.  From a reliability point of view, solder joints of this type are not easily wetted to both surfaces, so I could end up with the same problem after a few actuators or even 1 actuation.  I also don't like the potential for corrosion to set later due to the acid's used in the solder... short-term it's not a problem, but since I can't remove the entire asm to dip clean the acid flux (water soluble) & scrub (with a dental type tool) from unit I don't like the idea of leaving the acid flux around the solder joint.

Actually there's a 3rd fix option... to wedge a small piece of Cu between the fixed contact and the spring's fixed end (recreate the interference)... and to maintain the wedged condition... which is the trick.  If I pre-tin the small piece of Cu wedge material 1st, clean it of flux thoroughly, then wedge it in position to re-create the interfence, then reflow the pre-tinned Cu wedge I might be able to wet the wedge to either the fixed terminal or the fixed end of the Cu cantilever spring.  This is probably a better option than 2) since it precludes the possibility of too much solder wetting the entire cantilever spring and making contact with the terminals on both ends (i.e. permanent high beam condition).  This still leaves some room for potential corrosion depending on whether I leave any flux in the pre-tinned wedge or not, so Option 1) is still the preferred approach.

I love these kinds of problems and hate 'em at the same time.  

Sorry for the length of this, but it's just in case somebody of a like mind has a similar problem.

Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
95 SL500

Longtooth

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #11 on: July 25, 2003, 00:55:43 »
Update #2 - Fixed the cantelever spring contact at the fixed end of the high beam flasher switch.  Used a small section of #14 Cu wire from a piece of Romex house wire... flattened it slightly after pre-tinning with solder and cleaning, then wedged a small (1mm) long snip of it between the fixed end terminal and the fixed end of the cantelever to force contact, reflowed the solder in place to make sure it stays there forever.  The switch now works with continuity to the male plug contacts (#'s 3 & 10) effortlessly.  I wasn't able to plastically deform (permanently bend) the fixed terminal to give it the added force and interference with the cantilever spring's fixed end to make that work consistantly.

Oh... I found out that the tiny spud on the fixed end of the switch contact is swaged to a hole in the copper of the fixed contact (got out a magnifying glass)... the swage joint is sound so the spud's still on the fixed contact Cu.  The fixed contact was bent up very slightly though (I estimated by no more than 20 microns probably closer to 10 or 15 microns) ... hence the lack of contact from the spud to the fixed end of the cantilever spring thru the interference fit necessary.  Anyway that shoots down one of my theories I discussed in my last note --- the one I thought most likely --- about the spud coming loose and falling out.

Then I traced the #3 terminal on the male plug end thru the female side to the fuse block --- it shows continuity from #3 male plug terminal (on the end of the column switch asm) to fuse terminals #1, (which is one of the connections shown in the wiring diagram), and #'s 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, & 12 also.  #'s 9-12 go to the high and low beams for right and left lights, then to ground.  Since I've removed all fuses from the fuse-block there should be no direct connection on the output side of the fuse terminals between 9,10 or 11,12 (... 9,10 are commoned on the input side, as are 11,12... but not on the output side).  I don't know yet why the multiple connections to that single #3 terminal but it's probably thru ground.

HOWEVER, the other contact terminal (on #10 male terminal on the plug) had no continuity to anything on either side of the fuse block terminals, nor to ground... neither with rotary light switch on or off.... and with or without the ignition switched on.

The #10 terminal on the male plug is connected to a white wire with violet stripe... the same as the stated color code for that wire in the Service Manual.  I checked the continuity at this terminal to each of the other plugs going back to the primary harness.... and the wire goes thru them.  Of couse I couldn't check the last female plug terminal to the fuse block since the last female plug's wires enter the main harness on the way to be terminated at the fuse-block connections.... but I was now assured that the white / violet wire went as far as the last male plug before the fuse block?

After contorsions to get my eyeballs in position to see the terminal block back-side, I looked for the white wire with violet stripe exiting the harness to the block.... this is no easy task (I'd rather remove and replace instruments in the panel), but I began concentrating nearest fuse terminal #10 (where the wiring diagram says one of the flasher contacts should terminate.... and which goes to the high beam light on rt or lft sides... forget which).  The wire to #10 fuse terminal is black with white stripe (or vice-versa), which btw, is the same color code stated for that wire in the Service manual going from fuse #10 to lft high beam terminal at the headlight plug connection.... and exits the taped harness with ~ 25 mm (1 inch) of wire showing.  Right there, at the wire's exit from the harness there also appears a small (1 mm) folded-back exposure of another wire ---- WHITE with Violet STRIPE!!  

So not only did I have a malfunctioning switch... I have an unconnected wire from the switch to the fuse block per dirianghen's & houstonbuckeye's observations.... the one that should be wired to fuse terminal #10 in the wiring diagram. Pisser.

Now, in order to get the flasher to work whenever the ignition's on (instead of only when the lights are on as it's now wired) I'll have to swap the wire to the switch (the one going to male plug terminal #3) from #1 fuse terminal to #2.  Fuses # 9, 10, 11, 12 (going to the headlights high and low beams) are fused with 8A fuses.... i.e. up to 8A current thru the high beam (or low beam) in each light before the fuse breaks.

Fuse #2 is already a high amp fuse at 25A..... bringing power to the high beams thru fuse #2 instead of #1 adds up to 16 amps (8 per high beam light) to the max current draw on #2.  The point is that I'm not sure I want to do this yet with that much more current being passed thru the power wire to fuse #2 when the flasher is used. I'll check max current draw with all accessories and features from #2 fuse and the max draw on the light before considering whether there's ample margin with the 25 Amp fuse at #2 when wired for the high beam flasher.    


Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
95 SL500

George Davis

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #12 on: July 25, 2003, 08:38:35 »
Longtooth,  I have to say I enjoyed your posts.  I don't have the flasher problems, but the long, detailed, eye-glazing technical discourse on the problem, followed by the short, earthy comment "Pisser", cracked me up.  Wonderful contrast.  You have a career as a writer when you give up (I assume) engineering.



George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual

Longtooth

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #13 on: July 28, 2003, 04:54:52 »
Update & 3 Corrections:

Flasher now working... and everything else on the multifunction switch is working too... finally.  And it works better than it ever has... easy rt & left signals feel easy, and they pop back easily too... like it was brand new.

Correction #1:  My flasher's wired to fuse #1 which is always hot... therefore my statement earlier that it's only active when the lights are on was incorrect.

Correction #2:  I had stated that to wire the flasher so that it only works when the ignition is on it needs to be wired to fuse #2.... I had some reservations about using fuse #2 since it uses a low amp fuse, but the high beams consume up to 16 amps (8 amps each lft and rt sides).  BUT, on reading the service manual more carefully, I noted that all the wiring diagrams and tables (none of which are specific to the 113, btw) describe the power side of the high beam flasher being wired to fuse #6 ... also one of the ignition-on fuses (2,3,4,5, & 6) are commoned on the power side... and fuse #6 is a 25 Amp fuse.  

Trials and tribulations:

Getting everything back together and testing it I was flabbergasted when the only thing that worked was my windshield wipers... the horn only tooted briefly once each time each time I used the left turn signal switch, and neither turn signals worked, nor did the wash motor.  Bummer! big time.  

So I undid the multifunction switch innards again.... rechecked everything between the switch terminals and the male terminals on the plug to which the wires are directly attached... but now everything but the turn signals were working... i.e. continuity between the terminals on the multi-function switch and the corresponding male terminals on the attached plug end.  Panic time! What was wrong with my turn signal wires? What had I done when wiring up the white/viole wire to fuse block #10???

So I went to the next step and undid the terminal board from the multifunction switch and found, lo and behold that the little spring loaded rotating copper thingy was upside down... that is,

Correction #3:  I'd said before that when you take the terminal board off the switch mechanism a small Cu plate with two end tabs and two contact nubs at either end should be positioned with the curved sided out --- the straight side toward the inside. That's wrong... the nubs on each end may or maynot make contact with the terminal board contacts in that case.  Turn it around... straight edge to the outside, curved edge innwards.  I also used some 600 grit sandpaper to smooth the nubs and terminals on the terminal board --- just in case, then wiped them with a little spray lubicrant.


Everything went back together.... BUT nothing worked except the wiper motor... same as before !!!!  Now real panic set it.  

Time to take a break.... I needed to regain some composure and the sense of an analytic engineer that I am. I needed a cool head, and my state of mind was.. uh, shall we say blown (to say it nicely)!

The analytic in me said to trace out each wire's continuity from the male terminals thru each plug to the fuse block.... a lot of tedious time consuming work.... but that would isolate what I'd done wrong when I got to the fuse block.

So I as I started this process, the 1st plug I'm looking at is the female side of the male plug I've already checked the continuity to... and I notice it's angle of repose is pretty much just like I'd left it when I'd unplugged it to do my recheck of the switch contacts.... and then I noticed that it's orientation in this angle of repose was 'tail'-'tail' with the male plug.... which is bass-ackwards.... that is, the wire bundle entering the male plug and the wire bundle exiting the female plug are supposed to be opposed to one another... not adjoining each other at the same end when plugged in.  So I reversed the direction of the male to female plugs and voila... everything worked!  Whew!  Sanity restored.

But, when I was inserting the multi-function switch into the column, one of the wires from the horn came loose !!! Great.  So I had to pull the steering wheel to get the wire re-terminated to it's designated terminal (under-side of the contact ring).  Turns out the reason the wire pulled loose is that the terminal is a simple press between two thin metal plates with a screw ... and if you torque just a tad too much to tighten the thin metal contact with the screw it pulls thru the threads on the screw and the wire's lose again... no type of permanent damage, but disconcerting none the less.  Besides, I got to clean the back-side of my steering wheel in the process.  

Anyway, got it all back together yesterday and all's working fine now.  That's a hellova lot of work just to get the damned high beam flasher to work... and it's still wired to the hot #1 fuse.  Oh well... I'll figure out how to wire it to #6 some other time.

My wife said --- all that time and what do you have to show for it?.. just the high beam flasher???!!!  She has a point.  So I said the turn signal switch works a lot better now too.  She gave me that look.... you who're married know 'that look'.  Nuf said.

Lesson is to pay closer attention to which way the male and female plugs line up... they're usually one-way keyed but this one isn't... and when taking things apart do a better job of knowing which way they went before they fall apart in front of you!

If anybody's going to get their factor unwired high beam flasher to work .... pay attention to my mistakes.... better yet, just go to the back-side of the fuse block and find the little wire that's barely showing but folded back and taped to a black/white wire going to fuse #10.  Untape that wire (it should be white with a violet stripe), connect it to a round terminal, and connect it with the black/white wire to fuse #10.  Do all this from under the driver's side dash.... on your back.  I might add that it will pay dividends to remove the steering wheel first if you do this with the seat still in the car.... the stearing wheel gets in the way of your chest so moving around to a better upside down position is easier if the steering wheel's out of the way.

If just hooking the wire up to #10 fuse doesn't make your flasher work, then you'll have to find out where the other contact wire (from the other side of the switch is going... which means tracing it out from the contact on the multi-function switch itself.    Hopefully and probably, your actual contact switch will be functioning (i.e. making the contacts)...  so it will only be a wiring problem to fix rather than a mechanical switch problem too.

Have fun... and tell your wife nothing!

Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
95 SL500

TheEngineer

  • Associate Member
  • Gold
  • *****
  • USA, West Seattle, WA
  • Posts: 775
  • '69 280SL,Signal Red,
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #14 on: August 17, 2004, 01:53:27 »
Today I finally got my headlight flasher working: There were no female connectors (receptacles) installed in the connector where the multifunction switch plugs in. I made two, using Radio Shack 64-3086 and reworking them by cutting the insulation off and trimming to 14mm length to match the existing connectors. I soldered 16 GA wire to each of the two. One wire I connected to #1 fuse, the other to #10 fuse as shown in the wiring diagram for german cars. Works fine. Hard to work under the dash. My back hurts. :(

1969 280SL,Signal Red, A/T, P/S, A/C, Both tops.    Ret. engr. 1967 230SL - Sold
'69 280SL,Signal Red, 09 cam, License BB-59U
'67 230SL, 113042-10-017463 (sld)
'50 Jaguar Roadster XK120, #670.318 (sld)
tired engineer, West-Seattle,WA

Douglas

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #15 on: August 17, 2004, 05:33:30 »
I enjoyed this thread. Forgive me if I missed this -- so what is the procedure for re-connecting the hi-beam flasher feature to the turn-signal stalk on a US-spec car?

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

tuultyme

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #16 on: August 17, 2004, 05:47:29 »
In simple terms to get the head light flasher to work in a US-spec car you have to trace what wires were left out in the factory and install new ones to make a complete connection from the fuse though the turn-signal stalk to the hi-beam flasher fuse connection.  It helps when you understand the wiring color code. I had two missing wires, see my earlier post below.

Bruce; 268Blaugrun(green) 1970 280SL; IL

jeffc280sl

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #17 on: August 17, 2004, 09:29:36 »
Hi Douglas,

I assume you have the Haynes manual.  On page 180 and 181 there is a wiring diagram for the 280SL. At the bottom of the page look for box 29.  This is the combination switch.  In the center of the box you will see switch b which is the headlight flasher switch.    The Haynes wiring diagram shows a wire connecting the right side of switch b to fuse #1. This is pin 5.  The left side of switch b shows a wire connected to fuse #10.  This is pin 8 of the terminal block. The 10 pin terminal block which connects to the combination switch on my 1970 280SL was missing wires at pin 5 and pin 8.


One needs to add a female connector to the terminal block at pin 5 and 8.  The wire from pin 5 needs to terminate at fuse 1.  The wire from pin 8 needs to terminate on fuse 10 and the job is finished


Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed

Douglas

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #18 on: August 17, 2004, 10:25:02 »
Thank you both for your replies. This only became an issue when I went from having a Euro car to a US car. I miss having that function. (Okay, I miss the entire car, but that's another story.)

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

230SL67

  • Guest
Re: High Beam Flasher on Column Switch
« Reply #19 on: August 17, 2004, 13:22:04 »
On my US spec `67 230SL I only had to connect the white/purple wire that already exists next to the fuse terminals.  It was taped back onto itself and I connected it to the #10 fuse I think.

Chris