Author Topic: Indicator Blink rate  (Read 4375 times)

230slhouston

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Indicator Blink rate
« on: June 19, 2010, 16:47:47 »
Hi all,
Need some advice, the indicator blink rate is erratic. On idle it may or not blink, higher revs' same thing. Although the emergency flashers blink at a normal rate, even with the engine turned off and headlights on bright. It leads me to believe that the battery charge and grounding is OK. Checked the battery volt readings and it is in spec.

No bulbs changed recently. Could it be the flasher relay unit is about to fail?

Thanks..

Peter van Es

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Re: Indicator Blink rate
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2010, 09:37:49 »
It could be that, but I'd suspect a short somewhere... that is, if anything changed recently.

Have a look here: http://www.sl113.org/wiki/Electrical/FlasherRelay

Peter
1970 280SL. System Admin of the site. Please do not mail or PM me questions on Pagoda's... I'm not likely to know the answer.  Please post on the forum instead!

J. Huber

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Re: Indicator Blink rate
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2010, 14:35:10 »
Check the ground wires in the trunk near tail lights.
James
63 230SL

230slhouston

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Re: Indicator Blink rate
« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2010, 16:38:24 »
Thanks guys for the feedback.

Checked all the ground wires, they seem ok. I took out the flasher relay yesterday, had it out for a while put it back in and it works perfectly. at this mount, it is just hanging freely and not monuted with the little bolt/nut. Could it be a short?

Thanks

jacovdw

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Re: Indicator Blink rate
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2010, 18:44:04 »
Not necessarily a short, Maistran.

It could also be some corrosion on the female terminals in the connector.
The act of removing it and reinserting it could remove some of the oxidation and allow for a better connection and hence performance.

Try to take some fine emery paper and clean the pins of the flasher unit and the sockets in the connector.
The can of the flasher unit is not electrically connected to the inside of the unit.

While you're at it, you could also give all the bakelite connectors in the engine compartment the same emery paper treatment.
After many years you can expect some oxidation to occur on the terminals of the connectors (especially if you live in a humid environment).