Triumph Repair: tr6 lights, turn signal flasher, turn signal switch

Question
This problem is on a 74 TR6.

I replaced the turn signal flasher with a thermal flasher from Victoria British because the left side would light but not blink and the right side blinked very slow. The new flasher seemed to help the right side but the left side still did not blink. I tried the 4 way flasher and it started blinking very fast for a few seconds and then stopped. Now I have no parking lights or turnsiganal or 4 ways. I tried replacing the replacement turn signal flasher with an electronic flasher but still nothing works.
The fuses are still OK.

Answer
Dean,

What it sounds like is either a bad turn signal switch or a loose/dirty connection on the connectors leading to the turn signal lights.

A traditional turn signal flasher unit works when the proper load (the lights) are connected via the turn signal switch, completing the ciruit.  "fast" blinking on a old unit generally meant a burned out light as the load (impedience) was different from what the flasher was designed to support.

The electronic flashers use a small integrated circuit and power transistor to power the lights.  They don't flash at a different rate.. but they still need electricity to function.

A common problem with Triumphs is that in the fuse block the two contact pieces that hold each end of the fuse are separate, so if one is dirty/corroded it is possible to have some of the circuits fed by that fuse work and others not work.  Not the best engineering design.

So, if you don't already have a good manual, get one.  Check all the connectors and the fuse contacts.  If there's still no luck then it may be the column switch.


Cheers,

Jim