Turn signal pilot light problem

[Marshall V. Daut]

I recently installed a new turn signal head (#A-13310-XF from Snyder's) in a friend's Model A. I have never installed this particular model before. Although the turn signal lights fore and aft function properly, no matter what I do, I have been unable to get the pilot light to flash. I have made sure the ground is very good between the steering column jacket and the turn signal head/metal hose clamp, even running a test wire with alligator clips to a secondary ground for testing. No change. I have tried two different flashers. No change. I have tried three different 6-volt bulbs. No change. The pilot light simply will not light up when the lever is activated.
Over the years I have installed a number of the black turn signal heads and although irritations were usually experienced getting the pilot light to flash, I was always eventually successful. But this shiny chrome head defies me. Maybe others have experienced similar problems with their units? If so, what was the solution? 'Gotta be something simple!
Marshall

[old31]

Although a different brand, I went through all the trails and changes that you did to get the signal light to work, and could not.

It wasn't until i took it apart and found an issue with the wiring to the light. It was a ground issue, problem fixed.

[Marshall V. Daut]

old31 -
Good information! Thanks. Do you happen to remember what the issue was? A disconnected internal wire? Poor soldering? Where exactly should I look inside the turn signal head?
Marshall

[Dino's A]

Marshall-I just installed the same unit from Snyders and have the same problem.
My car sits about 10 days at a time between drives. The first time I try the
signal arm, it happens. If I do it again or maybe twice, bingo! it works.

Weird part is, if I drive the car around town for the day, it works fine.
I did have to change out the 12volt bulb it came with and put in the 6v bulb.

I chalked it up to not making the ground good enough at the column.

What really irritates me is the lever is a tad longer and It comes close
to hitting the window lever and it moves far up towards the dash a bit more
than I like.

[Jim Brierley]

I installed a different unit and decided to put an indicator light for each of the stoplights. This tells me when the rear turn signals are actually working. I didn't put front lights, just the rears.

[Herb Concord Ca]

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Hi Marshall, I installed this same model on my 31 P/U this past summer, my pilot lamp didn't work either. If you are sure of your flasher unit ground, try this. Cut or disconnect the wire from the P terminal on the flasher to the pilot wire of the switch. Connect power to the pilot wire going to the switch. My pilot bulb worked; this told me my P terminal in the flasher is bad. I haven't replaced my flasher yet.

[ABento]

I just had this happen, I installed a signal controller similar to the one you have, mine was a sig stat 900, lights worked but no indicater, I tried several flasshers, I had also installed a new flasher holder made for a flasher,color coded wires and all, so everything is wired according to color, I checked all the problems, ground to steering colum, bulb and what all, I finally got smart and checked the flasher to the holder, the blue pilot wire was correct as being center of the flasher but the other two wires, yel and brn were on the wrong side of the flasher in the holder, turning those around and another new flasher all worked, the bottom of the flasher is marked P,X,L, pilot, hot, load.

[Marshall V. Daut]

Thanks for all the great suggestions, Guys! I'll check out each one. 'Gotta be one of them causing the problem. Electrical gremlins have never been my strong suit. I even flunked Electric Shop in the 8th Grade!
Marshall

[Marshall V. Daut]

What really irritates me is the lever is a tad longer and It comes close
to hitting the window lever and it moves far up towards the dash a bit more
than I like.

If the length of the lever bothers you, perhaps you could cut it an inch or so from its end and then put a rubber "bootie" over the tip to prevent cutting your finger. Or grind the raw edge of the remaining lever with a die grinder so that it is round and smooth. It doesn't take much effort to activate the lever up and down, so losing an inch or so of it should not make it difficult to use. A shorter lever will eliminate the two problems you cite.
Marshall

[bobbader]

Marshall, this may not pertain to the unit you purchased, but here goes ........ I have installed many SignalStat 900 switches over the years. These were (and I believe still are) the "standard" of the industry. The unit you have is a "take off" on the SS900. On occasion, I found that, even when I ran a ground wire directly to the unit, the pilot light sometimes still did not function. In a few cases, I had to remove the top cover and actually run a separate ground directly to the pilot light socket. This is a long shot, and all the other suggestions posted here have equal credence.

Good Luck. Bob Bader

[old31]

Originally Posted by Marshall V. Daut

old31 -
Good information! Thanks. Do you happen to remember what the issue was? A disconnected internal wire? Poor soldering? Where exactly should I look inside the turn signal head?
Marshall

I don't recall, but i think i added another ground wire to the light.

[Badpuppy]

Some scratch the column paint to get ground for the pilot but a better way is to insert a stripped wire end between the hose clamp and switch body. The chrome-finished plastic is a conductive material. Best way is solder direct to the socket, as Bob Bader described.

[Marshall V. Daut]

Ah, the sweet smell of success! I was able to return to my friend's Model A today to check out the suggestions posted here. It came down to needing an extra ground wire to the light bulb socket to make the pilot light flash. 'Dunno why it won't work without that extra ground, but there it is: the pilot light now flashes.
Thanks again for all your input. The problem could have been with almost any of them.
Marshall

[old31]

Marshall, it always feels good to have a win.

Congrats