OK, when I turn the right or left blinker on, it blinks like once every 20 seconds. Changing the relay didn't help. Does anyone know what could cause this?

 

Someone once mentioned blinker fluid.

ttt, for you anways

 

There is no relay.

You need a flasher. The one you need is not the one that you can see stuck to the fusebox, that one is for the hazard flashers. The turn signal one is under the dash, to the right of the steering column.

 

...and if it flashes normally in one direction but very slowly in the other, forget about the flasher. The turn signals are flashed by the same flasher for both directions. If that's teh case, you have a lamp out, a poor connection, or a bad ground at a lamp.

 

I think the flashers, horn, and hazards, are on the same panel under the dash. ( At least on the '82. )

The connector to bulb on the front are notorious for going bad. Try jiggling it with the flashers on.

If blinker fluid doesn't work, than muffler bearings will do the trick ...

Ron

 

Have you tried holding the turn signal switch down in the left or right position? In other words, try to keep it from releasing the tension, and just sit there. Try and force the contacts in the switch to stay closed. If that works, then the switch is going out.

I know my 5 way switch is going bad because I gotta wiggle the hell outta it to get the wipers to stay on. Otherwise they will just stop right in the middle of the windshield.

I'm afraid to find out what one costs, let alone to try and replace it myself.

AJ

OH YEA!!!!!! Don't forget the differentialator!!!!!

 

He is right about the flasher, if the other side works it can't be the problem. Make sure all the bulbs are working correctly(compare them to the other side) If one is out, the rest of the bulbs won't draw enough power through the flasher to make it flash correct. Also, if you recently had a bulb replaced, make sure they used the correct bulb. A 1157 bulb can replace a 2057 bulb, but the 1157 doesn't pull as much power and isn't as bright--seen this cause alot of slow blinkers. The tech looks at the bulb, the number is worn off, and puts in the good ole 1157. 1156 and 2056 also interchange with the same effects.

 

OK guys. We don't know if it's the flasher. More than likely it is. He said right or left. Unless that's what he accidentally called the relay.

SteveR,

If you did replace the flasher, then maybe you got a bad one? Or who knows what relay you changed, but whichever one you did change, it obviously ain't gonna fix the turn signals. So scratch the relay idea.

But seriously, you need to check the fluid. Mine went low about 2 wks ago, but the rain filled it back up for me. (Water in the front lenses.)

AJ

BTW, I'm just kidding guys. It really used to do that, but I did the holes and slots in the bottom like in the tech article. It worked. No more froggy lenzez.

 

Well, the fluid level is perfect


Seriously, I changed the flasher, but if i yank on the wires coming outta the steering column, it blinks once, then stops for a while. Could it be the things inside the steering column?
Or is it likely to be a wire in the dash somewhere?

 

Well. Looks like it's the switch. Some where the connections are loose.

AJ

 

I've got one for you all. My GTA is giving me similar fits, except that it's got an extra element. With the key on, the blinker operates slowly. If I put the parking lamps on, then it gets even slower. It's on 90% of the time, then flashes off then back on real quick, then stays on again. Only with the parking lamps on. With the headlights on, it won't blink at all.

I checked all of my bulbs and they work fine, both with the parking lamp switch and the blinker switch.

The only thing I can think of is that I've got a bad ground somewhere.

 

Jim,

I would tend to agree - check the front end lamp grounds. An easy way to do that would be to run a ground jumper directly from the battery negative or a good engine ground to the lamp socket. Just remove the lamp socket and ground the lamp shell or outer ground terminal, then try the signals.

"Freaky" lighting problems like that are usually indicative of a grounding problem, since the lamps try to "find" a ground through the resistance of some of the other lamp filaments in the circuit.