[SOLVED] Right turn light doesn't work with lights on

[Shnyzx]

I know, I've searched and everyone thinks it's a ground issue. I have a 1977 Scout II that was in a accident on the front right corner.

I have pulled all connectors from that side, leaving only the front turns attached. When the lights are on, the signal stays on (in the dash, not in the socket). I have the plastic housings and was wondering if those were the correct ones for my year, or should I have the metal to where the socket will ground to the frame there? My horn also doesn't work (other issue) so it could be the horn relay that isn't grounding. I checked my manual (which I have) and it looks like the sockets should ground at the fixture, or send it through with the side markers back to the horn relay. Everything is attached (other than my plastic sockets are all falling apart) the way the manual states, and the left turn doesn't have an issue. I guess I will try tying a ground from this socket to the frame for the time being and see if that helps. Any advice would be great.

 

[stevewillis]

The plastic turn signal housings have a metal tab on one side connecting the bulb socket to one of the two sheet metal screws that fasten the housing to the body. This is the ground—through the body.

 

[stevewillis]

Rereading your post, do you only have the right signal hooked up? The flasher module needs the resistance of all the bulbs to function normally.

That said, it still seems like the ground. Try connecting a wire from your negative battery terminal to the turn signal housing. I have done this by pinching a bare wire end between the housing and its metal grounding tab. If it improves, you know it is the ground connection.

 

[Shnyzx]

So on your advise, I unscrewed the left turn signal and it exhibits the same problem the right does. So looks like I need to clean my contact!
Would've been great if I had looked at the rear of the housing and noticed that...

 

[Shnyzx]

So I found the issue. The bulb socket has really bad resistance to the metal plate on the rear of the housing. The left signal shows 0 so it's good. Short of running a bypass wire from the socket to the plate, are there any suggestions?

I've cleaned all contacts and other parts as best as I can wire brushes and isotropyl alcohol.

 

[Shnyzx]

Well I wired in a really rough bypass ground strap from inside the socket to a ring terminal on the grounding strap side screw. This fixed my problem (for now). I'll have to get a new socket and rewire properly in the future. Thanks for the guidance

 

[Patrick Morris]

Classic bad-ground problem.

 

[Spamh8r]

I've got a '66 and had a similar problem which turned out to be the headlamp switch. No idea if that could be your issue, but worth a check.