Chasing a bad ground. Turn signals out.

[Dino]

After completing the install of the interior, and a little happy dance after, I went on to converting the side markers to turn signals. I hooked up the battery to test them and I no longer have turn signals...
I took the steering wheel back off, and removed the turn signal switch. I don't see anything wrong there. I replaced it probably 10 years ago but the car has barely been used since. None of the turn signals come on. The flasher also does not work. When I turn the lights on and hit the brake, only the left side goes on. When I turn the lights off and hit the brake both sides work. With the lights on and the turn signal to the right, the dash indicator is lit constantly. The left indicator does not work at all no matter what. The right front parking light is slightly brighter with the turn signal on. This has to be a bad ground somewhere right? I'm not sure where to start at this point.

I just checked on a few things. The left indicator on the dash also lights up when the lights are on. But the turn signal switch is finicky and it only does it when you wiggle it. I wonder if it's just a bad switch even though I don't see anything wrong with it. Shouldn't the flashers work though?

[Dino]

Looks like it's the switch...
One of the wires was snapped, but that didn't fix it. While wiggling the switch back on forth, this metal strip fell out. Oh well. Beats looking for a bad ground!

[metallicareload99]

Weird things happen when the turn signal switch fails. Is it a reproduction switch? I had one that only lasted a few years.... I've been using a tractor trailer switch since

[Dino]

It is a repro yes. I took it apart, cleaned it up, and put it back together but a no change except now both dash indicators light solid, but the right one only with the lights on. I changed the flashers as well. There's not much to the turn signal switch. Maybe this is not the issue.

I just thought of something. The turn signals share a fuse with the radio. I removed the stock AM radio and installed a Retrosound radio. Does power for the turn signals run through the radio? Did I interrupt power by removing the radio?

[b5blue]

IDK, I think grounds and good bulbs but you said something about blinking sidemarkers? A friend had a Ford pickup and the radio quit. After installing a new aftermarket one with the kits you can buy, it didn't work also. His neighbor noticed his dome light was out and when they replaced the bulb the radio came on.   

[Dino]

The electrical can sure get finicky. 

I'm not 100% convinced that the switch is the culprit, but I'm changing it out anyway. This one was never all that smooth anyway.

I checked the radio connector snd I actually used the power wire for the Retrosound radio, so that one is fine.

Let's hope it's the switch because I can't find anything else wrong!

[metallicareload99]

IIRC the turn signal gets it's power through the brake light switch, and power comes into the switch from the turn signal flasher. Pretty sure it's something with the switch itself, though the flasher COULD be causing issues

[Dino]

Well it's not the switch!
I drove an hour and a half to get the switch so I could have this off my mind. Not only does it not work, it's a shitty switch. It doesn't go nearly as smooth as it should.

[Dino]

Weird things going on here! I tested power at the turn signal flasher, the emergency flasher, the radio, the brake light switch and the red wire on the turn signal switch, and all of them have power. When I turn the signal switch either way I get 6 volts coming in and 6 going out which seems right. I was messing around with the flasher switch and the tuen signal switch a little bit and all of a sudden the emergency flasher worked. I turned it off and turned the signals left and right and both worked, however the tail lights were on. I didn't check the headlights. Turned the lights off and signals no longer work. WTF!

It just got stranger. After messing with the turn signal plug under the column, the turn signals work IF the car is running AND lights are off. Taillights still are on with signals on. Turn light switch to park or full and signals stop working. I got nothing out of the emergency flasher. I'm a bit confused.

[b5blue]

Flashers work with key off? Check ignition switch in all positions. 

[Dino]

Flashers don't work, but they did earlier. Something somewhere is loose. I think...
I'm not sure how the lights are involved either. I've added so much electrical stuff to this car, I'm not sure where to start.
Turn signals only work when the car is running, which doesn't make much sense to me.

[Dino]

Update:

I removed the LEDs from the taillights, all 6, and replaced them with incandescent. Turn signals work again... This is after trying 4 different flashers, including LED flashers. They now work with lights on or off, and without anything else lighting up. HOWEVER! I have no brake lights. At all. The brake switch gets 12 volts. When I press the pedal, it sends 12 volts into the white wire. I have tried my old AND my new turn signal switch. They both react the same. The emergency flasher also does not work. When I turn on the hazard switch, one of the hood turn signals lights up solid. When I leave the switch on and signal right, the right signal works THROUGH the emergency flasher. Ghost in the machine! 
What do I check next?

[70 sublime]

The LED lights not drawing enough power to make the blinker blink ?

[Dino]

That's what I thought, but the LED flasher should have solved that. Also, everything worked with these LEDs before.

[Back N Black]

Not totally related to your problem, but I have installed two new turn signal switches and they maybe last two years. I found a good working turn signal switch from an old steering column I had laying around. Big difference in quality, the lever is not hard to move like the new ones and the cancel is nice and smooth. So if you can find a good working OEM one, go with that.

[Dino]

I found a few issues with wiring undernthe dash that just needed some tightening amd brake lights and turn signals now work. Still no hazards but at least I'm getting closer.

Both turn signal switches are pretty bad. One is loose and the other is super tight and difficult to turn off. I ordered another that's supposedly better. I looked for NOS but the prices are high. Still, I'll snatch one up when I find a good one.

[b5blue]