1957 Front turn signal bulb installation

[bbbacres]

I know this is a first grade question, but the posted subjects quickly move past this simple problem. My left turn signals work fine. My right bulb is dead. When I click the turn lever inside the front remains out, the rear side comes on and stays on. I have been told this is classic symptom of a burned out bulb. I want to do it myself. How do I get to the bulb. Can it be reached from under the hood? Do I take off the lens glass and look under there? What do I unscrew? Any tricks to removing the bulb?

Thanks for your patience.

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[Ward 57]

I know this is a first grade question, but the posted subjects quickly move past this simple problem. My left turn signals work fine. My right bulb is dead. When I click the turn lever inside the front remains out, the rear side comes on and stays on. I have been told this is classic symptom of a burned out bulb. I want to do it myself. How do I get to the bulb. Can it be reached from under the hood? Do I take off the lens glass and look under there? What do I unscrew? Any tricks to removing the bulb?

Thanks for your patience.

Very simple. All you have to do is remove the lens and the bulb is right there. While you are in there get some di-electric grease ( available at any auto parts store in the electrical dept ) and apply in the bulb socket and on the new bulb if the old one is burnt out. I also lined my reflectors with aluminum foil and now they are twice as bright.
Could also be a faulty flasher if that doesn't solve the problem. Inexpensive and just clipped in under the lip of the dash next to the steering column.

 

[dmsfrr]

'57 front turn signals are in the bumper, remove two screws holding the plastic lens in place to access the bulb. 1/4 turn CCW to remove the bulb.
The bulbs have two filaments and offset mounting pins to only fit in one way.
If the bulb socket is not electrically well grounded to the body of the car the lights will misbehave in strange ways.

 

[Ward 57]

'57 front turn signals are in the bumper, remove two screws holding the plastic lens in place to access the bulb. 1/4 turn CCW to remove the bulb.
The bulbs have two filaments and offset mounting pins to only fit in one way.
If the bulb socket is not electrically well grounded to the body of the car the lights will misbehave in strange ways.

Odds are the ground is not bad if the left works well. Oh as he is asking how to get to it it's probably not known you have to push and then turn to release the bulb studs. they don't unscrew like household bulbs.

 

[bbbacres]

Well my first grade attempt to diagnose my '57 turn signal issue continues. So one side workd normally, flashing quite well. On the other side the turn lights come on and stay on. No flashing. Earlier I thought only the rear was coming on and the front was out. Perhaps we got it on my burning it a little in the front, and now both front and back come on and stay on. BUT

To test whether it was the bulb, we switched sides with both front bulbs. As one might expect, the sumptom changed sides. Now the previously "good side" comes on and stays on. But wait... the "good bulb", when moved to the other side, is also misbehaving. Now it too comes on and stays on, and does not blink. So switching bulbs made both sides misbehave. I suppose two things could be wrong at once, like the flasher on one side and the bulb on the other? How can I sensibly proceed?

 

[bbbacres]

Very simple. All you have to do is remove the lens and the bulb is right there. While you are in there get some di-electric grease ( available at any auto parts store in the electrical dept ) and apply in the bulb socket and on the new bulb if the old one is burnt out. I also lined my reflectors with aluminum foil and now they are twice as bright.
Could also be a faulty flasher if that doesn't solve the problem. Inexpensive and just clipped in under the lip of the dash next to the steering column.

Read my new post (down below). So the flasher might be a problem. I might just get one if they are standard available parts nearby. 12 volt system. Will I have any problem identifying the flasher? Can you be more specific.

 

[Ward 57]

Read my new post (down below). So the flasher might be a problem. I might just get one if they are standard available parts nearby. 12 volt system. Will I have any problem identifying the flasher? Can you be more specific.

Make sure the bulbs are identical # 1034. It looks like NAPA may have your flasher $5.50 Part # NF550 and CASCO also has them $6.49 Part# 13350B. It's really easy to get out. It is a small can just under the lip of the dash on the right side of the steering column. It is held in with a spring clip and just slide it to the passenger side and it will drop down. plenty of slack in the wires.

 

[bbbacres]

If one side works normally, while the other side lites up but does not blink, could it still be a flasher problem? One would think either both would work or both would not if it is a shared flasher.

 

[Ward 57]

If one side works normally, while the other side lites up but does not blink, could it still be a flasher problem? One would think either both would work or both would not if it is a shared flasher.

I would just go to NAPA and get a new flasher. After all it's only $6 and see if it makes any difference. Easy replacement. NAPA has a really good electrical line and caters to older cars.

 

[bbbacres]

Make sure the bulbs are identical # 1034. It looks like NAPA may have your flasher $5.50 Part # NF550 and CASCO also has them $6.49 Part# 13350B. It's really easy to get out. It is a small can just under the lip of the dash on the right side of the steering column. It is held in with a spring clip and just slide it to the passenger side and it will drop down. plenty of slack in the wires.

I appreciate so much your comments. But I continue to have problems. I have two new bulbs in the car, with the socket cleaned as much as possible and dialectic grease added to the receptical and bulb. It took some work to insert the bulbs, but once they were in, same problem,, passenger side blinks normally, driver's side just comes on and stays on. I lined both units with tin foil as suggested, which does help brightness.

Your suggested next step was the flasher. I don't get it, if one side works, and the other doesn't, how could it be the flasher? One flasher works for both sides, yes. But the world is full of things I don't understand. So I have the new flasher. I am too old and heavy to lay on my back in the driver's side, but my wife can. She cannot see a flasher "just under the lip of the dash, near the steering column. I had her take a photo. Is the flasher in this photo? Can you take a photo clearly showing the flasher location? Can can you give me a couple of more sentences on removing it? Detail helps since I am a total amateur. I do appreciate the help very much.

PS I purchased the flasher unit 550 that you suggested. In a couple of internet photos I saw, the flasher unit seems only about half as long as this.

 

[Ward 57]

I appreciate so much your comments. But I continue to have problems. I have two new bulbs in the car, with the socket cleaned as much as possible and dialectic grease added to the receptical and bulb. It took some work to insert the bulbs, but once they were in, same problem,, passenger side blinks normally, driver's side just comes on and stays on. I lined both units with tin foil as suggested, which does help brightness.

Your suggested next step was the flasher. I don't get it, if one side works, and the other doesn't, how could it be the flasher? One flasher works for both sides, yes. But the world is full of things I don't understand. So I have the new flasher. I am too old and heavy to lay on my back in the driver's side, but my wife can. She cannot see a flasher "just under the lip of the dash, near the steering column. I had her take a photo. Is the flasher in this photo? Can you take a photo clearly showing the flasher location? Can can you give me a couple of more sentences on removing it? Detail helps since I am a total amateur. I do appreciate the help very much.

PS I purchased the flasher unit 550 that you suggested. In a couple of internet photos I saw, the flasher unit seems only about half as long as this.

Yes that is the flasher. Some are smaller but work the same. I just checked the CASCO site and their replacement is smaller and only with two connections the 6V has 3. Do both tail lights flash but not just the front? The picture you showed is the back of the clock. Turn the camera down a little more and you should see it. Now that you have the replacement you know what it looks like.
It's tucked into the corner just under the dash lip and the column and you should be able to feel it by touch. No need to crawl under, if you can feel it, just slide it towards the passenger side and it will come free with enough slack in the wires to be able to drop it down and switch the wires one at a time, I have knocked mine loose a few times fiddling under there and it just slides back in to the holder.
I'm attaching a picture from the view from the trans hump. As you should see it's right below the clock and just over the hood release cable. Hope this helps.
Some flashers are different. In some if a bulb is burnt out it will flash quicker and others will not flash at all. Could be even your tail light bulb has an issue. Do both brake lights work? It's a puzzler if the rear works fine.

 

[bbbacres]

Thank you so much. Your directions were good and we went right to the Flasher and pulled it out. As we discussed the new one I purchased is longer than the old one but we are happy to substitute it. But of course I have another question 🙂 the original flasher has two wires hooked to it and they are black and red. The new flasher has three posts instead of two and as you can see in the photo they are labeled X, p, and L. How do I hook up the red and black Clips in the car onto this new three clip flasher?

Also to answer your other question the flasher in the front and the rear both come on and stay on when I try to Signal a left turn. As I said earlier doesn't seem like the turn flashing unit would be responsible but I've got it already to try if I just know how to wire it. Now if that doesn't work it's got to be something not mentioned so far. Thank you again for your help it is very much appreciated

 

[Ward 57]

Thank you so much. Your directions were good and we went right to the Flasher and pulled it out. As we discussed the new one I purchased is longer than the old one but we are happy to substitute it. But of course I have another question 🙂 the original flasher has two wires hooked to it and they are black and red. The new flasher has three posts instead of two and as you can see in the photo they are labeled X, p, and L. How do I hook up the red and black Clips in the car onto this new three clip flasher?

Also to answer your other question the flasher in the front and the rear both come on and stay on when I try to Signal a left turn. As I said earlier doesn't seem like the turn flashing unit would be responsible but I've got it already to try if I just know how to wire it. Now if that doesn't work it's got to be something not mentioned so far. Thank you again for your help it is very much appreciated

I sent you a PM. Have you gotten any further?

 

[bbbacres]

we bought the bottled electrical tape and I have a proper flasher unit (12 v) and I foiund a bettery terminal brush. The plan is to first, remove the back bulb and try to brush it ouit. I take it that is safe if the key is off. Then we will reinsert the good bulb and retest. My guess is it won't work. Then we will replace the flasher, again it defies logic to me that the flasher could be the probl3em. I bought it only cars continually amaze me with things that don't make sense. Than my guess is that will fail. Then what? We can move on to the electrical tape, but how. Try to remove the front and back sockets so we can see the incoming wiires. I have no idea how to do that. And if we do find them the idea would be to cover the bare wires where they touch the terminal? I am getting a little pessimistic, but I want to try. Without your guidance we would be dead for sure.

By the way, this Tbird is fairly nice. It satin a museum for years, and though it is far from a number 1. But it is very nice. Of course, I'm sure youi will agree that sitting in a museum basement for years, which this one did, is not always good. They di store it the right way supposedly (eg fluids out), but corrosion can happen. Your advice?

 

[Ward 57]

With the key off you should have no issues. The liquid electrical tape is for cracked insulation which mostly happens where the wire & connector meet. I find it is most common in the engine compartment with the wires on the solenoid and resistor as they get disturbed the most. I also used it on the wires inn the trunk as they get jostled a lot and the brittle insulation cracked as a driver.
You can't remove the socket, it's attached to the reflector. Do the rear lights act the same as the front? I think your assumption it is not the flasher seeing as it is a two connector flasher and one side works is correct. Not likely it's the switch either but possible but manipulate it through many cycles in case there is corrosion on the contacts. these cars like to be used and sitting for years even if properly stored can cause weird symptoms. I've been working on 12V systems since a kid but I still have forehead slapping moments once I figure it out.
I think once you clean the contacts in the socket and #1034 bulb and apply the di-electric grease it may solve the issue. Just did a quick search and the most common cause of one side flashing and the other not is a design feature to let you know a bulb is burnt out. It's not a short or they wouldn't work at all. PM me so we don't clog up the forum unless others want to chime in.

 

[dmsfrr]

Two wire flashers function slightly differently than three wire flashers.

A two wire flasher is a heated ON/OFF switch with power to the signal lights on the car running thru the heating coil and switch contacts.
The load of the bulbs being ON draws current thru the heating coil which then opens the contacts providing power to the signal lights. Now without a load the heating coil cools and the contacts close, turning the signal lights back on and repeating the cycle until the turn signals are switched off.

A three wire flasher has a separate ground for the heating coil. (the third wire)
The heating coil functions independently and opens and closes the power contacts for the signal lights without being subject to the electrical load of the bulbs in the circuit.

If an existing two wire flasher is getting 'tired' a very slightly different electrical load from the signal lights on one side of the car, as compared to the other side, can cause the flasher to only work on one side or the other. This is why when a bulb burns out, a two wire flasher won't work on that side but just stays On.

Different brands of bulbs may draw slightly different amounts of current. And IIRC there were two styles of dual filament signal bulbs: 1157 and 1034, that may draw slightly amounts of current.
It's also somewhat possible that one of the bulbs was inserted backwards into the socket, connecting the lower current draw 'parking/tail light' filament into the turn signal circuit. Thus affecting a load sensitive two wire flasher.

 

[Ward 57]

Two wire flashers function slightly differently than three wire flashers.

A two wire flasher is a heated ON/OFF switch with power to the signal lights on the car running thru the heating coil and switch contacts.
The load of the bulbs being ON draws current thru the heating coil which then opens the contacts providing power to the signal lights. Now without a load the heating coil cools and the contacts close, turning the signal lights back on and repeating the cycle until the turn signals are switched off.

A three wire flasher has a separate ground for the heating coil. (the third wire)
The heating coil functions independently and opens and closes the power contacts for the signal lights without being subject to the electrical load of the bulbs in the circuit.

If an existing two wire flasher is getting 'tired' a very slightly different electrical load from the signal lights on one side of the car, as compared to the other side, can cause the flasher to only work on one side or the other. This is why when a bulb burns out, a two wire flasher won't work on that side but just stays On.

Different brands of bulbs may draw slightly different amounts of current. And IIRC there were two styles of dual filament signal bulbs: 1157 and 1034, that may draw slightly amounts of current.
It's also somewhat possible that one of the bulbs was inserted backwards into the socket, connecting the lower current draw 'parking/tail light' filament into the turn signal circuit. Thus affecting a load sensitive two wire flasher.

Thanks for that information. I knew from experience that the diagnosis portion my experience was pretty good but never knew exactly why. And yes I have seen people with the dual filament bulbs put them in by force getting them 180deg off. ( hey if I can get one pin to engage it must be the socket's fault not mine ) Sigh...

 

[bbbacres]

Thanks for that information. I knew from experience that the diagnosis portion my experience was pretty good but never knew exactly why. And yes I have seen people with the dual filament bulbs put them in by force getting them 180deg off. ( hey if I can get one pin to engage it must be the socket's fault not mine ) Sigh...

DMSFRR's advice proved spot on. As the orignal poster I was about to give up on getting that left turn signal to blink. I was certain a flasher could not be the problem. Why? Well the other side worked perfectly, while the driver's side just turned on and glowed solid. But the same flasher runs both sides, I assumed that could not then be the problem. I can't claim to totally understand the explanation you give, but the new flasher did the trick. PROBLEM SOLVED.

 

[Ward 57]

DMSFRR's advice proved spot on. As the orignal poster I was about to give up on getting that left turn signal to blink. I was certain a flasher could not be the problem. Why? Well the other side worked perfectly, while the driver's side just turned on and glowed solid. But the same flasher runs both sides, I assumed that could not then be the problem. I can't claim to totally understand the explanation you give, but the new flasher did the trick. PROBLEM SOLVED.

May have been an issue with a bulb along a weak flasher. But so glad you gotter done.