Removing front turn lights
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Teching In
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Clovis NM
Removing front turn lights Ok here is the thing. I have a 99 Z28 vert and I am using after market LED 3157 bulbs for my front turn signals. They light up and everything but I'm not get them to blink when I apply my turn signals. On the dash all I see is the solid green arrow like it would be if the bulb is burned out. I am not all that worried about the front flashers but the rears are the one that I am worrying about cuz I need them to blink Cuz as of right now they light up but don't flash in the rear. I need them to flash when I am turning so people behind me can know when I changing lanes and turning. Next question, I am sick of my headlights turning on when ever I release my E-Brake. Any way to bypass that so I can control my headlights manually. SO where do I find the wires that I need to cut and which wires to cut. Any help would be awesome. Any LS1 owners in Clovis NM I am the white Z28 vert with the checkered flag looking graphics on the side.
Last edited by azbigmike1369; Mar 24, 2006 at 12:21 AM. Reason: wrong title
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2
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From: Clovis NM
Ok I figured out how to take off the auto headlights but the front turns not working is upsetting cuz I really the rears. When my parking lights come on the turnsignals turn on but when I try to turn on the signals the rears light up and stay on, the dash green arrow comes on and stays on, but fronts don't blink, they just stay on. I checked the buld housing, three wires. Would cutting one help me out? I just need to bypass the front signals.
Just gonna throw this out here: The flashers work off a flasher module under your DS dash near the console. They typically are thermal flashers from the factory. Thermal meaning they have a bimetal strip inside that senses current from all the bulbs it controls, heats up, breaks contact, cools down, makes contact again. This is what gives you the blinking effect for your turn signals.
By installing LED's in your system you have greatly reduced the current load on the circuit due to the fact that LED's don't draw that much. So now you are not getting the current flow you need to heat up the bimetal strip in the flasher and it will not break contact - giving you the blinking effect.
You might want to go and buy a HD Electronic Flasher available at most auto parts stores. It does not use the thermal method for flashing and does not rely on current load. I had to install one of these when I did my Sequential Turn Signal Mod - I added a 3rd flasher bulb in each taillight housing so the sequential effect was more pronounced. Because I changed the load (increased) the stock thermal flasher made the lights blink very fast - this was so fast that you could not tell they were sequential. To slow them down to get the desired effect I used the electronic flasher.
Allthough my situation is not the same as yours, and I didn't add LED's, the underlying concept is the same.
Another thing that may have something to do with it is that regular incandescant flasher bulbs contain (2) filaments inside - (1) for regular light function, (1) for flasher function. They are not both on at the same time - only time flasher filament is used is when you put on turn signals and is controlled by a seperate wiring circuit. I don't know exactly how this is wired to the bulb but an LED does not have two seperate elements inside - only (1). So because of this it may not flash correctly?
I would lean toward the first possibility myself - but being an ME and not an EE - maybe we could get confirmation from an electrical guru?
-Jay-
By installing LED's in your system you have greatly reduced the current load on the circuit due to the fact that LED's don't draw that much. So now you are not getting the current flow you need to heat up the bimetal strip in the flasher and it will not break contact - giving you the blinking effect.
You might want to go and buy a HD Electronic Flasher available at most auto parts stores. It does not use the thermal method for flashing and does not rely on current load. I had to install one of these when I did my Sequential Turn Signal Mod - I added a 3rd flasher bulb in each taillight housing so the sequential effect was more pronounced. Because I changed the load (increased) the stock thermal flasher made the lights blink very fast - this was so fast that you could not tell they were sequential. To slow them down to get the desired effect I used the electronic flasher.
Allthough my situation is not the same as yours, and I didn't add LED's, the underlying concept is the same.
Another thing that may have something to do with it is that regular incandescant flasher bulbs contain (2) filaments inside - (1) for regular light function, (1) for flasher function. They are not both on at the same time - only time flasher filament is used is when you put on turn signals and is controlled by a seperate wiring circuit. I don't know exactly how this is wired to the bulb but an LED does not have two seperate elements inside - only (1). So because of this it may not flash correctly?
I would lean toward the first possibility myself - but being an ME and not an EE - maybe we could get confirmation from an electrical guru?
-Jay-
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,334
Likes: 347
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Originally Posted by 1QUIKWS6
Just gonna throw this out here: The flashers work off a flasher module under your DS dash near the console. They typically are thermal flashers from the factory. Thermal meaning they have a bimetal strip inside that senses current from all the bulbs it controls, heats up, breaks contact, cools down, makes contact again. This is what gives you the blinking effect for your turn signals.
By installing LED's in your system you have greatly reduced the current load on the circuit due to the fact that LED's don't draw that much. So now you are not getting the current flow you need to heat up the bimetal strip in the flasher and it will not break contact - giving you the blinking effect.
You might want to go and buy a HD Electronic Flasher available at most auto parts stores. It does not use the thermal method for flashing and does not rely on current load. I had to install one of these when I did my Sequential Turn Signal Mod - I added a 3rd flasher bulb in each taillight housing so the sequential effect was more pronounced. Because I changed the load (increased) the stock thermal flasher made the lights blink very fast - this was so fast that you could not tell they were sequential. To slow them down to get the desired effect I used the electronic flasher.
Allthough my situation is not the same as yours, and I didn't add LED's, the underlying concept is the same.
Another thing that may have something to do with it is that regular incandescant flasher bulbs contain (2) filaments inside - (1) for regular light function, (1) for flasher function. They are not both on at the same time - only time flasher filament is used is when you put on turn signals and is controlled by a seperate wiring circuit. I don't know exactly how this is wired to the bulb but an LED does not have two seperate elements inside - only (1). So because of this it may not flash correctly?
I would lean toward the first possibility myself - but being an ME and not an EE - maybe we could get confirmation from an electrical guru?
-Jay-
By installing LED's in your system you have greatly reduced the current load on the circuit due to the fact that LED's don't draw that much. So now you are not getting the current flow you need to heat up the bimetal strip in the flasher and it will not break contact - giving you the blinking effect.
You might want to go and buy a HD Electronic Flasher available at most auto parts stores. It does not use the thermal method for flashing and does not rely on current load. I had to install one of these when I did my Sequential Turn Signal Mod - I added a 3rd flasher bulb in each taillight housing so the sequential effect was more pronounced. Because I changed the load (increased) the stock thermal flasher made the lights blink very fast - this was so fast that you could not tell they were sequential. To slow them down to get the desired effect I used the electronic flasher.
Allthough my situation is not the same as yours, and I didn't add LED's, the underlying concept is the same.
Another thing that may have something to do with it is that regular incandescant flasher bulbs contain (2) filaments inside - (1) for regular light function, (1) for flasher function. They are not both on at the same time - only time flasher filament is used is when you put on turn signals and is controlled by a seperate wiring circuit. I don't know exactly how this is wired to the bulb but an LED does not have two seperate elements inside - only (1). So because of this it may not flash correctly?
I would lean toward the first possibility myself - but being an ME and not an EE - maybe we could get confirmation from an electrical guru?
-Jay-
Copy & Paste Moderator
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 9,764
Likes: 208
From: Eastern MA
Like they said, you need to replace the thermal flasher with an electronic one. I think AutoZone carries the Trident EL-12 which should be the right one. You may also have to replace the Hazards flasher as well, but Im not sure.
FYI:
The 4th-gen f-bodies have 2 flashers.
The Left/Right signal uses the same flasher.
The second flasher is a heavier duty one for the hazards.
FYI:
The 4th-gen f-bodies have 2 flashers.
The Left/Right signal uses the same flasher.
The second flasher is a heavier duty one for the hazards.
Copy & Paste Moderator
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 9,764
Likes: 208
From: Eastern MA
Originally Posted by RooRnZ28
so how do you get rid of the auto headlights?
