Flint

I have an extremely annoying problem. My brights come on more and more increasingly when I use my turn signal. It doesn't seem very logical; sometimes it only does it when I signal left, sometimes it does it for both ways. Though, usually, it only does it when I turn the signals off, though sometimes the brights are on when I turn the lights on in the first place. I had gotten very delicate with turning the signal off, but even that doesn't help much anymore. Will I have to replace the entire cluster or is there some kind of spring I can retension within the unit? It's a euro, so it'd be cool to keep the ein/beschul/weideraufen cruise control, but that's not as important as not blinding other drivers.

I'm kind of on a fixing binge right now, that's why the rapid-fire questions of late.

Flint, '84 Euro-S, AT.

Incendier

Flint:

FWIW, I had a problem with (a) headlights popping up and down on their own, (b) no brights/fogs, and (c) wipers that would only work when I jiggled the turn signal stalk.

Tracking the wiring diagrams showed that everything light, signal, etc. related runs through the combo switch at some point (duh), and that a contact malfunction will cause ripple problems throught any or all of the above systems.

Replaced it and everything roared to life.

Unfortunately, the combo switch is a sealed (riveted) unit and needs to be replaced whole. You really DO have to preserve the Euro one; good luck in finding it.

James

PS - from sad experience...DON'T try to fix it by shooting contact cleaner in there. That'll just dick it up worse. Trust me.

Flint

Thanks, I'll remember not to do that--I'll just have to be extra careful not to blind anyone until I can replace it.

Flint

Max

Flint, Are speaking about the column switch unit?

If so, try this.

You can get a cheap rivet gun at sears (S) and similar size rivets, then drill the old ones out (just the rivet head not all the way through the part), slowly and carefully open the unit up. Once open, clean all contacts and traces with the contact cleaner you bought at Radio shack (RS)lightly wipe off with rage(sprayed on clean rage not the part) .

Once clean of all old electrical grease look carefully at the contacts and traces for dark brown glazing, pitting and wear thoughts. Use the small brass brush you bought at RS, S or Pep Boys (PB) or that big eraser you nabed from one of the kids and clean both being very careful not to damage either.

Now that it is all nice and clean, apply the dielectric grease you bought at RS to the contacts and traces.

As carefully as you took it apart, put the two halves back together. If you have two small C-clamps you can lightly clamp it together and test the electrical connections with your multi-meter (you know the one you bought at RS) to see if all is working as designed, you might be able to hook it up in the car and test it without completely installing it. If it is working, pop your rivet in and reinstall on the car and hope it works.


Have fun

Max

P.S.
Or you could ship it to me and I will do it for you for free. You can contact me off-list should you want to go this route.

Flint

Thanks Max, I think I'm going to try this. As I was almost resigned to buying a replacement part, I have next to nothing to lose (though quite a lot to gain, I should think, mostly time in waiting for the part to come).
I'll tell you how it works out.

Flint

Randy V

Just a note to Max - perhaps you meant conductive grease, not dielectric.

Dielectic grease has the properties of an insulator, not a conductor - great to use on the sparkplug and coil wires where the boot covers the wire, to prevent current loss.

Max

Randy, You know thats a very good point?

However I did mean what I said. The Dielectric grease does not have enough insulating properties to keep two pieces of brass/copper from making good contact with each other, Dielectric grease will also not allow significant amounts of electricity to cross the traces either.

If you use a conductive grease, it will migrate from trace to trace over a very short priod of time and everything will either work all at once or not at all after blowing a few fuses.

Trust Me, on this one

I use high temp. Dielectric grease inside the spark plug boots to help keep out moisture and high temp. silicon adhesive between the spark plug boot and wire to keep moisture out and help reduce voltage loss.

Flint, If after you get in there and find that your traces are badly worn through, drop me an E-mail and I will try to walk you though the repair. It's realy not that hard and is used by many to restore auto electric parts that are no longer avaliable.


HTH

Max

Randy V

I agree with your logic Max - to a point.

If there is a potential for current leak across contacts, such as in a multi-pin connector, then dielectric grease is definitely the way to go.

If, however, the electrical contacts are a bit tired, and well separated from other switch contacts, then a conducting grease may be more appropriate.

I still trust ya !

Max

Well, I'm only reporting about my personal experiances with both Dielectric grease and a conductive grease in this very area and on other simular devices.

I guess we'll leave this one up to the gallery to decide.


Cheers

Max

Flint

Well, first I want to say I took your solution to heart, Max, and it for the contacts, it worked really well. But, on opening the little box, I found that the signal stalk is what's loose. It doesn't spring back to the middle after operating the brights or the turn signal, it keeps pulling forward (toward the front of the car). I didn't try messing with this aspect, I just concentrated on cleaning things up and restoring all the electrical contacts and the little springs and levers to their original condition, which essentiallu confirmed that it's the little lever because everything else works great. Hmmm, going to have to play with it some more.

If it all goes south, I remember my father's advice on sports car maintenance "always buy the replacment part before you try to fix the old one." Which doesn't really bother me, fixing this part is just sort of training for bigger projects centering around the column and instrument cluster.

Again, thanks for the help Max, James, Randy.

Max

Flint, I'm glade you to hear that none of the traces or contacts were your problem.
It sounds like it is the fulcrum on the lever or a centering stop may be worn.

If you feel the need to R&R a new one and just before you pitch the old one in the trash can, send it my way. I would love to take a shot at it.

Good luck

Max

Flint

Ah, good to know I wasn't crazy. I kind of want to hold onto it for the moment, see if I can transfer the German cruise control label onto the new one. To be honest, some of the rivets I used initially weren't soft enough and cracked the black plastic housing quite badly in a couple of places, which may have contributed to the downfall of the whole unit. But, drop me an email and I'll let you know what I decide to do.

Flint, '84 Euro S, A/T