Yet another tail light wiring issue LEDs

[Slowleak]

Like Diggs said, most of these LED flashers need to have the wires flipped to work with an old Ford. Incandescent lights and flashers don’t care about polarity but LEDs do. They sell adapters to reverse the poles but I just made pigtails.

Chances are that your hazards work with the old flasher. Mine did since 4 bulbs draw enough power to trigger it....

 

[broncobuddha]

Makes sense. I'll make up some male/female connectors after checking the voltage.

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[broncobuddha]

Then after that I've got to move my stock 3 speed reverse light wires down to the switch on my np435.

Then rewire the license plate light and then I should be set.

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[diggs00]

Then after that I've got to move my stock 3 speed reverse light wires down to the switch on my np435.

Then rewire the license plate light and then I should be set.

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Reverse led light not working ???

 

[broncobuddha]

I tested them and they'll work but I haven't had reverse lights In years (back when I went to the 435.)

I made a sure the LEDs work when I jumped the two together as a test. Just need to run the wires down to the switch on the trans.

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[broncobuddha]

It's like my dad used to say...."it's like wiping your ass with a bicycle tire....there's just no end to it."

Looks like my reverse switch is bad. I'll get another.

To the flashers the two posts on the new LED flasher are labeled X and L. I found which side of the harness is hot when the flashers are on. Which is the B post....x or l?

I tried the power on each post, neither work. Fronts nor rears.

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[Slowleak]

It's like my dad used to say...."it's like wiping your ass with a bicycle tire....there's just no end to it."

Looks like my reverse switch is bad. I'll get another.

To the flashers the two posts on the new LED flasher are labeled X and L. I found which side of the harness is hot when the flashers are on. Which is the B post....x or l?

I tried the power on each post, neither work. Fronts nor rears.

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“X” is for power “L” is for load....

 

[broncobuddha]

“X” is for power “L” is for load....

So X is where the 12v should go right? Tried that and no blinkers.

I feel sure that I've got a good ground for the flasher also.

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[Slowleak]

So X is where the 12v should go right? Tried that and no blinkers.

I feel sure that I've got a good ground for the flasher also.

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Yes. 12volts should go to the “x” terminal. Do your hazards work?

 

[broncobuddha]

Yes. 12volts should go to the “x” terminal. Do your hazards work?

Just checked, yes front and back but they are faster than stock bulbs.

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[Slowleak]

Just checked, yes front and back but they are faster than stock bulbs.

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Just checked, yes front and back but they are faster than stock bulbs.

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That’s a good sign. From reading thru your posts, I’m not sure if your turn signals worked properly before you replaced the bulbs.

Have you verified, with a meter or test light, that you are getting 12v at the flasher when your turn signal is on? If you are not, I would suspect the turn signal switch has an issue.

If you are getting power, I would try the new flasher in place of the hazard flasher. Then make sure the hazards still work. That will test your flasher.....

 

[broncobuddha]

Forgive my ignorance but I thought they were together. Guess I never realized the hazards were a separate flasher. I've never noticed it. Is it up under the dash in the same place?

To make sure I'm plugging into the right harness I pulled the new flasher off and hazards DON'T work. Maybe I'm messing this up. The flashers should work without the key on correct?


My flashers worked front and rear before.

I tested that I'm getting power to the one side of the flasher harness only when the key is on and the signal is on.

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[Slowleak]

The hazards use a separate flasher which is closer to the center of the dash. You should be able to hear it clicking if you are up under there.

An alternate test would be to remove the turn signal flasher. Connect the two terminals on the flasher harness together with a jumper. Then turn on the power, and the turn signal, and see if you get a solid light in the rear.... that would test everything except the flasher itself.

 

[broncobuddha]

What I'm connected to is the harness near the dash center. It's the only flasher I've ever seen. If I remove the new flasher from that plug the hazards stopped working.

So perhaps I'm not seeing the turn flasher harness and that may be my issue.

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[Slowleak]

What I'm connected to is the harness near the dash center. It's the only flasher I've ever seen. If I remove the new flasher from that plug the hazards stopped working.

So perhaps I'm not seeing the turn flasher harness and that may be my issue.

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I think you are on it now. The turn signal flasher is near the steering column and the original flasher snapped into a hole on the bottom lip of the dash.....

 

[broncobuddha]

Sigh.... Found it on the lip of the dash.

Hooked up the new flasher and it's external ground and....still doesn't work. I just plugged it as it's oriented and found the L post was in the hot side
Saw a little light inside the flasher come on briefly and now nothing. Broke out the spade connectors to out the power on the X post. Nothing.

While hooked up with the key on and the signal on, I put a volt meter (sweep needle style) pinning the positive side of the flasher and grounding the other. You scan see the voltage and even see it pulsing (a bit on the slow side.)

Interesting point, now that I have that all hooked up, my autometetlr tach on the column, the needle is not on any of the numbers now like normal.

I had previously checked all fuses, removed them cleaned them and put them back. I'll make sure nothing blew, tomorrow.

Don't think I shorted anything do you? Thinking about it now the flasher says it needs a 25A fuse but I he highest in that block is a 20.

Shit is so frustrating.

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[Slowleak]

I would remove the flasher and jumper the wires in the plug together. Then turn on a turn signal. You should get a solid turn light. If you do then the problem is with the flasher.

 

[broncobuddha]

Ok I'll try it tomorrow. If I don't get a solid light? It all worked before LEDs lol.

The front led turns worked with the stock flasher prior to doing the rear lights.

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[Slowleak]

Power goes from the “L” terminal on the flasher to the turn signal switch, and then to the turn signals. If you don’t get a solid front or rear light during the test, then it is either a problem with the wiring to the turn signal switch, or with the switch itself. See if the indicator light in the gauge cluster works also.

 

[broncobuddha]

But the power side is still supposed to be connected to the X post in the new flasher right?

When I had the new flasher incorrectly placed in the hazard flasher switch the gauge cluster indicators came on. They arent on now.
But will note that when I jump the signal switch to itself and let you know.

Thanks for all the help on this folks.

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