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MG MGB Technical - Turn signals vs Hazards

My turn signals are half as bright as the hazards.
I would much prefer to have it the other way, or w/same intensity.
How can I do this?
Jose Santos

Most peculiar, I suspect you have a non-standard turn-flasher. They should be the same brightness but because cars with bad grounds and/or connectors suffer from slow or non-flashing POs sometimes fit aftermarket units with different characteristics. Could the wiring have been frigged as well so that the turn flashers are flashing the side-lights and not the turn-lights? Surely not! If the hazard and turn signals use dual-filament lamps then confirm with a voltmeter which filament is being flashed by each. If they are single filament lamps, or the same filament, then it must be down to the turn flasher itself.
Paul Hunt

This will probably not fix the problem but i wanted to share something that i just did. I was having problems with the turn signals not working properly, I wasn't getting a consistent "flash". The problem was related to corrosion and bad connection at the flasher behind the glove box. I cleaned up the flasher electrical posts and replaced the terminals and everything works as good as new..yours could possibly be shorting out causing the dim signal lights..you never know but for the time it takes you might as well have a look.
Eric Willis

Jose - are your turn signals flashing rather fast? If so, you may have a bulb that draws a diferent current than the original or intended bulbs. This will not affect the hazard flasher as it operates independent of the current through the bulbs. The regular turn signal flasher speed is dependent on the amount of current being drawn by the bulbs. In this way, it usually stops flashing when a bulb is burned out. It will also flash faster or slower if the wrong size bulb is in place or the connections or grounds are shaky. Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

Jose, what year is your MG? Are the turn signals dim in front, back or both? In front most use the sme bulb. If the front are dim check the flasher, turn signal switch, and flasher swithch for a bad connection. If only in the rear, chec to see if some one reversed the wires to your tail light ti give a brighter glow while motoring at night. The tail lights are dual filament and the brighter is for the turn, the dimmer for the tail.
Doug Gordon

Thank you all for your comments.
I replaced the flasher and the bulbs.
However ,the flashing is steady now,( it was much faster to the left than to the right).I am not sure I have the right bulbs since the manuals do not specify them.Right bulbs any one?
The signals are much weaker than the hazards in the front only.
I will check the turn signal switch next.
By the way I installed the extra loud electronic flasher and I like it, specially since the steering wheel hides the arrows on the dash, or if driving with the top down and sunny you can not see much.
1972 MGB

Jose Santos

Not quite on point, but thinking where you may be going w/this inquiry: Getting those turn signals to stand out at night is important. I realized people couldn't tell I was about to turn; in fact, when the car was inspected the inspectors could barely make out that the thing was flashing. So I simply disconnected the parking lights and now the flashers are plainly visible as they go to black in between flashes. This does cause you to lose the functionality of the parking lights of course, but since I never used mine w/o the headlights it doesn't make any difference. Anyhow, much more visible and much safer.
David

Jose;
I had problems with my turn signals not working when headlights, or brake lights were on for years on my 76B. Recently, I replaced all the bullet connectors in the engine compartment, including the connectors up front on each side under the hood latch plate. All bullet ends were sanded clean, and coated with dielectric silicone grease.They were really corroded. Now, turn signals are brighter, and work with all electrics on, even with brake lights on!
Pete Haburt
Pete Haburt

Even curiouser if only the fronts are affected since *everything* in circuit from where the wiring splits front/back *should* be the same for both turn signals and hazards. I can't help thinking that a PO has fiddled with your wiring somehow, and being to North American spec with single-colour front lights with dual-filament bulbs the turn signals are flashing the side-light filaments and the hazards the flasher filaments. In your situation I would get my voltmeter out and start measuring voltages on the circuits, and more importantly which wires are being energised. The front bulbs should be dual filament 5W/21W for North America (individual 6W and 21W bulbs elsewhere).
Paul Hunt

This thread was discussed between 18/07/2002 and 23/07/2002

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