old turn signal switch wiring

I purchased an old "Auto Lamp" turn signal switch to use in my 32 Ford. It seems to be in good condition and all wires are original and intact. I cannot find a diagram for it, and am wondering if there is a way to check it without the diagram? I am reasonably able to use test equipment, etc Thanks for any help Bet Jim

DMM, Continuity else resistance mode. Else a 12V source & a test light.   

Hi Oldspark Hope you're doing well. What I meant is a proceedure for finding what wire does what? Like: Power in, etc., so I don't fry the thing Thanks Jim

Is what you have something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rNz8-oWEUo I believe there are two sets of switches inside the turn signal assembly. One for the front and one for the rear. The rears would have a way to interface with the brake lights. If the brakes are applied and the turn signal is not on, then both rear brake lights would light up. If the brakes were applied and then the turn signal was activated to turn on the left turn signals, then the front and rear left lights would flash but then the right rear light would be on solid. The reverse would happen if the turn signal switch was turned to the right position. I would get out a meter and write down the colors and see which wires short to each other when the switch is in the middle position, what ones show a short when the turn signal is on for a left turn signal, and then which ones show a short for a right turn signal. When I say short I mean a very low or no resistance between wires with the switch on a test bench and unpowered. Sometimes if a switch has been sitting the contacts may not make good connections so maybe work the switch back and forth between left and right and then do the continuity checks. After that I would think we should be able to figure out what wire goes where. Jim 1968 Chevy II Nova Garage Find 2012

1973 Nova Custom

1974 Spirit of America Nova

1973 Nova Pro-Street

Custom Jim Thanks for the info. That's what I need and I'll give that a try Regards Jim

Ah - I was going to ask if it's a 3-wire switch else the multiwire type for flasher combined with brake or reverse lights... And yet again I interpreted this to be about COMBINED flashers/indicators with brake/reverse lights... but I managed to overwrite this pre-sumbitted reply...    However, FWIW, the United Pacific 5007R turn signal switch (as per Custom_Jim's youtube link) does NOT cater for combined filaments/bulbs; it assumes separate bulbs or filaments for flashers and brake (or reverse). [ Actually I wonder why they drag the brake lights thru it - is there some undocumented feature or something I have missed? It's a mere indicator switch plus hazard light switch but on a single supply - ie unlike indicators/flashers with (should) only work with IGN whereas hazards are anytime; straight from the battery. IMO a classic case where I'd rather buy a flasher switch of my choosing - whether with integral hazard switch of adding my own. ]

oldspark, man you got me wondering now how the 5007R works and I "think" I found a diagram and I "think" it can use the same bulb for the brake light and turn signal on each side. Could be wrong though but testing would prove if this is right and I could very well be wrong. I think the switch inside has more switches in it than I'm used to and maybe with the lights on the rear half for the rear lights has it to where when the brake is applied and no activation of the turn signal, power then gets sent out to the combination brake light bulb/turn signal bulb which is one filament. Now with the brake still on, the switch is pushed down to activate the left turn signal and now inside instead of the left rear taillight getting power from the brake switch, this connection is broken and now gets power out of the flasher which then flashes that side bulb. With two sets of switch assemblies in the turn signal switch housing, the fronts never see this brake signal so the front lights would never come on solid when the brake is applied. 5007R Diagram It shows the original left and right brake light bulb wires being taken off of the brake switch and connected to the new turn signal switch. It then shows the output of the brake switch going into the 5007R wiring. The above diagram is hard to zoom in on but I think that before this switch is added both brake lights are tied together, then when they are cut apart, one bulb gets wired to the orange and the other to the brown. Another thing I saw on the diagram is the red wire going into the flasher is getting power through a 14A fuse which then gets power from the battery. I would think you would want the turn signals on an ignition 12 volt feed to where if they were accidentally left on and the car turned off, they would quit flashing. The brake can be wired to a battery source as it should be off when no one is inside the car pushing down on the pedal. What I cannot understand, just from lack of seeing this type, is the three terminal flasher and how it works. I understand the two terminal ones but could maybe the one terminal be an input and then the two outputs be the flashing outputs but with diodes on them ?. Jim1968 Chevy II Nova Garage Find 2012

1973 Nova Custom

1974 Spirit of America Nova

1973 Nova Pro-Street

I think I found a drawing too of how the inside of the switch works: Scroll to Reply #9 After a little research (hey I left early when they were giving out brains at the get go) I think the three way flasher is for a single indicator lamp to let you know the signal are on but not which one ?. If it is that's fine but on my 60's and 70's GM cars they tie into the front turn signal lights and have a dedicated left indicator dash light and a dedicated right indicator dash light. Jim1968 Chevy II Nova Garage Find 2012

1973 Nova Custom

1974 Spirit of America Nova

1973 Nova Pro-Street

Dang You Sir Custom_Jim Esq! You dare prompt me to THINK? Nobody dares tempt me to do that anymore... Firstly - I could be wrong. If the 5700R does handle single filament stop/flasher tails, then the info I've seen simply lacks that clarification. Secondly - I have limited info, but when googling I did not find any info confirming a combined "brake & flash" but I did find info saying it didn't. And usually for such combos, the flasher-can is usually not on the +12V side of the L-R flasher switch (as I recall....).    Now where to? Ok, 3 pin flasher cans. YES, AFAIK for 3 pin cans (except where one pin is GND), the 3rd pin is for the dash's SINGLE light flasher indicator (or indicator indicator... - you know what I mean?). Vehicles with L&R dash indicators or momic/idiot lights - eg, typically a left arrow & a right arrow - simply wire the each dash lamp to their respective sides. FYI - many of my vehicles has a single dash flasher lamp which was merely a bulb connected between the hot (+12V) LH & RH flasher wires. That was fine before hazard lights - ie, the dash lamp would flash out of phase with indicators but not light at all with hazards. That's easily overcome by using diodes from each side to one side of the dash bulb and grounding its other side. (And that is my preference to using the 3-pin "dash lamp" type flasher cans.) Combined flasher & stop lamps... That moddedmustangs link (Reply #9) is for a combined stop/indicator. (Yes...? or ?? ) Rechecked - YES it is; I can tell from its disconnect RR stop and reconnect to (RR) flasher switching. But that is NOT the same as the 5700R turn signal switch which (afaik...) is merely a combined turn & hazard signal switch. And that reminds me of what I started writing in my last reply, namely: ............. I looked for a "simple" circuit diagram of how they connect, but no... [ In 2007 I wrote a superb document explaining what was required (universally) with specifics down to wiring level for my vehicles. I stopped when I realised I had confused/swapped my logic - ie, interchanged flasher side with brake/reverse side - what I call a "simple but tricky" experience. Some find&replace editing would have corrected the text etc, but coinciding with "club politics" I determined I was only doing this the benefit of others (and since they preferred reinventing wheels...) ] ............. I won't continue down the combined path unless required - I simply alerted Jim (OP akuhead) to that issue - but of course if Jim needs further info... And of course I wouldn't expect you Custom_Jim to put me thru the agonising torture of having to revisit the subject and - worse still - having to think or continue old documentation or pics?!! I hope you both get my (alleged) humor! If either of you want more "combined flasher" info, just ask. Of late I have usually referred to exledusa's TPC Modules since they are add-ons to any system tho they are intended for LEDs (there are bulb equivalents from others, else have the exledusa modules drive relays instead). Other methods usually require rewiring such as moving the flasher can to after the flasher switch.     

The 5700R diagram is indeed a combined stop/turn indicator type switch. That diagram seems to be for adding turn signals to an old vehicle that originally had only brake lights. (The original brake wire from the switch to the the rear lights is "cut". The switch has 4 outputs, one to each corner. And 3 inputs: flasher, brake switch, and indicator light from flasher P(ilot) terminal. The reason they suggest wiring the flasher to +12V hot at all times (battery) is so the hazard flashers will work with key off.