This seems to be a common problem on Pintos and other Ford and Mercury cars of the era. The turn signals don't turn themselves off after a corner, or they don't stay on and you have to hold the stalk to keep it blinking. Some of you, I'm sure, already know how to do this. If you don't and you think you need a new switch, let me save you some money and frustration. This project took me about an hour and I used the following tools:
*Phillips head screwdriver
*Small flatblade screwdriver
*Small pair of wirecutters
*Wire terminal crimper tool
First, obtain a new turn signal cam:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3453/3317740488_88e3992da8.jpg)
I got this one from e-bay for about $12. (I don't like to leave the house, you may still be able to get them at your local autoparts store)
Start by disconnecting the battery and removing the horn button. Mark the column and wheel (I used a black Sharpie) so you can line it back up when you re-install the wheel
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3592/3317740736_b1c4a9c998.jpg)
Remove the two screws holding the plastic together around the column and take off the lower piece. Remove the turnsignal stalk by unscrewing counterclockwise. Locate this plug and disconnect it.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3496/3317740550_10de396bd4.jpg)
Unscrew the three screws holding the switch to the column and the one holding the terminal to the ignition switch. Work the switch out of the console (I had to stick a finger thru the stalk opening behind the switch) and pull the connector thru it's opening in the column.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3662/3316915675_85621c39b3.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3269/3317740882_82082bda49.jpg)
Take the switch inside and put it on the workbench.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3640/3317740412_99a1f7ea06.jpg)
Have a cold beer :drunk: I'll be back in a few hours to finish this!
Chuck :afro:
OMG I'm seriously ROLMAO!!!!! LOL (http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m247/myhrdly/laughing6-hehe.gif)
I'm enjoying your step by step, then get down to go have a cold beer!!!! Too Funny!!!!! LOL
Awesome! I love seeing tutorials like this around. I think it will really help newer members in the future when they can visually see, step by step how to fix something when they don't have access to a shop manual.
When you are finished, I'll make another post of cars that I know of that use the same turn signal assemblies, including wire harness. For instance, my signal assembly replacement came from a Mustang II.
Ok, so we've had dinner and it's time to continue...
First you need to remove the old cam from the switch
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3494/3317740090_3d83dc0c6b.jpg)
On the right side of this photo, you can see a stud that passes thru the switch and cam from the turn signal lever socket. It's held on with a round clip that's barbed on the inside, and the stud is flared out. First you need to 'un-flare' the stud. I used a pair of bargain bin wire terminal crimpers. Be gentle but firm, if you screw up the stud, you'll be making a trip to the boneyard.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3324/3317271399_cd2b0bfc9f.jpg)
Next step is to remove the barbed clip. I used a small pair of wirecutters to cut the barbs and then used the flatblade and wirecutters to gently lift and peel off the clip. Don't worry about destroying the clip, new ones are included with the cam. Now you can separate the cam from the switch
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3401/3317740154_3eafe43729.jpg)
Don't pull the stalk mount completely out of the switch, there's a spring around it, just leave it in place and wiggle the cam off of it.
Now put your old cam and the new one side by side, we need to switch a few parts from the old to the new.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3416/3316915035_889793998c.jpg)
We're going to start on the right side of the switch first. There's a lobe with a spring that needs to be removed and installed on the new switch. The lobe is held in place by tapered barb visible in the hole in the cam. To remove the lobe, place a finger over the opening and another on the end of the lobe to hold the pieces in place (there's a spring in there, remember?) and insert the flatblade screwdriver between the lobe and cam and twist. Remember that the old cam won't be re-useable anyway, so breaking it won't hurt anything. So if you're lucky, you caught the lobe and spring and they didn't fly across the garage. Make sure the spring is set in the hole in the lobe, and that the barb is facing up and insert into the new cam until it clicks.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3150/3316915469_89ced5dfc1.jpg)
In this photo you can see where the old cam broke to get the lobe out, notice where the old cam is broken and the new one isn't. Broken here causes right turn signal not to cancel.
Next we're going to work on the brass terminals for the switch. There are two, seen on the left side of the picture. If you look under them you'll see two springs for each terminal. When you take it apart, don't let those get away! Flip the old cam over. you'll see where the terminals stick thru, and the barbs on the terminal. Mine had enough play that I just pushed on the terminal with a screwdriver perpendicular to it and it pushed thru. I recommend working on one terminal at a time.
Transfer two of the springs to the new cam for the larger terminal, there are recesses in the cam for them. Line up the larger terminal and push it into place.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3484/3316915887_0f65b9c0cf.jpg)
Repeat the procedure for the smaller terminal. The metal plate on the original cam is not present on the replacement cam, and does not need to be removed from the old one. This is what the new cam looks like ready to install
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3357/3318143532_0920577649.jpg)
Now's a good time to clean the terminals on the cam and the terminals on the switch. After that a thin layer of Di-electric grease (like you use for spark plug boots) and we can re-assemble. Get the cam lined up with the switch. Start on the side opposite of the stud, slipping the cam into the groove on the switch, then fit the hole in the cam over the stud and seat them and the lever mount together. Watch to make sure the tabs on the spring fall into place between the cam and the switch. Now it looks like this.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3270/3317740300_7139c16448.jpg)
Install a new metal clip from the cam's package over the stud and push it down as far as you can. Now we're going to 're-flare' the stud. I used the phillips screwdriver, inserting it into the hole and twisting, once again, firmly but carefully.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3202/3317740920_5f5aa88512.jpg)
Here's what it looks like now, it's ready to be re-installed in the car.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3324/3318161612_f556ba1124.jpg)
Feed the wire back thru the hole in the column, seat the switch in the column and re-install the three screws in the switch. Now re-connect the terminal for the ignition buzzer. Plug the switch back in, re-install the lever and the steering column trim. Now re-install the steering wheel and horn button and take it for a spin. If you did everything right, your turn signals should work just like a new car, mine do! ;D
The cam I bought cam with an extra clip, so if you didn't get things lined up right, take it back apart, carefully, and see what went wrong.
Hope this inspires a quick Saturday project for you!
Chuck :afro:
This procedure isn't covered in the Haynes manual. There isn't much detail on the switch except how to remove it. That may have lead people to believe this switch is not rebuildable, but it is. It's suprising how many parts on the car can be disassembled and repaired. Horn buttons are another great example, and if anyone would like, I can do a short spot on that too.
Chuck
+1 for the Advice and the how too. I need to do this and never have had to before thanks
Quote from: discolives78 on February 28, 2009, 09:57:44 PM
This procedure isn't covered in the Haynes manual. There isn't much detail on the switch except how to remove it. That may have lead people to believe this switch is not rebuildable, but it is. It's suprising how many parts on the car can be disassembled and repaired. Horn buttons are another great example, and if anyone would like, I can do a short spot on that too.
Chuck
Hay Chuck
Can you do a horn repaire on this type of horn button?
I can help provide pickturs.
Leonard
Hello Leonard!
Yes, I can do a spot on those horn buttons! Those are fairly simple. I can do my own pictures, I have a blue one I can take apart. I'll do it in two parts, first will be that horn button, and second will be my wide deluxe horn button (the early model wide buttons are similar). I don't know about the rallye wheel, I've never had one. Give me a little time to put it together, ok? With this advice, you can also piece together horn buttons and make one whatever color you can find!
Chuck
P.S. If you don't mind me asking, what is the malfunction with your horn button? Doesn't honk? Or does it stay on sometimes?
I have owned the Pinto less than two years, and it never worked.
Leonard
Get one of those electrical testers that looks like a screwdriver and has a light in the handle and a wire with a clip. Clip the wire to one terminal on the wheel, then touch the probe to the other and see what happens. If you don't get it to light up or beep then your problem is further down.
Chuck