I can't figure out why my front turn signals don't work. The back ones are fine. I replaced the fuse, the flasher unit, the wiring to the lights (including the sockets), and the bulbs. Still nada. The running lights do work, but that's it. aargh.

The turn signal switch was supposedly replaced a couple years ago. Any ideas?

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If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

Time to get out the voltmeter (or continuity meter and lonnnnnnnng test lead) and tracing the circuit. Since neither front turn signal works, my guess would be there's a faulty snap-together connector somewhere in the line, though it could be the turn signal switch.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Try the hazard flashers - if they work, try swapping the hazard flasher for the turn signal flasher and also check for power there.

If the rear turn signals are working, the problem is not with the turn signal flasher.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I always start by checking the bulkhead connector. They often get corroded and stop connecting.

SSD is right; I'd overlooked that your back flashers worked. If the all work w/ the hazard, it's pretty much right inside the switch; if they don't, it might be, but not certain to be, inside the switch, but could be elsewhere, especially at bulkhead and column connectors.

Also try flexing the turn lever slightly and see if it starts working - if it does, you've found the bad spot.

Ding ding ding! we have a winnah! Turn signal switch.

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If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

Ooooga, we have a loser!

They quit working again. Blew a fuse, and I am about to do the same!

So far, here's the chronology:
Got the truck running after "sleeping" far a year, and 6 years prior to the drive to my house that woke it from slumber. Everything worked for that one 10 mile drive.

After a hiatus, I replaced the battery in the truck with a new one (I used a borrowed battery to get it home) and everything worked fine. Did the Dutra swap, so the truck was dormant once again for a few weeks.

Once I got the thing back together and running right, I started driving it to work every day with no problems at all. Then for no particular reason, the headlights started getting dim, then the engine sputtered and died in my driveway. The battery, which was only 3 months old, was so dead that even the dome light wouldn't come on.

I took said battery back to the store, and they said it would have to be charged before they could check it. Turned out the specs on this battery were better than what the factory specs said, meaning (I guess) it was a rare battery that would give years of service beyond what the 24 month label said. (My Ranger battery was a 24 month battery also, that somehow lasted 45 months before dying!). Anyway, the battery promptly went dead overnight once hooked up to the truck.

Out of curiosity I replaced the VR with a new Echelin part and ran a ground loop from the case to the ignition box, etc. until it finally made its way to the "GRND" hole on the alternator. No change, and the alternator output at the 10 gauge wire was 9.89 volts.

Changed the alternator to one of known quality, and got 14.1 volts at the same 10 ga. wire. Surprisingly, the battery did not go dead overnight, or even after 3 nights. So, somehow, the alternator was dragging the battery down. Is that even possible? How?

Anyway, on my way to work the gauge lights went out. Next day my front running lights went away. Then the rear running lights and tag lights, followed by front turn signals. That's when I stupidly removed the terminal block at the firewall and cleaned the wires with acid. (I know).

So today, I replaced a blown fuse and now have rear running lights and turn signals, but still no front. Any ideas? What wires should the ones be that connect to the front run and side marked lights? I can't seem to find the connector to check.

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If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

Out of the blue, I have blown the fuse to the rear lights again. Anybody have a scan of the wiring harness for this beast? I don't know where else to look other than to start tracing down wires. Not my idea of fun.

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If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

Randomly-blowing fuses like this almost always wind up being the result of a chafed wire intermittently shorting out. I'm afraid you have no choice but to begin tracing wires.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

It is possible that a short in the wires to the front turn signal bulbs killes your switch, and now that the switch was replaced you are now blowing fuses? Try to run a pair of bypass wires from the bulbs to the relay and disconnect the current ones at the relay.

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Never seen a Valiant I didn't like!

I disconnected my wires one at a time trying to discover where the short lies. I am convinced I just need to pony up for a new wiring harness. My underhood wires are so brittle that the insulation flakes off when I flex the wire. It's either fire, or rewire!

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If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.