'64 Turn Signal Flasher /Capacitor Assembly

[Gregory G.]

I installed the assembly using an NOS 224 blue flasher and Capacitor with the stapled paper attached.The assembly functioned properly after install.
At yesterdays Flight Judging the turn signals did not flash.The dash lights remained on with out blinking.I checked the flasher and it was very,very hot as well as the capacitor.The hood release cable was touching the flasher unit,but not tightly.

Could the capacitor be the cause of the failure?

Greg

[Jack H.]

Re: '64 Turn Signal Flasher /Capacitor Assembly

Capacitors fail one of two ways: short circuit or open circuit. If the cap failed open, then your TS lamps would've flashed but without the RF protection afforded by the capacitor. If the capacitor failed short, then it would have acted as a bypass around the flasher meaning the TS lamps wouldn't have flashed, but the flasher shouldn't have gotten hot (the heat would be generated in the capacitor...

Now, as to the hood release cable touching the flasher, that's another animal. In many flashers, the case is electrically active (that's why they went to plastic enclosed flashers in 1966). Since the hood release cable is all metal and it screws to the instrument cluster (cluster is intentionally grounded to the battery's Neg terminal), you could well have been asking the flasher to drive both your TS lamps AND feed to ground.

BW to proceed is to remove the cap from the flasher. Install a substitute flasher module, being SURE it doesn't touch the hood release cable, and confirm you've got proper flasher action. Now, replace the substitute flasher with your original 224 flasher absent the radio RF cap and confirm you didn't 'blow' it out.

Last, when you confirm that flasher is working properly, re-install the radio RF cap to verify it's OK. BTW, these caps are usually very 'hearty' critters with their working voltage WAY above the typical stress of the circuit application they're used in).

[Gregory G.]

Re: '64 Turn Signal Flasher /Capacitor Assembly

Jack,

I reinstalled the flasher unit without the capacitor and the turning lights stayed on without blinking.The unit fryed.I then reinstalled another flasher unit to make sure the system still works and it does.

Now I was told that in '65 GM made the 224 blue flasher unit in plastic due to this very problem that I encountered.Is this true?

Another scenario could be the paper of the capacitor failed between it and the flasher unit.

So I will be using the plastic type.
As far as the capacitor have not tryed it as of yet.When I do I will post to let you no the outcome.

Thanks Jack,
Greg