HaNd_SoLo Posted October 12, 2015 Report Share Posted October 12, 2015 Howdy, forum! I recently picked up an 84 from my sister that I'm working on getting streetable. The signals and hazards don't/sorta work. I understand about the hazard switch being finicky, but jiggling it/changing postion doesn't affect what is happening. The symptoms are: When the turn signal is on (either side) and hazard off, only the rear (whichever side is selected) lights up and it is constant on, not blinking. When the hazard is on and turn signal off, only the left rear lights up blinking. When the hazard and turn signal are both on, nothing happens. Where should I start looking? The front bulbs look alright, but I haven't had a chance to replace with new yet. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 12, 2015 Report Share Posted October 12, 2015 Thanks for supplying as many facts as you could. It means less back and for 'try this...' The flasher is just a thin strip or wire with contacts. When turn signal turned on, the front and the rear signal lamps draw enough current to heat the thin metal strip and it bends opening the points, it cools and re-connects and just keeps repeating. The flasher unit is likely the old style load dependent ones... in other words you need two lamps to draw enough current to make the flasher work and so the good bulb lights but does not flash. Probably the front bulbs are burned out. Start by checking the two fronts and the rear right. The bulb bases may simply be corroded and need cleaning. 1 Quote Link to comment
HaNd_SoLo Posted October 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 Well, I left the bulbs on the counter at work like a retard so I thought I'd adjust the valves and change plugs and wires. Now I can't get the valve cover to seal. It's not just leaking, either. It's literally spraying out. I've never had a cover do this before. Is this a 720 specific issue? Just a bad PCV valve, perhaps? If so, is the PCV valve the dingus that screws into the intake between the 2 and 3 runners? Quote Link to comment
Lockleaf Posted October 13, 2015 Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 Yes pcv is the thing on the engine side of the intake manifold. This is not a 720 issue. I've owned 5 or 6 z series engines, but I've never had one do as you describe. What happens if you loosen the oil cap enough to let air escape? Quote Link to comment
HaNd_SoLo Posted October 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 IDK...didn't think to do that... :blush: Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 13, 2015 Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 Leaking/spraying where???? If at the gasket you don't have it on right. There are half moon rubber plugs at front and back that need sealer and are clamped in place by the cover. Quote Link to comment
HaNd_SoLo Posted October 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 It's not the half moons. I've loosened the valve cover and reseated the gasket four times. The leaks are between cylinders 1 and 3, both sides, different place each time. Should there be so much pressure that it is spraying out of leaks? Every other valve cover leak I've seen has been a steady dribble, at most. Quote Link to comment
HaNd_SoLo Posted October 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Success! Signals are working! :D The bulbs weren't burned out, but the sockets were wicked corroded so I replaced them anyway. A little sandpaper and a liberal application of dielectric grease and the driver's side started working. The passenger side connector at the lamp was also corroded. Fixed that the same way and we're up and running. Didn't have a chance to play with the valve cover, yet. Quote Link to comment
Dolomite Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Any corroded connections can get a vinegar bath for a couple hours, they will come out shockingly clean, rinse and dry before reconnecting. Obviously this is just for future reference. Quote Link to comment
HaNd_SoLo Posted October 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Yeah, thanks, that was just to get them working temporarily. I'm going to be ditching the bumper at some point and want to put the turn signals in the corner markers. I've been searching, but haven't been able to find a guide to do that. I know it's been done...anyone have a link handy? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 It's not the half moons. I've loosened the valve cover and reseated the gasket four times. The leaks are between cylinders 1 and 3, both sides, different place each time. Should there be so much pressure that it is spraying out of leaks? Every other valve cover leak I've seen has been a steady dribble, at most. Oil gets flicked around by the valve train but there shouldn't be any blow by pressure as it would vent out the valve cover hose to the air filter housing. Check the hose or the small filter inside the housing is not plugged. Quote Link to comment
HaNd_SoLo Posted October 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 That's what I thought. Isn't the hose to the air cleaner supposed to supply air to the crankcase and the one to the intake suck it out? The filter in which housing? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Under normal conditions and low to moderate speed the intake vacuum draws a small amount of fumes from the crankcase. The air removed is replaced by air from the air filter through the valve cover hose. Under heavy load the intake vacuum is much less and there is more blow by produced. If the blow by exceeds what the PCV valve can draw into the intake the excess backs up through the valve cover hose into the air filter and is sucked down into the carb and burned. If your engine is very worn and producing lots of blow by past the rings it will do this all the time even at idle. But as the hose to the air filter is open there shouldn't be any pressure under the valve cover. Quote Link to comment
HaNd_SoLo Posted October 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 OK, cool, thanks. 1 Quote Link to comment
HaNd_SoLo Posted October 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2015 OK, got a chance to look at the filter. It looks like some kind of felt? Is it supposed to be? Can they be cleaned or do I need a new one? Where would I get one? Just thought of this: I ran the valve cover throught the parts washer at work. Could that have plugged something behind the baffle? I haven't had a chance to get the valve cover back off to check this. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 16, 2015 Report Share Posted October 16, 2015 Blow on the fitting on top of the valve cover. Is it blocked??? That 'felt' can be washed with any solvent. 1 Quote Link to comment
HaNd_SoLo Posted October 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 Washed the felt out, was able to get it sealed. I'm not sure if that was the issue, but something worked. Thanks! Quote Link to comment
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