Left blinker console light is staying on.

[Stacey fireman]

Truck is getting harder to start. Batteries and connections are good. The front drivers side blinker not working and the left interior console blinker stays on sometimes. The blinkers in the interior console work, but when turn off the left side stays on. Can anyone help?

[grancito]

I had that happen, and from memory it is a bulb not working. So check the bulbs on the front drivers side.

[Stacey fireman]

Replaced bulbs, but I still have the same problems. Also, when I turn on the blinkers the fuel gauge goes haywire, untill I turn the blinkers off!

[grancito]

Sounds like a ground problem in the instrument area, first remove the instrument panel and clean the contacts where it plugs in, they are sh#t, had to clean mine because of crazy instrument activity.

[Stacey fireman]

Thank You!!! I've got to pull 24 hrs tomorrow, but I'll try to pull the instrument cluster by Friday and check the grounds. I did go back and check the grounds in the engine compartment and I found one on the main fuse box above the driver's side fender. Cleaned it and the truck did start much better!

[Stacey fireman]

Checked all grounds. Found that the turn signal lights, on the drivers side are working kind of funny. The blinkers are blinking but the yellow fixture on the outside of the blinkers are blinking with the blinkers.(3 - lights are blinking) Do I have a problem with the blinker, or do I have a problem with the fixture. The drivers side blinker is also blinking funny. The inside, of the two blinkers lights, is working but the outside light, of the two in the blinker case, is kind of dim. This one seems to be where the problem is.
Can you offer any advise? Thank you.

[grancito]

There is a bad grounding of the lights, so the other filaments are returning the current and therefore glow dim.

[Stacey fireman]

Have a guess where to start looking for the bad ground?

[grancito]

In front of the drivers side battery, screwed to the the top cross beam that holds the radiator, it has probably corroded off from the battery acid.

[Stacey fireman]

Thank you, Grancito!!!

[Stacey fireman]

Problem! Ground was good and no corrosion what so ever. While I was driving down the interstate later in the evening, the truck suddenly went completely dead. After a while it finally started back and I went on my merry way. But, just as I thought I was free and clear, it died agian. This time it took a long time to start. Looks like PMD? Still have the blinker problem also. Truck does not crank like it used too, has new batteries.

[grancito]

Are you running with the lights on when the indicator dash light shows. It is necessary to take the light unit apart and check with a meter to see if it is grounded, the wire could be broken.

[grancito]

I don't see you saying that you pulled the instrument panel and cleaned the contacts, if the fuel gage is still going nuts with the indicators on then you need to look there. I had instruments go nuts, it was the contacts of the instrument panel, had driver side indicator light on in the panel, was a problem in the light unit, had both panel indicator lights on when using the brakes or either indicator, and was bad contacts in both new rear light units.

[Stacey fireman]

Haven't pulled the cluster, yet. Will do tomorrow.
Question: Do you think the the truck going dead was due to this electrical situation, or do you think this is a seperate issue altogether?

Stacey

[grancito]

I think that you have more than one electrical problems. Where is your PMD?

[Stacey fireman]

I have Walt's cooler.

[Stacey fireman]

It's on the drivers side of the intake.

[grancito]

That's not a good place for it, could be fried. Next time stalling occurs, pour a little water on it, don't use lots and cause cold shock to the engine block.

[Stacey fireman]

How did you get the PMD in the bumper" (Major Extension) Do you think this may be my problem, or do I still have an electrical problem? Thank you for your wisdom.

[grancito]

I cut the wires and soldered pieces in one at a time so not to get it wrong, not difficult. First pull the instrument panel and see if you can fix that, it is not difficult like on my 82 Chev, had that out many times too. The plug is part of the whole panel so you can have it unscrewed then move it a little and if the connectors are bad the instruments go nuts.