Info needed: M38A1 flasher/signal unit on the steering column

[Les Kovacs]

Hi Rob....just got the new flasher unit...I have not installed it yet as I did not want to burn it out....not sure how to fuse it...old one is bolted to the upper driver side firewall....I just thought that I would disconnect the battery, unbolt old flasher and bolt in new one then attach harness at both ends then try it out thinking that it would be grounded to the firewall.

New lever light on but not blinking when put into left or right mode.

les

[rob love]

As I mentioned, it could well be a short or it could be a bad flasher. Quite frankly, I would say the odds are 50/50.

You will want to find wire no 460/461 as that is power in to the harness. On the M151A2, the fuse was installed ion the harness near the controller by cutting the wire and installing an inline fuse of 5 amps in that location. But the M151A2 had the harness integral to the main harness. On the Cdn2 and Cdn3 the harness was an add on, so there will be a source of power near to the end of the harness. Find the little tag 460-461 and unplug it. Now you can splice or if you have the material to install the rubber plugs on each end of the inline fuse, you can do it that way. I can tell you though that in service, it would have been cut and a couple blue crimp on connectors used on each end of the inline fuse.

Now when you install your flasher, if the fuse blows on operation of the controller arm, you will know hopefully on which side of the harness to be looking (left or right). If it doesn't blow and the signals work fine, then it was your flasher unit, but you now have the extra security of that fuse in the circuit.

There is a breaker within the light switch that controls all the lighting circuits, but if I recall correctly it is 20 or 25 amps. A little too much juice for the signal circuit to handle I guess.

[Wayne Hingley]

Les; attached is a photo to support Rob's description above. There is a local connection in the 460/461 wire in that area. I used that connection to splice in the fuse (note section with red wires), as I don't like the idea of cutting wires in my harness.

[Les Kovacs]

Thanks a bunch Wayne & Rob..

I have several questions....looks easy but...where do you get the rubber connections to connect to the male and female plug (when pulled apart) with the fuse in the middle?

Right now, when the lever is activated left or right the light turns on but does not flash....does this indicate the flasher or harness?

While the lever was activated (light on with old flasher unit)I checked all connections and wriggle the harness from top to bottom but the light was still lit.....so....

If I replace the flasher with my new one and activate the lever will the flasher burn out if there is a short?

Regards,

les

[rob love]

Sounds like you are going to find out.

The rubber connectors are available from a variety of sources online....they won't be at the local auto parts store though. Don't get hung up on Wayne's perfectionist ways.....a couple blue connectors will work fine. So will solder and heat shrink for a proper long term and reliable solution.

You can always open up the connection at the 460/461 wire and tape a fuse across it just to test. Then you can put in your new flasher and if the fuze doesn't blow, you know it was the old flasher.

Or you can take a $50 chance and install the new flasher without a fuze and switch away. I know which one I would do.

[Les Kovacs]

Thanks Rob....I will go to Canadian Tire and see if I can find a fuse line & add a male connector to fit into the female (460-461?) and a find a female connector to connect into male (460-461?)....and, at the same time try to source a new harness as mine is a little roached.

Many thanks again Wayne & Rob,

es

[rob love]

You can get bullet connectors that are crimp on and will sorta interface with the military connectors, but you will have to tape the connections. They are likely available at Cdn tire, or places like NAPA etc.

I see where Wayne used the fuze holders for the little plastic fuses. To be correct for the time period of the Jeeps, you will want the inline fuze holders that use the glass fuzes.