Turn signal problem 308

if flipping the hazzard switch temporary fixed it,
the problem IS the switch, not the flasher relay.
I'd shoot some cleaner/WD40 down the switch.

 

Avoid WD40 for such things, pretty please. i would recommend Caig Laboratories MCL cleaner/lube www.caig.com . Is it specifically designed to clean and lubricate moving contacts. This is what i use on all moving contacts be it within the car, the high-end audio system, etc.

 

No kidding!!

Or at least go with CRC Contact cleaner, or similar!!!!!

 

While I agree there are probably better chemicals for this, I do believe WD40 would work fine for this mundane toggle switch, I do not believe WD40 will damage anything on a mundane toggle switch, most people have it in their garage, and it's better than no turn signals.

 

Disagree. WD40 is simply light oil and a carrier for flow to insure water displacement. WD40 does not have chemicals to CLEAN and propely electrically lubricate a moving metal switch. Radio Shack tuner cleaner would be better than WD40 for this applicartion, but we are talking about a FERRARI so may as well spend a whole woop-dee-do $10 and get something proper for the job verssus what you have in the garage sitting around.

 

I diagree anyway, what makes a FERRARI switch so special, except it fails more often and cost 10 times what it's worth? These are just cars that fail more ofter than others. Well, gotta go, my cam belts are 6 months old and need changing!

 

Like the other column switch contacts, the turn signal contacts are heavy copper rivits mounted to the switch body, & a sliding spring loaded brass U that bridges them.

Over the years they'll have built up an extremely dense tarnish (even heavier in coastal areas). There is a fairly strong spring behind each brass U, so when simple wiping back & fourth doesn't solve the problem, either the tarnish is severe, or else there's a more serious problem.

I've yet to see any contact cleaner that will give you more than temporary relief with these contacts. Anything that will cut thru the heavy tarnish would be sufficiently acidic as to produce corrosion problems later unles it's throroghly neutralized & flushed out.

If you've ever cleaned copper jewelry with jewelry cleaner & left it to dry for a week you know what I mean about corrosion.

I've had CRC electrical cleaner cause the body of the console switches to shatter, so don't use it. WD40 is a water displacer with humidity exclusion wax in a light volatile carrier. It's not a contact cleaner. Can't comment on Steven's product.

When I service a column switch, I burnish the copper contacts with an auto body ding rust removal fibreglass pen until the copper is completely bright. If I have the brass contacts out, I use it on them also. Alternatively, a small cylindrical axial bristle SS brush in a Dremel tool also works great. Often the contacts are not sufficiently flat to get a large contact area, so I flatten them with some very fine files & polish/hone them on a fine diamond whet stone.

If I'm not disassembling the switch, I slip a diamond point burnishing file (diamond surface strip of thin metal) under the strip & swing the stalk so that it cleans the contact area.

Finally, I lubricate the contacts with either Oxy-Solve (a oxygen excluder used for electrical wiring, many HW stores have it., or a contact lubricant containing micrograined powdered copper. Both seem to do the job for years.