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Topic: How to wire side indicator lights... (Read 2193 times) previous topic - next topic

How to wire side indicator lights...

I saw somewhere a while back where someone had gave the wiring info to hook up the front fender lights to the signal lights for an alternating signal light effect.I want to do this until I get the energy to install the harness and all to have the side lights work as Ford intended them to.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

How to wire side indicator lights...

Reply #1 –
I think this is the thread you are looking for vinnie.

How to wire side indicator lights...

Reply #2 –
One caveat: That trick ONLY works if you have "194" peanut bulb side markers. 87-88 Birds have large 1157 or 2057-style bulbs. The trick will not work with those.

Now, for how it works - this should explain why trying it with an 1157 will not work:

The alternating turn signal scheme relies on the 194 peanut bulb seeking its ground through the 1157 turn lamp element. Since the 1157 is so much smaller than the 1157 it lights up nearly full brightness. The 1157 element is carrying some current too, but not enough to light it up (the current in a series circuit is limited to what the lowest draw component will carry - in this case the 194 bulb, which is not enough to light up the 1157).

When you turn on a signal light the 1157 no longer has a path to ground - it essentially has two hot wires instead of a hot and ground. It goes out. When the turn signal bulb goes out the path to ground is restored so the light comes on. The process is repeated every time the bulb flashes, which provides the alternating effect.

The problem you'll run into trying this with 1157 side marker bulbs is that the side marker light will now allow enough current to light up both the turn signal and the side marker, but both will be at half brightness. When you turn the signal light on the lights will still alternate, but they will go from both being at half brightness to one being full brightness to both being half, and sic ad nauseum.
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

How to wire side indicator lights...

Reply #3 –
I have the larger bulbs.Looks like I may be changing harnesses sooner than I had hoped.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

How to wire side indicator lights...

Reply #4 –
looking at my harness, there is a 2-wire plug that plugs into the dash harness. the wires are: purple w/yellow stripe, and brown w/ white stripe. purple goes to driv side light, and brown goes to pass side. both lights share a common ground.
1979 Ford Fairmont
[/B]
5.0L/4R70W/8.8"/5-lug/3" Exhuast

How to wire side indicator lights...

Reply #5 –
I think all of those side turn indicator lights take a 1156 bulb witch is a single element version of the 1157. So is there a way to and a resistor to one of the same sized bulbs to make the alternating flashing work with 2 of the same style bulbs?  Also would it look weird with the Side light flashing not the Corner light?  Or is there a way to work up all  3 of the lights and make them flash alteranting? Without getting into things that I can't make.
84 Turbo coupe 2.3T Modded with 88 upper and lower intake, 88 injectors, E6 manifold, T3-4 AR.60 turbo, 31X12X3 FMIC, Homemade MBC , Greddy knock off BPV.
4 eyes see better than 2! 
Da Bird!

FreeBird

How to wire side indicator lights...

Reply #6 –
its simple to hook up cornering lamps.
One 88

How to wire side indicator lights...

Reply #7 –
Quote from: CougarSE;153087
its simple to hook up cornering lamps.


ur so bad ass you could eat a rubics cube and shiznit it out solved::shakeass:

How to wire side indicator lights...

Reply #8 –
Do I need to pull the dash to hook up the cornering lamps?Swapping the harness under the hood is fine,pulling the dash is what makes me want to wait.I've pulled the dash before,and the console,I just didn't want to get into that right now.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

How to wire side indicator lights...

Reply #9 –
Quote from: ipsd;153080
I think all of those side turn indicator lights take a 1156 bulb witch is a single element version of the 1157. So is there a way to and a resistor to one of the same sized bulbs to make the alternating flashing work with 2 of the same style bulbs?  Also would it look weird with the Side light flashing not the Corner light?  Or is there a way to work up all  3 of the lights and make them flash alternating? Without getting into things that I can't make.

The 83-86 models had a 194 bulb. The 87-88 models have an 1157. The 1156 is a "bright" bulb, used only for turn signal and backup light applications. It's too bright for park lights.

Wait... are you talking about the cornering lamps mounted in the front trim on the fender? Those would be 1156's and should not be flashed - they are there to help you see when cornering and are not meant to act as an indicator for other traffic. The light we're talking about (or, at least the light I think we're talking about) is the corner light, up next to the headlight.

Making the 1157 corner light (or even the 1156 cornering lamp) alternate should be no harder than using a relay to power up the bulb and making the relay ground through the turn signal bulb element, same as the 194 trick. Doing so would be more work than installing the proper harness though...
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

How to wire side indicator lights...

Reply #10 –
I'm talking about the fender lights.I have the lights,harnesses,and have cut the holes in the fenders (Did a great job as well I must say),and now I need to know how to make them functional.I'm unsure of how to hook them up to make them work as they should.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

How to wire side indicator lights...

Reply #11 –
I kinda thought that you were talking about the lights that are in the fender. I would think that they just get there signal from the turn signal switch before it goes to the Flasher in the fuse box. Hopefully someone else that really knows will chime in.
84 Turbo coupe 2.3T Modded with 88 upper and lower intake, 88 injectors, E6 manifold, T3-4 AR.60 turbo, 31X12X3 FMIC, Homemade MBC , Greddy knock off BPV.
4 eyes see better than 2! 
Da Bird!

FreeBird

How to wire side indicator lights...

Reply #12 –
check to see if you have a grey 2 pin plug next to the headlight harness plug. its about 1" from the fusible links for the alternator.
1979 Ford Fairmont
[/B]
5.0L/4R70W/8.8"/5-lug/3" Exhuast

How to wire side indicator lights...

Reply #13 –
I don't see one.I have a small grey plug and a small black plug that look like a spade clip goes in them.They are not being used.My parts car has this 2 pr0ng plug,but,That's a lot of harness to replace ,which,I don't want to do.I was wondering if the orange turn signal bulbs (like the signals next to the headlight) would work in the cornering lights.Any ideas ?????
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

How to wire side indicator lights...

Reply #14 –
the 2 spade clip connectors are for the horns. i couldnt see Ford making another harness just for those lights. it might be taped up under the wire loom. can you snap a pic of the harness currently installed under the battery tray?
1979 Ford Fairmont
[/B]
5.0L/4R70W/8.8"/5-lug/3" Exhuast