The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay 63 GMC Turn Signal Switch

Hi guys

Currently having major hassles with the turn signals on my 63 GMC Fleetside.

Basically, when I have the switch in the middle position, I get only the left-side stop light working. Switch the right turn signal on even without ignition on) and only then will the right stop light work.

Since I'm getting power to the lamp (and going by the guides on the 6066GMC site) I've figured it must be the switch that's faulty. However, these switches are pretty hard to come by, and I really don't want to change the column as the truck is wholly original.

The Chevy switch looks the same (half-moon connector blocks, seven wires but different colors) but I'm told the two don't inter-fit. Has anyone adapted one, and if so, how to do it please?

Alternatively, if anyone has a good switch in their garage I'd like to buy it.

thanks

Kev

Kev, I think the GMCs used the same TS switch as a 63 Chevy truck.

Hate to ask question as you want answers but have to start somewhere. Did this just start or have you been working on the lights, switch or wiring? What happens when you put the switch in the left hand turn position? You said stop light, do you mean stop light or turn signal light? What are the front signal lights doing? There are some great trouleshooters in the section of the forum and help will be forth coming.

Stop and turn signal feed to the same bulb filament on these.

Problem's been there ever since I've had the truck; I've checked "Jolly" Goodfellow's site, www.6066gmcguy.org , and on there he says that the fault almost certainly lies with the switch, and the Chevy and GMC items differ although they do LOOK identical. Just trying to find out if anyone's got a fix for this by adapting the Chevy item.

When I put turn signal switch to left, right side stop light works, even with ignition off.

Front signal lights work just fine.

Got me beat!!

Kev UK,

I looked at the 6066 site..some neat stuff. The diagram for the '63--'66 only shows the wire color/location at the connector on the steering column, not the switch functions.

If you assume the '63 switch contacts function similar to the earlier years ( a good assumption), then when you draw out what doesn't work on your truck, because it follows no consistent pattern, it sure would indicate something wrong in the switch proper.

My only question would be the front turn signals. You indicate they work fine. Does this mean they are bright and flash at the proper speed.

Having a brake light illuminate while the key is off and TD handle flopped to one side would be proper...this circuit (brakes) should not be switched.

In the posts above, it appears that at different times, both brake lights will illuminate, so that means the wire integrity is OK. Sometimes bed grounding and lamp grounding can do strange things. When you do get the brake lights to illuminate, are they bright. Do the taillights function fine!

The easiest troubleshoot would be to pull the wheel and see if a handful of little brass contacts drop out in your lap. The 6066 guy first says only GMC parts will fit, but later I thought he alluded to the fact Chevrolet parts might work.

If you pull the wheel and expose the turn signal assembly, you might get lucky and find a paper clip that fell into the works...good luck.

Stuart

Hi Stuart

Had the switch out a few times.

The tail lights are fine, been through all the bad ground problems. When the brake lights are switched on, they come up fine, equally bright either side; but I can't get the two brake lights to work together, that's the basic problem.

Front turn signals are indeed bright, and flash correctly even with parking lights on.

I agree that the info on the GMC site does seem a bit ambivalent; that's why I'm checking on here to see if anyone else has had the same problem. Trouble is, as you'll know, original GMC's of that era are rare even in the USA; there are to my knowledge less than six in the UK, and mine's the only 63!

Kev UK,

This is a tough deal. I drew out the contact configuration and it wasn't apparent to me that it was a single contact that was causing the glitch. Maybe I didn't get into it far enough...for it to be several faulty contacts would seem against the odds. I wonder if the turn signal switch took a hit or something...maybe when someone pulled the steering wheel.

If the flasher is sized for the approximate current draw of the blinking lamps, then when one lamp is out, the flash rate goes to heck! You indicate the fronts function reliably and flash at a proper rate. This seems strange.

Keep at it and let us know the outcome!

Stuart

Kev UK,

I don't mean to muddy the water here by butting in with my thoughts. But I'll add ...

Your first entry description sounded very similar to an issue I had with my 1961 Chevy.

I had installed a new steering column and connected the wires incorrectly. My front turn signals worked fine however my rears acted just like your description.

What I found was I had 3 wires connected incorrectly for the rear lights. Your situation sounded very similar to my issue.

I was wondering if your wiring has been redone.

Brian

Usally the nylon dries out & no longer holds tight enough for a good connection to be made-sometimes you can hold the switch together & get it to work, but once pressure is let off it no longer works. The 63 Chevy TS switch is a one year only for Chevy, but I am pretty sure it is the same as GMC 63-66. I had a 63 TS switch sent by mistake for my 64, it was the same as my 66 GMC TS switch. Of course, the GMC coulda had the column swapped out in the last 40 yrs, but it didn't look like it had been apart ever. Brian

Kev UK,

Did you get the problem solved?
or are you still having issues?

Brian

I'm going to take a gamble on a new switch, Brian; Kenny's have them in stock for $45 plus shipping.

Problem for me of course is that there are only about six 60-66 GMC's over here, and mine's the only 63! So I can't just go down the street to a buddy and check it out with his.

I'll let you know how it works once I've fitted it; thanks for asking.

Well, Kenny's have managed to do nothing for a month! They told me my order would be shipped; when I chased it up, they said they hadn't sent it because of the high cost of shipping! Of course it's high, dammit, I'm five thousand miles away; I just need the parts.

:mad:

Needless to say the truck's still sitting, can't get her through the annual roadworthiness test without the switch.

Anyone on here got either a NOS item or a good used one? I can do Paypal, will either buy or swap for a VERY rare NOS 1962 turn signal switch which I bought in error on e-bay; was listed as fitting 1963.

getting desperate, please help!

I used to remove the horseshoe on those & bend the contacts a little to get them to work right. It seems the contact spring does not contact the post from the stop light switch.

I have FINALLY solved the problem; I hope!

Advice from a guy on another forum (if you look in here, Lewis Matkin Jr., thanks once again) is that you need to replace both the switch and the switch cup, that's the stamped metal housing, with the 63 Chevy item, as the bolt patterns differ.

Carrie at Classic Parts is on the case with this, so I hope to be fixed up soon!

AT FREAKIN' LAST!!!

After months of hassles ( I got the parts sent from Classic American, and our wonderful British Post Office managed to lose 'em :mad: ) my problem is solved.

Just come back from three weeks vacation with my sister in Ottawa; got the parts I needed from Bill's Truck Shop in Courtice, Ontario (HIGHLY recommended) and I now have two fully functioning stop lights.

One very happy Limey!

Thanks once again to all of you for your help.