Electrical Relays

[skillit2]

1984 CJ7 . Turn signals start normally for about 10 seconds then get faster. Not really causing an issue doing this but curiously removed round relay from fuse box marked 552 (round on top left) and also removed rectangular 4.5a 12v directly underneath. Thought round 552 was turn signal relay and 4.5a was 4way flasher relay. However after removing both, 4way flashers and turn signals worked same as if I'd never removed the relays. I'm confused. Any helpful comments

 

[TSB8C]

You should have two round flasher units in the fuse box. Upper right (R2) is for the blinkers and upper left (R1) is for the 4-way flashers. Can't see how either are working with those removed. The "relay" underneath R1 (or "rectangular" device you mentioned) is actually a self-resetting fuse or circuit breaker in place of the normal fuse (marked "1" in the pic below). Now with R1 removed but R2 still in place, the turn signals would work but the flashers should not. So if flashers and turn signals are both working even with R1 removed, you have a bad bulb somewhere that is allowing the two circuits to be crossed. This can happen when a dual filament bulb has one filament break and it touches or "shorts" with the other filament in the bulb. Of course this can also happen if you have a shorted or crossed wire in a harness somewhere going to the bulb sockets as well.

 

[skillit2]

I only have 1 round one but honestly, I removed it and the rectangular 1 below it n flashers still worked as well as 4ways!

 

[skillit2]

You should have two round flasher units in the fuse box. Upper right (R2) is for the blinkers and upper left (R1) is for the 4-way flashers. Can't see how either are working with those removed. The "relay" underneath R1 (or "rectangular" device you mentioned) is actually a self-resetting fuse or circuit breaker in place of the normal fuse (marked "1" in the pic below). Now with R1 removed but R2 still in place, the turn signals would work but the flashers should not. So if flashers and turn signals are both working even with R1 removed, you have a bad bulb somewhere that is allowing the two circuits to be crossed. This can happen when a dual filament bulb has one filament break and it touches or "shorts" with the other filament in the bulb. Of course this can also happen if you have a shorted or crossed wire in a harness somewhere going to the bulb sockets as well.

View attachment 104362 View attachment 104364

That's exactly what mine looks like. 1 round, 1 rectangular. Nothing beside 1st round 1.

 

[TSB8C]

You can see in the pic the labels where it says "T/S" and an arrow pointing at the right one for turn signals and "HAZ" with an arrow pointing to the left one for the hazards. I don't know how yours were working with no flasher unit for the turn signals at all and now you've removed the flasher unit for the hazards and they're still working too. Perhaps someone in the past has wired something in-line in the harness under the dash that bypasses the fuse box? Got to have a flasher unit somewhere to make the lights flash on and off. No flasher unit...no flashing.

 

[skillit2]

They did have it wired extra behind emergency brake pedal. Thank you!

 

[TSB8C]

They did have it wired extra behind emergency brake pedal. Thank you!

Another mystery solved...but another mystery started. Now the question as to why the separately wired flasher(s) behind the e-brake pedal rather than just use the existing sockets in the fuse box? Sounds like maybe the fuse box had some issue(s) and the separate wiring was a work-around rather than fix the actual problem(s).

 

[CJ]

A fourty plus year old vehicle has most likely been altered many times...

 

[skillit2]

Another mystery solved...but another mystery started. Now the question as to why the separately wired flasher(s) behind the e-brake pedal rather than just use the existing sockets in the fuse box? Sounds like maybe the fuse box had some issue(s) and the separate wiring was a work-around rather than fix the actual problem(s).

Could very well be! I've read that sometimes you can find the flasher wired behind the emergency brake pedal. Why, idk. Stock?? Why would you have a relay in slot 1, nothing in slot 2 and wired another behind e-brake pedal? Idk.
Thanks for responses. Helped me think about it and figure it out. New flasher works normally too!