Do you offer some sort of package deal for the LED bulbs and all the electronic whizzery to run them?
No but if you click onto the listings there is a chart that shows all items needed.
https://ebayimages-westcoastclassic.netdna-ssl.com/plasma/plasma_compatibility_0717.jpg
For those reading the thread I will give free shipping if you buy all needed items at one time. The ONLY way to make that happen is to order them on our site and choose āin store pickupā. Then in the comments section of your online order write āNOT IN STORE PICK-UP CCC specialā.
Ok one more that just started todayā¦ 1970 standard convertible
Lights OFF:
No brake lights and no TS on right side only. Left side OK.
Right front and side markers (front & rear) illuminate but do not flash.
No power from the front (TS switch I guess) in orange/green and blue/white wires.
Hazards work in both front and all 4 side markers, but not in the rear both sides.
Lights ON:
All lights work normally.
No brake lights nor TS on right side. Left side OK.
Right front and side markers (front and rear) illuminate but do not flash.
Hazards work in the front, stay on without flashing on all 4 side markers & in the rear on both sides.
NB: all bulbs and ground have been tested good,
Am I having here at a bad TS switch? Comments are more than welcomedā¦ thanks!
Re: 1970 standard convertible
Typically, when none of the brake lights work on a given side, the problem is inside the turn signal switch.
In this case, the bar under the switch cam (on the top of the switch) is no longer contacting the orange/blue wire rivet that supplies the right rear lightsā¦ This is probably due the the rivet overheating, melting the plastic, and moving away due to the spring pressure. BTW: The RF front turn signal wire is white/blue.
Switch replacement is the best solution. I hope it is a tilt column, because a good reproduction standard column switch is still not available.
The older Scott Drake imported switches, with steel rivets, will last less than 10 minutes before they release the magic smoke. Look for switches built with copper rivets. There are US made switches in the works but they have been 30 days out for 18 months ā¦
If the hazard flashers are not flashing but the bulbs turn on, replace the hazard flasher (located up under the dash to the left of the radio).
The reduced power for the turn signals when the lights are on may not be enough to cycle an old flasher.
Thanks Vic for the info. Unfortunately Non Tilt, bad news for me!
Someone knows where to get a switch with copper rivets?
Anyone tried to repair an old switch that failed?
Another option is to convert to the āPlasmaā LED bulbs for the rear lights.
They donāt draw enough current to fry the steel rivet switches.
I also have a turn signal switch bypass module under development. It routes the rear turn/brake bulb current externally to avoid the magical smoke. It will work with a switch where the green wire (brake power) rivet on the switch cam has failed but requires the front TS circuits to function. This is a common failure mode for the OEM and steel rivet switches.
Ok in the mean time I took a look at the TS switch and just could not see any sign of meltingā¦ but I could see that the contact at the orangae/blue wire was kind of loose so I could make it work playing with it, then secured it a good position where it works.
The only 2 thing left that do not work now are:
- bralke lights on the right side, except when flashing on the left then they work as it should, regardless if lights are on and off;
- emergency lights at the rear, both sides wether lights are on or off.
Are there any chances that these issues are not switch related, if yes what should I look at?
In any case, hopefully this amateur fix will carry me till the new switch is releasedā¦
If the crimp on the rivet is loose, you can try soldering the ring terminal to the rivet using a low-temperature indium solder.
I was able to salvage a switch using this technique but too much heat will soften the surrounding plastic, move the rivet, and cause an open circuit.
It doesnāt take much heat to cause the rivet head to recede into the nylon plastic.
I wrote a diagnosis guide for turn signal switches that can be found at:
http://www.thuntek.net/cougars_unlimited/TurnSignalSwDiagnosis.pdf
When the brake lights fail on a given side, it is almost always due the the brake contact bar not touching the corresponding rivet head.
There is an excellent diagram about how the switch cam operates on the Maverick Grabber website:
http://1970mgr.org/TurnSignalDiagram.gif
It is possible to drill out the rivet holding the switch cam, remove it, and adjust the brake contact bar. Iāve never had any success doing it. 
Replacement switch cams are available but I have never got them to work.
For the emergency flasher problem, try checking the connector pins of the emergency flasher power wire (white/red). Make sure to check for a fried pin on both sides of the connector. Also, if it has an electronic flasher, they are polarity sensitive and must be installed correctly. The factory didnāt care much about the polarity because it used thermo-electric flashers where it didnāt matter. The QA team apparently didnāt verify that the white/red and red/white wires in the flasher socket were in the correct location. Iāve seen these wires swapped as much as 50% of the time.
Did you replace the emergency flasher (or swap it with the turn signal flasher) to see if it is weak?
If neither of these tests resolve the emergency flasher problem, there is a problem inside the switch in the emergency button section of the switch. Again, this is typically due to an overheated rivet head that has receded into the switch body. When the emergency button is pushed in, it connects the white/red wire to the orange/blue, green/orange, white/blue, and green/white. This can be checked with a VOM.
I have come across these symptoms in the last few years and found 3 bad emergency flasher switches which are part of the turn switch assembly. I have drilled the rivets out on one and took it apart. The copper contacts inside had a corroded worn down surface like bad ignition points and the sliding arm didnāt touch them anymore. Too high of current being drawn through the contacts. The emergency light contacts were in good shape because they were rarely used. You can try to see if this is the problem by turning on the turn signals and moving in/out and wiggling the emergency switch around and see if things start working. Also spraying contact/tuner cleaner into the emergency switch caused one to work for awhile.
Thanks Vic for this very precise and informative answer: I understand NOW how it is possible for the right brake lights not to work even after TS problem is resolved on this sideā¦ BUT I am certainly not going to try to fix that bar at this point in time, especially knowing you tried yourself without success!
Emergency flashers not being used often and since issue started at the same time as TS issue, I will assume for now that it arises from the switch that will need replacement anyway. But at least I can drive in the mean time!
Thanks Clawlt for your suggestion, I will remember that if new quality switch takes too long to reach market.
ClawIt wrote: "I have drilled the rivets out on one and took it apart. "
After the 6th turn signal switch failed on my '68 Big Block Cougar in the 80ās, I rebuilt the emergency switch section using the technique you described. I made new oversize contacts using a Keystone turret style terminal hoping that the additional surface area would reduce the contact resistance and avoid the failure from overheating. That switch is still in the car today but it is no longer a daily driver. The process was too time consuming to be commercially practical.
I worked with the current supplier to improve the 1970-72 standard column switches - it has been a lengthy process. As long as they keep making switches, we can replace them. At some point, the tooling will wear out or the volume will dwindle down where it is no longer cost effective to continue production. Then we will need to resort to this kind of repair.
I just bought a 67 the owner told me they replaced the sequential relay pad 2 times and they did want to buy another. Last it was inspected 17 yrs ago the turn signals didnāt work. So the garage told them he could cut a wire to make only the middle light work for inspection. Any clue what wire he cut. The motor in back works as it should i have look can not see which one.
Typically, the symptom of āonly the center light flashesā occurs when the emergency flasher relay has failed. It is located in the driverās side trunk well originally attached to the filler board under the trunk mat. The light blue wire that energizes this relay may have been cut. This would create the same symptom. However, all six of the brake lights should still work.
Try reviewing my troubleshooting guide at:
http://www.thuntek.net/cougars_unlimited/seqts.htm
HGN mine did the same, center light only, I found the wire with a blade connector someone had grounded. I moved it to the relay into the plug with the light blue wire.
69 XR7, iām going through all the electrical on my car and have most everything working including the blinkers, brake lights, tail lights etc. The emergency flashers are not working. Iāve been troubleshooting and I find the red white wire that feeds the flasher has power but no power to the white red wire that leaves the flasher and goes to the turn signal switch. Could it be that this new flasher is bad or or am I missing something else.
The way the 1969-73 flasher circuit works is that the input (red/white) has 12V power all the time. When the output (white/red) has a load, through the turn signal switch out to the lights, it starts flashing.
About 50% of the emergency flasher sockets are wired backwards, so make sure that the āBā (input) terminal on the flasher is connected to 12V and the āLā (output) terminal is connected to the white/red wire feeding the turn signal switch.
Iāve got 12 V going to the red white wire. So it looks like mine is wired backwards.
Yes, the emergency flasher socket appears to be wired backwards. Electronic flashers are polarity sensitive and will only work one way. Ford didnāt pay attention to the orientation because the original electro-mechanical thermal flashers were not polarity sensitive.
You can either swap the pins or construct a pair of jumpers. Use a tiny screwdriver tip to release the connector pin tabs while pulling on the wire to remove the pins. Then plug them back into the correct location.
A pair of jumpers can be made using two 1/4" quick disconnect male and two female connectors and 4" of 16 ga wire. I solder the connections after crimping them using a Mallory 29085 tool. Plug in the jumpers to reverse the connections.
I went with swapping the pins and I now have flashers working. And I sure do appreciate your help with this. On to back up lights.
Hello, New Cougar owner, have not really worked on a car like this before so still learning a few things and trying to make sure I got this right. So if someone could confirm I would greatly appreciate it.
1967 Base Cougar
The previous owner replaced the old sequential tail system with a modern electronic unit.
Current issue : Turn signal indicators both come on, whether I use left or right, blink and click a couple of times then start to dim out. Both rear lights work fine, no skips and blink according to which signal is being used. Headlights seem to have no issues. Hazards work fine as well.
If iām not mistaken from reading through this post, the issue would be resolved going from the original K7 relay to a new solid state due to the new seq system that was previously installed?