Re: KPack's 1954 Panama

Posted by DavidPackard On 2021/5/11 13:03:59

Kevin, when the coolant is warmed it expands. Once the radiator pressure reaches the cracking point of the cap air is expelled. If there is excess coolant during this pressure release cycle coolant will also be expelled . . . the radiator does not have a ‘catch can’, therefore expelling liquid is quite normal. Upon cool down the vacuum release feature of the radiator cap will allow air back in. If you over fill the radiator it will expel coolant on the next heat cycle. It finds its own correct level. An inch sounds about right, but that is a bit of a function of how hot the coolant got the last time you drove the car.

Now on to the electrical gremlins. There are a lot of ways to have non-functional directional signal lights. What I would do is disconnect the six wire plug connection where the turn signal switch connects to the body wiring. It’s a keyed plug so you can’t put it together incorrectly. I would start the diagnostic testing with the negative battery cable disconnected (the ground needs to be connected), and then with the use of a jumper wire connected to the negative battery post feed power into each body side wire. With the help of a few helpers (bribed with the promise of ice cream) verify you’ve got light at each corner. If you have a switch, and fuse in this temporary jumper you can then leave it connected as you probe around with the bulbs and sockets that don’t work.

Assuming you’re successful getting all of the bulbs to work, then reconnect the six pin plug. At this point you know the body wiring and bulbs are OK. Once the negative battery cable is reconnected any problems with the directional signals are likely a result of something amiss in the steering column switch. As HH56 said oxidation is the most likely cause. By the way if the stop lights work, and the flasher work on one side of the car that’s good information . . . we now know some of the contacts are good, and the flasher is OK.

dp