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-   -   Cheap side marker to blinker mod. (http://www.toyota-supra.info/forums/mkiii-supra/19454-cheap-side-marker-to-blinker-mod.html)

El Supracabras 07-25-2011 02:27 PM

Cheap side marker to blinker mod.
 
4 Attachment(s)
Making the side markers blink with the turn signals. It's been done before but I couldn't find any threads on it here. It's easy, it's the same thing Toyota and many other companies did or wound up doing. Ground the side marker to the turn signal feed wire. When the signal is off, it will ground the side marker and it will light up. When the signal is on the side marker loses ground and turns off, then lights up every time the signal opens (or blinks). The cars really should have come this way as it is much safer to have a turn indicator visible from the side of the car as well.

***Do this at you're own risk! This is one of the simplest electrical circuit on the car but can still cause damage, fire or a dangerous lamp failure if not done properly or you already have existing problems with the lamp wiring. This is a modification, not a repair ***

Things you need:
Brain= if you don't have one, or don't know how to use one, don't attempt to play with wires. You might start your car or yourself on fire.
Wire cutters= any will do, the lamp wiring is so small you could cut it with scissors.
Wire Stripper/Crimping tool= There are good ones and better ones. any will do.
Barrel Crimp connectors= you only need one per side in the rear and two per side in the front. These can be purchased with the strip/crimp tool as a multi-piece kit for less than $12. They aren't the best but will come in handy for the future wiring repairs you will likely be making on your 20+ year old supra. If you plan on tackling all your wiring problems, buy some decent ones.

Rears
1. Remove plastic covers to access light bulbs, unplug and remove the white plastic thing holding the bulbs completely from the car. This will require unplugging the side marker lamps as well. Now is a great time to clean up all that corrosion in there.
2. Once you have both sides out, take them to a well lit area to work on them. You want to see the wiring to the bulbs clearly.
3. Pull the wiring from the side marker out of the clips that hold it to the white plastic piece, then pull the turn signal wiring out of it's clips. Seems like a lot in writing but it is literally 3 wires.
4. Locate the ground to the side marker (white/ black stripe) and cut it about 1/2" away from the screw that it attaches to. Strip about 3/8" off the insulation.
5. Locate feed wire to turn signal (green/ black stripe). Cut it about 1/2" away from the socket and strip insulation off both ends about 3/8" back.
6. Twist the green/black stripe wire coming from the socket with the white/black stripe wire going to the side marker light and stick them both in one end of the barrel crimp, then crimp that end.
7. Stick the other stripped end of the green/black stripe wire into the barrel connectors other end and crimp.
8. Be 100% sure that it is crimped tight or you will have annoying light problems, but not too tight or you will damage the wiring leading to annoying light problems. Once you are sure it's crimped tight, push the wires back into the clips on the plastic and plug it into the car.
9. Test time. Make sure all the lights are working properly and that the side marker now blinks when the turn signal is on.
10. Celebrate, yaaaayeeeee for you!

Side note: You may wish to solder and heat shrink the wires rather than barrel crimp them for a cleaner appearance that nobody will ever see. This may also be a better choice for those with leaky tails as the barrel crimps will cause a point of failure once the corrosion begins (and it will). So fix your damn leak!
I can do one for the fronts too if you like.


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