Flasher Relay jammed?

[Nbajwill55]

Quick help question:

So i'm trying to replace my flasher relay on my 98' Firebird. I found the piece but i can't pull the old flasher relay out for the life of me! Is there anything I'm missing or has anyone else had a problem with it? Should i just keep pulling? Sounds like a stupid question but i just dont want to break anything.

Thanks for the help

[Archer]

Re: Flasher Relay jammed?

try unplugging your battery, and get a pair of vicegrips, your going to break the relay, but wiggle it around.

Another thing you can try, 'once batt is unplugged' lightly spray some WD-40, not alot, but enough to help loosen the gunk holding it in. I had to do that to my old strat when the fuel pump relay decided not to shut the pump off... just an option,

and once your done, blow out the ports that the relay fits into let it dry for a few mins and hook everything back up

[Nbajwill55]

Re: Flasher Relay jammed?

Thanks Archer - vicegrips and WD40 helped. i knew i was in for trouble when i saw electrical tape around the entire piece. Whoever messed with it before did a bad job putting it back together. Thanks again

[Nbajwill55]

Re: Flasher Relay jammed?

Also while i'm still at the top of the thread, i have another question: my orange day time running lights keep burning out at least once or twice a month. The last one i changed last week only lasted 1 full day. I'm gonna assume i should clean the connectors, but does anyone have any suggestions on what to use?

[Archer]

Re: Flasher Relay jammed?

clean the connector and clean your grounds..

[romm333]

Re: Flasher Relay jammed?

i have the same problem, i was thinking it had to do with moisture getting into the turn signal housing, it could also be the connections?

[Pathogen]

Re: Flasher Relay jammed?

Check for cracks in the lense, that's what's always caused my problem with the running lights.

I gave up on the blue car and just use them for airflow. ;)

[Firebirdkid96]

Re: Flasher Relay jammed?

use dielectric grease on the socket ports so no water can get in there.

[Nbajwill55]

Re: Flasher Relay jammed?

well this latest bulb lasted 2 hours. I've been using the grease but 3bulbs later no change.I don't see any cracks but I'll try cleaning the housing and connector and get the excess grease out.

[Smoke Panther]

Re: Flasher Relay jammed?

i knew i was in for trouble when i saw electrical tape around the entire piece. Whoever messed with it before did a bad job putting it back together. Thanks again

No, that's all GM craftsmanship right there.

Also while i'm still at the top of the thread, i have another question: my orange day time running lights keep burning out at least once or twice a month. The last one i changed last week only lasted 1 full day. I'm gonna assume i should clean the connectors, but does anyone have any suggestions on what to use?

moisture has to be getting in somehow...look for cracks along the edge of the housing, where the front piece meets the rest

[pace2006]

Re: Flasher Relay jammed?

Mine are the same. I even just put new signals in this past weekend. They were dry after I put it through an automatic wash. Even made sure some of the water made it's way toward the lights. But after the first rain, there's a puddle of water in the right one. It's getting in through the hole that the bulb and socket get thru on mine. Might be the same for yours. Try putting some silicone around there and getting an even surface for the rubber washer to meet. Might help.

That's GM and their wonderful designs for you...

[Archer]

Re: Flasher Relay jammed?

aswell look at the connectors.. see if the wires are bare. there has to be a break, crack, wires touching, or b ad ground for them to blow that fast... If anything, find a set of plugs and splice them into your harness, and go from there **IF that is the case**

you can also put a small bead of silicone around the housing, (thin) let it dry and see if you have a leak from there, but for ur bulbs to blow, I would be looking at those connectors.

[F1GT]

Re: Flasher Relay jammed?

Mine are the same. I even just put new signals in this past weekend. They were dry after I put it through an automatic wash. Even made sure some of the water made it's way toward the lights. But after the first rain, there's a puddle of water in the right one. It's getting in through the hole that the bulb and socket get thru on mine. Might be the same for yours. Try putting some silicone around there and getting an even surface for the rubber washer to meet. Might help.

That's GM and their wonderful designs for you...

This guy is correct. I've been thru about 5 sets of aftermarket clear lamp asssemblies and it turns out the bulb gets pretty hot and warps the bulb opening hole. So the latest set(from 2004) I layed on the silicone around the socket to make sure water will not get in. It's been 4 yrs now. Besides that, when I drive for an extended period of time or if it's really hot out, I would turn on the headlamps so that the DRL's will turn off and use the lower wattage parking fillament. Less heat, of course, and less warping.