Turn signals/brake 'hissing'

[OperaHawk]

Hey dudes.

I thought I'd have nothing but superlatives to convery to everyone, but i have some niggling problems that I need to address to the brain trust.

Fenice is (for the moment) out of the shop. I had to go to Raleigh from metro Charlotte (rehearsal for the opera I'm in), so I thought I'd give the creature a go. Interstate driving is NOT this car's strong suit. Handled it well and all, but there's a LOT of noise coming in from the gaps in the door frame (used the quick fix of window weatherstripping - it'll work fine until I can get some proper frame rubber). The car WANTS to find a corner and dive into it - just what I've wanted! So straight and boring is, well, boring...

When I pulled out of the shop, I had turn signals. They're now gone. I've called a couple of shops (not the one I went to) and everyone says check your fuses. Also, take steel wool to the contacts - EVERY contact - since they corrode easily. Correct?

The other problem is the brakes. The front calipers were replaced (I found the old ones in a box, so they're either remaned or new), and I'm sure the bled the system. I takes a lot of effort to get the brakes to 'whoa' the car (thanks, Jim), and I'm getting a hissing from under the dash when I even touch the brake pedal. Also, the engine revs a bit when the brake's applied. I've checked the master cylinder, and the brake fluid level is even. No pools of fluid, no smell.

What I've been told by one shop (here in Raleigh, no time to look at the car) that their normal procedure is to bleed the brakes, run the snot out of the car so everything's hot, then re-bleed. The shop I'll probably be taking it to said that the PB system may have failed and I'm only using manual brakes.

If I can find a place to bleed the brakes today, I'll do that first. Give me some ideas, folks...

Thanks,

SBJ

[DJ]

I'd say you definitely have a vacuum leak somewhere in your braking system. Check ALL vacuum hoses.

As for your turn signals, check, clean, and re-secure ALL grounding points. Use dielectric grease on everything.

[davidb]

Turn signals: flimsy plastic part broken? Brakes/hissing: vacumn booster ?
This is Jim Keller territory. As for your door seals Re-Originals has/had them.
The proper door seal is "D" shaped, not circular [nor round]. Same seal a
Ferrari 308 took/takes. Not much help, sorry. Good luck.

[Will]

If you have full fluid, sounds like a leak in the primary diaphragm. Wearing a FULL FACE SHIELD, you can remove the clamp and split the booster easily in half- there's a huge, long, big-ass spring in there that will try to uncoil and eff you up.

Your revving engine is probably air sucking through the diaphragm into your intake manifold. you can test this by clamping off the booster hose, step on the brake and the idle should remain steady.

Welcome to the pain. If cars were Opera characters, the Zagato would be Violetta (from Verdi's La Traviata). First it's fickle, then you are in love, then you run out of cash, then you go get some cash at throw it at it, and finally it dies.

Man, David, you're rubbing off on me! :)

[davidb]

Rubbing off on you Will? In a pessimistic manner? Of all people on this
forum I have due cause because I'm nuts. Anyone that elects to
concurrently restore a clapped out '82 LBZ & a '76 Scorpion [same
condition] needs a saliva test! Meaning I'm not right between the
ears. As for Steven's [OperaHawk] brake issues I default to the boost-
er. Turn signal, door surround ? Just more money . . . & misery.

[Jim Keller]

You need a brake booster for sure, not bleeding, that's your hissing sound, the below has blown out, break out your wallet, they are not cheap new

Turn signals could be a number of things starting at the column switch, then grounds both under the headlamps and in the trunk and it could even be a bulb or bad socket or flasher unit.........without it here, I really can not tell you exactly the problem there but I can scan the wiring manual page that handles the turn signal system

Tell us exactly what they are doing, coming on but not flashing? not coming on at all? what?

[DJ]

...I can scan the wiring manual page that handles the turn signal system

FWIW, we have a Haynes manual excerpt here (http://lancisti.net/index.php?ind=downloads&op=entry_view&iden=6).

[Jim Keller]

Hayne's sucks! (Refer to servicing dealer) LOL!

My manual is the actual Lancia factory wiring manual and is easy enough for someone without any wiring experiance to follow and be able to do the wiring work them selfs.........how do I know? cause I am an idiot when it comes to wiring but I can fix my electrical problems with this puppy! ha ha ha

Yea, I know DJ, you've told me a dozen times before, (and I do feel the guilt trip BTW for not getting to it yet), "get it scaned so we can post it all!"........I promise I will get to it, winter's coming and I'll have more time soon once the grass stops growing, trees quit puking their leaves and hurrican Ike types quit blowing thru! ha ha ha......that and replacing all my entry doors, drywall on exterior walls and well, I do also have a Beta that have kept me quit busy this summer (;-)

[OperaHawk]

Okay, how many opera lovers are out there? LOL on the Violetta/Traviata reference...

Currently in a production of CARMEN - last night was opening night and got a GREAT review.

Some answers -

It's a booster problem. I think a new one is on its way - the one off of Uno is not good, either.

The turn signals WORK! Don't know why, but they came back on after checking the flasher switch. They are interconnected, right?

So currently the brakes are job #1.

Oh, and BTW - La Fenice, besides being Italian for Phoenix (I raised the car back from certain ashes, get it?) is also the name for the opera house in Venice, which has been rebuilt after burning to the ground (arson) in '96; therefore living up to its name...

La forza,

SBJ

[OperaHawk]

Actually, to give more information to Jim, the signals (when they weren't working) just didn't work. That's it. No low wattage, slow operation - they just didn't work. I tried the flasher switch, and it was dead as well (when it worked, both indicator lights flashed at the same time on the instrument panel.

When I hit the flashers on the way home, the right signal indicator flashed and the light on the flasher rocker switch came on. I turned it off, then back on - both indicators flashed. Since then, the signals have worked - the shop has tried to replicate the problem, but they're still working. I guess that's good - at least I still have an arm to use! :)

Bad brake booster and leaking master cylinder - both are out being redone.

SBJ

[davidb]

Wanna solve turn signals, light issues in one fell swoop? Sorry:
C. Obert. He has, had full replacement units. Pricey like $300 ?
Only diff. is Common Mkt. symbols instead of English script. Pull
the steering wheel once to slide it on, done. After awhile, taking
these things apart to fix, ya say screw it & buy an entire NEW
assembly. What I did, your choice, your money.

[SubGothius]

I gather the turn signal circuits do run thru the hazard switch, so if that's dodgy, it could affect your signals. Glad to hear you got'em working, but if they go south again, that hazard switch should be your first suspect.

[Jim Keller]

My guess: booster probably puked because master was leaking into it, I have poured a lot of brake fluid out of Beta boosters over the years!.....the sneaky little master cyl anyway! ha ha

I am willing to bet there was something up in the flasher unit with the points like connection that was stuck and screwing around with the switches and unit finally broke it lose, kinda like when you forget and leave thge E-Brake set on a Beta over the winter, (my dumb a#$ has BTDT), and ya have to drive it up and down the drive way till the brakes let lose leaving skid marks all over you drive to remind you in the future NOT TO DO THAT! LOL