Turn Signal Flasher Location !?

[Thomas Webb]

Hi everyone. Well, I finally broke down and decided to splurge on a new turn signal / wiper combination switch for my '69 280SE W111 Coupe. Since my car is a four-speed floor shift, driving around town and having to hold the indicator lever with the other hand, and steer with my third hand has made driving very interesting. I'll be replacing the switch as soon as it gets here. My real question is: where in the heck is the flasher location? I'd like to change this out because my turn signals are very slow, and the bi-metal strip in the flasher unit is probably just plain tired after nearly 40 years. I've looked everywhere under-dash, and I've come up dry. Any thoughts?

[aircap]

I have a '68 220, and mine's actually part of the four-way flasher switch, mounted in the console. It's not a separate little round metal flasher like you're probably used to...it's built right into the hazard switch. Don't know if yours is the same, but if so, it looks like this (but with the red hazard knob attached to the shaft):



Hope this helps!

[Thomas Webb]

Thanks! I will look for such a beast. I stopped at a NAPA a while back, and they handed me a -you-guessed-it - round flasher unit. So that, of course, is what I've been looking for. NAPA. What was I thinking? I don't really have a center console, but I guess I'll just keep following wires 'till I find something that looks like your picture.

Tom Webb

[aircap]

No sweat. Actually the official part is so expensive, I just patched a regular old $2.50 flasher into the turn signal circuit for the time being. Don't tell the purists.

[sjefke]

My 70 111 280SE 3.5 coupe's turn signal is also patched through the hazard switch (like Tom said) so that is probably also correct for your 69 280 coupe. I know this because the turn signal was not working when I bought the car and the PO's garage could not find the problem until they sent it to the local MB expert who fixed it by putting in a new hazard switch (the old one was actually missing from the dash...)

Good luck,

Bert

[Tomguy]

You replaced the whole stalk because it wouldn't stick while turning?

Tisk tisk! These are easily fixable!

If you take the unit out (or just unscrew it enough to access), you'll see where the pin rests when you're trying to turn, it should look a little like a (. After years, the curved part wears down - making it look like | - and the pin won't stay anymore. Using a round file (like what you sharpen a chainsaw with) you can add a curve back in, and the old one will last for years longer. I did that with mine. Just don't curve it TOO much, or it won't come off automatically!

[Blue 72 250]

Sounds like an opportunity for a DIY tomguy. Take some pics

[Thomas Webb]

Thanks again, everybody. Tomguy - I actually bought a working used one, so I don't feel like I went too crazy. ' Guess making your modification or closely examining the replacement switch would be the thing to do before installing.

Is it common for the flasher unit to slow considerably with age?