[65LC]

My '65 GTO turn signal won't cancel on a right hand turn, so I guess I need a new cancel cam. Who sells the best one, - Ames doesn't show having them ? The car has tilt, so anything special to watch out for? Thanks, Dale

[Rich-Tripower]

Might not be the cancel cam, could be the turnsignal switch. In fact, it is most likely the switch instead of the cam if the cancel works in one direction but not the other.

[Chris65LeMans]

Before you start ordering stuff, I’d pull off the steering wheel to diagnose. The problem will likely be obvious.

[backn65]

i have the same exact problem with my 65 Lemans w/tilt. the flat spring type part hangs up on the post and does not return(cancel)when wheel is rotated back. i have discussed with 2 knowledgeable individuals and got 2 different answers.
1) the plate has to be replaced , 2) to move the cabled switch up or down that is lower on the column. from what i can see, i think the problem is with the upper parts not the switch. i tried to add some grease to help free up, no luck.

SORRY, the 2nd pic keeps showing upside down


forgot i did this diagram of problem in 3rd pic

[65LC]

After some research of this problem, and the many possible causes I see, I better pull the wheel off first. Thanks for the replies. One other thing,- on '65 GTO, did the turn signals have the lane changer feature, where you could just put pressure on the lever to activate the signal instead of clicking it full on?

[Peter Serio]

That column is one of the most complex GM ever made, the electrical part of the TS switch is not up near the steering wheel like the ones from 1967 and up.

It was mounted under the dash on the side of the tube. In-between the switch and the mechanical part of the TS lever control is a wire cable.

It is very common on those old cables where the vinyl sheathing of that cracks around the outside and then the thin wire inside can't register the correct position for switch on/off or switch cancel. That is the first thing I would check, you need to remove the steering wheel to really get a good look at it. That cable typically cracks up inside the column. (Every time you go to adjust that tilt-wheel you are flexing the cable.)

After 57 years and 20,000 or so "flexes" that's all you get!

[backn65]

i just got my car out of storage. will do some work, as i recall the cable looked fine. since one side works , it seems to me that the problem is in the part i diagramed and not the cable. the lane changer feature seems like something for newer cars.
when i purchased the column it had a paper part # sticker which was for a 65 Chevy "A" body. the levers were chrome like the pontiacs, the Chevy levers had plastic knobs.

[65LC]

I'm going to borrow my buddies wheel puller, & see what I find. I'll post pics of what I find.

[Dick Boneske]

This is a common problem on '64-'65 Tempests. The plastic ears that cancel when you finish the turn become weak and fail to return the switch to center. I"ve fixed the problem temporarily with rubber bands to provide more force, but the heat of summer quickly destroys the rubber bands.

The Chinese repro switches are not a good answer. After going through the effort of replacing the switch, it's not fun to discover the new switch does not work. I've had this situation twice--both times the new switch blew the fuse.

I've been looking for a switch for my '64 for more than a year. I don't know if it's possible to replace the plastic ears and keep the OEM switch.

Your technical help wold be appreciated.

[65LC]

Judging by the pics posted by backn65, it looks like a tilt column doesn't have any plastic parts in the hub. As stated in Pete Serios post, the switch is mounted down on the column, and a cable runs up to the hub where the cancel parts are. I'll find out whenever I get to look at it.

[60sstuff]

Exactly, the “Tilt Column” does not have Plastic Ears.
Post #9 is misleading and does not pertain to the OP question.

Here is the exploded view of the 64-66 Tempest Tilt Column, along with the description page from the MPC.

65LC, Good luck with your fix.

[Dick Boneske]

Originally Posted by 60sstuff

Exactly, the “Tilt Column” does not have Plastic Ears.
Post #9 is misleading and does not pertain to the OP question.

Here is the exploded view of the 64-66 Tempest Tilt Column, along with the description page from the MPC.

65LC, Good luck with your fix.

Sorry, I missed the last sentence of the OP about tilt.

[John V.]

Originally Posted by 65LC

After some research of this problem, and the many possible causes I see, I better pull the wheel off first. Thanks for the replies. One other thing,- on '65 GTO, did the turn signals have the lane changer feature, where you could just put pressure on the lever to activate the signal instead of clicking it full on?

I'm pretty sure the lane change momentary contact switches first appeared for the '67 models.

My '64 GTO with original tilt column does not have the lane change feature.

I think all '67 Pontiacs featured it. I believe the '67 Mustang also featured it.

I thought perhaps it may have been a Fed mandated safety feature, helped eliminate the flashing turn signal for miles on end when the signal didn't cancel automatically and the driver "forgot" to cancel.

However it does not appear that all US made/sold cars had the feature in '67 so does not seem to have been a legislated feature, at least not as early as '67.

Regardless, the story goes that John Delorean came up with the very simple momentary contact lane change signal switch at a time when others were proposing more complex solutions to the problem.

GM ballyhooed the lane change feature for all of their '67 cars and even light trucks from what I can tell.

[428goat]

Lane change was a 67 safety feature along with the collapsing steering column.

[Old Goat 67]

Originally Posted by 428goat

Lane change was a 67 safety feature along with the collapsing steering column.

TRUE.

[John V.]

GM promoted the lane change directional signals as a safety feature for ‘67.

However I did not find anything that says it was a Federal mandated safety feature.

Are you guys saying it WAS Federal mandated for ‘67?

If not ‘67, was it Federal mandated in a subsequent year?

GM sometimes added safety features that they would ballyhoo for competitive reasons. For example, I remember when GM ballyhooed “steel guard beams” in the doors, I believe new for ‘68. I don’t think these were Federal mandated but GM promoted them as a big safety feature that the competition lacked.