JDRiv Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 Can someone please tell me if this is the correct turn signal switch for a '63 Riv?...and if not, where I might be able to get one. I'm troubleshooting turn signals. I currently have brake lights working and turn signals working in the front only. Any help is greatly appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cannon Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 It looks like the correct switch to me, assuming you have a tilt column. If you have a non-tilt column, that is the wrong switch.Assuming you have a tilt column and use this, the first thing you need to do is remove that spring from the switch! This is my advice to all 1st generation Riv owners with a tilt column: Remove that spring from the turn signal switch! You do not need it. This was Buick engineers being a bit too clever. The only thing that spring ends up doing is pulling the metal ends off of the signal actuator cable, and then your signals don't work right.Your switch may be dirty. Try spraying some contact cleaner in it and working it back and forth. Read out the terminals with a meter. The brake light on one side or the other gets interrupted with this switch and then that brake light gets power fed to it through the flasher unit.I suspect your actuator cable from the top of the steering column down to this switch is broken. (A common problem.)HTH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDRiv Posted October 7, 2010 Author Share Posted October 7, 2010 Thanks Jim! I do have a tilt column. I think the bottom of my cable is okay...not sure about the top yet. I will do as you suggest and get back to you later on how it turned out. Best regards,JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cannon Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 The photo shows what the broken cable looks like when it parts up at the turn signal actuator end.When the plastic sheath is allowed to move around, the turn signal lever does not move the wire properly down at the switch end.You can usually get the signal to work in one direction, but not the other, and often one brake light will remain out (because the turn signal switch has not fully centered after use -- due to sheath on cable being broken). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDRiv Posted October 13, 2010 Author Share Posted October 13, 2010 Thanks Jim. Except for some troublesome connections at the fuse block, the signals are all working. I'll try to remount the switch and connect the cable hopefully this weekend. I'll let you know how it turns out. JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDRiv Posted October 18, 2010 Author Share Posted October 18, 2010 Well Jim - It seems to be as you predicted. With everything reconnected, the cable doesn't have enough throw to actuate the switch. The plastic sheath is cracked in several places on my cable and it must also be disconnected up at the actuator end (though I haven't been able to figure out how to disassemble the actuator to check for sure). It looks like I'm going to have to rig something up on the outside of the steering column for now to get usable signals. If you have ideas on how to do that or where to get a new cable, please let me know. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cannon Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 I hate to be the one with the bad news all the time, but I know these cars well and I know their design weaknesses.Your best bet would be to try to find a good used signal actuator cable from someone with a parts car.New cables are impossible to find.Some guys have made new cables by working with their local motorcycle shop, using materials normally used for throttle cables. I have not done that and do not know what is involved.The instructions for opening up the top of the steering column to get to the turn signal mechanism are in the shop manual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dantana Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Gents, I see that this post was from some time ago. Does anyone know of a place to get a replacement actuator cable these days? I took mine apart and yes...the rubber was missing and cracked. Only the left side turns on and stays on actually and my tail lights dont work, Would this be tied together? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cannon Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Gents, I see that this post was from some time ago. Does anyone know of a place to get a replacement actuator cable these days? I took mine apart and yes...the rubber was missing and cracked. Only the left side turns on and stays on actually and my tail lights dont work, Would this be tied together? Yes, this is all part of the same problem. The actuator cable needs to be replaced. I do not know of any supplier of this part new. You can contact people that sell used parts and see if you can get a good used one. It's not easy to find them unbroken. Someone was going to contact their local motorcycle shop to see about having a new cable made. I never heard the result of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Gents, I see that this post was from some time ago. Does anyone know of a place to get a replacement actuator cable these days? I took mine apart and yes...the rubber was missing and cracked. Only the left side turns on and stays on actually and my tail lights dont work, Would this be tied together?An improper position of the turn signal switch will affect brake lights but should not affect the tail lights. You may have more than one problem. Tom Mooney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Someone was going to contact their local motorcycle shop to see about having a new cable made. I never heard the result of that. That would be me. Everytime I talk to Mark, my neighbor who owns the motorcycle shop, it's about baseball or what ever is happening in the neighborhood. It's still on my bucket list. Thanks for reminding me. Anyone have one that they've removed that I could use to show him? Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Judging from the picture of the broken piece, it appears to me to be the same size cable GM used on temperature doorson their cars of that era. If so, you could buy a repro temp door cable for an A-body GM car, then shorten it to the desired length and crimp the brackets from the old cable on to the new cable. Looks like it would be pretty simple to make one of these cables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 68bill Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 If someone ever makes a replacement cable I hope they will make 10 or 20 of them and offer them for sale here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dantana Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 I found one previously for sale on this site www.oldobsolete.com. the pictures were good and it says 18" in length. I am going to take mine out and see if I can make a new one or figure out a way to repair it. Too bad its sold already. http://www.oldsobsolete.com/products-page/1963-buick-parts-for-sale/1963-buick-turn-signal-switch-actuator-wire-nos-1960533/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dantana Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 (edited) OK guys I factually repaired my turn signal actuator cable. Its not pretty but it works. I used 3M aluminum tape. This stuff is great and I use it an a lot of things. Edited December 15, 2015 by Dantana (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dantana Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 I bought a 63 Corvette cable because it was cheap to see if I could modify it to work. I probably could have made it work even though it was thinner. It would have been easier to switch the end pieces and replace the cable housing. Its just plastic. Anyhow, I put a pic up to show the comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petelempert Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 This is a sobering thread and I think timely for me. Just this weekend I noticed my drivers side front turn signal is out. All other lights/signals/brakes operate perfectly. Tried replacing bulb, but no joy. Is this the telltale sign of cable actuator failure? PRL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dantana Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 This is a sobering thread and I think timely for me. Just this weekend I noticed my drivers side front turn signal is out. All other lights/signals/brakes operate perfectly. Tried replacing bulb, but no joy. Is this the telltale sign of cable actuator failure? PRLSounds like it. Its not that hard to take the cable out to check for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 Pete, if your cable is broken, you can buy repro temperature door cables for a Chevelle or GTO, shorten themto the correct length, crimp on the bracket that was on the old cable and you will be good to go for another 50 years. The hard partwill be getting them out of the column to work on them. I would guestimate that once you have the cables on your work bench, itsa 30 minute job to make two new ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petelempert Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 All good advice. Sort of dreading this project. Wish a new bulb had solved it. It's officially on the to do list: Replace cable actuator. PRL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dantana Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 OK guys I have sorted through the wiring and after fixing some bugs which lead me to 2 things I need to fix them all. A turn signal switch and a headlamp switch. I do not have left blinkers and my tail lights don't work. Does anyone know where I can score these two parts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tapjar Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Hello everyone!, I´m new here and I´ve been reading all these threads and what a great help they´have been! I fixed my brake light / turn signal light problem in my 63 Riviera today just by positioning the turn signal switch correctly. The wire movement didn´t move the switch knob to coorect point to connect lights correctly. But then I found a three connector socket with some brown and grey wires hanging loose near the turn signal switch. It would have fitted the three free connectors in the turn signal switch but I didn´have courage to try it. Does anyone know what it is? I didn´t find anything close in the wiring diagram. Br, Tapio J / 63 Riviera Finland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 54 minutes ago, tapjar said: Hello everyone!, I´m new here and I´ve been reading all these threads and what a great help they´have been! I fixed my brake light / turn signal light problem in my 63 Riviera today just by positioning the turn signal switch correctly. The wire movement didn´t move the switch knob to coorect point to connect lights correctly. But then I found a three connector socket with some brown and grey wires hanging loose near the turn signal switch. It would have fitted the three free connectors in the turn signal switch but I didn´have courage to try it. Does anyone know what it is? I didn´t find anything close in the wiring diagram. Br, Tapio J / 63 Riviera Finland Probably for your cornering lights, Tom Mooney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerage Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Great info guys, I too have some electrical gremlins in my recently bought 63. I have no turn signals at all, not even on the dash, can't feel clicking or engaging in anyway with the switch on the column. I have a large do-do list on this car and this job is getting closer. Sounds like I have the common fault During a quick look under the dash I also appear to be missing the bulb holder behind the ignition switch, with two cut wires - black/white stripe and white/black stripe. I guess these came from that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tapjar Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 11 hours ago, 1965rivgs said: Probably for your cornering lights, Tom Mooney Thanx a bunch! Cornering lights are optional? I think my Riviera does not have see through grille in the parts of front park/turns signal lights below bumper, I think there is solid grille that looks like the grille above the bumper...? Cornering lights below bumper would sure look cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 The cornering lights are in the same housing as the turn signals; Buick only made one lamp housing and one grill. There's a hole in the housing that angles towards the outside of the car. If your car was equipped with optional cornering lights, there will be a socket of some kind in that hole. If it wasn't equipped with the optional cornering lights, Buick put a plastic plug into that hole. You should look for the plug, or if the plug has aged and become brittle, you'll just have a hole there. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 (edited) OK guys, I was looking through my new OPGI Chevelle catalog that I get because I have a 70 Chevelle SS396, and I noticed that they are selling reproduction tilt column turn signal cables for the 64-66 Chevelle. In the picture it looks just like the pics I've seen of the first gen Riviera cables. I'm wondering if it would fit our cars. I would think it might if the length is the same. I'm wondering if one of you out there that has your car apart right now could measure the length of your factory cable and also post a pic of it so I can compare it to the pic in the Chevelle catalog to make sure that the end brackets are the same. Edited April 13, 2016 by Seafoam65 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tapjar Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 On 13.4.2016 at 3:34 PM, RivNut said: The cornering lights are in the same housing as the turn signals; Buick only made one lamp housing and one grill. There's a hole in the housing that angles towards the outside of the car. If your car was equipped with optional cornering lights, there will be a socket of some kind in that hole. If it wasn't equipped with the optional cornering lights, Buick put a plastic plug into that hole. You should look for the plug, or if the plug has aged and become brittle, you'll just have a hole there. Ed Thanx Ed! I found them, - no cornering lights in my car. Just plugs filling the holes. Plugs were as good as new, which is good, open holes would let dirt and moisture in. No I´m thinkin of putting lamps into those holes... cornering lights would be cool. I didn´t find free wires, propably there is none. But if the turn signal switch gives constant power to those free contacts, maybe I put wires and bulbs,... So much to learn about Riviera. This is great forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocotillo Bandit Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 Hello I finally have my dreamed 63 Riviera it's a very well preserved dry California beauty. I need to fix the turn signal light actuator cable, I was able to remove the steering column, the screw holding the cable in the steering housing, the switch and cable from the bottom but can not extract the cable, looks like a have to remove the horn switch or the signal switch lever but I don't know how to and I am afraid to brake other pieces. My shop manual book doesn't help, it shows other model instructions. Any help or advice is highly appreciated guys. Thank you all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cannon Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 The Phillips head screw at 4:30 holding the red tab down is what you need to remove. Then slip the actuating wire off of the plastic pin. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocotillo Bandit Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 I Jim, thank you for your help, I did that, now how do I get the cable out of the column: Should I just pull it out without further disassembling the housing, levers, horn? Pull down from the bottom or pull up from top, It's a very tight and confined space. Thanks again friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cannon Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Did you remove the cover piece from the underside of the column? It is a ribbed half cylinder held on by 2 screws. Once you do that, it slips right out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocotillo Bandit Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Hello Yes I did, I just didn't pull it out, I thought other parts and pieces have to be removed to make room to get it out. OK I will work it out, now that I am sure it is the right procedure and will follow the advice in post to try to fix it, the upper jacket needs to be repaired. Nice picture, looks beautiful. Thank you for your time and help Jim, I will keep you posted of the repair status. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocotillo Bandit Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 By the way Jim, what is that push switch shown in the picture to the left of the horn wire for...? My Oweners manual doesn't say and I couldn't figure out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cannon Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 16 hours ago, Ocotillo Bandit said: By the way Jim, what is that push switch shown in the picture to the left of the horn wire for...? My Oweners manual doesn't say and I couldn't figure out. Trip odometer reset knob. It is supposed to have a black plastic knob pressed onto this metal shaft. It cracked from age and fell off. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michel Riv63 Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 Hello I own a 63 Riviera and have also the above mentioned problems with the turn signals. The turn signal switch is a DELCO REMY DR3-63. Right turn is always running good, left turn stops working after a few turns. When it stops working the front left signal is on but not blinking, the back left signal is not working and the brake light left is not working too. As I read I took off the spring and sprayed the pin with contact cleaner. That helped for a while. After driving more than 20 Kilometers the same problem occurred. I parked the car and started it 1 1/2 hour later and the turn signal worked with no problems. This happens every time. Could it be that there is a thermic problem and if so how can it be solved? Or is it something else? Any help is greatly appreciated. Best regards Michel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cannon Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 25 minutes ago, Michel Riv63 said: Hello I own a 63 Riviera and have also the above mentioned problems with the turn signals. The turn signal switch is a DELCO REMY DR3-63. Right turn is always running good, left turn stops working after a few turns. When it stops working the front left signal is on but not blinking, the back left signal is not working and the brake light left is not working too. As I read I took off the spring and sprayed the pin with contact cleaner. That helped for a while. After driving more than 20 Kilometers the same problem occurred. I parked the car and started it 1 1/2 hour later and the turn signal worked with no problems. This happens every time. Could it be that there is a thermic problem and if so how can it be solved? Or is it something else? Any help is greatly appreciated. Best regards Michel The problem is the mechanical actuating cable that runs from the top of the steering column down to the switch, but only if you have a car with a tilt steering wheel. The outer housing of the cable breaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 Sometimes 8f the cable breaks as Jim states above, you can fin one position on your tilt wheel where everything will work. Look for a thread on replacing your cable with a new reproduction one designed for some Chevy model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XframeFX Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 Michel, if it is the switch and in my case it was. A replacement can be purchased for a Chev but without cornering lights. Also, beware of the mounting bracket as it might be different. Further to this, I've found an early '63 Riviera with the switch mounted differently at the bottom of the column. Lots of research went into this. What got me going was removing the switch and found the cable OK, then tested the switch out-of-the-car and found it intermittent. This started the whole ordeal of taking 2 switches apart (both were flakey) and building 1 good switch, all for wanting to keep my cornering lights. John B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocotillo Bandit Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 Hello guys, has anyone tried this Chevy Impala 63-63 cable? https://www.impalaparts.com/6364TSSCC/ Please comment, thank you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now