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Spitfire 1500 Indicator problems


Taffius

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Hi all,

 

Help required warning. After a time away and it feeling like spring today I thought I would blow the cobwebs off the car and have a spin.

 

First turn left and I noticed indicator light on dash stayed on and it did not repeat. Got home and found front indicator stays on, rear does not indicate at all!

Rear bulb is intact and cleaned its contact however it still does not work. At one point I had the brake lights come on when I put the indicator on but that did not come back after a while of testing. I do not know much about wiring gremlins so has anyone experienced this before? Is there an issue with the repeater, an earth issue or a front bulb issue?

 

Hopefully someone has seen this before and its an easy fix or find! Any help much appreciated!

post-1047-0-83682600-1456691703_thumb.jpg

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The bulbs are easily tested with a meter, but I would suspect the earth. There are two sorts of bulb holder. The newer one has live and an earth terminals, the older just a live terminal and it relies on the body of the holder to earth to the body of the car. The older ones, I think, are more troublesome but there's a lot of head scratching if you replace an old one with a new one and don't know the difference! Don't ask how I know! :wub:

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dougs spot on  the mix and match different generations of claw holder needs a fes asprins and strong tea

 

add in offset pin stop tail twin filiaments with singles and mix and n=match the bulbs in as equally daft mixed up oder and you get a christmas tree effect

 

I would pull all the claw holders and look for what type of earth  does it need and has it got an earth is it wired earth (ye ha!) no not wyatt erp  

or the claws the earth, then is the lamp housing earthed  .

 

look down the bulb holder there is a thin spring copper that makes earth to the bulb case,..  is it making contact 

 

this is a great fun job while the suns out .   theres plenty of Tee shirts for this   little wonder 

 

Pete

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Pete/Doug/John,

 

Many thanks for replies and taking time to help and sorry for acknowledging that as have been away. I will check the earthing thanks.

 

It is a claw type with a pin at bottom so with take out claw holder and have a good look around. Not gone back to this yet.

 

On another topic are windscreen wipers notorisly slow on all models? Also have no windscreen washer. Just looking at things that MOT might pick up!!!!

 

Thanks again...

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My windscreen wipers have two speeds, slight mist and slow drizzle. I don't know if the 1500 has an electric pump but if it is the same as the GT6 it's hand-drolic, you push the button and pump the water out. If it's the same it maybe that the one way valve in the bottom of the water bottle is, no more.

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Electric washer pump on the 1500 and the wipers should be two speed. I've got the same set up on my car ad the wipers are quite acceptable. The wiper motor earth is the black cable with an eyelet that screws into the scuttle. It is possible that this is corroded and may well account for the wipers moving slowly. 

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Thanks John & Richard,

 

Found a small washer pump along the washer pipe so either another earth issue or pump or switch.

 

Also progress on rear indicator fault - got it back working, but now I have no brake lights! :wacko:

 

Start of a work list already. Thanks all for the contributions.

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Hi, similar problem, indicator light comes on but no flash, hazard warning lights work ok as does the alarm when arming and disarming, all four light flash, except when used in the indication mode left or right they just stay on when selected. The feed from the hazard warning switch appears ok as the horn and brake lights operate and the indicators signal but do not flash. On later Spitfires one flasher unit is used for hazards and indicators, although the Haynes and BL manuals wiring diagrams don't show this! As a precaution the flasher unit has been replaced.

 

Help Please!!!!!!!!     

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As for slow wipers theres the motor gearbox grease has dried up, likewise the rack spiral and tubes need a grease up buy withdrawing the rack, its also worth turning the rack over and repositioning the wheel box gear, remove the wiper arms, attach a card needle with blue tac , to point up.

pull the rack when you grease and refit it turn the wheel box so when youmrefit it ends up points down so then rack now runs on unworn teeth

 

alway check the spindles run freely when the rack is out

 

pete

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Hi Pete, have got to the problem with the indicators, the Haynes manual stated that there was a combined flasher unit for hazards and indicators in fact there are two we located the second indicator unit which was found to be defective. When replaced,indicators okay. Thanks for your concern.

 

Bill

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks all, I found a bad earth on the opposite side of problem (drive side brake light earth) and all works now. Blinky and Stoppies.

 

However time to move to a new forum as I have taken it out today and when accelerating I am experiencing spluttering - I think running it on low fuel might have cost me some dirt in something or other electrical / firing issues.

 

Thanks again though for all the help here!

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  • 9 months later...

Useful info in this thread as I have both indicator and wiper problems with my 2500S.  Indicators flash when first used for about 5 secs then stay on until cancelled.  From then on in that journey they just stay on when indicating, but do not flash.  For a while the fuse would blow stopping all that circuit (wipers, indicators, fuel, temp gauges etc).  I replaced the hazard switch and wiper parking switch which seemed to cure the blowing fuse... until yesterday.  I know I need to check all indicator and brake light earths, and should lubricate the wiper wheel boxes (tip from Mr Witor) and (from this thread) the whole wiper rails mechanism etc. 

 

Just for my info does the 2500S also have two flasher units?  I can only see one, which has been replaced, but did not fix the non-flashing problem.

 

Bit of a problem as my wife refuses to drive it without indicators or wipers!

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from the wiring  2500s diagram yes there is a hazard and flasher  as separate units

 

do check the dual filiament bulbs  5/21w are in ok/ right way round for stop tail  and the flashers are all 21w and the claw fittings are making an earth in the boot.

 

also delete the nigh dimmer in the boot  rear wheel arch if its fitted,  easy to bypass join all like colours and ditch the earth

 

pete

 

dont see one on the 25s diagram so youre lucky

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First off I'd replace the mechanical flasher unit for a modern, 3 terminal electronic one. Much more reliable, more consistent flash rate and also a little more tollerent to bad earths (as it's electronically timed rather than relying on current through the circuit to heat up a bi-metalic strip).

 

also delete the nigh dimmer in the boot  rear wheel arch if its fitted,  easy to bypass join all like colours and ditch the earth

Easier than that to disable the night dimming relay. No need to bypass all the joints, just pull of the relay's earth lead. With no earth the relay circuit will never complete so you're always in 'day' mode.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks for your advice.  Apologies for not acknowledging earlier.  I have checked all indicator bulbs and earths, cleaned up and they all seem fine to me.  Indicators still staying on after about 10 secs.  Could not find the other flasher unit, only the one I have previously replaced by the fuses behind the card backing for the shelf under the glove compartment.  Sorry to be thick, but can you point me to the other unit?  Also, do I take it that my 2500S does not have a night dimmer switch in the boot rear wheel arch (as I could not find that either!).  Thanks.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Thanks for all advice on this.  Still have "flasher staying on and not flashing" problems.  Fuse has blown again too after a few months of no blowing.  Can someone be so kind as to direct me to the location of the second flasher unit for my 2500S?  Thanks.

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