Indicator Switch Will Not Self Cancel

[Paulfc]

Hi,

My indicators work fine, except the indicator switch will not self cancel when set to the left; the right setting works fine.

The column is set correctly with the cancellation cam set at 3pm position.

Can someone please advise me of how the switch functions? I can see no obvious difference when I operate it with it “rocking”, apparently, in an identical manner on both sides. Is there any chance of repairing the switch or do I need to replace it?

Many thanks,

Paul

[johny]

This is probably what awaits you inside the indicator mechanism and most likely one of those pivoting reset arms isnt working. Might just be stuck so worth a look but anymore than that pretty difficult to repair as the intention was the whole unit just be replaced...

[Colin Lindsay]

Make sure those springs in the photo are present, the two bent metal ones at each side, they can drop out. 

Also: make sure you have the correct indicator stalk for the self-centre mechanism, there are two types: one with the two prongs as shown, and one with a single centre prong, and the clip on the column is different depending on which setup you're meant to have. 

[johny]

Which type would it be Colin, I think its a mk3 GT6? Also if it was one of those side strip springs surely the stalk wouldnt lock both ways the same and Paul says theres nothing wrong with the operation only the self reset.... 

[Paulfc]

Thanks both for your advice. In the last few minutes and after probably forty minutes over several sessions of watching it work on the right but not on the left I realised what was happening!

The two canceling “blades” shown above with the pivot pins and joined by the small central spring are obviously worn by years of operation and the upper one, associated with the LH cancellation, particularly so. As a consequence it is “floppy” so doesn’t pivot cleanly but moves out of true by just a tiny amount. As a result it doesn’t engage with the edge of the “bent metal one” and so the cancellation doesn’t happen. To prove it I applied a tiny piece of blue tack to the blade/pivot pin to stop it wobbling and it now works perfectly.

Now I’m just left with finding a permanent solution. Any ideas?
 

Again, thanks for your help and for taking the time to respond.

 

[johny]

I take it the blade pivots on the pin so has worn its hole larger and is now loose? Will the pin come out?

[Paulfc]

That’s correct. I’m pretty sure the pin won’t come out.  I’m thinking I’ll look to see if I can find a blue tack type solution that’ll be less prone to come adrift.

 

[johny]

I would have thought the pin is only tapped into the plastic base so a thin bladed screwdriver could be used to pry it out by levering under the pin head. Otherwise if the hole in the blade is too big and the base is strong enough you might be able to use a centre punch to put punch marks in the blade around the pin so the metal is squeezed in to give a tighter fit...

[johny]

An alternative bodge Ive used in similar situations is to wrap a fine wire several times as tightly as possible between the blade and pin head so it effectively acts as a washer and might stabilise the blade. Keep it in place by twisting the ends of the wire...