No Indicators and no headlight Flashing - possibly brake lights too!

[Anglefire]

Went out in my Spitfire this morning for the first time since I changed the steering wheel.

Realised as the indicators weren't self cancelling that I'd forgot to fit the pin in the back of the wheel - but no big deal.

Then realised the left hand ones were working. Checked in the car park and the one way the green tell tale flashed, the other the oil and battery light just dimmed slightly.

Then realised coming back that the right hand ones aren't either. 

Then the rev counter stopped working.

So gets home and starts to check and find the bracket holding the rev  counter is quite loose - and then that the bracket is twisted - so took the bracket off - found to wires on the one bracket - so earth wires - one goes to the fog light switch. Refitted the bracket, checked and sprayed the plug from the indicator/horn stalk switch to the loom with contact cleaner.

Then find one 35A blown. No obvious cause so replaced the fuse - but still no indicators or hazzards. But the rev counter works (After the usual tap!) Or fog lights. 

Not sure about the brake lights as I've not checked those - head lights work as does main beam (Though doesn't flash)

Gave up now as I need to sort some stuff out before I go to Edinburgh tomorrow. 

Anything obvious to check before I dig out the wiring diagrams?

[dougbgt6]

Mark,

Fuse box?

The fuses are held at either end by two "plates", at first glance each appear to be a sprung clip, they aren't. The two bits of metal are not electrically joined until you put the fuse in, so you can get the fuse held and making contact at one end but only making contact to one "plate" at the other. All sorts of head scratching faults appear. Pinch the fuse holders together and re-insert fuses.

Other than that a faulty earth, but it is wiring diagram time!

Doug 

[Pete Lewis]

Echo dougs view on the troublesome fuse box ,  its the root of all evils.

 

 

[Anglefire]

Yeah I found out the hard way that the fuse box is a bit dodgy. 

But putting the fuse back in does seem to have restored power to both sides of the fuse when the ignition is on. 

Ill get the diagram out when I’ve finished cutting the grass and got my bags packed. Actually it more a case of getting all the. Crap out of the laptop bag as most of it won’t go through the airport scanner ?

[dougbgt6]

Nice coloured diagrams here. So much easier to read than black and white.

http://triumphspitfire.com/images/wiring/78diagram.jpg

 

Doug

[Anglefire]

Thanks Doug, I did look in the Haynes manual not long ago (I was being lazy!) - its rubbish compared to this one - which I have a copy of on the computer.

Given the top fuse is still ok after running the car, whatever caused the short has gone away - for now - so just got to trace the green wires back and probably check the bottom fuse as the door light has stopped working too. Though it was working the other day when I was fitting the steering wheel - but the headlamp flash wasn't - so need to check the plug again as the horn has packed up too!

Might be as simple as the direction flasher has packed up. No time now - job for next weekend if I get chance and the weather is kind!

[daverclasper]

Hi.

Is there a diagram as good as that for Vitesse, please?. Can't find any online.

Thanks, Dave

[dougbgt6]

Dave,

The one above comes from the Spitfire & GT6 online magazine. There is a mistake on their GT6 diagram with the fuses, bottom is actually middle, top is bottom and middle is top. Although I suspect the mistake may be on my car! Doesn't really matter it's just the names that are wrong.

There is this site, but they want £10

http://www.classiccarwiring.co.uk/Triumph/Page-/-Category

The site has a sample of their work, doesn't say what it is.

http://www.classiccarwiring.co.uk/epages/es142611.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es142611/Products/Sample

If they've done it somebody some where's put it up for free. Keep looking!

Doug

 

[Anglefire]

A bit of progress today - well a lot actually - but also a step backwards

2 fuses had blown - top I replaced last week and today the bottom one - couldn't see the bottom one had blown - though I'm sure I stuck a meter on it 

Anyway - you are right - the fuse box is proper rubbish - to get the new fuses to make proper contact, I've had to wrap the ends with foil backed tape - used by insulation contractors - I just happen to have a roll! So another job on the list is to replace the fuse box. Recommendations? 

So that gave me lights back and now the hazards sort of worked very slowly. What confused me was that there was two flasher units - the coloured wiring diagram only shows one - and the second one is only held onto the steering column with a cable tie!

I had had a thought that it might be a flasher issue - so I'd ordered a generic one from Amazon yesterday which arrived this morning.

I worked out by feel that the one mounted in the clip behind the dash works the hazards - and the other did nothing.

So, I swapped the one tie wrapped with the new one and it all worked. 

So, all lectrics now working - side, head, head flash, indicators, fog, brakes not checked, but the fogs are tapped off the feed to the brake switch - so should work ok (Oh and I hate scotch locks - device of the devil - some something else to eliminate!

Except I had removed the new indicator switch - when I looked again I wasn't convinced the end of the connections to the indicator switch hadn't touched the column - so I decided to modify the cable routing (It is a LHD switch modified to work RHD) and during that process - and previous stuffing of the cables behind and around the cowl brackets  - one of them has sheared off - and i can't see an easy way to fix it

So its back in the garage whilst I sulk.

Oh and I've just checked the wiring diagram in the Haynes manual and that shows 2 flasher units - though where the second one is mounted, I still have no idea!

[Anglefire]

Looking for another switch and came across this on eBay - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Classic-Mini-Indicator-Stalk-Column-Switch-With-Horn-1976-to-1984-21A2658-NEW/162178104955?epid=1542465865&hash=item25c2917e7b:g:Rd0AAOSwg55alqgt

It says it doesn't fit the Spitfire - but it looks remarkably similar.

 

[hugh]

Doesn't quite fit requires a little bit of lateral thinking, but can be made to fit and work, done it several times

[Anglefire]

Ah, ok. I'll stick with the LHD version and swap the plate over.

I might do a write up next time - as there are a few things I've learnt along the way!

[dougbgt6]

Mark,

Sorry, try this diagram from the same site, this one shows both the flasher relay and the hazard relay as you've discovered one's in the engine bay and the other dangles behind the dash.

http://triumphspitfire.com/wiring.html

This diag is the 76 Spitfire the previous one was for the 78.

 

[Colin Lindsay]

Have you found a source for good fuses yet? I've just tried three major suppliers - all out of stock, expected soon, and Canleys are listing them as no longer available.

I need at least one and preferably three 17 amp continuous / 35 amp blow fuses for the GT6 before Friday.

[Paul H]

10 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Have you found a source for good fuses yet? I've just tried three major suppliers - all out of stock, expected soon, and Canleys are listing them as no longer available.

I need at least one and preferably three 17 amp continuous / 35 amp blow fuses for the GT6 before Friday.

Hi Colin , need to confirm though pretty sure I’ve got 3 which I cud post. Just upgraded my Vitesse to new fuse box , so using blade fuses 

Paul 

[Ben Caswell]

If you are desperate and they are the glass tube type you can try drilling a small hole in each end

with a modelling drill. Then use household fuse wire and re-solder the ends. Its a bodge but its

better than wrapping the fuse in silver foil??

[Pete Lewis]

And be careful when buying there are two standards out there

Typical   fues wired   eg   35 amp  blow with 17amp continuos  marked with both values

There some with a strip  fusibles  just marked 35,  that is a 35 continuous  ...fire in the hold

Comes to mind ,   that wont fuse till its all too late

Pete 

 

[Paul H]

11 hours ago, Pete Lewis said:

And be careful when buying there are two standards out there

Typical   fues wired   eg   35 amp  blow with 17amp continuos  marked with both values

There some with a strip  fusibles  just marked 35,  that is a 35 continuous  ...fire in the hold

Comes to mind ,   that wont fuse till its all too late

Pete 

 

 

11 hours ago, Pete Lewis said:

And be careful when buying there are two standards out there

Typical   fues wired   eg   35 amp  blow with 17amp continuos  marked with both values

There some with a strip  fusibles  just marked 35,  that is a 35 continuous  ...fire in the hold

Comes to mind ,   that wont fuse till its all too late

Pete 

 

Hi Pete what does 35amp 17amp continuous mean ?

Paul 

[AidanT]

These are when the fuse will blow  35A 17 continuous will blow at at a continuous 17A draw but will take a 35A peak or spike. You don't want a fuse that will only blow with upto a 35A continuous flow that's a fire hazard !

This is a good reason to either upgrade the fuse box and/or replace the loom 

Aidan 

 

[Blitz]

Pete can you add fuse box upgrade to twiddle Day ?  Could you bring along an example of a good fuse box to replace the original and explain how to fit ? Just a thought. Looks like a sensible upgrade to do for all members and ultimately a car saver. 

Grant 

[Anglefire]

1 hour ago, Blitz said:

 

Mark,

Sorry, try this diagram from the same site, this one shows both the flasher relay and the hazard relay as you've discovered one's in the engine bay and the other dangles behind the dash.

 

No need to be sorry - and as for being in the engine bay mine are both behind the dash. One clipped in and the other just hanging. 

As for fuses. I’ve fitted 35A ones so will get those swapped out for something smaller. Though swapping the fuse box is high up my list of jobs. 

PS (Don't know why the quote is listed as Blitz! Should be Doug!)

Edited April 15, 2018 by Anglefire

[AidanT]

This may be of use Grant

http://forum.tssc.org.uk/topic/2452-fuse-box-replacement/

Aidan 

 

[Paul H]

Re 35amp fuse. Could a domestic 15 amp fuse be used. They do fit 

 Paul

 

[Paul H]

14 hours ago, Paul H said:

Hi Colin , need to confirm though pretty sure I’ve got 3 which I cud post. Just upgraded my Vitesse to new fuse box , so using blade fuses 

Paul 

Checked and i have 5 x 35 amp fuses. 3 original and 2 spares from canleys. They all say 35amp but none have 17amps mentioned even the canley ones. One has lucas written on it. If they are of use please let me know

Paul.

[Colin Lindsay]

Thanks Paul - they need to be 17amp 35 amp quickblow for the reasons Aidan and Pete say. Were they originally supplied by Canleys for the GT6 / Spitfire? Their website lists 35amp, but says the ones I need are NLA, and I'm very averse to wiring loom fires.