Flasher Relay on a 1500 Spitfire

[Black Cat]

Flasher relays seem to be a common problem with Spitfires but there doesn’t seem to be a one fit answer to all the questions.

I have a Triumph Spitfire 1500, 1977 model which I recently brought. Everything seemed to work OK when I got it, but until turning a corner, where a car was waiting to pull out the other day, indicated, as you should, the green dash light flashed, albeit very slowly and intermittent and the gentlemen waiting to pull out seemed a bit vexed and muttered a few choice words, which suggested the indicators went working.

Got the car home and low and behold the indicators didn’t work. Well I say didn’t work, occasional they would wink but most of the time didn’t.

First thing I did was checked all the bulbs, one had blown. Replaced that but still no improvement, all the indicator light come on but no flashing.

So I’m thinking it may well be the relay, the relay I have is a Lucas FL 12V 12A MAX FLASHER with the numbers 35053B  0377 7315. Managed to locate the relay under the dash, it is a two pin replay, switched the indicators on while holding the relay and felt and heard nothing so I’m assuming the relay could be at fault.

My question is this, am I right to assume the relay is at fault and if so do I replace it with exactly the same  or is there a more suitable one which I should be using?

[Clive]

Could well be the flasher unit.

he hazard flasher is next to it, you can try swapping them to check, and you may need to have a few revs to get enough voltage from the alternator.

 

I have converted all my cars to electronic flasher unit, something like this (this does leds or normal bulbs, plenty available, even from Halfords) Only thing it requires an extra connection to earth, but not much grief! They are like clockwork, and just work good as gold. (the original types are now all repro, and hopeless)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LED-Flasher-Unit-Relay-Indicators-12V-For-LED-Light-Turn-Signal-3-Pin-UK-STOCK/173256565769?epid=7015825323&hash=item2856e56409%3Ag%3AApMAAOSwZVlXo~y2&_sacat=0&_nkw=flasher+relay&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.Xflasher+relay.TRS0

[Black Cat]

Thanks Clive,

Forgot to say that the hazard flasher unit also not working, and haven't located that yet. Did this model have two flasher units as I'm aware that some models only had one?

If that is the case, and there is a second flasher unit would it be the same as the indicator flasher unit you you have indicated above.

[Clive]

It should be almost next to the indicator flasher. Thay had little metal clips to attach them to the parcel shelf bar, near your left knee when driving. Can be elusive, moreso if they have  been played with in the past. But there are definitely 2.

Can you get all 4 bulbs to work? bad connections are notorious. The bulb holders at the rear often need attention where they fit to the lamp housing (just had this on mine at the weekend)

And the hazard switches are a pain, as they are used rarely and so can again develop internal corrosion. May need a a lot of pulling on/off or even taking out and soaking in switch cleaner. That usually sorts them.

 

Good luck, just off to my local meeting. In my spit, with a new rear spring fitted today.....

[rlubikey]

It can also suggest a low voltage. Check your battery and your alternator before you ditch the flasher.

Cheers, Richard

[Anglefire]

Mine suddenly stopped working - both hazards and normal. Was the flasher unit: but my hazard one is strapped to the steering column. Strapped being a polite way of saying it ?

[Black Cat]

Thanks for your assistance ladies and gents. Electrics are not my strong point.

So first thing check the voltage from the battery. 

All four bulbs work, they are constantly on but no flashing on indicators or hazards. They will occasional flash but very slowly and when they feel like it.

One flasher unit found, need to find the other one now and then may have to order two new flashers as indicated by Clive, as I would like to change the bulbs to LED's at some point.

[dougbgt6]

That's nothing! The GT6 flasher dangles at a jaunty angle behind the dash, not clamped to anything.

I would check the earths, there are two types of bulb holder. One type has a live and an earth connection, the other has a live connection and gets it's earth from contact with the car body. The second one is troublesome as rust doesn't conduct. 

db

[Pete Lewis]

And while checking the mix and match earth problems of wired  earth and self claw earths being mixed and matched check the bulb holders are correct for single and double filiament bulbs as these get messed around and cause chaos.

Think im right  that a slow flash is high loading   being wrong bulbs bad earths back feeding other bulbs 

And  fast flashes is light loading  like a bulb is out 

Make sure all flasher Bulbs are 21watt  and stop /tail are   21/5  watts  any side repeaters are 4watts 

[Black Cat]

Thanks Pete will check that out tomorrow.

 

[Pete Lewis]

one simple test for çrossed feeds and bad earths is get someone to watch  indicate and apply brakes , yoummay find youmthennget a mix of half lit bulbs and more of a chritmas tree effect as the flashers earth via side lights or brake lights  but sort of work ok if just on their own

The mix of bad earth on the rear lamp claw fittings is whowfully awful, then get twin filiament bulbs in single fittings and more awful bulb mix and match on these lamps is very common

Yes even with offset bayonet pins they do get pushed into the wrong holders, seen it many times 

Pete

[NonMember]

11 hours ago, Pete Lewis said:

Think im right  that a slow flash is high loading   being wrong bulbs bad earths back feeding other bulbs 

And  fast flashes is light loading  like a bulb is out

I thought it was the other way round but it may depend on the flasher unit. The two terminal ones heat up with the bulb current until they're hot enough to turn off, so if the current is too low they never get there and the lights just stay on.

As to locations... the Mk3 GT6 (and probably Mk4 Spitfire) hazard flasher is in the engine bay near the battery but I believe they moved it at some point, probably when the hazard switch got a built-in red light. On the earlier cars, it's a different unit to the indicators and they don't work if swapped - due to the incorrect loading.

[dougbgt6]

My hazard is relay is rectangular and my flasher round and presumably,  intuitively, incompatible. I notice that both Rimmer and Canley have a flasher unit described as for "Mk1 and late Mk3 GT6".  Once again late Mk3 different to everything else!

db

 

[Mjit]

I'd second Clive's recommendation - swap to a solid state flasher relay.  Quick and simple to fit and suddenly your indicators just flash at a constant speed every time you flick the switch.

[Black Cat]

OK Gents, now have my two replacement flasher relay units and ready to fit, problem is what terminal goes to what pin on the relay. I have attached a photo of the relay I have below. The colour of the cables in the old flasher unit are green with a white strip on one wire and two purple wires going into the other terminal.

I know one will be an earth, but which one and which ones do I connect the other wires too?

Need to sort this out the next 30 minutes as taking it to it's first Triumph meet.

Many thanks