Dolomitejohn Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 Hi All. My GT6 1973 MK3 recommissioning is coming along nicely and the help you guys gave me re the crank end float was really helpful. So thank you. Anyway I thought I would turn my attention to the Electrics. Here are the main problems. 1) Heater blower does not turn off with ignition. 2) Hazards flash the front indicators only and sometimes only the left (a knock of the switch seems to get the RH front flashing - so prob a switch issue) 3) No indicators work (tried replacement flasher). 4) Reversing lights don;t work. 5) Brake lights don;t work. (Switch tested ok). All fuses ok. Any ideas ? Are these common GT6 / Spitfire issues? Car has been dry stored for 20 years. Cheers All. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 John, Oh yes! Where to start? The fuse box is a poor design, the upper and lower fuse connectors are not one piece, consequently there is no spring between upper and lower and they only connect when the fuse is in place. Often, only three of the connectors connect giving all sorts of weird electrical faults. Spring the connectors together will bring temporary relief, but replacing the fuse box is a great upgrade. EARTHS. A lot of the light connectors earth through the body, a bit of rust or crude and no connection, clean up all the earths. Somethings on the GT6 aren't fused. When I replaced my fuse box, with all the fuses out, the heater blower still ran! Also the head lights aren't fused, all the current for the headlamps runs through the dashboard light switch! Headlight relay switches are a great upgrade. There are separate hazard and flasher relays, one will work even if the other is dead. Good luck! Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 My Vitesse mk2 heated blower is not linked to the ignition switch. There is a detailed fuse upgrade for a GT6 on this forum. I used this info as a basis for my fuse upgrade Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 Dry stored for 20 years, so I would bet many of the connections have corroded, just a bit, but enough to cause problems. Luckily the electrical system is not over complicated, so it is a case of going through all the connections, including cleaning up earths. A small soft wire bush, and bit of fine abrasive paper are your friend. As may be a bit of protective grease (see another recent thread about that!) You will need a wiring diagram, but the heater motor should be ignition controlled. I expect somebody has been fiddling in the past? (every Triumph I have owned the heater blower has been ignition controlled) The hazards are a pain, they are used so rarely. Take the switch out, take the bulb etc out and pop it in some hot detergent to remove any grease/oil that may have been sprayed in there, jiggle about and operate the switch many times. Then chuck it in a glass of coke overnight. The phosphoric acid should clean all the metal contacts (diluted vinegar would also work, about 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar) Again operate the switch many times. This should get it all fully operational.... a spray of protective grease will hopefully keep it working indefinitely. Fusebox, Doug is spot on. With fiddling they can be got working, but they are a poor design. I would be tempted to replace, possibly a fusebox from a mini, or I have seen a more modern, blade fusebox used that fitted nicely over the existing fusebox cutout, and had rear facing terminals (no idea where t came from, but there are a few vehicle wiring specialist who can supply a vast selection of everything!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 Heater blower should definitely be fed of ignition switched fused - a green wire. I wouldn't expect the hazard switch to cause only the fronts to work. That sounds more like an earthing problem at the back. There could be alternative earth paths that allow a single indicator bulb to light but don't pass enough current for both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 3 hours ago, clive said: no idea where it came from This is what a lot of us on here have used, one of the few with connectors on the back the same as the existing box. The LEDs tell you which fuse has blown, neat! Only a slight enlargement of the bulkhead hole required. There's a couple of threads on here about the installation of the same unit. A link to the supplier below. http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/product.php/1229/weatherproof-surface-mounted-led-fuse-box-10-way Doug 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 its very common that the rear lamp bulb holders become a complete mix and not match the claw holders for each lamp is different , you have a single pole for reverse and flasher double offset pole for tail and stops some holders have attached earth wire some rely on the claw so fit wrong holders with wrong bulbs and then confuse with earths no earths and the whole car goes loony pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolomitejohn Posted January 22, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 Thanks all. My 28 years of dolomite ownership has not prepared me for this. Now you mention it, the fuse box is kinda in 2 bits and loose. So will take a look. Have got the blower fixed. Swapped terminal on ignition switch. Now the blower comes on in aux position. My dolly hazard switch usually misbehaves after its winter hibination so will focus on getting the gt6 switch cleaned out and exercised. All good fun...... Thanks all John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted January 23, 2019 Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 When I did mine the blower was wired to permanent live, makes you wonder. The hazard switch was tempremental so I decided to replace and worked fine after. takes a bit of time but well worth sorting the fuse box Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted January 23, 2019 Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 GT6 don't have separate earth tags on rear bulb holders, it is only big saloons. The GT6 earths through light unit casing. guess what is a good upgrade on a GT6???? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted January 23, 2019 Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 SM, I think Pete's point was that people think they're all the same and stick in what they can get hold off, then down the line the next owner is left bemused, I know I am. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolomitejohn Posted January 23, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 I managed to check the fuse box tonight. With ignition off one fuse is at 12 v (both ends). With ignition on 2 fuses are live (bot ends) and with the lights on the middle fuse is at 12 volts. So my assumption here is that the Fuse box is ok and functioning correctly. (I did have to bend the fuse contacts slightly and clean then them up with wet and dry. So I think the dash will have to come out next. Can;t quite get my head behind and actually see anything. I did notice the turn indicator warning light was on when indicator stalk set to left turn. It didn;t flash and the actual front indicator didn't light up (although it does when hazzard switched on). So I reckon I can narrow down the issue by use of multi meter and bypassing the column switch temporally . Re the rear lamp holders. On mine the tail / stop holders have a seperate earth on the holder. The other holders seem to earth through the lamp case. (All holders were loose on the boot floor when I purchased the car. So maybe they are mixed up or even faulty. More multi meter testing I feel....... JOhn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted January 24, 2019 Report Share Posted January 24, 2019 John, Ok how to demonstrate it? The blades in the fuse box should be like this, the fuse connects upper an lower blades at either end and all is well. -------- --------- -------- --------- However, they might be like this, there will be 12v at either end of the fuse, but one blade is not connecting. There are other permutations which give 12v at either end and one blade disconnected. ------- --------- ------- --------- db Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolomitejohn Posted January 24, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2019 Hi dougb Yep your diagram is understood and I am sure both sections of the fuses holders are in contact with the fuse. But I will re check continuity on all fuse holder contacts to fuse whilst static and whilst wiggling wires from back side. Thanks for the advice. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted January 24, 2019 Report Share Posted January 24, 2019 John, You have wires in your backside?!! db Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 24, 2019 Report Share Posted January 24, 2019 shocking !!! pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolomitejohn Posted January 24, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2019 I think wires in my backside would be shocking..........but probably less painful than trying to get the car electrics working. Managed to get all 4 hazards working tonight. Fitted old spare Dolomite switch (removed the Dolly Bezel). Also Dodgy bulb holder in rear and the bullet connections at base of steering column were misbehaving. Checked all the fuse contacts. All ok. Then I tried to get the indicators to work. Only left working when switched turned on for right. Checked the wire colours at base of column where switch harness joined main harness. All matched as per the haynes manual. Then I swapped the LEFT & RIGHT main harness wires over at base of column and managed to get right indicators working when switch turned to right. But left not working. I then removed the column switch and could see the copper track was damaged for left switching area...... New switch ordered...... Brakes lights briefly worked and reverse lights still dead. So I am getting there slowly. With all this investigation behind the dash I have realised that I have a lot of missing heater ducts, Y pieces, brackets, RH shelf etc etc under the dash. This will probably tax me more than the wiring.......Good job the Local Stoneleigh Triumph spares day is approaching soon. Oh joy. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 25, 2019 Report Share Posted January 25, 2019 Club shop sell a good quality brake light switch, Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted January 25, 2019 Report Share Posted January 25, 2019 Yes, I bought one! Very robust, it's metal and not grotty plastic. So you're not only improving your car you're saving the planet, although I did put my old one in the bin. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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