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Indicators and MOT


Colin Lindsay

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Does anyone know the EXACT legal requirement for indicators to pass an MOT?

My GT6 is due tomorrow; during a last minute check I've remembered that the indicator stalk broke last year, so I replaced it, but the new stalk for some reason sits further back in the cowling. This means that it works, and operates in either direction, but does not move far enough to stay on by itself - if you take your fingers off it, it will revert to 'off'. Handy, as it means I never leave it on, but does it matter to an MOT tester? They flash at the required rate and all work (and there's no hazard facility) but must they stay on by themselves?

 

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Minor point I suppose, but the switch is perfect; only the outer cowling is faulty as the slot won't allow the switch to fully operate..! We don't get advisories over here, it's either a pass or fail.

In the morning I may take a Dremel to it and lengthen the slot slightly, just for peace of mind. Normally when it's tested I sit in the car and operate all of the switches for the tester but with Covid 19 I've been told they will collect the car from outside the centre and I will stand outside, with no access to the inside - "dress for inclement weather" says the instructions, while the tester does all himself.

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Northern Ireland; usually we do the first part of the test with the tester shouting instructions so it all depends on whether I'm working the controls, or the tester does it himself. If a car fails here it can't be rectified on site; you have to go away and book a retest. I was out from the early hours this morning but the cowl isn't the problem, the switch is not staying on long before it reaches the end of the cowling. I broke the old one off at the base whilst working on other things and replaced it with this identical version, but for some reason it won't click and stay on. I have all of the cables properly and very tidily routed so the entire column wiring would have had to be disconnected and replaced. Not enough time!!

The test is in 45 minutes so I'll just have to find out the hard way; any retest has to be officially booked and won't be before August.

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I've never had such a traumatic morning and am still recovering. MOT is bad enough, but the horn only worked if you turned the steering wheel at the same time and of course there was the indicator problem... which, when I was four miles from my house with 30 minutes and eleven miles to the test, decided to stop working altogether, along with the fuel and temperature gauges and the wipers. Blown fuse, and I had no spare. I drove home and replaced it, and seriously considered abandoning the test, but now had 15 minutes to cover 15 miles. Four miles on, the main road was closed for roadworks, so I diverted left. Next road along was also closed for roadworks. I ended up driving seven miles to reach a main road, which still left me eleven miles from the test centre and already one minute late, and to be honest I was on the point of going home again. I got there twenty five minutes late, legs shaking from the speed and embarrassed at being late; the tester told me not to worry, disappeared off with the car, and reappeared with the certificate about half an hour later. I still think they're playing a trick and will come to take it back shortly. They were very impressed with the GT6 so I think they went easy on me.

Since then I've stripped out the indicator stalk, which was not staying on as there were no springs in the mechanism of the new stalk - I took them off the old one so that problem is cured - and found seriously chafed wiring on the overdrive, which may have been blowing the fuses; switch now replaced and all back in place.

Now I just need to lie down for a bit to quell my racing heart. I'm too old for that sort of thing!

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1 hour ago, Pete Lewis said:

Oh Colin   you need to get out more   

    pleased you got a ticket , but more tea a cake is required  as a stabiliser 

Pete

Can't help it, Pete, I'm just a born worrier. If anyone else's car passes, it's fine. If mine passes, I'm wondering what they let me away with or what they didn't spot.

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Well done Colin and enjoy the car.

My daughter used her Spit to drive her Taiwanese sister in law to her wedding daughter brought the Spit up to our place the night before abruptly said turn switch doesn’t work. So I worked late cleaning 50 years of gunk out all OK

Car did it’s marital duties including happy couple driving it to the reception, where the son advised trafficators don’t work, gave up brought a new Lucas traff’ switch very reasonably priced from UK it arrived and I had a laugh “Lucas made in Taiwan”!

Month later we all went to Taiwan for the second part of the wedding, 350 guests, 3 wedding dress’s, 2 suits for the son & Meal included the very special “Frog Spawn Soup” Well I managed 6 mouth fulls the wife just looked at it and asked for a salad well she is Yorkshire. After paying for the Aussie wedding & all the family’s trip costs we then had to red envelope $ at the Taiwan wedding which the father in law keeps!!! So the trafficator cost a bomb!

colin enjoy the GT for the rest of the summer

 

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13 hours ago, Peter Truman said:

Well done Colin and enjoy the car.

My daughter used her Spit to drive her Taiwanese sister in law to her wedding daughter brought the Spit up to our place the night before abruptly said turn switch doesn’t work. So I worked late cleaning 50 years of gunk out all OK

Car did it’s marital duties including happy couple driving it to the reception, where the son advised trafficators don’t work, gave up brought a new Lucas traff’ switch very reasonably priced from UK it arrived and I had a laugh “Lucas made in Taiwan”!

Month later we all went to Taiwan for the second part of the wedding, 350 guests, 3 wedding dress’s, 2 suits for the son & Meal included the very special “Frog Spawn Soup” Well I managed 6 mouth fulls the wife just looked at it and asked for a salad well she is Yorkshire. After paying for the Aussie wedding & all the family’s trip costs we then had to red envelope $ at the Taiwan wedding which the father in law keeps!!! So the trafficator cost a bomb!

colin enjoy the GT for the rest of the summer

 

I've told both my girls to elope. 

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Unfortunately it's not what you agree with your daughter it's what your wife wants for your daughters! your daughters weddings cost significantly more than a sons!

Ref the Taiwanese made Lucas turn switch its a direct copy of the original, in 10 years never had a problem, a well made item

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My daughter is under strict instructions: from me, it's someone exotic from somewhere hot, preferably by the sea, so I can go out there and live at their expense. From her mother, it's someone wealthy with an equestrian stud farm, or stately home with lots of land.

 

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1 hour ago, Colin Lindsay said:

My daughter is under strict instructions: from me, it's someone exotic from somewhere hot, preferably by the sea, so I can go out there and live at their expense. From her mother, it's someone wealthy with an equestrian stud farm, or stately home with lots of land.

 

Not worth it a stately home Colin....... My mate said he was going leave me one......   True to his word he did :) Then i found it was F*ck hall :( 

Tony.

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18 minutes ago, poppyman said:

Not worth it a stately home Colin....... My mate said he was going leave me one......   True to his word he did :) Then i found it was F*ck hall :( 

Tony.

I've already got an estate.... it's a 1200... 

BUT: this is directly opposite our house, and the youngest Lindsay has been told to camp outside if necessary and secure the first-born son...

scarvagh-house.jpg.391e52329b2a9b826be8904fa99deb0d.jpg

 

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