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No instrument lights


1969Mk3Spitfire

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Despite having now had my car for around 6 months, I've not driven it at night time so only now checking the interior lights.  Nothing within the instrument cluster is illuminated when the lights are turned on ☹️

All exterior lights are working ok.

Having recently had the heater box out, I'm hoping that I may have inadvertently pulled a wire out.

Any progressive fault diagnosis guidance from the wisdom of the forum? 

Thanks in advance.

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1 hour ago, DanMi said:

probably a wire on the back of the main light switch. On an early car it should be position 1 for just dash lights and 2 for exterior, so I'll guess the red/white wire for the dash lights has been knocked off

 

Quote "1 for just dash lights and 2 for exterior" The other way round I think you will find first click side lights second click brings in the dash!

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Many thanks. I’ve just checked again. In pull position 1 I have power to the column switch and all light combinations work correctly.

Pull position 2 plunges the car into darkness.  Waggling it and swearing at it doesn’t seem to make it work.

Does this sound like a Lucas, Prince of Darkness, switch problem or could it be a broken or missing connection?

I’m guessing that replacement switches are available?

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If it recovers when you push it back to position 1 then it's probably a dodgy switch. If the car stays dark then it's probably a short on the instrument lighting and it's blown the fuse... except that I don't think there is a fuse on that circuit so it's melted something heavier than that.

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if the main lights go out on position 2 then either the wires are on the switch wrong, there are quite a few connections or the switch is faulty, they are available (Rimmers have stock) or you could put all wires on the same connector so it is just on/off I never understood why you would want the outside lights without the dash anyway. I have rigged mine up differently using a mk4 column switch. I hated coming up to a bend flicking the lever down only to find I was already using main and so plunged into darkness.

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1 hour ago, DanMi said:

 I never understood why you would want the outside lights without the dash anyway. 

Cuts down on the glare at the edge of the eyes as you drive in the dark - you're looking straight ahead and the gauges are in your peripheral vision, so brighter than they would be if you looked straight at them, the old 'rods and cones' biology thing. If you turn them off it makes looking ahead in darkness easier. I do it all the time in the GT6, and used to have a SAAB with 'night mode' which did the same thing.

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Thanks to all.

There was no power at any terminal on the switch when in position 2. There was an unused connection giving live at position 1 so I simply put the red/white spade on it and voila.

I like to keep the car as original as possible so I’ll look out for a replacement, but I’m in no rush.

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17 hours ago, 1969Mk3Spitfire said:

I like to keep the car as original as possible so I’ll look out for a replacement, but I’m in no rush.

Which switch is it? I think I have one in a box of spare bits destined for eBay, but Paddocks show a push-pull switch part number 31812 however Rimmers show a flick switch 1H9077 similar to that used on Minis etc?

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1 hour ago, Colin Lindsay said:

What's the version that Rimmers are selling, Rob - is that for a later car?

380541322_ScreenShot2020-10-17at14_43_14.jpg.aa244e6926b676cbc1e29b825c8a4c1f.jpg  1H9077.jpg.bd13cecfead7cd50fd0257be07a78df0.jpg

 

I don't recognise that one at all. It's a long time since I had a 13/60 but I'm pretty sure the light switch was a pull type - same switch as the Mk3 Spitfire but a different knob. The only toggle switch was the heater fan. Later Spitfires and GT6s have a rocker switch for the lights, the big saloons and Dolomites have a rotary.

Edit: a bit of Googling suggests it may be for Austin FX4, Mini, Morris Minor or perhaps Land Rover

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the multi connector push pull switch's are around i have seen them on specialist  Lucas switch supplier websites they may have 6 connections, I thought I had some but cannot find them now toggles, I have many!.

interestingly my Mk2 Vitesse heater fan toggle switch packed up a  couple of weeks ago the spring that loads the ball broke! The Lucas toggle I fitted was the usual one with the spade terminals in different positions ie one at 45 degrees but it still cleared the ash tray, the Switch in the Mk2 Spit is the same as this one whereas the original Vitesse one had two straight out spades. If I fitted the 45 degree spade down then the 'on' position was 'up' ie the toggle was upside down hey it works and if I see an original Lucas straight out two spade switch on the car shows i"ll get a replacement.

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found my headlight push pull switch's 3No. they were all the same, I continunity tested one switch across the spade contacts;

1.  Top left I assume is battery power in.

2. Top centre right would appear to be dash lights connection

3. Bottom right headlight connection

Switch pushed in is "OFF"

Switch at intermediate position is "headlights & dash lights ON".

Switch fully pulled out "headlights only ON" no dash lights.

Interestingly top right doesn't appear connected, or is it just a bad contact, I only tried one switch should have checked all!

Lucas 3 position push pull switch.JPG

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That sequence isn't quite right. The intermediate position should be main lights only, no dash lights. I had a photo of the correct wiring somewhere but I can't seem to find it now. The WSM suggests power in bottom right, main lights bottom left, dash upper middle right.

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