AHHHH M.O.T tommorow morning

[dan45]

I realised my car has run out of m.o.t (still thought it had plenty) and I need a few quick questions answered, My lights are fine apart from one fualt witch is the passenger side does not work on high beam, I have done test and its not bulbs its defintly wiring so If needed im working throught the night to find a faulty wire! Another question: the dashboard lights for the consoles does not come on with the lights, I have been told that its not neccesary for the m.o.t? Last but not least the guy who had it before me has bogded the back exhuast bracket, the brackets still on the car but he has put a jubelli clip around the exhuast and on the car bracket, it holds on fine but i dont think its m.o.t standards?
cheers dan

[bmcecosse]

Jubilee clip is fine -I use them all the time - best if they are stainless and then they don't rot away! But it's fine for MOT. Dash lights - there is a little slide switch just below the choke - but not needed for MOT anyway. But yes - you DO need to get both headlights working on both beams ! Swap the headlights over - does it work ok on the otherside ? If needs be run a very temporary wire across from the good working headlight just for the test - sort it out properly later. Good luck with the test!

[dan45]

I have soughted it all out now, got tempory wire to the high beam, and soughted it out, cant get the ruddy head lights covers on now, any good techniques?
cheers dan

[mike.perry]

Remove the side light lens if it is a 1098, this will give you more room to fit the screw. It is just trial and lots of error. Slide the top of the rim over the headlight, twist the rim so that the hole lines up with the screw hole at the bottom of the headlight then push the bottom of the rim in so that the screw holes line up then with a bit of luck the screw will fit. Don't bother trying in the dark, wait until you can see what you are doing. Besides it may have to come off again if the lights fail the beamsetter test.

[bmcecosse]

Leave the covers off - then (if they are a decent lot) they will set the beams for you. In fact - I firmly believe that this should be part of the MOT test - that they should be required to SET the beams at the test (if the adjusters are moving) - not just test them !

[Kevin]

A little trick when you come to putting the rims back on use a small piece of masking tape on the glass pointing to the screw hole as the rime often move of centre when fitting.

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

Good tip Kevin, I must remember that one!

[rayofleamington]

good advice so far
as for the headlight - the loom runs to the drivers side light, then continues to the passenger side. therefore you've only got to check that 1 wire that runs across the front of the car, and both connectors.
Quite often you can get an 'open circuit' at the bullet connector which can be fixed by cleaning, but if the socket is weak, it will go open circuit again (basically the hollow sleeve has lost its springyness so it opens up and doesn't clamp the bullet firmly). Replacing the bullet socket should fix it for a few decades as long as you waxoil them after fitting ;-)