stupid indicator

[cadetchris]

right, this is a new one for you all.

the indicators on Primrose are a little odd, when one pops the lever down to go right, the end glows wonderfully with a lovely flash, as one would expect.
However, when you pop the lever up to go left, i get one flash and a very very faint flash, just enough to make the filament in the bulb glow, sometimes i just get the one flash and thats it.
thinking it was the indicator stalk, i replaced that. This amounted to the same problem. So my next thought was, its got to be the indicator unit itself.
replaced that and thought that would cure it, but alas not.
so with a new indicator switch and unit, new bulbs and a new wiring loom about 6-7 years ago, i have an iffy flashing light on the indicator stalk when i want to turn left.

now the strange thing i find is that although this stupid light is not really behaving, the exterior indicators are working extremely well and show no defects at all.

so, what could be the matter with my indicator?

[MarkyB]

I'm thinking poor earth or dirty contact somewhere.
You could rewire the warning light to the defunct oil filter blocked warning light and see if the problem persists.

[cadetchris]

didnt think about the earthing bits. ill find them and clean liberally.
as for the rewiring bit, how would i do that without butchering the new switch?

[cadetchris]

also a silly question, where would the earths be?

[bmcecosse]

Simple test - can you swop over the outputs from the switch so indication LEFT puts on the RIGHT indicators and vice versa...... Now what happens to the warning light??

[cadetchris]

honestly, i never thought of that.

job for tomorrow then, plus cleaning every earth point i happen to find between switch and filament.

[cadetchris]

well that was slightly odd,
tried swapping the wires around on my new indicator unit and all i got was nothing, no flash inside or out.

however, when i tried the old unit, no matter which way i had the wires around, it still indicated the correct way, so even with the wires back to front, it still indicated left when i put the lever up and right when i had the lever down.

i noticed some markings on the top (x, L and F, if i remember rightly) which wire should go to which terminal? just so i can get those right then work out the problem the iffy flashing indicator stalk.

[bmcecosse]

The idea was to swop the wires as they leave the indicator switch........... Of course it won't change anything by swapping at the flasher unit................

[cadetchris]

ah, forgot about that end. ill nip out and check that now

[cadetchris]

just had a fettle and although the flash on my indicator stalk when its up, is alot better. its not perfect, but at least it works now. all i can assume that the contacts must of been dirty and my my fettling must of sorted it some how.

[bmcecosse]