Another indicator malfunction

[Minorsimon99]

Hi

Hoping this might be an obvious fault to someone. I have a 1964 1098cc traveller.

My indicators have been working fine until recently when the following fault developed.

The RH indicator works normally and the stalk light flashes as normal and the tic toc sound can be heard .

On the LH side when the indicator stalk is raised to operate the indicator the indicator lights work but the flashes are shorter than normal, the stalk light flashes only once and then stops flashing, although both front and rear indicator lights continue to flash. There is no tic toc sound. I'm thinking a poor connection to the indicator stalk.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

Simon

[LouiseM]

It sounds as though the flasher unit is on the way out.

[bmcecosse]

It's a problem ONLY on the LH side - therefore it's not the flasher..... It IS a problem with the lights on the LH side - probably a bad earth in front or back - causing the power to 'find a path' back through the other bulb (rear) or filament (front).... If you check at night - I think you will find one flasher is not as bright as it should be...

[Minorsimon99]

Hi

Many thanks for your replies. Have now had a chance to try to fix this. I have now replaced pretty corroded light bulb holders at front and rear on the problem side but the problem persists.

The indicator is flashing but the warning stalk light only flashes once and their is no tick tock sound, but the front indicator and light bulb are both flashing together but with a weaker flash I guest because they are sharing the current? I suppose there is still a poor earth somewhere?

Any thoughts on tracing it would be welcome.

Thanks

[bmcecosse]

Have you tried different bulbs in the LH side holders? What happens if you switch on the sidelights - and then try the LH indicators?

[Minorsimon99]

Hi, thanks for replying so quickly. With the small lights on the rear flasher is normal, but front flasher is very weak and hardly visible, the warning light on the stalk does not light at all.

Thanks

[whyperion]

Probably the location of , or damage to the wiring into the pilot light, or insufficient contact on the wiper to steering colum brass bush, Most likely bullet connectors corroded /shorted/discontected either where the indicator stalk loom meets other wiring behind the glovebox, or the other loom to lamp bullet connectors.
(I had similar problems, changing stalk for other reason I had not properly reconnected earth, why the LH side flashed and the RH side didnt was a bit of a mystery

[Minorsimon99]

Hi all

Some observations of my LH front indicator/pilot light

1) Pilot lights work fine.
2) With pilot lights on, LH indicator on, front indicator bulb does not flash but pilot lamp and rear indicator lamp flash very slowly, no warning light or sound in car
3) With pilot lights off, LH indicator on, pilot lamp and rear indicator lamp flash at fast rate, no warning light or sound in car
4) LH front indicator bulb confirmed to be working and wiring appears correct
5) When LH indicator on, if front indicator bulb is removed the pilot lamp stops flashing

Many thanks for any thoughts.

[bmcecosse]

So - the test with side lights on tells me there is either a fault in the bulb (the two filaments may be touching) or more likely - no earth at that light - so the indicator can't 'find' earth when the sidelights are on - but does find a relatively high resistance earth through the sidelight filaments . Try a temporary earth connection with a length of wire to the earth terminal of the battery.

[Minorsimon99]

Hi

Thanks bmcecosse for your suggestions.

When I did the last set of tests I compared the two front indicator units and discovered that the right one had an earth wire which the LH was lacking. This is strange as the LH indicator has worked in the past without a separate earth wire, I suppose earthing through the attaching screw? I added an earth cable to match the RH but this did not seem to make any difference, I then tried to attach the earth cable differently touching the base plate but still nothing!

It had finally dawned on me that the pilot light was earthing through the indicator cable and the indicator earthing and flashing through the pilot light and cable cable as no other earth seemed to be working. But why was my new earth not working? I then discovered that I was cutting my new earth cable when I tightened the attaching screws for the lighting unit.

I then made sure that this did not happen, that the earth wire was touching the base plate and success! the indicator is working again and the warning light is working on the stalk and the tick is tocking.

Many thanks for all your thoughts and suggestions. So lessons learnt- dont give up and electrics are logical

[bmcecosse]

Indeed it is entirely logical...