Fuse and earth

[minor65]

Yesterday when fitting new heater hoses on my 61 i had to remove the 2 steering column bolts, so that the column could be lower to allow the parcel shelf and door to be removed. One of the bullet connectors came out near the bonnet release. So I pushed it back in, though at the same time I heard a slight crack from the bulkhead area. Anyway once at done I tried all appliances, everything working but horn (which was before) so checked the fuses. The top fuse (35a) was blown, ie the noise heard earlier so replaced it with new one. But horn still not working. Checked all connectors and earths at ds inner wing, earthing bracket on ds inner wing broke when I touched it. I thought that was for the headlamps, but everything working but the horn. When I hold the earth connectors to the bracket, still no joy. I then removed the horn button, steering wheel and inspected the traff switch and horn earthing on column all looks OK.

My question is what is the top fuse for and what is the earths on inner wings for ??

Ta in advance

[bmcecosse]

My guess is you put the bullet in the wrong hole....... Check the connector - must be same wire colour on both sides.

[minor65]

Possibly. Will check tomorrow. Ta bmc

[mike.perry]

Does the interior light work, it is on the same fuse?
The horn wire, purple/black is live from the fuse to the horn push, if you remove the horn push you should be able to touch the wire against the steering coumn and sound the horn

[minor65]

Thanks for both your replies, I will get another look at it at some stage

[whyperion]

Earth on Inner Wings - the curly femal lucar tag ? Normally for the Front Headlights / Sidelights / Indicator . Most sidelights had a red feed and a black earth wire. The later combined sidelight/indicator unit does not have a rubber bit insulating the bulb holder from the (metal) metal wing , so no earth lead on them. If you fit fibreglass wings you need an additional earth lead , I fit a self tapping screw or a bolt and nut to a ring crimp then wire back to the inner wing earth tag. The headlamp plastic bowls can act as insulators so third wire from headlights (Cannot remember colour - why isn't it black?) to the other side of tag. My tags have collapsed, can someone PM me with a supplier for new.

[taupe]

Here you go

Item 283 http://www.vintagemotorspares.com/phdi/ ... ent&part=3

Taupe

[minor65]

Ahhh. That's what I need. Just ordered 2. Thanks for that.☺

[minor65]

All sorted !!

Horn fixed on Saturday thanks to David McCullough. Brass contact at steering column / trafficator switch not clean enough . As the switch had moved when the steering column was lowered, it probably moved to a more dirty bit.

The bullet connectors under the dash which where not connected up, I thought was the horn wires and then plugging them in blew the fuse. They turned out to be the wires for the interior light and door switches for interior light. Someone is the past must have unplugged them so the interior light wouldn't drain the battery. Instead of just removing the bulb . Anyway horn and interior light / switches all now working.

As for the headlamp/sidelamp earths on inner wings. The new brackets arrived today (ordered from above) and fitted tonight. So all good there too.

[bmcecosse]

" when the steering column was lowered " - I hope you slackened the rack clamps when moving it - and retightened afterwards..?

[chesney]

I assume the poster means that the 'outer column' has shifted down the steering column slightly.
If that's the case, the indicator self canceling mechanisms up not be working properly.

[minor65]

Yes it was just lowered slightly at the dash mount. The outer column had moved and self cancel now working too