Morris Minor Owners Club

But let's say it's the trafficators, how would I go about sorting the wiring on them? I fear it's a headliner removal job because if so, I may just have to bite the bullet and get light indicators to replace them for now, sadly

I've never had to do this, so I don't know, but it should be possible to tie the end of a ball of string to the end of the wire at the trafficator end and pull the wire and string through from the other end. Leave the string showing at both ends and then you can pull back the original wire (if its OK) or a new wire, thus undisturbing the headlining. Check the trafficators aren't shorting out where the feed connects to activate them.

ManyMinors wrote: ↑Wed Jun 17, 2020 3:43 pm I'm confused by the OP stating that the fuse blows immediately he turns on the ignition, yet suspecting the trafficators. Unless items such as the trafficators are switched ON at the time, they cannot be causing the fuse to blow can they because there won't be any current through that circuit?
Surely the fuse can only flow because a circuit IN USE at the time is shorting? That narrows it down to anything he has switched on - or the fuel gauge? I cannot think of much else that would be drawing a current which is protected by that fuse?

ManyMinors wrote: ↑Wed Jun 17, 2020 3:43 pm I'm confused by the OP stating that the fuse blows immediately he turns on the ignition, yet suspecting the trafficators. Unless items such as the trafficators are switched ON at the time, they cannot be causing the fuse to blow can they because there won't be any current through that circuit?
Surely the fuse can only flow because a circuit IN USE at the time is shorting? That narrows it down to anything he has switched on - or the fuel gauge? I cannot think of much else that would be drawing a current which is protected by that fuse?

ManyMinors wrote: ↑Wed Jun 17, 2020 4:13 pm OK. So surely the thing to do if your heater is constantly on, is to disconnect the live wire to it and then see if the fuse no longer blows when you turn on the ignition? If it still does, then try the same with the fuel gauge etc etc until you eliminate the cause?

geoberni wrote: ↑Wed Jun 17, 2020 4:51 pm

ManyMinors wrote: ↑Wed Jun 17, 2020 3:43 pm I'm confused by the OP stating that the fuse blows immediately he turns on the ignition, yet suspecting the trafficators. Unless items such as the trafficators are switched ON at the time, they cannot be causing the fuse to blow can they because there won't be any current through that circuit?
Surely the fuse can only flow because a circuit IN USE at the time is shorting? That narrows it down to anything he has switched on - or the fuel gauge? I cannot think of much else that would be drawing a current which is protected by that fuse?

Very true, that's why I said he's need to operate switches and so forth. As to 'immediately he turns on', I didn't take it quite that literally, perhaps that is what's happening, in which case even easier to find.
I don't see why the heater should be on continually, there must surely be a rheostat for it?

My reasoning in checking the individual leads was to find which one had the short, then the others could be reconnected. That would basically allow him to see what hadn't been restored by leaving the identified cable disconnected. A lot quicker and easier than checking all possible suspects.

jagnut66 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 16, 2020 11:08 pm Hi,
If it helps the picture below is of my replacement loom, as it was, freshly installed into my 1954 Minor (Ignore the extra green wire linked in with the purple ones).
Following the wiring diagram in the workshop manual and matching it to my replacement loom, there was no wire going to the bottom connection, there is however a metal link connecting it (blue arrow), so I could have spread the whites wires out over the two.
Is your metal link missing?

Best wishes,
Mike.

Mike, you think you have problems.

Hi Berni,
I may be wrong but it looks like someone has drawn the same conclusion as many of us on here, in that there is simply not enough space in the original fusebox for all the wires that have to feed off it.
That additional distribution block also looks to be bakelite, so this may well have been done a long time ago, very possibly long before the rewire of your car and it was simply retained.
Which just leaves the question of the additional green wire. Do you have indicators, as well as trafficators? If so, is the flasher can fed by a green?
Whatever the answer, as a rule of thumb, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Best wishes,
Mike.

jagnut66 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 17, 2020 6:45 pm

Which just leaves the question of the additional green wire. Do you have indicators, as well as trafficators? If so, is the flasher can fed by a green?
.

Andymoor94 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 17, 2020 5:03 pm

ManyMinors wrote: ↑Wed Jun 17, 2020 4:13 pm OK. So surely the thing to do if your heater is constantly on, is to disconnect the live wire to it and then see if the fuse no longer blows when you turn on the ignition? If it still does, then try the same with the fuel gauge etc etc until you eliminate the cause?

"Surely the thing to do" after I've made it clear I'm novice. I appreciate the help, but would appreciate it more without the belittling

Andy, my comment was not intended to belittle you. You have asked for help and you've received several useful responses from other owners. My wording is simply my thought process typed out. I have no idea what knowledge you have except that you mentioned being used to simple circuits on a moped and owning a multimeter. There is really nothing more simple than the electrical circuits on a Minor but you are hampered by faded wiring which makes it difficult to follow the individual cables on your car. That being the case and the fact that it keeps blowing fuses - along with your intention to use the car daily lead me to suggest that a new wiring loom would be a good investment
Several of us on here have done so previously on our own cars and are willing to talk you through the process. If that's what you want.

Andymoor94 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 17, 2020 5:03 pm

geoberni wrote: ↑Wed Jun 17, 2020 4:51 pm
I don't see why the heater should be on continually, there must surely be a rheostat for it?

My reasoning in checking the individual leads was to find which one had the short, then the others could be reconnected. That would basically allow him to see what hadn't been restored by leaving the identified cable disconnected. A lot quicker and easier than checking all possible suspects.

"there must surely be a rheostat for it?" - A whatnow? I'm still very new to all of this.

Regardless, is less than an hour, I'll have all the leads checked with a multimeter (Until my fuses arrive)

Shropshiremoggie wrote: ↑Sat Jun 20, 2020 11:58 am Well done , bet you have a great feeling of satisfaction !

geoberni wrote: ↑Sat Jun 20, 2020 1:44 pm I'm glad you found it.
Where was the heater blower connected to?
In theory, although it doesn't feature on the official wiring diagrams until well into the 60s, it too should have been a cable added to A4 but I know mine isn't. It's got a feed up behind the dash somewhere.

Where has your battery been leaking to?
Battery acid can wreck a lot of things, it needs cleaning up and neutralising with Baking Soda paste, assuming it's a standard Lead/Acid type.

Do you know why it leaked?
The 3 usual reasons are old age and the plates have warped over time, causing it to 'boil', or over charging due to a regulator fault, or finally and unlikely in the UK, temperature extremes.

There are videos on youtube about battery spillage clean up.
I would make that your priority.

jagnut66 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 20, 2020 1:42 pm The heater only requires two wires, a live and an earth, so what you could do is get yourself some rolls of red and black wire, 8 amp will probably suffice (Halfords etc. are cheap enough), then run a new feed and earth to your heater.
I would also add an inline fuse at this point, perhaps someone can confirm what rating would be best.
If you do this and the fuse still blows, then it's your rheostat that's causing the problem. They are available new from the usual suspects.
As an aside, I replaced my rheostat to find the new one didn't work either, so now I have a simple on / off switch, which does just fine (and is much cheaper to replace!).
Best wishes,
Mike.
Threaded bracing bar (2).JPG

I can imagine that will be something I approach later with a new loom too

Go for it, it's not as frightening as you may at first think!
Best wishes,
Mike.