Morris Minor Owners Club

If I turn the ignition on but do not start the car then put the indicator on and the heater all is well for a few seconds then the heater motor starts to pulse as dose the orange warning light. The indicator only fleshes in time with the slow pulse. Even if I start the car, the symptoms are the same but the orange light stays off. However, the heater motor and indicators pulse slowly. I have changed the flasher unit and checked the battery voltage that was giving 12.6volts I first noticed the problem this evening driving home in my tourer when the indicator seemed to have stopped working the it dropped a bit cool with the top down so I turned the heater on and found it was pulsing.
If I just turn the ignition lights on and nothing ells after the same few seconds the orange light starts to flashe

Any ideas

Has any work been done on the car recently? It sounds like the output from the flasher has been connected to the +ve supply to the heater and oil pressure warning light. What;s surprising is that the flasher relay can manage to provide the power at all.

You have a serious problem with your battery or charging circuit. The pulsing is in time with the flasher because as it flashes it takes more from the battery than it can give without reducing the supply to the heater motor. I would suggest that if you had the headlights on they would also pulse. The battery voltage at 12.6 is a little low for a fully charged one so you should fully charge it off the car and then check for the pulsing condition. If it has disappeared then your charging circuit needs attention. ( check the fan belt tightness, especially if you have an Alternator fitted).

Hi and thanks, not had any work done recently. It’s not the orange oil warning light it is the one on the right, that I think, is something to do with the charging/ voltage regulating circuit.

If the car is running the orange/charging light is out dose this not mean the charging side is ok?
If I turn only the ignition lights on without the indicators or heater or any electrics the orange light starts to flash. However, I will charge the battery tomorrow and see what happens.
The car is fitted with the original dynamo.
Many thank Andy

If you have a half decent manual - you could check the wiring diagram. If these are all powered from the same fuse, then the first thing to check is the fuse box. If it has a high resistance connection (to the loom or to the fuse) then the more current taken, the bigger the problem becomes.

Charging/'ignition' light is RED - the orange lights are both for oil - one is for low oil pressure, the other is for high oil pressure across the filter - ie it's choked! It does all sound like poor charging.

I'm with Willie, I bet if you turn the lights on to main beam there won't be enough juice to turn the starter.

I would expect it to be the battery.

Ok I have fully charged the battery. It now has 13+ volts but the problems still there.
I have removed all the 35amp fuses and just turned the ignition lights on and the same the orange lights is solid for a few seconds then starts to pulse. If I turn the ignition off then back on again the light is solid again for a shorter few seconds but starts to pulse again. Could it be a fault on the ignition switch??

PS. I put the lights on with and without full beam but they was ok (no pulsing)

I think I got big probs I just taken out all the 35amp fuses and all the lights wipers etc still work and the pulsing is still there

Yes, you have problems as with the two fuses out the only things which should work are the headlights and the ignition circuit (The engine should still start). There may also be a small inline fuse for the front and rear side lights beneath the regulator box depending on the year of your Minor.

Cheers Willie it has the fuse under the reg box what is that for?

Im hoping it's just a feed its picking up from a wrongly placed wire.
The only thing is where do ya start

Cheers Willie it has the fuse under the reg box what is that for?

Im hoping it's just a feed its picking up from a wrongly placed wire.
The only thing is where do ya start

You have a short between ignition feed and rear of speedo/metal parcel shelf area would be my guess. Also check the multiple earths that go to the windscreen wiper switch. Check all bulkhead grommets are intact. If your really unlucky, it can be short within the wiring loom itself. Disconnect battery until you locate the fault, as a fire is a distinct possability with this kind of electrical fault.

* Naughty mis-spelled word deleted. thanks i will go disconect battery now and look at that tomorrow evening. I have got the ignition swich out and the fault is still there. I did find the wires to be on the wrong terminal and I thought this was it but NUP!!

* Naughty mis-spelled word deleted again. thanks i will go disconect battery now and look at that tomorrow evening. I have got the ignition swich out and the fault is still there. I did find the wires to be on the wrong terminal and I thought this was it but NUP!!

*by a...

Another possibility is that the power is being taken from the voltage stabiliser unit, or that that unit is drawing excessibe current. It works as a bi-metal strip that starts closed, passes current,m heats up, opens contact ans stops current, cools down, closes contact, passes current, etc etc. It's purpose is to provide constant voltage to the petrol gauge. BUT..... it will give a pulsing effect too. Originally I though that your pulsing was only with indicators, but if it starts when ignition is on, then the voltage regulator is more likely. It's mounted on the back of the speedo.

I suggest (a) disconnect battery, (b) remove speedo, (c) If nothing visually obvious then try disconnectiing one wire at a time, reconnect battery (make sure no bare wires touching body work) and check for problem.

If problem persists, disconnect battery, re-attach the one wire, remove another and test again. Once you've established which wire causes the problem then we can work out to what it is connected. Try the green wires first.

SORRY sorry sorry for the very light naughty word...
I think I have solved it!!!! Fingers crossed I believe it to be the voltage stabiliser on the back of the Speedo. If I remove any of the large green wires, it seemed to sort the problem of not needing fuses. I had a spare stabiliser so I swapped them over briefly as the numbers on the unit are different and the terminals are also slightly different. However, this did seem to fix things I will look more into it tomorrow.

The numbers on the existing stabiliser is BR 1309/00, the new one is BR 1305/00A, and the 1 terminal is female as apposed to a mail on the original. The 1309/00 is on a 1965 moggy and the 13/00A was from a 1968 moggy. Can any one shine a light on the number difference ?