Morris Minor Owners Club

I have the standard Series MM 2 door indicator switch but I cannot get the warning light to work.
The switch is complete with all the internal bits
I have checked the bulb and contacts.
The wires are all connected as per the manual
The indicators and trafficators all work correctly.
Why won't the warning light work????????????

Mike, try running a seperate temporary earth to the switch and see if the bulb lights up then... I assume you have checked for power going to the bulb also?

I've tested the bulb and "hot wired" it and it works ok. The tip of the bulb is hard against the contact. The bulb is integral with the switch so there is not a lot I can do about running separate wires.

I'm not familiar with the early switches so I can't say where to put power and earth to test out but there must be a continuity failure within the switch. A bulb only needs 2 things to work... I'll go take a look in the manual.

What does not help is that there are 6 terminals for 3 wires, 1 power in and a left and right out.
Technically it is still legal as I can see the trafficators in the wing mirrors.
I think I am going to end up buying a new switch.

I'm sure you know this already, Mike, but if I'm looking at the correct diagram then power in comes from fuse A4 and connects to terminal 3 on the switch. Left out is terminal 2 and right out is terminal 5. Terminals 3 & 4 are internally connected. 5 & 6 are internally connected and the warning lamp is connected across 1 & 2. The earth path for the warning light comes from the traficator earth and the internal connection between 5 & 6 completes the path. Try linking 5 & 6 with a piece of wire to see if this helps....

Mike, I had the same problem on mine but fixed it by running 2 small wires between the extra terminals, I cant remember exactly what I did but will have a look and see!

PSL, You are spot on with the wiring which is exactly how I have my switch. There is already a link between 5 & 6 as shown on p.N28. The only thing I am not sure about is what earths the bulb since the switch is bakerlite and there is no metal to metal contact. The only way the switch can earth is through the indicators and trafficators.
The trafficators and indicators are wired according to the wiring diagram under Torton's trafficator topic in "Useful Tips"
Dave, I would be interested to see how you have wired your switch.
It makes a change asking the questions rather than answering them and thanks for your help.

Mike, exactly correct regarding the earths. They come from the trafficator earths on the body. As you move the switch to make contact for left or right indication the earth path will change from side to side (the operation of the switch opens and closes the contacts between 2 & 5) Looking again at the diagram a bridge between 1 & 6 would be needed otherwise the bulb would be out of circuit.....

There is indeed a bridge between 1 & 6. The two terminals are connected.
I could try a piece of wire between the two to make sure.

Try and let us know Mike although to be honest I'm out of ideas if that doesn't work. I'd have to start poking about with a meter after that

I did not have a chance to look at the switch today.
Yesterday I successfully replaced the broken capillary temp gauge with an electric one. Not so period but I am getting fed up with breaking the capillary tube. The sensor is in the header tank so that when the temp reading drops I know that the water level has dropped and it is measuring air temp.
I'll have another look at the switch tomorrow. I could try a squirt of WD40!

Right, heres how mines was sorted.

Put a small length of wire between 2 & 1
another small length between 5 & the empty place beside 1
a further small loop between 3 & 4 to power each side.

Mine also has indicators fiitted working off the same switch with 2 flasher units so the trafficators dont flash. Heres a pic that will hopefully make it all a wee bit clearer....<br><br>

I don't think I could get that many wires in the space!
I will try it tomorrow with a test light between each connection and hopefully I will get a result.

I had another play with the switch this afternoon. I ended up taking the switch apart and probing everything with a test light. I got lots of positive results with the test light but still could not get the warning light to work.
I think it must be an earthing problem somewhere or something internal not connected. I just got very confused and short tempered when it took me 15 mins to get a grub screw back in.

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The 2 small black wires (between 2 & 1, and 5 and the empty one beside 1) in my pic are the main ones to put in, they carry the power up to the bulb as there doesnt seem to be another source.

The screws are very fiddly, especailly if like on mine you have up to 3 wires in some places.........The new loom that Im getting for my traveller is going to include the extra wires for trafficator and indicators and only costs about £5.00 more than the standard one to have made.

I'm going to put the switch back together in a minute. There is already a connection between 5 and the terminal next to 1, that just leaves 1 to 2.
My wiring loom is custom built with the indicators, reversing light, rear fog and boot light wired in. I also specified plastic coated wiring so that I could still see the colour coding in a couple of years time.

SORTED!!! I connected 1 & 2 with a piece of wire and it worked. I haven't a clue why, there was no wire there originally. Now all I have to sort out is the fuel gauge which reads full all the time. There is a thread on that somewhere so I will follow that.
Thanks a lot for all your help.