Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi all, my traveller works A1, starts with no issues etc... but no ign light? The oil pressure light comes on for a few seconds then goes out, as one would hope lol, but the light below that, the red one, doesn't come on - what is the first thing to check? The bulb? Or is there something easier to check first...?

Thanks!

The bulb has it!

The bulb can be a pig to get out. If you have an altinator and neg earth, unplug the altinator and connect the SMALL wire to earth with the ignition on. If the bulb lights its an altinator fault, if not bulb or wire. All the light does is tell you the altinator is charging. A rearly old altinator will charge without the light coming on so you may find that the battery is still up.

Never known a bulb to fail here - are you SURE the battery is charging?

Take the speedo out and have a look, the bulb holder may have fallen out.

Most likely is blown bulb. Easy fix. Remove speedo, change bulb.
Less likely dynamo not charging - do the headlights get brighter when you rev the engine? If yes, then still the bulb.
Least likely of all, failed control box. Swap it for another is quickest check.
Also look for loose wiring and loose fan belt.

Been working on the saloon, so will get round to the traveller tonight hopefully. It is a positive earth system, a dunamo, and appears to be chargind fine! So, guessing it is the bulb - two scres through the holes in the gloveboxes yes? I'll get onto it asap and let you all know.

Unless you are used to undoing the screws you may find it easier to remove the glove boxes. Slacken the screws, do not remove them

I'll be amazed if it's the 'bulb' - " it's never the bulb"...........

Never say never , there are a few connections on the way to the bulb and the bulb holder to consider too.

Ahhhhh - now connections etc ARE a possibility...... It's just 'never' 'the bulb'...........

lol - it was the bulb! Changed it and hey presto! Nobody said how difficult it is getting 40 year old glove boxes back in though!!

have you tested the old bulb now it is out of the holder?? IF the system was run with say no battery connected - then indeed the the bulb could be subjected a very high voltage - and then it would glow very brightly indeed - and eventually 'blow'. So yes - just sometimes it could be the bulb - but not in normal service use....... Well done getting it sorted!

The bulb was blackened and filament gone - but just glad it is working now, concerned in case fan went and would have no knwoedge until perhaps too late for the poor little hot engine!!