Morris Minor Owners Club

Not sure if this should live here or under electrical. I seem to have huge problems stopping my side lights from corroding to the extent that the bulbs wont come out. Even on the wings I fitted in May, I am having problems.

I have tried covering the back with dumdum, ensuring that the gasket and plastic ring are fitted on the front, spraying with WD40 frequently, still have trouble. Is there a trick, is there a breathing hole somewhere, or what else can I do?

Thanks

H

Which sidelight do you have? The 1098 version or the earlier single unit?
Either way there is meant to be a 'rubber' boot on the rear which does most of the protection from water spray. (it's not actually rubber).

The whole of the inner wing / inside of the wing area gets shotblasted with salty / dirty water when you drive through puddles or standing water. Therefore the boot on it's own is rarely good enough as the new ones do not grip the wires. This allows water into the sidelight which usually doesn't drain out.
Depending on the material of the boot you can fill it with grease (some materials are damaged by grease so not always a good idea) or you can fill it with seam sealer. Silicon sealer itself is mildly acidic so depending who you talk to as to whetgher it is recommended or not. Then pack a bit more sealer around the area where the wire exits the boot, and around the edges of the boot and any exposed metal areas of the sidelight.
This way they should last a few years rather than 1 year.

Basically the boots are not as good as they used to be and the plating on the sidelights is just a joke comapred to the original spec.

I assume the wiring is a slight `U` shape so that when water is present it runs off the bottom of the `U` rather than into the light fitting.
The other trick I know is that when fixing to the wing use nylon number plate bolts so that everything comes apart much easier.
Have you tried some dum dum inside the wing where the wiring goes through to see if that helps.

Ive come across this problem myself and before fitting the new units spray them with a cold zinc compound. It wont cure the water problem but it will slow the all process down,Oh and before you place the bulbs in the holders pack the holder with vaseline the bulbs will light -this is an old trick used by many councils years ago on snow plows and the likes.But why oh why dont things last as they use to.Twinkle and Bill.

Should have said, I have the later 1098 side lights with separate indicator bulb. I have the rubber gasket at the back, and have fill the inside wing with dumdum around the wires.

Will try filling with Vasaline, sounds like a good tip. Think the idea of seam sealer is a good one to, so will try that. Thanks guys.

there should be a boot, not just the rubber gasket.
I think on the recent ones there is 2 boots (one for the indicator, one for the sidelight).

Oh Ok, wil have to check into that no boot on mine.