Morris Minor Owners Club

Having just fitted a new speedometer and cable I now have both amber warning lights permanently on, when I switch side and/or headlights on. These are the warning lights for low oil pressure or blocked filter. The right hand light when looking at the speedo is slightly dimer than the left. There is definitely nothing wrong with the oil pressure or filter.
So, faulty wiring into speedo or an earth problem? I have retraced my steps and all connections into rear of speedo are in order for certain. All six bulbs are new and working. The speedo itself (recon from ESM) is sitting correctly and fixed into both side lugs. Battery connections and earth in order. The headlights are working correctly with no other electrical/earthing problems apparent. Car is a 68 Traveller and runs on an alternator.
As always, any advice would be more than welcome.

When lights come on when other circuits are switched it's usually a leakage to earth.

Hi are you sure you have all the bulbs in the correct place, from your info it looks like you have the speedo panel lights in the wrong holes.
I have just checked my 66 traveller and if the same as mine you should have the following:-
panel lights are red/white wires and should be connected to the slide switch under the dash these should be in the top holes.
the orange lights should have green/yellow + green for oil filter on middle right looking from front of speedo and green/brown + green wires for oil pressure on middle left
bottom left is a blue light for main beam and should have a blue/white wire
the bottom right is a red light for IGN and is a brown/yellow + white

I hope this helps

hope this is of some help.
It shows at least the Red White cable bulb and where it goes.[frame][/frame]

Thanks chaps. Checked again and all wiring at rear of speedo is exactly as you advise; all in order. Still have the amber lights lit though, once lights are on. Panel light bulbs/connections are definitely in the correct holes in speedo as well. This is an odd problem but I feel it is simple solution, but just can't quite get to it, if that makes sense. I wondered if it could be the new speedo itself? Could it be an internal problem in that? Although, like you say, the fist thought must be earth problem. Baffling.

The only obvious way to prove if it is the speedo is to refit the original. (sorry for stating the obvious)

Ah yes! Unfortunately the original is on it's way to ESM for refund of surcharge!

Really do think it is most likely to be bulbs in wrong holes - do the orange lights operate as they should when the sidelights are NOT switched on??? ie Do you get 'low oil pressure' warning when you switch on the IGN - and if you short the 'blocked filter' wire to earth at the filter can - does it light up then ???

If the speedo is not earthed the fuel gauge will not work. After removing and refiting mine I found the earthing poor as it is only achieved with the 2 screws in the sides and I had to supply a good earth wire to get the fuel gauge to work.

The two clips should easily give a good earth...assuming the screws are in place and nipped up.

The fixing screws are nipped up onto the lugs so earth should be good. Amber low pressure warning light on with ignition then out with initial engine rev. Lights only illuminate when side/headlights switched on. All bulbs are in correct positions, identical to where they were in old speedo and in line with advice on this strand. Shorted can end and light came on. I have oil pressure gauge and change filter etc every few months so I can live with this as I don't expect it is damaging in any way; just annoying.

There may be internal shields missing - intended to keep stray light away from the coloured lenses...

That's the point I've reached too. Long drive yesterday in dark and ambers stayed on but no other ill effects so will stop investigating it for now. Hopefully all will be well.

I happened to have my Trav out in darkness last night - and my orange lights are not glowing at all with sidelights on. Other possibilty I suppose - are the two 'illumination' lamps perhaps higher wattage (ie too bright) than they should be ? But I guess they have come straight from service in the old speedo where they were presumably fine.

You might have a point there because no, I replaced all bulbs with new ones and I have noticed tonight in't dark that the speedo is so bright, it illuminates the front area/seats far more than the old one. I have driven all over last few days and nothing untoward. Thanks Roy.

Ah-ha !

Are there some small tubes that fit between the bulbs and the coloured lenses, so that the lenses are only lit by the relevant bulb and not by stray light? Something in the distant past tells me I had this 'stray light' problem, and found I needed the tubes - does that sound right?

I'm sure there is - my ref already to possible missing 'shields'.

Yup. shields in place.

Bulbs too bright then.........