Morris Minor Owners Club

Some of you will remember that I had a problem with the horn last year. Anyway it's stopped working again so I've been trying to fix it this morning. I found that it was due to a loose earth connection but to fix it I needed to get to it via the glovebox area. Problem is I have a gauge panel fitted and had to remove this to get to the horn wiring, which meant disconnecting the wiring to the gauges. One gauge wasn't working so I don't intend to put the gauge panel back but now I have no electrics at all - everything is completely dead! I checked the fuses and they look fine. Any suggestions?

A bit more info. The gauges were amps, temperature & oil pressure. The wires connected to the gauges (now loose) are:

Black - earthed to body
Yellow/green - from rear of speedo (amps?)
Yellow- to engine (temp?)
Brown/green - labelled 'to illuminate bulbs'
Red- labelled 'negative live'
Red - labelled 'positive earth'

The two wires from the ammeter need shorting together then insulated to stop them touching anything else. All the cars electrics should go through these two wires and having them apart is stopping the current flowing.

Thanks. Which 2 wires need joining? The gauges have been removed and I don't intend to re-fit them.

As I did not remove the wires I c\an only guess from your description so far but I would think it would be the two red wires. Are they both fairly thick wires? If you have a multimeter you could check both. Set for reading 12 volts and check which one is showing a reading then set for continuity and check the other one reads to earth. I am guessing the last test wont read and if this is the case try again this time with the meter connected to the wire and a fuse in the fuse holder. If you now get a reading it is the wire to connect to the live red one. In future the best thing to do when disconnecting wires is to draw a diagram of where they go, we all get caught some time.

Yes, the red wires are both fairly thick. I'm sure I've got a photo of the wiring from when I changed the gauge panel but it will be on my pc, which is in a different location to the car so I can't access it at the moment.

Turn the ignition key on and quickly touch the two red wires together and see if the dashboard lights come on. If they do those two wires need to be connected together and insulated so they can't touch the bodywork.

Cheers Amgrave - electrics back and horn working

Just make sure the join is good and tight and that it can't touch anything else. Glad to help

Why not refit the gauges ? All sound handy to me !

The temperature gauge doesn't work, and all 3 are fitted to a panel which covers the front of the glove box. My 4 previous Minors all had the glove box space behind the steering wheel and it probably seems a bit odd bit I miss not having it there!

glad your up and running again

Thanks Dale, getting Eric ready for his MOT test the week after next so fingers crossed!

The temp gauge is likely just the sensor (assuming electric) - and was the oil pressure gauge also electric ? All good information to have on the engine - I would refit them if possible - perhaps not in the 'glove box' if you need it for your gloves.....

good luck i have new engine now