Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi, could someone give me some advice on this please..
I cannot get the front indicators or front side lights to work...The back ones are working, although they are flashing very fast as the front ones aren't working...Any ideas...Thanks

Could be a number of things, but a common cause is bad earthing of the lights.

I would have a look a that first.

+ 1 for Brian's suggestion, earths first. If no joy , then move onto the bullet connectors along the route. Remove , clean back to clean metal and reconnect. ( Disconnect the battery whilst you're searching for the cause ).
Bob

Sounds stupid and please give me a slap for stating the bleeding obvious but have you checked the bulbs. For both to have blown at once would be unusual but not unheard of and then would cause the rear lights to flash faster as you describe.

Yes if all four don't work it is likely to be earthing problem. Can I just add that if you check the bullets, you can clean the bullets easily but if the sleeves are rusty inside then just buy new ones.

If one or more bulbs are blown the remaining ones will flash SLOWER rather than faster. This is because the flasher can operates by a bi-metalic switch which will when all bulbs are OK will flash at a given rate. If a bulb is blown on either side there is less current flowing through the flasher bi-metalic strip and it will operate slower.
Bob

Not my experience at all. When the little green bulb flashes faster on my indicator stalk, it has always been because a bulb has blown and is a signal to check it. I can also hear the gubbins clicking faster.

Not my experience at all.

You are likely a lot younger than I.

Agreed that they are more likely to flash faster.... these days. The bimetallic strip flasher units are fewer and further between in this century.

Electronic flasher units took over from purely mechanical ones, years ago.

But now that I have gone back to trafficators with LED festoon bulbs, no more clicking. Hopefully I will be in a box by the time the LED bulbs need replacing.

'NOT MY EXPERIENCE AT ALL'
I fail to see how my age is relevant to the flashing rate of a blinker can. Some modern cans are not bi-metalic switched but have their flashing rate determined by a solid state timing circuit instead. These cans will operate at the same speed regardless of the load connected - even without any load. As i said the bi-metalic can switching rate is dependent on the load ie. correct load (normally two 18 or 21 watt lamps) the correct flashing rate is normal. With a blown globe (less load) the flashing rate will be slower if at all.
Bob

Thanks so much every one for the replys...I have been blowing 35 amp fuses as fast as production will allow...
This I suppose is what happens when you don't really know what you're doing on the electric side of things...
I've managed to get one side working completely ... The other side is a little rusty so maybe just a bad connection..
Again thank you to those who came to my aid...

Just for your info, we have a gadget we use at work when we are blowing a lot of fuses and can't quickly find the cause.

It's just a breaker switch on a bit of wood with a couple of flying leads terminated with croc clips. It clips across the fuse holder and it's just a quick reset when it 'blows', then replace with a proper fuse when fixed. Cheap and easy to make.