Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi.
This has started over last few days: When the headlights are on the indicators become intermittent and then stop working altogether. I tried switching to the sidelights and revved the car every time it came to a standstill at traffic lights. That seemed to make the indicators start working again (eventually)
I don't have a radio, rearscreen heater or any other electrical extras on the car. It has a fairly new dynamo, and a new battery. The regulator etc was checked approx 8 months ago.
Please does anyone know what might be doing this?
Fablovely

Hiya
In my (limited, admittedly) experience, weird electrical faults are nearly always caused by a faulty earth somewhere. Check all connections are clean, as a first step.
Dom

Do the indicators work OK with only side lights or are the symptoms the same? Also, are both sides affected or only one side?

Check the earth

then check it again

then take it apart and rebuild it.

The Indicator only relies on the Sidelight body to wing bolts as its earth I think. This is what caused me much head scratching last week. I ended up removing the sidelight assembly then cleaning it up and rebuilding it. Might pay to put a proper earth wire back to the inner wing if you have trouble finding any metal under lots of rust (like me )

A quick check is to use a piece of wire as an impromtue earth between the sidelight body and a good earth (ie engine or even battery)

Good suggestion from PaulK regarding hotwiring an earth to see what's what. The headlights have their own earth wire back to the inner wing so that is often the cause of problems.
as mentioned by the other replies already - the sidelight unit often has an earthing problem where rust gets in the way of a good connection via the wing.

There shouldn't be a problem on the supply side, unless your car has some 'odd' wiring modifications. If the battery was so flat that the lights brought the voltage too low for the indicators to work then you would know about it already (a fairly flat battery ).

simmitc wrote:Do the indicators work OK with only side lights or are the symptoms the same? Also, are both sides affected or only one side?

When I only use the sidelights (and having revved engine loads) the indicators work. This morning the car wouldn't start (had to jump it.) Battery v. new and tested good. Dont' know where the 'earth' is (or what it looks like.) When Matt looked at car to help with clutch he noticed fan belt was a bit loose. Does that make the energy drain?
Fab

a loose fan belt wll make the charging a bit less eficient.
A flat battery could be related - maybe a loss of battery power is the problem.

rayofleamington wrote:a loose fan belt wll make the charging a bit less eficient.
A flat battery could be related - maybe a loss of battery power is the problem.

Do you mean that the loose fan belt has made the battery flat (ish)?
I've been considering taking the car for a 5 mile drive to give it some charge (I don't have a charger) Do you think that will be enough? I'll head for straight roads.

a loose fan belt can certainly help contribute to a flat battery.

unfortunately 5 miles won't really do a lot.
Personally I'd recommend a battery charger, especially if you have a dynamo and drive in London a lot.
(a battery charger should only cost £10 to £20 for a cheap one)

Taking that (a) both sides are affected and (b) the indicators are OK with side lights or no lights and (c) loose fan belt and (d) flat battery it begins to sound like not enough power to run the indicators, rather than an earth problem - although that is still possibly the cause.

Some simple test gear (hand held meter and / or battery hydrometer) would be useful to get, and as mentioned above, a battery charger.

I'd sugest (1) adjust the fan belt, (2) check the acid level in the battery (top up with distilled water if needed) and (3) charge the battery so that you start with a known good position. Ask for more detailed instructions if you're not sure on any of these points. Good luck.

What do you mean when you say 'stop working'?

Do they come on and not flash, or not come on at all.

If they come on but don't flash, its just down to low voltage, either because the battery hasn't got enough volts, or because a terminal / earth somewhere is dropping too many volts because of the resistance.

Have you tightened your fan belt? Remember I said it was really really loose when I had a look at your clutch??

Matt wrote:Have you tightened your fan belt? Remember I said it was really really loose when I had a look at your clutch??

Er, no...Shamefully, I don't know how to tighten a fan belt and got wrapped up in searching for clutch and forgot about it. Thought it was a bit loose, I didn't realise its importance. Didn't click that it was 'really, really, loose' cause of the other problem...
Fab

Do you have a manual? It's pretty easy, and only takes a couple of minutes (though 'they' say that about all jobs )

Have you tightened your fan belt?

That reminds me... time to check mine as it's about a month since it was newly fitted, and is beginning to squeak slightly... (unless it is the resident mouse)

bigginger wrote:Do you have a manual? It's pretty easy, and only takes a couple of minutes (though 'they' say that about all jobs )

I'll root it out. Tools are a bit of a prob. Any suggestions re: a basic kit I should put together (am on v.tight budget, so not expensive one) most welcome.
Fab

For that job, you just need a socket set and spanners. I can't remember the sizes - probably 1/2 inch - but someone will

Have found manuals but dismayed to find no diagrams! In Haynes it says I should "slacken the dynamo securing bolts and move the dynamo either in or out until correct tension is obtained." Trouble is it doesn't actually tell me where the bit is on the fanbelt to adjust. My Owner's Handbook says much the same. My Moggy won't start at all now. If I can get a jump start for it I'll see if a garage can tighten it. Please does anyone know how much adjusting a fan belt might cost in a non-extortionate garage? The car is still stuck in London. Fab

Dynamo is the round cylinder normally under a gold/silver coloured cylinder (the coil) near the top left of the engine the 1 with the fanbelt going around its end(as you face the car from the front)

Its held by 2 bolts on the top face (1 Front 1 Back)

THe adjusting bolt is underneath. Slightly slacken the top bolts, then slacken the bottom bolt and pull the dynamo out untill the belt is tight but you can still move it about 1/2 inch between pulleys (like a bike chain) then do all the bolts up.

It sounds like you need some car maintenance lessons?

I did some years ago, its what got me started.

Anyone with even a small amount of car knowledge should be able to help you on the fan belt try parents/uncle/postman . Ask about, but do the job yourself, just let them show/explain to you what to do.

Its about the simplest job to start on and will get you used to dealing with the joys (and pitfalls ) of Minor ownership.

Edited due to my inability to know my right from left Cheers

Dynamo is the round cylinder normally under a gold coloured cylinder (the coil) near the top right of the engine the 1 with the fanbelt going around its end(as you face the car from the front)

I think most coils are silver rather than gold & if you are facing the car from the front the dynamo is near the top left of the engine.
The adjusting bolt underneath is difficult to see & a ring spanner is best for this.
It is best to hold the dynamo out with your left hand while tightening the adjusting bolt with your right hand, otherwise it might be too slack.
I have tried to post a diagram here without success. perhaps someone else can do it.