Old Leafsprung Land Rovers
General Category => Technical tips & Questions => Topic started by: TrevB on 12 September 2012, 10:02:06 am
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Glad you got it sorted! Sorry I've been offline or I'd've tried to help!
Wiring on old vehicles is fairly easy - and easier with a good wiring diagram & multimeter, don't let it get to you!
One thing I've learnt is to NEVER rely on the bodywork being a good earth as corrosion (accelerated due to a voltage difference across often damp dissimilar metals!) causes one of the most common faults on lighting with older vehicles (even when they were younger than they are now they had issues, my dad's austin A40 is fondly remembered in this regard!) - always run a separate earth if you get the chance!
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For brake light issues try removing and cleaning the bulbs and bulb holders. reassemble with a smear of contact grease or vaseline.
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Nice to see you today Trev and to final sort it out for you 6 joints in one wire in six inches did not help
who ever invented scotch locks whats :smiley-furious: they cause more trouble
See you soon
Simon
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Glad you got the ticket, as roverland says thankfully Land Rover electrics are dead simple - even an electrical numpty like me can find a way around them. If you want to see horrible come to my bus depot - CANbus this, multiplexed that. Modern motors are :****:
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:thumbs:
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Thanks roverland...I need to crack this stuff. MOT was successfully negotiated! :smile1
Simon, I've sent you a pm mate :thumbs:
Once again, thanks to all for your help and advice.
Trev
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:banghead Doh ! sorry fen put your name in there instead of trev . Its friday and all that. normal service will resume at playtime tomorrow :smilewide:
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rofl Poor old me, turns out I know nothing about car electrics...
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Trev
Sorry just seen your post take it your all sorted im in Skegby just up the road and a spark know that does not help you
Out in the morning if you still have problems in latter
Simon
PS if not working again
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Lesson to be learned hear Fen car electrics are simpler than you think.. all circuits work to a basic principle. Live into switch. Live out of switch to component, such as lights.. and component to earth . First idea don't throw that old light away as they make excellent test lamps and would have made your life a lot simpler on this task. Attach it to a decent length of wire with a couple of small crocodile clips on the end (cost pennies from motor factors) .this way you should be able to test any component from in the cab of your motor ... Remember Live to switch .Switch to component . component to earth . Three tests it really is that simple good luck with MOT>>> :giddy:
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Fen, you are indeed a God amongst men...thank you for saving my sanity :giddy:
Here's hoping I can get it in tomorrow to get it checked off :thumbs:
Many thanks to everyone who responded to my plea.
Trev
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Take the two connectors off the brake light switch (on top of pedal box) and connect together temporarily. Switch on ignition and see what happens. If brake lights work, then switch is faulty / needs adjusting. Unscrew switch and recconnect to terminals. Press plunger in and out and see what happens. If works, refit and adjust so that it comes on with pedal slightly depressed. If does not work, buy two replacements as they are generally **** quality and prone to failure.
TF
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After much dicking about resting mirrors up aganst the lawnmower and angling it so that I can see it in the wing mirror while I operate the brake etc, I can confirm that neither of the brake lights now work :( I've tried all manner of things to ensure that there is a good earth, but I'm afraid this has got me beat. It's probably something simple, but at this point I'm prepared to accede that I'm an idiot who shouldn't be left to do anything more complicated than change the batteries in a torch ::)
My forlorn hope to get the MOT pass tomorrow morning now lies in tatters. If anyone can offer me some hope that I can resolve this problem I will recommend you as a volunteer for the Samaritans.
Yours suicidally
Trev
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Thanks for the tip Noel. I've just run a wire from the battery to the faulty light earth wire but it's not fixed it. While that was in place I also tried connecting the other two Red and Green/Purple wires across to the other tail light...still the same. Now I'm not even sure that the other brake light is working - it was yesterday ??? It's difficult to check when you're on your own and the sun is bright!! Even using a mirror at the back doesn't help :(
Any electrical ninjas in the Mansfield area? I need this back in to MOT centre by tomorrow at the latest otherwise it's another full MOT :eek:
Really getting desperate now...
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To maintain general sanity it is worth checking all of the earths are in good condition. I always run two from the battery rather than the factory's one, the additional I connect to one of the distributor retaining bolts. I've found more often than not this cures a lazy starter motor, as the starter motor has an earth to the chassis the extra one no doubt helps with other things too. I would suggest for testing purposes you run an earth wire direct from the battery to the light unit that's playing up. If that cures things it would be well worth adding a more permanent solution such as an additional earth from the tub to the chassis. This wouldn't have to be very heavy gauge wire. I tend to re-wire with trailer cable and earth the lights from somewhere up front as well as it all helps.
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Update...fitted the Lucas stalk...all sorted now regarding the headlamps :smile1
Getting a bit frustrated with the brake light issue though...I made a new earth to the body for the black wire as suggested (rubbed off the paintwork to get to bare metal) but still haven't solved the problem. I need to look further into this ???
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I nipped over to Matlock this afternoon and did indeed shell out the extra for Lucas. Surely money well spent...it certainly feels like a solid piece of hardware :thumbs:
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I had a Paddocks cheapie last about 3 months and plunge me into darkness in the middle of Reading as the shoddy contacts had burnt out.
try using a led torch for reading books :haha:
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When you replace the stalk it is well worth shelling out a few quid extra and getting a genuine Lucas one. I had a Paddocks cheapie last about 3 months and plunge me into darkness in the middle of Reading as the shoddy contacts had burnt out. It wasn't fun driving home with just sidelights and main beam. The stalk itself was also made of cheese and was at the wrong angle. Bent as easy as a paperclip!
Blanchards were selling genuine NOS stalks on eblag last time I looked.
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The black wire out of the back of the lamp assembly is (should be) earthed back to the bodywork too.
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Cheers Fen, I'll take a look :smile1
Would this be the screw inside the assembly that goes through the copper strip to make an earth or is there another one somewhere?
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Bad earth on tail lights causing this fault. Remake the earth connection to the bodywork.
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It's looking like the stalk assembly that's at fault. I got it to work by wiggling it about! The lights go out again though when I use the indicators. Just having a poke about now to see how easy it is to get off and replace.
Another issue I'm having is with the offside stop/tail. When I brake, the brake light comes on ok. When I put the lights on, the tail light works. But when I brake with the lights on the brake light doesn't come on ??? I replaced the stop/tail light assembly this morning thinking that would fix it but it didn't :(
Vehicle electrics are a black art...I'm going to rip the wiring loom out and hang myself with it! :banghead
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Mine used to do that on my S3.
The stalk assemblies are made of cheese - even the new one didn't feel positive, though at least it did work!
What's worse is when it fails on the dipped beam contact - nothing worse than driving along at night on full beam, then flicking on to dipped beam when a car comes towards you only to be plunged into darkness :eek:
At least if full beam fails you can still drive on dipped.
Easy to change and relatively cheap :thumbs:
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Does the flash still work, but not the main beam. If so, it is the stalk from memory. You can bodge the stalk short term to make it work by packing being the conact woth some insulting tape.
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I got myself a cheapo 9v battery multimeter from B&Q £9 i think, and it has helped no end tracking down the gremlins.
Either that or a 12v test bulb, just make sure it works before you start testing ;-)
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Thanks for the replies guys. I'll check the plug first before trying to track down a new stalk. I need to get this sorted and back in to the testing station before the end of the week otherwise it,s a full re-test!
I'll let you know what the problem was if I manage to fix it :)
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I had the same issue on the S2, turned out one of the pins on the the three pin plug was corroded. I cut the plug off, crimped them up individually and all was good.
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Stalk is ****, common fault on S3's. About £20 to replace. The copper contacts soften / anneal over time and don't contact. When fitting a new one, it is worth wiring the lights in with relays to stop the high current going through the switch and making it happen again.
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Hi guys,
I put my '84 Series 3 in for MOT the other day and it failed on a couple of minor points, one being the nearside headlamp not working on dipped beam. What was happening was that the headlamps came on when the lights were put on, but when they were switched to main beam both headlamps went out! I took out the nearside headlamp and there was something rattling inside so it was clearly broken. I ordered up a new one from lrseries (who I take my hat off to for their prompt dispatch - it arrived the following morning! :smile1 ) and went to fit it this morning. I still have the same problem...the headlamps come on when I turn the lights on but both go out when I flick the stalk ??? There's obviously more to this than meets the eye, but I'm crap at vehicle electrics. Any ideas anyone?
Many thanks
Trev