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Anything and everything Spitfire.
Section : Electrical Equipment
Alternators, dynamos, lights, wipers, etc.
Posted By : David Mitchell, 28-May-2005,
06:16pm
I've discovered a fault with my Spit. Although full beam, dipped and headlight flash work via the indicator and light stalk the horn and the indicators
don't. The hazard warning lights work. On closer inspection having removed the steering column cover that there is a black wire detached form the indicator
mechanism. I found it by lightly tugging on wires and it seemed to be nestled in the heart of the unit. It's greasy and has a dirty exposed end (no
connector). It took me a while to work out where it goes (I think!). A black wire seems to have been cut from the extreme right of the unit (as see from
above from the drivers seat). I can see a green yellow wire still in situ and the remains of the end of the black wire. An everso slight nick in the
green-yellow wire can be seen which suggests the wire was cut!
When I bought the 1500 the last October only item of work that was boasted about by the previous owner was the replacement of the indicator stalk. He was
not particularly automatively minded, less so than me! if in that item of work he accidently or delibrately cut the wire from the spade connector why have
the indicators worked up until the other week. The black wire seems to have been shove connected to its contact. Am I barking up the wrong tree? I can't
see a more suitable alternative than the one I've mentioned above although I found the wire elsewhere in the unit detached. I've tried re-connecting this
black wire temporarily and its not worked. I've not looked into fuses yet. All other items were still working after I closed the job up for the
evening.
The last item of evidence I have is the horn did work before I started fiddling!
I've tried doing this job with 2 boys under 5 and half, including this email, so apologies for poor continuity, gramma etc.
Dave.
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Posted By : David Mitchell, 01-Jun-2005,
12:56pm
I think I've solved the problem. After pulling apart the indicator, horn and main beam switch I found that the black wire snakes it's way through the
unit to the actual stalk. A purple wire enters the end of the stalk and the black wire is held in place in between a hollow white plastic block (that
acts as a pivot for the stalk) and the actual stalk. The black wire was obviously under stain and it eventually gave way. I'm now faced with the task
of fixing the black wire to the stalk, the plastic block seems very well fixed unfortunately.
As for the cut end of the black wire sharing the connector at the back of the switch unit I can only imagine that it was a mistake sometime in the
distant past and the wire cut accordingly. It might be that this short wire contributed to the fault eventually.
If this does fix the problem I'll let you know.
I checked the fuses and they are all servicable. I found a list for the uses of each fuse and my issue is not confined to one fuse anyway.
Dave.
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Posted By : David Mitchell, 14-Nov-2005,
01:39pm
My fix was temporary.
A trip down the M20 on the way to work for the first time in my Spitfire in July resulted in two fuses blowing as a result of my attempts to get my
horn and indicators to work. This led to overdrive disengaging at 70mph and a huge cloud of smoke out the back. I limped to the nearest junction,
got out and checked and replaced fuses, they lasted 5 minutes. I turned for home and worked from there. The smoke has not re-appeared fortunately,
maybe it did some good?
MOT was due in a few weeks time so I dropped it into a garage on a recommendation. It was a difficult job but the garage got them working again. I
then met up with the previous owner last month and it turned out that replacing the indicator was a little job that he had performed on the car
last year!