saggy Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Friday car starts - no problems Saturday ditto but the bright green indicator light is permanently on. All lights and indicators work just as they should but the green light remains on. In fact the green light comes on immediately the ignition is switched on before the engine has started. It is a new wiring loom. Any ideas where the problem is please? (Hopefully not behind the dash board!) Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Are you running a dynamo? Al. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Clarkey Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Tony Thompson(TT) on here is your man Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 What bright green indicator light????? The ignition light is usually RED. The indicator light is GREEN. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 (edited) Sounds as though the bulb holders are swapped and it's the generator warning light that's on all the time. Which light illuminates when the indicators are on? With the ignition on and the engine stopped the red light should be on and it should extinguish when the engine is started. Edited January 21, 2013 by peejay4A Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tr4Tony Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Sounds like a couple of things. Perhaps swap the bulb holders behind the dash if when the indicators are on the red one flashes ? If that sorts that one issue, move to the red one being permanently on. Red on perm means the dynamo isn't charging properly. Usually it's a bad earth or a duff control box / corroded contacts. I'd start by looking at that by taking the cover off and gently defluffing the contacts on the two coils and checking the contacts from the box and back to the loom. If not you need to test the control box and dynamo .... One of them isn't right. Both are cheap to replace. Regards Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saggy Posted January 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Morning all, thanks... to answer in order of replies: Al T - it's a new alternator about 3 months old Roger - "What bright green indicator light????? The ignition light is usually RED. The indicator light is GREEN." Yup, same as mine. Peejay - With the ignition on and the engine stopped the red light IS on and it DOES extinguish when the engine is started. TR4Tony - It's all tight and shiny new wiring, contacts, controls, fuses etc so no fluff/corrosion etc. As I say everything worked as it should on Friday - turn on the ignition and the red light comes on, start the car and the red light goes out. However, Saturday when the ignition is turned on, not only does the red light come on, the green indicator light comes on permanently as well. After starting, the red light goes out as usual but the green indicator light stays on. All the indicator lights on the car work correctly when operated by the indicator stalk but, whether indicating or not, the green light stays on until the ignition is switched off. The day before, the green light was flashing correctly when using the indicators (and the bulbs haven't swapped during the night) Somehow the green light must be receiving supply from somewhere it shouldn't. Possibly the ignition circuit (I hope not otherwise overload and fire) or possibly from the live feed at the flasher unit but I can't think of anything else. I was hoping it might have been a common problem with these cars so that there was a well known (other than to me) answer! Cheers, Saggy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 In that case it's almost certain that the flasher unit has failed internally. On the 4/4A it's a three terminal device with a separate feed to the warning light. Try unplugging the flasher, its in the passenger footwell left hand side at the top. If the lamp goes out then the flasher is most likely your culprit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 The trafficator indicator lamp (green) is supposed to flash when the bimetallic strip inside the trafficator unit (the plug-in, tubular device under the dash) is heated by the flow of current to the front & rear flashers and moves across to send current to the dashboard lamp. In doing so, the bimetallic strip cools and so moves back so as to reactivate the flashers - this process being repeated as long as one has selected right or left indication on the column stalk. I think that your trafficator unit may be duff, so that it is maintaining internally a permanent feed to the dashboard lamp. Try a new/replacement trafficator unit. Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saggy Posted January 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2013 Hmm OK, Pete and Ian. It's ffffreezing out there but I found the trafficator/flasher unit and tried it in another vehicle - it works fine. Which thinking about it makes sense because Ian said.... the bimetallic strip inside the trafficator unit (the plug-in, tubular device under the dash) is heated by the flow of current to the front & rear flashers and moves across to send current to the dashboard lamp. In doing so, the bimetallic strip cools and so moves back so as to reactivate the flashers - this process being repeated. So I conclude from this that the flasher unit is working correctly because all the indicator lights on the car work correctly when operated by the indicator stalk. The problem is, whether indicating or not, the green light stays on until the ignition is switched off. I can't think that a bad earth would cause this green light to stay ON - more like not come on at all. I'll check the control box contacts again but will probably just have to get all my dash out yet again to find nothing! I usually find that if I waste enough time, skin a couple of knuckles and break something else then these things have a habit of fixing themselves and I have learn't nothing!! Regards, Saggy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted January 23, 2013 Report Share Posted January 23, 2013 Just replace the flasher unit. Forget the dashboard. Al. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted January 24, 2013 Report Share Posted January 24, 2013 Does the light go out when you unplug the flasher unit? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Graham Harris Posted January 24, 2013 Report Share Posted January 24, 2013 It has been known that one of the indicator globes has an internal failure and causes a leakage to earth. Try removing each indicator globe , one at a time and see if the light goes out. Do this after you change the indicator unit because the new electronic units tend to fail on a regular basis Graham Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saggy Posted January 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2013 Job to get on here with the SQL site probs lately. Pete - yes, unplugged flasher unit (which is only 3 months old BTW) and the green light goes out. I would add that the flasher unit works fine in another car and indeed all the indicator lights on the rear lamps, front grille and wing repeaters all flash correctly. Graham - when you say indicator 'globe' do you mean each of the indicator light bulbs in the rear/grille/wing etc as above because as these were all new about 3 months ago as well. Could a leak to earth from one these cause the green light? I presumed it would only have been a circuit from the flasher through the green bulb to an earth behind the dash would have made the circuit for it to illuminate? Perhaps I'm wrong... yet again! Cheers, Saggy I should add that this is not a bunch of 50 year old wiring and bulbs - it's all new at the end of a restoration. I suppose I should expect some snagging/settling down Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted January 25, 2013 Report Share Posted January 25, 2013 Just to be doubly sure try another flasher unit. Preferably an original type one Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted January 25, 2013 Report Share Posted January 25, 2013 (edited) If you have a 4A you have the side repeaters in addition to the front and back indicator lamps. If your substitue vehicle didn't have the same then it's not a fair test. As Stuart says, try a new one and if it's an electronic one make sure it's rated for a 4A if indeed that is what you have. The fact that the light goes out when you unplug the flasher says to me that it's faulty or not correct for the car. Edited January 25, 2013 by peejay4A Quote Link to post Share on other sites
D Murton Posted January 25, 2013 Report Share Posted January 25, 2013 Saggy If the indicators are working OK and the flasher unit is not faulty then I would have a look at the back of the socket the flasher unit plugs in to. It could be a short between the live feed (Green) & the feed to the light (Light green/purple) terminals. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted January 25, 2013 Report Share Posted January 25, 2013 Not if the removing the flasher makes the light go out which is how I understand it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted January 25, 2013 Report Share Posted January 25, 2013 Just to be doubly sure try another flasher unit. Preferably an original type one Stuart. Yep Ask me how I know Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tthomson Posted January 26, 2013 Report Share Posted January 26, 2013 Hi Saggy, Did you fix this problem? If not, the problem must be in the flasher circuit and there are only a few components and wires. It must be one of those. The light permanently on would indicate to me that supply voltages are getting across the flasher even when this is not required. If the flasher is not the problem, then the wiring of the flasher socket may be incorrect, or shorting out when the flasher is plugged in. If it is a typical flasher unit, then the socket should have a centrally located countersunk screw. If this has been replaced with a cheese head or domed version, that might cause this sort of problem when the flasher is plugged in. Good luck TT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saggy Posted January 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2013 Hmm, my flasher is a complete sealed unit without any centre screw. I haven't had a chance to source a replacement yet but to-day I did try taking the wires out of the socket which holds the wires and fitting the wires directly onto the spades of the flasher unit in case anything strange was happening in the socket which holds the female ends. Still same problem. I've also gone round taking each of the indicator/flasher bulbs out but no joy. As soon as I get another flasher unit I'll report back. Thank you and regards to all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Graham Harris Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 (edited) The attached shows the array of flasher units i went through to try and come up with one that continues to work. The empty case was in the car when i got it and is the original bimetal points type and the only reason i wanted to change it was it's tatty appearence. All the others except the one on the lower left all failed after a short test run so i took the original appart and put the innards in one of the new cases and all is now good. Regards Graham Edited January 27, 2013 by Graham Harris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 When fitting relays, in the engine bay, for the headlamps I also fitted a new modern flasher unit. It is in a plastic body so requires a seperate earth wire. Works perfectly. Whereas the 'original' replacements didn't work straight from the box. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Harvey Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 I'm following this thread with interest and trying to pay attention because the subject of indicators comes up regularly, along with ways to get an audible beep when the self cancelling trafficator switch on the steering column fails to cancel and you don't notice because the green light isn't visible during the day. I'm surprised one of the marque supply specialists hasn't produced a replacement flasher unit (suited to alternator converted cars) which really works, beeps pleasantly, and lasts longer than the electronic ones off EBay etc.? My newly restored car still has the original bimetal flasher can but the indicators flash too fast and I suspect will eventually fail the MOT. It would be nice to know there's a reliable replacement unit that fixes everything, even if it costs a silly price. Tony Thompson is obviously an expert on such electrical matters but I haven't seen his wiring diagrams and suspect I would still end up paying someone to do the wiring for me, so an 'off the shelf' substitute would find a willing buyer in me. Any suggestions anybody? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
saggy Posted January 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2013 Yes - I agree with you Paul. Update... to-day I got a replacement flasher unit like Graham's 04-1208 although it doesn't have anything other than 21W X2 + 5W printed on the body. (same as the previous new one) I got it from a reliable motor factor and the chap was very helpful trawling through parts catalogues to make sure it was the right one. Essentially Stuart was right - the new flasher unit had failed but not to the extent that it did nothing at all - it just malfunctioned. Question 1. So will I have to keep replacing this flasher unit after every few times it has been used? Question 2. With the first flasher (when it was working) I had a bright green flashing light on the dashboard. But with the new flasher fitted to-day it is only a glimmer of green so I would never see it in daylight! Can anyone help with this new problem please? (battery fully charged and engine running so shouldn't be any lack of voltage/current unless the new flasher is faulty in that respect) Thanks very much. S. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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