Richard and Dean,
Thank you both for your replies. The dash light flashed intermittently,
with no discernable "pattern". I removed and replaced the flasher unit just
for the heck of it and haven't noticed the indicator falsely coming on
again. If the flasher unit isn't dodgy, then there MUST be a short
somewhere, but it's probably going to be difficult to spot since the wiring
harness is nearly new and appears to be in very good shape! I've got my
fingers crossed that the problem is gone for good, but this isn't the first
time that I've had strange goings on with the dash turn indicator.
When I first replaced some burned out signal bulbs and replaced all the dash
bulbs shortly after acquiring the car, the external turn signal lamps would
all function correctly, but the dash indicator wouldn't flash at all. Then,
it would sometimes. Eventually, after a week or two of driving, it came on
consistently and correctly every time the turn signals were engaged. Now
apparently, the once-dormant dash indicator light comes on as it sees fits,
regardless of whether or not I engage the turn signal stalk! The Lucas
phantom strikes again! I'm really hoping that removing and replacing the
flasher unit did something, but I won't hold my breath.
Best wishes,
Jeff in San Diego
'67 RHD Spitfire Mk3 aka "Mrs. Jones"
Jeff's Classic '67 Spitfire Mk3 site & Vintage Spitfire Webring
http://www.ohms.com/spitfire/spitfire.shtml
home of the NEW Totally Triumph Auction
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----- Original Message -----
From: Richard B Gosling <Gosling_Richard_B@perkins.com>
To: jmcneal <jmcneal@ohms.com>; spitfires <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2000 1:42 AM
Subject: Re: Flasher on the blink?
>
> Jeff,
>
> Sounds more awkward than a simple dodgy flasher unit. As far as I
understand
> it, the flasher unit is a simple switch in the line for the indicators -
with
> the switch closed all lights will light, with it open all lights will be
off.
> If the flasher was dodgy I don't think it would be able to light any one
light
> (even the dash light) and not the others - although I will admit I don't
have
> the wiring diagram in front of me, so I can't be absolutely sure.
>
> When your dash light flashes, does it flash regularly (by which I mean at
a
> fixed frequency, not as I believe the word can be used in American to
mean
> simply 'normal')? Or does it come on and off randomly? I would really
need a
> look at the wiring diagram - which I don't have at work today (I must
confess
> to having borrowed my wifes car (she's on holiday) due to the appalling
> weather) - but there may be some way for a loose wire to complete the
> connection from live via the flasher and the dash light to earth, without
the
> connection being completed via the external lights. If the connection
was
> through the flasher unit I would expect the light to turn on and off much
> faster than usual - flasher units are designed to do this when the
current
> through them is lower than usual, to draw your attention to the fact that
you
> have a problem, ususally a broken bulb.
>
> So, my first guess would be a loose wire shorting out somewhere. Good
luck, I
> HATE this sort of problem, it can be a nightmare to track down (not
wanting to
> depress you at all...)! Actually, they are not always that bad, they are
just
> a pet peeve of mine, since Daffy was riddled with these sorts of things
when I
> bought her.
>
> Richard and Daffy (sitting at home, feeling sad, wondering if I don't love
her
> any more... sob, sob... second day in a row I chose not to drive her to
work
> simply because of the weather...)
>
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