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Soft Glow of Ignition Warning Lamp

To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Soft Glow of Ignition Warning Lamp
From: Florrie & Allen Bachelder <bachldrs@swva.net>
Date: Fri, 07 Jan 2000 13:05:22 -0400
Listers -

This thread does pop up occasionally and I contributed to it myself last
year as the ignition warning lamp on my '76 B has glowed softly for over
two years - ever since a DPO-installed diode on the brown-yellow lead broke
and I spliced it out of the circuit.  I have since been amused as the
intensity of the glow also indicates to me when my brake lights are
working, my fuel pump, etc - all kinds of useful information.

But...

I finally got around to a little casual investigating. With a voltmeter at
the fusebox,  I discovered  that  while the voltage on the brown wire was
about 13.5 volts, it was only about 11.5 on the white wire.  Further, with
ignition switch on and heater fan switched on, I shorted brown to white at
the fuse box and noticed a distinct increase in fan speed.  Similar tests
using wipers and turn signals revealed similar improvements I would
certainly welcome on this vehicle.  I did clean up the terminals on the
fuse box which changed nothing.

So, I ask myself, what's between the brown circuit and the white circuit?
Just a few feet of white wire, a couple of  bullet connectors, the ignition
switch harness connector, and the ignition switch itself, right?  '76s do
have the ballast resistor for the coil, but no ignition switch relay.   Now
I know I can trace this disparity upstream and locate the source, but can
somebody save me from the discomfort of digging around up behind the dash,
clutch and brake pedals digging into the sides of my head,  re-inventing
the wheel?  My guess is that it's the ignition switch, although I can reach
under the dash and notice the harness connector is slightly warm while
driving.  Hmmm...  Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Allen

******************************************
         Allen H. Bachelder  =iii=<
         Sinking Creek Home for Wayward MGs
        49 YT, 57 ZB, 58 ZB, 65 B, 67 BGT, 73 B, 73BGT, 76 B, &...
         New Castle, VA 24127
         USA
         540/544-7333
******************************************



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