Michael,
The fuse holders on the Spitfire are notorious for intermittent connections and
it sounds like your problem could be related to this. It may not be the problem
but you can do some "no cost" work that may eliminate it. It will cost you only
some time, but no money.
The fuse holders tend to spread, or loose their tension over time. That leaves
an "ohmic" (not zero resistance) or intermittent connection. Lights will flicker
or go out, for example. Remove the fuse holder cover and remove one fuse at a
time. Using a pair of pliers, gently squeeze the clips of the holder together
slightly, decreasing the distance between the contacts. Insert the fuse. You may
note that the re-insertion may take a little more effort and the fuse is much
more solid in the holder. Do the same for all the fuses.
Vic Whitmore
76 Spitfire
Thornhill, Ontario
http://www.vicwhit.com
Michael Hargreave Mawson wrote:
>
> Dear All,
>
> Carly has an intermittent electrical problem - from time to time, the
> rev counter dies. When it does, it takes the windscreen wipers and
> washers with it. More often than not, when I start the car, the rev
> counter/wipers/washers are non-functional. Leaving the engine running
> and fiddling with the switches and wires doesn't help. Once I drive
> away, the problem normally disappears within a few hundred yards, and
> does not recur for several miles. Once the problem returns, I am
> without rev counter, wipers and washers for a minute or so, and then the
> wipers and washers come back, followed shortly afterwards by the rev
> counter. The problem is less pronounced if I am driving with wipers
> permanently on - they have never cut out on me, once they are up and
> running - and the cycle is much quicker if I am driving in town than
> when I am on a longer run. Turning the engine off and restarting
> resets the problem to the beginning.
>
> Other known electrical faults with this car include non-functioning
> cockpit light (probably just a bulb gone); non-functioning hazard
> warning lights (they worked for me once, but no longer), missing cigar
> lighter, non-functioning seatbelt warning light (I don't think it's
> connected, but I haven't traced the wiring yet), non-functioning
> reversing lights and non-functioning heater fan. All the other lights,
> gauges, indicators and the radio work fine.
>
> Any ideas, anyone? Please don't tell me I need a new wiring harness!
>
> ATB
> Mike
> --
> Michael Hargreave Mawson, author of "Eyewitness in the Crimea,"
> published by Greenhill Books on 28th March, 2001:
> http://www.greenhillbooks.com/booksheets/eyewitness_in_the_crimea.html
--
Vic Whitmore
76 Spitfire
Thornhill, Ontario
http://www.vicwhit.com
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