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Re: Spit turn Signals

To: Tom Ambrose <tambrose@tir.com>
Subject: Re: Spit turn Signals
From: Malcolm Walker <walker05@camosun.bc.ca>
Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1999 10:31:26 -0700 (PDT)
Cc: spitfires@autox.team.net, triumphs@autox.team.net
On Sun, 3 Oct 1999, Tom Ambrose wrote:

> The front turn signals will turn on, but not blink and the rear ones don't
> glow at all. I switched the hazard light off and on a bunch of times and for
> awhile, the dash hazard indicator light glowed, but no front or back hazard
> lights blinked. However that doesn't even glow now.

It is probably a ground fault, or burned-out bulbs.  Check the wires that
go to the signal lights, if any connections look corroded or are loose,
take them apart, clean, re-crimp if necessary, and put them back together.

Dielectric grease (available at better parts stores, and electronics
stores) should keep the corrosion away for a little while.

Check the bulb holders, if they're full of powedery stuff, use a pencil
eraser to polish the contacts inside until they shine.  (brasso might help
too- or 400-600 grit wet/dry).  Also clean the bulbs so that they have
lots of contact area.

Make sure that the ground point is actually grounding.  On my TR4 the rear
lights are grounded onto the pot metal of the light housing.  My
signals/brakes worked a lot better when I ran a jumper from the chromed
housing to a *good* ground point (A sheet metal screw put into a NON-RUSTY
body panel works well)

You are about halfway there- the front lights work.  On my car no lights
worked, I had to start at the fuse box and trace the wires to the lights.
The switch, flasher, wires, connections, bulb holders and grounds ALL
needed attention.  I often use my arm to signal too...

> Oh, the horn doesn't work, either.

The horn is quite a big circuit.  Set aside an entire day to do it.  Why?
When you get it working, it's a lot louder than you think.  Fries your
nerves.

> As you can tell by my questions, I don't have a grasp of either where to
> clean the connections or what to replace.

This is an LBC:  "Everywhere" and "Everything" :-)

-Malcolm
* There is a FAQ for this list!  Its new home is:
http://www.islandnet.com/~walker05/triumph/trfaq.htm


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