8 replies to this topic

[ryomini]

Wow

 

hello there

 

it's been a while, I have been driving "Willy"  (you can find him in 'Project Willy' in the saloon section) for about a year since the rebuild, no probs really

 

went through a tunnel the other day and realised no front lights

 

everything else works, including indicators, rear lamps and the dash lights

 

just the little driving lights, low beam and hight beam don't work

 

I have checked all fuses for continuity and they all work

 

so I am guessing it's an EARTH issue, but am poor at lectricity

 

if someone can give me a step by step to do list so I can start to try to nail down the fault

 

I have a 93 Jap spec SPI almost 100 pc standard,

 

(what adds to the difficulty of following the circuit is I have the AC version and there is not much room to pull up the connections and check them all without first pulling something else - ugh)

cheers

[RedRuby]

Not totally sure but given it's a 93 you may find that behind the gauges just above the steering column bracket you may have 4 inline fuses one each for left hand main and dip beam and one each for right hand main and dip beam. I know on my 93 they are there.

[sledgehammer]

once again - not sure because of the spec (IIRC Japanese spec was a bit in between specs)  - but -

 

look behind the bonnet slam panel , there may be some bullet connectors , they often always corrode

 

also maybe a common earth in that area

 

but as above , not totally sure , due to spec

 

another check is the column connectors , they have a habit of loosening pins which fail after a while

Edited by sledgehammer, 29 May 2017 - 08:51 AM.

[cal844]

As above, check behind the speedo binnacle to see if there are inline fuses

[tiger99]

It will not be the fuses because all 4 failing at once is a statistical improbability. But check them and the bulbs anyway.

Once you have done that, one simple test is going to tell you, with 99% certainty, where the fault lies. Operate the headlight flasher. Do they work? If yes, check that the thickish BLUE wire from the main light switch to the stalk is intact and securely connected at both ends. Bridge blue to blue-red or blue-white. Does anything happen?

If they do not flash, the fault is in the earth return from the BLACK wires which join at the bonnet latch area behind the slam panel, and run back to an earth point on or near the drivers side bulkhead gusset.

For safety's sake please wire it to modern standards with the left and right headlights taken back to separate earth points. It may save your life one day.

[ryomini]

Hey

thanks guys

all fuses checked and NO the lights DO NOT flash when the stick is pulled, but dash light blue light works

I shall fiddle around the bonnet latch area

the car is wired as per origin, no crazy mods, just plain old

[tiger99]

The problen now is definitely in that area or st the bulkhead gusset earth point, as you have done the tests to confirm it. I strongly recommend that you renew all the terminals in that area, using a PROPER crimp tool, or soldering the bullets. Otherwise the fault will recur, and you don't want that happening on a dark night at speed. The whole lot of them are almost certainly corroded.

You could relocate them and/or give them a good coat of s sealant such as Damp Start, or Waxoyl or Vaseline, to help avoid future problems.

[ryomini]

Wow lots of posts in the technical section

 

THANK YOU people, especially tiger99

pulled the front grill and found all those connectors under the bonnet latch, big thick black rubber insulated bullet connectors

all in good nick, but oxidised, 30 minutes with a small light file and hey  LIGHTS are back - whew,

that was a relief - I now have tunnel vision again

 

thanks for all the input and suggestions and the quick replies

job done !

[tiger99]

I am glad to have been of help. Summer is upon us, the time to really enjoy your Mini!