11 replies to this topic

[Carlzilla]

Bought the car, Electrics are a mess, but i never had Full beam or flash, and shortly after my indicators stopped working after my mate had a look at the lights to see why and also my heated rear screen switch, i noticed the light in it went fuzzy shortly after my indicators failed, so just trying it a day later, i moved my car up the drive, i turned the heated screen on, the light was fine, then i tryed my indicators, they worked for a few seconds then failed, and as soon as i tryed that the switch went fuzzy again and continued to be after the indicators were cancelled or the ignition was turned off and on again.

so under the bonnet, it has had an alarm fitted at one point but half of it isnt there and so doesnt work, on the right hand side there is a bunch of choc block connectors on the bulkhead, on the left is a 6 way fusebox, of which all the fuses are fine, then a few perm lives coming off that, one of which i wired my head unit off for its memory, and fused that correctly at 15a.
and having been an electrician for 2 years im good with electrics and connections and the like, and everything i do is done correctly and not bodged, but this car has me stumped, ive read around on a few posts, and i dont have much cash, and ive been told to try the stalk, the light switch (which i know needs replacing as sometimes the dash lighting doesnt come on with the lights all of the time so i have to poke it for them to come on, and ive read to try the hazard switch.
im close to buying another wiring loom off a car that is being broken as im fed up of these electrical faults cropping up.
also, i was looking at an in line fuse under the dash, and its for the radio ignition live, so i checked that, and it had a 2a fuse which had blown, which was then covered in tin foil :|

i checked the flasher unit under the dash, and between the cables when the unit is taken out i have power when the indicator stalk is moved up or down, and i also tryed to bridge where the flasher unit was thinking i may get the indicators permanently on instead of flashing, but nothing happened :|

some people never cease to amaze me at how they dont take electrical systems seriously..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Model: Mayfair
Year: 1989




Any non-standard parts that might be involved with the problem?

Edited by Carlzilla, 18 December 2009 - 06:51 PM.

[taffy1967]

The hazard warning light switch does override the indicators when it's switched on. So if the switch or wiring is suspect, then that could be the fault.

But as you're having lots of fun with several components, I'd be looking at the main fuse box and the bunch of choc block connectors because these have replaced the original in-line fuses.

Your Mini Mayfair would have had this fuse box and in-line fuses when new. The only item it wouldn't have had is the auxiliary cooling fan, so you can ignore that particular in-line fuse details: -





This is the wiring order of the original main fuse box:-




The wiring colours are: -

White - Green

Brown - Purple

Light Green/White - Light Green/Orange

Red - Red/Green

Edited by taffy1967, 18 December 2009 - 11:04 PM.

[Shifty]

Taffys right, I'd replace the fusebox first.

[HARBER07]

Also check the earths in the top left corner of the engine bay - thats given me many funky faults to do with indicators

Edited by HARBER07, 18 December 2009 - 11:21 PM.

[Carlzilla]

Cheers, well today if i dont freeze to death, im going to take all the front headlamp/indicator assembelies apart and check the earthing and cable condition, see if anythings amiss there, as the previous owner had problems with water getting to there during heavy rain, and also in the engine bay i havent got a clue where to start tracing cables, as theres just stuff everywhere, but if the fuse box is to blame, then thats going. i think im still favouring another loom, then repair damaged sections and tidy it up while its out of a car.
will also check any switchgear and any possible loose connections. i do wish it hadnt have been messed about with so much :/

but i have ordered a new stainless internal release grille, new front and side indicators in clear, a new flasher unit for the indicator because i thought that was what was up before i read about. so if i cant sort anything, at least the new grille and lights will cheer me up a bit P:

and taffy, any ideas as to which wiring diagram it would be in the haynes manual?

and nice reference to the original mini documentation
i was pleasently surprised to find i had some when i had the car, registered on 22nd feb 1989

Edited by Carlzilla, 19 December 2009 - 11:00 AM.

[Ethel]

http://drcwww.uvt.nl...schema88-on.gif

There's other useful stuff on that site.

An earth fault seems likely.

But also.

The hazard switch breaks the indicator circuit when you put the hazards on. So if you hazards but no indicators:
The earths are ok* and the fault is the hazard switch, the indicator stalk, the flasher unit, the ignition switch or in the wiring between them.

*hazards flashers aren't fussy about high resistance from poor earths & fail in the unlit position. Indicator flashers are effected by current but should still pass current if they fail.

The headlamp flash (and horn) are independent of the light switch so if you get the blue dash lamp to light but no headlights an earth fault is likely. If the lights flash the light switch could be to blame.

It looks like yours should have a dim/dip relay (the big pink coloured one) so test the headlights with the ignition on and the sidelights with it off. It should turn on the dip beam at half brightness when you put on the sidelights when the ignition is on.

[Carlzilla]

Right people, firstly in reply to ethel, i do have a dim/dip relay, my flash comes up on the dash but nothing happens at the lights side of things, but the horn does work.

I had a good look at things today, it doesnt seem that the switches have much of a part to play in things, as the stalks and wiring are pretty much brand new, and have only been on the car for 2 years max, and now for some pictures of what i have found. believe me, its not pretty
it looks as if somebody has chopped and changed the loom, why i have no idea, but things are connected anywhere and everywhere.
and apologies as to the photo quality, all i have is my phone, which is terrible :|

So im definately getting a new loom soon, and of course my car isnt moving anywhere until this is sorted. ( also it needs the carb adjusting, and im going to install an electronic ignition kit, and do away with the points )

EDIT : i forgot to mention, with the ignition on, one of the choc block connectors, i tested with my voltage tester, and it was almost as if it was an indicator, as it was flashing on and off, i wondered if i had caught the stalk and turned the indicator on, and i hadnt. so it was doing that by itself :S

Edited by Carlzilla, 19 December 2009 - 04:28 PM.

[Ethel]

Looks like that'll keep you busy

It's not the original fusebox so god knows what's going on there. The original one has 2 spades on each side of each fuse and some are used to jockey off supplies before the fuse.

The spliced white wire looks original but not sure what it is. Any trace colours? White is the ignition feed.
The wire on the brake level float are black/white, those in the piccy don't look original Mini. Your "flashing" meter suggests a short on the indicator circuit, you could pull the flasher unit to confirm its doing the switching.

If there is a pink relay then there should be a huge resistor near the radiator for half bright headlight ooja. It's scruffy up front but don't know if it warrants a whole new loom?

... that flasher does look like an indicator flasher but it's living where the hazard flasher usually does and the wires look like the hazard's too purple/orange light green/pink. Hayard flashers say HAZARD on them and are usually square.

[Carlzilla]

yeah, i think had to repair that resistor :|

like a 6cm long metal heatsink looking thing?

one of the cables coming from it had melted and was only held on by a few strands of the wire, so i cut the cable to where it was good, and used a connector to join them back up. not sure if thats broken though due to the condition of the cable beforehand. but there is voltage at the connector, so i assume its working?

well, im getting a whole loom out of a car that is being broken for £60, so ill just replace the front end part where its all codged up, and i have spare parts if need any in future then, and lengths of cable from the loom in my car currently if any of the 'new' loom needs repairing. Beats paying £175 for a brand new one. i shall probably have any switches and bits and pieces off the bloke too, see if theyre working then i have cheap spares, and i think im going to replace the headlight switch because of the loose connection i have in it as described earlier.

on accounts as my right headlight wont come out due to the screw being rusted as hell, im going to buy a new pair of healights when i have the cash, preferably something a bit brighter. and i also have 2 ralliart spotlights in my garage (possibly off an earlier evo) complete with the switchgear and wiring, so if i can find some way of making brackets for them and connecting them up, i think i may install those after the loom change

ethel, the hazard flasher i identified is definately a hazard flasher i think, its slightly larger than the indicator flasher behind my clocks, and it clicks when the hazards are on ^^

Edited by Carlzilla, 19 December 2009 - 05:03 PM.

[Ethel]

It could be, a hazard will work in place of an indicator but 4 bulbs at once would make an indicator flasher go 20 to the dozen with the extra current heating it.

That is the resistor, it has a permanent (fused) live feed off the solenoid that goes to the dip relay.

[Carlzilla]

Im having fun.... :/

and my delivery from mini spares today, apparently nobody was in so they will try tomorrow....

THERE WAS 3 PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE AND MY DOG! How the hell was nobody in? Obviously they dont know how to knock a door.

Heater has now been dropped down to the floor since this photo.

[Carlzilla]

its been a while, but, the loom has been out, tidyed up and is now back in, my right indicator needs looking at (probably a connection at the indicator itself)

the heated screen, and the reverse lights (yet again, probably loose connections )

but at least it works now, and the connectors for the lights at the front were perished, so im going to have to do something with those, ill probably put connectors on the for the time being.

Im getting new lights (quadoptics) soon, and making my own custom loom, so things should be looking much better. also going to build my own centre console, with room for my head unit, clock, a tray for bits and pieces, cigarette lighter ( dont smoke, but theyre useful ) and im going to find a way to illuminate those hard-to-see switches above the heater