5 replies to this topic

[Bratby]

Hello all be gentle I'm new, myself and my girlfriends Dad are getting my girlfriends Mini cooper 1993 back on the road (she doesn't even drive haha hopefully i'll be sharing this with her old man when it's up and running). The car has been off the road since 2005 and is a little rough around the edges obviously, we're got her running now after 3 weeks problem solving it turned out some dodgy wiring to the fuel tank and blown fuse we're the problems, we're trying to get her MOT ready and the problem we can't sort at the min are the headlights indicator lights and brake lights are all really really dim is this a common problem i've searched the sight and can't see the same problem I mean they work but like i say they are not very bright at all I think this is common for mini's but they are really bad, is it as simple as new bulbs or anything like fuse or relays(not even sure what i'm lookinf for here)?
Like i say it's a MIni Copper 1.3 i 1993 if this helps.

[leroy26]

you have a bad earth wire somewhere, take them all off and shine them up with some sandpaper

[tiger99]

Well, there are no fuses in the headlight circuit, which eliminates one possible issue, from the headlight circuit at least. Corroded fuses are very common. Before jumping to any conclusions, you need to get an accurate multimeter and measure the battery voltage with everything off, with only sidelights, with headlights, and do it with engine off, and running at medium revs. Post the voltages you get, and we will be able to suggest what to do next.

I do suspect a voltage problem, because you say that all lights are dim, which tends to rule out poor connections,which in most cases will affect only one or two lights. It will not be only one earth, if that is what it is. The front and rear lights use different earths.

Are there any problems starting the engine?

Edited by tiger99, 06 October 2012 - 05:25 PM.

[Bratby]

Hey thanks for the replies - going to check the earths today hopefully that will sort the problem, no problems with starting we put a new battery on it and she starts first time everytime now

[Bratby]

Just an update for if anyone comes across this problem - well it turns out the earths were fine, there was a wire in one of the front headlights that wasn't attached which seemed to make a difference down the front (the headlights are two different brands as well one side doesnt have a side light). The problem with the back lights was basically two probs the first being the bulbs are nearly black for the brake and rear headlights but a strange problem was that both break lights work but the rear passenger side one would not work as just a healight (it was not a blown bulb either we swopped thses and worked fine in the driver side) turns out the rear number plate light was also not lighting up bascically we've traced it back to where the loom splits off to either rear lights so we are not going to run a new wire from the good rear driver side headlight to the passenger side and also the number plate light as we got a test wire and managed to bypass the loom something must of split inside or got water in so starnge though as the signal goes past the passenger side first - oh well next weekend this will be sorted weather permiting haha

[tiger99]

So it turns out to be a multitude of typical Mini faults, not just one. I can't say I am entirely surprised. But well done for getting this far, and have fun!