5 replies to this topic

[Nikral]

hi guys, been a while since I posted on here, but having an issue with my mini that I need some help.

Have a 93 mini mayfair 1.3 , the problem is that when I turn the key in the barrel nothing comes on the dial cluster and I can not start the car. The rest of the electrical system works i.e lights, indicators, wipers, heater matrix, have checked the 4 fuses under the bonnet and they are fine, have put a multi meter across the battery and get 11.6v which should be adequate to start the car.

 

Anyone had a similar problem and if so what was the repair required.

 

Cheers for any advice.

 

Tony

[dklawson]

Your car is much later than mine so you should refer to the schematic to confirm the specifics of your car.  However, in basic Lucas wiring, a brown (permanently live) wire is routed to the ignition switch.  When you turn the key it connects other circuits to the brown wire.  In particular, there will be at least one white wire leaving the ignition switch and that wire will supply the charge warning light and the oil pressure warning light.  The white wire also delivers switched 12V to the fuse box.  

 

Since most of the other systems seem to be working, start by confirming power is on all the white wires on the ignition switch when the key is in the run position.  If you find any that are "dead" when the key is in the run position, this suggests a problem with the ignition switch itself.  If the white wires all have power with the key in run, look for breaks in the wires between the switch and the gauge cluster... or at the gauge cluster.

[Nikral]

thanks for the reply doug, have run a multi meter across the block of wires from the ignition barrel,  I have 1 brown wire and 3 white. 1 of the white is showing 0.00 on the meter when the ignition is turned on , the other 2 white and the brown all have 11.6v showing, I can only assume that the ignition barrel is faulty, would that be a correct assumption.

 

 

Tony

[dklawson]

Without having access to the wiring diagram for your particular car I do not feel comfortable telling you definitively that the problem is the switch.  Make sure each of those wires are really "solid white" and do not have colored stripes.  For example, on early cars there will be a white/red wire (white with red stripe) leaving the ignition switch and that wire goes to the starter solenoid.  That will will only be "hot" when the ignition key is turned to the "start" position and will not have voltage on it at other times.  

 

Compare your voltage measurements to what is shown on the diagram for your car's wiring and post back with your observations and questions.  

[Nikral]

Hi Doug,

 

all 3 whites are solid, when key is turned to position 3 I would expect all 3 to be live but only 2 are , the brown is the permanent feed. The white 1 that is dead seems to supply a feed to the ignition /charge light .

[dklawson]

If you are confident that the "dead" wire goes to the charge warning light and repeated measurements confirm no voltage on that wire with the key in the run position, that does suggest replacing the ignition switch.