8 replies to this topic

[Superspur]

Hi,

We have just bought our first classic (1990 Austin Mayfair) for our son's first car - he passed his test two weeks ago!!

It is great but we have had a few issues with it. The washer pump didn't work but we sorted that. Then the headlights didn't work which we have just partly solved after much head scratching - the in-line fuse carrier was pretty corroded so a new one sorted the headlights dipped beam, but we are left with the following problem which we would like help with. The high beam works when you pull the indicator stalk to 'flash', but high beam does not work when you push the stalk away. (We have fitted a new dim dip relay during our attempts to fix the headlights).

Any suggestions where to look 

Thanks in advance

[OhDear]

Welcome to the life of mini.
fix one problem and get two more. Hehe

[carbon]

Could be a problem with the contacts in the indicator/headlight stalk unit.

 

I have the opposite problem, the main beam works fine but it won't flash.

[WimpyMiniMan]

Hi,
We have just bought our first classic (1990 Austin Mayfair) for our son's first car - he passed his test two weeks ago!!
It is great but we have had a few issues with it. The washer pump didn't work but we sorted that. Then the headlights didn't work which we have just partly solved after much head scratching - the in-line fuse carrier was pretty corroded so a new one sorted the headlights dipped beam, but we are left with the following problem which we would like help with. The high beam works when you pull the indicator stalk to 'flash', but high beam does not work when you push the stalk away. (We have fitted a new dim dip relay during our attempts to fix the headlights).
Any suggestions where to look 
Thanks in advance

Not sure if there is one in the Mayfair but if there is I would have a look at the lights switch on the centre console - if you can get the lights to turn on by fiddling with the switch (pressing it very lightly, and moving it through its travel slowly) then you most likely have a duff switch.

[tiger99]

I am puzzled by your comment about the fuse. It is illegal and dangerous, for very obvious reasons, to have one single fuse controlling both headlights, and no Mini was ever built that way. So attending to one fuse would not fix both lights unless the wiring has been illegally bodged by a previous owner.

The advice you have been given about checking the dip switch is correct, however a faulty main light switch would kill both main and dip.

You should have either no fuses at all in the headlight circuit on early cars, or 4 fuses, one each for left and right, main and dip. (Some configurations with 4 aftermarket relays may manage with 2 fuses for left and right, but that would be very rare.) Any other configuration is illegal and may invalidate your insurance, so it is important to check what is actually there and restore it to proper condition. It is a job that is not very expensive and should only have to be done once.

The other place where failure is common, due to dirt and corrosion, is the bunch of bullet connectors near to the bonnet lock. If you have access to a proper crinp tool I strongly recommend replacing them with something better such as blade connectors, with plenty of contact grease to keep the water out. Also, identify the earth wire from each light cluster, the black wires, and instead of having them join one common black wire back to the bulkhead, run seperate earths back to the body for right and left lights. Very much safer, and the way that later Minis were wired, for legal and safety reasons.

[THE ANORAK]

amazing how one question can come up with not one but TWO slightly unrelated  answers !!!!
 
first thing to do (see carbon's comment)... remove the steering column cowl (three screws) and you can see the workings on the indicator stalk. by moving the stalk from flash to normal to high beam you will see the mechanism working. check that the metal contacts on the high beam are actually working. if not... fix.
 
if they are working THEN you can start looking at the wiring.
 
assuming that the main headlight switch actually turns the main beam on, then this will have nothing to do with the high beam not working !!!

 

I am puzzled by your comment about the fuse. It is illegal and dangerous, for very obvious reasons, to have one single fuse controlling both headlights,

im puzzled to find the part where they actually said there was only one fuse !!!!????

Edited by THE ANORAK, 04 June 2016 - 09:49 AM.

[Ethel]

Sidelight fuse might affect the operation of the dim dip relay. Does a 1990 car have independent headlight fuses ???

 

Sounds like some methodical fault checking with a meter or test light is in order.

 

Following on from Anorak, testing for continuity between the solid blue and both blue/red (dipped) and blue/white (main beam) on the unplugged switch connector block hanging out of the cowl will be better - assuming you have a meter, or similar, of course. Alternatively short the same pins, but not all 3 together, on the loom side. 

[cal844]

Sidelight fuse might affect the operation of the dim dip relay. Does a 1990 car have independent headlight fuses ???

 

Sounds like some methodical fault checking with a meter or test light is in order.

 

Following on from Anorak, testing for continuity between the solid blue and both blue/red (dipped) and blue/white (main beam) on the unplugged switch connector block hanging out of the cowl will be better - assuming you have a meter, or similar, of course. Alternatively short the same pins, but not all 3 together, on the loom side. 

 

 

I know on my 1993 car there are inline fuses behind the driver's binnacle 

[tiger99]

Yes, there will be 4 fuses, each affecting only one bulb filament. Of course, multiple fuses could have failed or be corroded, but he only said "fuse" as far as I can see. But don't discount multiple failures entirely.

Edited by tiger99, 06 June 2016 - 09:40 AM.