slightly glowing ignition light

[fordy]

glows dimmly sometimes, flashes on/off dimmly sometimes, sometimes off completely. sounds to me like a dodgy connection of somesort - any ideas???? thanks Chris

[manek]

Loose fan belt?

[GreenV8S]

If it comes on all the time stop immediately and check you still have a fan belt (if this has dropped off the engine life is measured in minutes), if the fan belt is OK you may have a knackered voltage regulator in which case you can carry on but the battery will eventually run flat. But if it just glows occasionally, you may well have a knackered connection to the ignition switch. The multi-way plug isn't really up to handling the current that is put through it and you can get a significant voltage drop across it. When the voltage drop gets high enough the ignition warning light will glow. If you take the cowl off the steering column and feel the connector is very hot that confirms this is the problem. Do you find the glow gets more noticeable when you switch on the heater fan, lights etc? You may find you can improve the connection by disconnecting the plug, cleaning the contacts and crimping the female connector slightly to increase the contact load. (Be very careful not to let the connectors short on anything while you do this!) Hope this helps, Peter Humphries (and a green V8S0

quote: glows dimmly sometimes, flashes on/off dimmly sometimes, sometimes off completely. sounds to me like a dodgy connection of somesort - any ideas???? thanks Chris

[fordy]

Thanks Peter. Ill give that a try. I have noticed on occasion that the light glows more when the rad fans come on - would this make sense??? or is it only current drains in the dash area that will make a difference?? its definitley not the fan belt. thanks Chris

[thegamekeeper]

Most likely to be the rectifier in the alternator giving up the ghost. If its a bosch alternator you can buy the new rectifier and fit it without removing the alternator. If it is ucas you will have to remove alternator to fit new rectifier

[thegamekeeper]

if it is not a ucas it will be a Lucas

[britzman]

Fordy, I had the same symptoms on a Griffith, and the cause was a failed alternator. Check that you're getting current from the alternator, if not your battery will eventually die too.

[fordy]

i think the battery is charging - i use the car everyday and its seems to start OK, if it wasnt charging it would be struggling turning the engine over, and its not. If the retifier was knackered would it still charge OK?? cheers Chris

[thegamekeeper]

The rectifier could still be working but at the wrong rate. The dimly glowing light is a warning. Ignore it and you will still need to fix it and may also need a new battery if it dries it up. They only cost about a fiver.Why not take the car and have it checked out by an autoelctrician.Is it not worth fixing?????

[fordy]

Will do. Thanks. Chris