Not in the slightest bit amused.
Discussion
Remember I had an indicator issue a while back?
Well it occured again last week and this time it was traced to a dodgy flasher unit (that I had just bought) so off to Halfords, another £5, fit it all well.
Smoked around all weekend with the novelty of indicators, lovely.
Coming to work this morning, almost at my office when no indicators once more. I havent had chance to bridge the flasher unit yet but I suspect this is where the problem is as the hazard lights work.
Why am I going through Flasher units as disposable items? What could possibly be causing this? Oh, and why didnt it do yesterday when I was at a bloody Mini show (
Grant)
Well it occured again last week and this time it was traced to a dodgy flasher unit (that I had just bought) so off to Halfords, another £5, fit it all well.
Smoked around all weekend with the novelty of indicators, lovely.
Coming to work this morning, almost at my office when no indicators once more. I havent had chance to bridge the flasher unit yet but I suspect this is where the problem is as the hazard lights work.
Why am I going through Flasher units as disposable items? What could possibly be causing this? Oh, and why didnt it do yesterday when I was at a bloody Mini show (
Grant)Yeah it was a top day. Met Fatboy, his brother and his mate Ben (loony 1380!).
Got some photos of some V8 Minis that I will be posting a little later in the week.
Some amazing looking cars there and some truly astounding MkI Cooper S's
So would it potentially be the hazard light switch allowing too much/little current to the flasher unit thats causing it to stick/burn etc? For something that only houses a bi-metallic strip I cant see how it would go wrong...?
Got some photos of some V8 Minis that I will be posting a little later in the week.
Some amazing looking cars there and some truly astounding MkI Cooper S's
So would it potentially be the hazard light switch allowing too much/little current to the flasher unit thats causing it to stick/burn etc? For something that only houses a bi-metallic strip I cant see how it would go wrong...?
It could just be halfords sell crap, I normally find the indicator problems on later cars are down the hazard switch, but if it’s definitely the flasher unit maybe try a different make?
I took that head down to Bill Richards, he carrying out a few mods to increase the CC’s in the head, apparently the compression will be around 12:1 so a little high, I’m going to need a big cam to make it work. Only thing is it still needs to be drivable as I use it for work. He had some great car in, one had a £25k build budget.
I took that head down to Bill Richards, he carrying out a few mods to increase the CC’s in the head, apparently the compression will be around 12:1 so a little high, I’m going to need a big cam to make it work. Only thing is it still needs to be drivable as I use it for work. He had some great car in, one had a £25k build budget.
Yeah will bridge it at lunchtime and then if its the flasher I'll see what Cafco have to offer, probably at a hugely reduced price, may as well get a hazard switch at the same time.
That head sounds a little bit wild, Bill certaintly is the man by the sounds of it though, £25K build budget, fair play on the whole I reckon.
Spoke to a trimmer yesterday, quite interesting on the whole. He was saying that a pair of Escort RST seats, bench and door cards would cost about £1000 to recover in leather. Which I have to say seems a bargain bearing in mind my last quote was £1700 and I supplied the leather!
That head sounds a little bit wild, Bill certaintly is the man by the sounds of it though, £25K build budget, fair play on the whole I reckon.
Spoke to a trimmer yesterday, quite interesting on the whole. He was saying that a pair of Escort RST seats, bench and door cards would cost about £1000 to recover in leather. Which I have to say seems a bargain bearing in mind my last quote was £1700 and I supplied the leather!
Paul V said:
Hi mate, did you enjoy the show?
I’d check out the hazard light switch, they often cause faults with the indicators.
I agree.
I had the exact same problem for years on my mini.
I even changed the fuse and relay boxes thinking that it may have been due to corrsion in the under bonnet relay seat: but to no avail.
I didn't want to change the hazard switch as getting it all pluged back up can be a real PITA. The wires that lead to the back of the switch can be very short and you often have to take the heater out* to avoid cutting your fingers up trying to fish the damned thing out through the tiny hole the switch lives in, and get to it from the back of the dash rail .
When I finally got the courage to do it, suddenly it all behaved it self...
...I might have one in the garage if you need it.
Mouse
*potentially messy!
I've done the switch before as it was causing a fault the last time I had Mini on the road.
I just went in through the front though, with kitchen roll wrapped around a screwdriver, came out fine.
I'll get a hazard switch just in case as I noticed that when the indicators were working the hazard light was intermittently working and now the indicators arent working the hazards are.
I have seen in the past chrome rocker switches being used on a chrome switch plate. Any idea where these would come from? As thats quite a nice look I reckon.
I just went in through the front though, with kitchen roll wrapped around a screwdriver, came out fine.
I'll get a hazard switch just in case as I noticed that when the indicators were working the hazard light was intermittently working and now the indicators arent working the hazards are.
I have seen in the past chrome rocker switches being used on a chrome switch plate. Any idea where these would come from? As thats quite a nice look I reckon.
plotloss said:
£13 for a switch 
Thats robbery!
Try Merlin Motorsport at Castle Combe circuit.
www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk
They do the full range of Mini switches, and at £5.65 each. I can nip up there and get one for you if you like - it's only 5 minutes from me.
miniman said:
£13 for a switch
Thats robbery!
Try Merlin Motorsport at Castle Combe circuit.
www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk
They do the full range of Mini switches, and at £5.65 each. I can nip up there and get one for you if you like - it's only 5 minutes from me.
Nice one mate!
Will give Cafco a call in a bit to see what their price on them is and if its equally lunatic I may well take you up on that kind offer.
Cheers!
Got your mail mate, thanks have replied.
Power (13.5v odd)gets to the directional flasher unit and out the other side.
Power (12v)then arrives at the hazard switch and can been seen (12v) passing through the other side with the hazard switch in the off position.
Power (12v) arrives at the directional indicator switch.
If the indicator switch is then operated completeing either the left or the right hand circuit power drops to 1.5v and stays there.
I have taken both the hazard light switch and the directional flasher unit out of the loop by bridging the connections and the above still occurs.
Now as far as I can see before the fusebox there is the ignition switch (power both entering and leaving here fine) and then the ballast resistor. This then links to the coil and onto the battery via the solenoid.
I notice that the heated rear window is on the same circuit and that has been playing up as well I think.
All starting functions are fine even when the power to the indicator switch drops.
Any ideas as I am well and truly stumped, an earth perhaps?
>> Edited by plotloss (moderator) on Monday 18th August 19:48
Power (13.5v odd)gets to the directional flasher unit and out the other side.
Power (12v)then arrives at the hazard switch and can been seen (12v) passing through the other side with the hazard switch in the off position.
Power (12v) arrives at the directional indicator switch.
If the indicator switch is then operated completeing either the left or the right hand circuit power drops to 1.5v and stays there.
I have taken both the hazard light switch and the directional flasher unit out of the loop by bridging the connections and the above still occurs.
Now as far as I can see before the fusebox there is the ignition switch (power both entering and leaving here fine) and then the ballast resistor. This then links to the coil and onto the battery via the solenoid.
I notice that the heated rear window is on the same circuit and that has been playing up as well I think.
All starting functions are fine even when the power to the indicator switch drops.
Any ideas as I am well and truly stumped, an earth perhaps?
>> Edited by plotloss (moderator) on Monday 18th August 19:48
If it was dumping the whole 12v to earth when you flick the switch, the wires would quickly burn out. I know this because I did it and took out the wiring loom from the fusebox right down to the headlights 
Looking at the wiring diagram, the feed for the hazards comes from the starter solenoid (always live) and the feed for the indicators comes from the ignition switch (live when ignition on only).
The indicator switch feed also powers the rear demist and the brake lights.
Have you tried taking the rear demist out of the equation? i.e. by pulling the switch out or disconnecting it at the screen end? That would explain a high drain without a burn out perhaps?
The fact that the hazards work would say to me that the problem lies in that switched power feed to the indicators. As an experiment, you could try hooking up the indicator relay power (which is normally green wire) to the hazard supply (purple with white tracer) and see if they work on the constant power supply.
The other things running from the switched power are the oil pressure light, fuel gauge, fuel sender, voltage stabliser.
Stab in the dark would be that it's something to do with that rear demist.
Obviously, all IMHO and don't plug anything into anything if you're not sure about it! Don't want it to catch fire...
Looking at the wiring diagram, the feed for the hazards comes from the starter solenoid (always live) and the feed for the indicators comes from the ignition switch (live when ignition on only).
The indicator switch feed also powers the rear demist and the brake lights.
Have you tried taking the rear demist out of the equation? i.e. by pulling the switch out or disconnecting it at the screen end? That would explain a high drain without a burn out perhaps?
The fact that the hazards work would say to me that the problem lies in that switched power feed to the indicators. As an experiment, you could try hooking up the indicator relay power (which is normally green wire) to the hazard supply (purple with white tracer) and see if they work on the constant power supply.
The other things running from the switched power are the oil pressure light, fuel gauge, fuel sender, voltage stabliser.
Stab in the dark would be that it's something to do with that rear demist.
Obviously, all IMHO and don't plug anything into anything if you're not sure about it! Don't want it to catch fire...
So with regards to the switched power feed (green) from the fusebox, if there was a graze or what have you on the sheath would that cause the drop in voltage as soon as there is some draw?
[Thinkingoutloud]
Assuming that all is right in the portion of the circuit before the fusebox then it can only be that feed wire as the circuit which transfers power is fine until the switch is flicked. Unless of course its the switch itself perhaps?
[/thinkingoutloud]
Does this mean unravelling the loom or will it be at some sort of junction, not that there appears to be one between the fusebox and the directional flasher unit...
[Thinkingoutloud]
Assuming that all is right in the portion of the circuit before the fusebox then it can only be that feed wire as the circuit which transfers power is fine until the switch is flicked. Unless of course its the switch itself perhaps?
[/thinkingoutloud]
Does this mean unravelling the loom or will it be at some sort of junction, not that there appears to be one between the fusebox and the directional flasher unit...
Get yourself a stretch of cable and short between the green feed (at the ignition) and the flasher unit. That will either detect or rule out the fault being in that wire somewhere. If you take off the steering column cowl you can easily get at the wiring.
I suppose it's just possible that there is a nick in the wire somewhere - but that would probably just burn out the wire rather than drop the voltage down.
Go on - start by unplugging the rear demist, you know you want to!
Do you have the wiring diagram? If not I can scan it in for you...
Edit: PS - haven't got your mail yet - d'you want that switch? I also have headlights (with "on" light built in), rear demist (which you may end up needing!) and another one with an orange tell-tale light. I'd fit 'em to my new car, but I remember the nightmare I had with the old one and I want to avoid the switch panel removal malarky unless I absolutely have to...
>> Edited by miniman on Monday 18th August 20:34
I suppose it's just possible that there is a nick in the wire somewhere - but that would probably just burn out the wire rather than drop the voltage down.
Go on - start by unplugging the rear demist, you know you want to!
Do you have the wiring diagram? If not I can scan it in for you...
Edit: PS - haven't got your mail yet - d'you want that switch? I also have headlights (with "on" light built in), rear demist (which you may end up needing!) and another one with an orange tell-tale light. I'd fit 'em to my new car, but I remember the nightmare I had with the old one and I want to avoid the switch panel removal malarky unless I absolutely have to...
>> Edited by miniman on Monday 18th August 20:34
Odd.
On the way into work this morning I had cause to use the rear demist.
So I switch it on, 5 or so minutes later it starts to work and the little green light comes on. Turn it off again and try the indicators and hey presto they work!
But this has now just added to the confusion, was going to unplug the switch at lunchtime to see what happens...
It is officially going to be renamed 'Forth Bridge' though as in addition to all this one of my grill surround ends fell off yesterday!
Hey ho I needed to order a cone compressor anyway...
On the way into work this morning I had cause to use the rear demist.
So I switch it on, 5 or so minutes later it starts to work and the little green light comes on. Turn it off again and try the indicators and hey presto they work!
But this has now just added to the confusion, was going to unplug the switch at lunchtime to see what happens...
It is officially going to be renamed 'Forth Bridge' though as in addition to all this one of my grill surround ends fell off yesterday!
Hey ho I needed to order a cone compressor anyway...
I’m banking on poor connection somewhere along the line, that’s why you have 12v without a load but once you’ve turned the indicator on it drops the voltage. Probably sorted itself out when driving down the road. I had similar problems with the headlights, eventually they gave up on a country lane in Cornwall at about 80mph
Fuse box is a good bet.
Fuse box is a good bet.
Well the only joint I havent checked is the one at the fusebox (the switched feed). Perhaps cleaning up the terminals will help?
The only other thing I thought it could be is if there is a joint off the switched feed to the radio/cassette but as there is a non switched feed going to it and no LCD display (its original fitment
) I couldnt work out why it would have, but I have yet to look at the wiring behind the clocks which is where I thought a joint may be.
Just ordered some stuff from MiniSpares - very annoying that they cant tell you how much shipping is going to be at the time of order...
The only other thing I thought it could be is if there is a joint off the switched feed to the radio/cassette but as there is a non switched feed going to it and no LCD display (its original fitment
) I couldnt work out why it would have, but I have yet to look at the wiring behind the clocks which is where I thought a joint may be. Just ordered some stuff from MiniSpares - very annoying that they cant tell you how much shipping is going to be at the time of order...
Yeah could well be the joint at the fuse box, a common place for it to fail, also where the actual fuse goes in can corrode and not make a proper connection.
Radio may have had an aftermarket at some time with an illumination wire, seeing as the standard radio use the iso block the original may be refitted easily.
Radio may have had an aftermarket at some time with an illumination wire, seeing as the standard radio use the iso block the original may be refitted easily.
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