Stu_I Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Need a bit of help. Noticed the RHS side repeater blinking fast and indicator bulb gone. Went to replace it and even with a new bulb still nothing. Swapped bulbs over and bulbs are good but something wrong with the wiring. Both rear indicators are working along with LHS indicators. Only the repeater on the RHS is working. I have just finished a 24k service adding cooling circuit mod, new Apollo hoses and cam-belt change and did knock the headlamp while working (walking past). Maybe it was that caused it, as all was good before I started. So investigated the following with a multi-meter to try and isolate the fault. 1) Headlamp inside rim ground for indicator is showing continuity, using engine block as a ground. See here 2) Copper strip and Gold pin here are showing continuity when I stick a meter on. 3) With hazards and indicator running (Master switch on), copper and gold pin both showing a pulsing 10v or so. Tested both against each other and on a ground and both read the same. 4) Testing the good LHS and this shows exactly the same values as bad RHS. 5) Copper strip is touching the bulb. Now I thought ok if I am getting a current to copper and gold pin, maybe the pin is not touching the bulb so I can manipulate the green wire here) at the back and push the gold pin forward. Still nothing. Scratching my head on what next to do or test to get the fault. I could remove the green/black wires from the pod to see if copper strip connection is good but assuming it is if I am getting the continuity and voltage. Only way to get access to these seems to either routing from engine bay/headlamp back or cutting behind the pod (solder after) and investigate. Appreciate any help or have a I missed something? Am I being a numpty here? : Thanks. Stu Edited by - stu_I on 5 Apr 2014 15:50:43 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Kay Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 That photo link doesn't work for me: SlickPic wants me to register. (Safari, OS X) Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Kay Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 I don't know what your repeater looks like, but have you tested the earth contact in the bulb holder that isn't working? Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elie boone Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Did you test continuity between the + and the earth on the bulb holder that is not working, do make sure that you have a good contact between bulb and holder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbird Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Not sure if you have measured this, with bulb fitted and power off, do you get continuity from both sides of bulb to earth, either block or battery if poss, obviously earth side should be <1ohm tother side should be around 3ohm on a cold bulb iirc Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 Links i will sort out now. Will update links now so you can see. JK. I have tested both copper strip to earth (engine block), gold pin to earth (EB), and have tested between copper strip and gold pin. I haven't tested earth in headlamp rim to either of these, which i can try. EB. Bulb holder "looks" like it has good contact with copper strip and gold pin. Cant say for sure if the gold pin is touching the bulb as can't see from behind with rubber mount in place. Thats why i wonder about removing this and the white plate and checking. TB. What do you mean both sides of the bulb? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elie boone Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Most likely there is no contact with 1 of the connectors and the bulb, get some emery cloth and clean up the contacts and make sure the that both connectors make good contact especially the + side ( green wire ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Kay Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Links to photos now working Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 Thanks all for the replies. Will give the contacts a good clean and see if that improves things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbird Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 sorry not very clear, ideally from both wires of the connector, at back of connector with bulb fitted, so one lead of multimeter fixed at engine block then probe both sides of rear of connector, with bulb fitted , with other test probe of meter, that should tell you if all connections from +side of bulb to earth are good. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 Tbird. No access to back of connector with bulb fitted as rubber mount is there. Have checked front with power on and no bulb and there is a continuity/voltage through green (gold pin) and black (copper strip). Can't actually get the rubber mount off as presume I would need to disconnect green from engine bay connector and remove ground in headlamp rim to pull wires through. I've read that it would easier to cut wires by the pod and retire than feed them through 😬 Will clean up contacts first as every other connection seems to be working! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbird Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 bugger, if cleaning contacts doesn't work you could always use a pin/needle through live feed insulation, onto wire core, to bulb and measure continuity from there to earth with bulb fitted. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 So to update. Cleaned the copper strip and gold pin contacts so both fairly shiny. Still nothing. Decided to start rechecking continuity to see if i had made a mistake, and checked copper strip and nothing. No beep. Checked good side. Beep. OK so now we are getting somewhere and explains somewhat why it isn't working. Now the question. Copper strip sits on white back plate here, and this plate sits on a rubber mount that sits in the pod. Centre gold pin (which i believe is green wire) sits on a rubber pad and spring. Both green and black wires seem to end further back in the car, black (ground) in the headlamp rim, and this i could remove and feed through. However, green is right back into engine bay. So I have a choice. 1) Remove the black earth from the headlamp, and pull out copper strip and investigate. Can i get it back in? 2) Cut both the green/black just behind the pod here. Pull rubber mount and back plate through and investigate copper connection. Re-solder and wrap up after. What do you guys think? Edited by - Stu_I on 6 Apr 2014 11:08:23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 YHM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 Thanks all again especially Ian. Cut the ground (black) behind the pod eliminating the connection to the copper strip. Put a temp test wire on the black ground and an eyelet on the bolt holding the copper strip and bulb works. Joy. Now to tidy up the wiring 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbird Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 , only abandoned you because I knew Ian was busy behind the scenes Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_I Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 Ha ha thanks Tbird. No worries Helped to re-check everything and was all good advice so greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Kay Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Please could someone explain what was wrong. If the feed was inappropriately earthed why didn't the fuse blow and the other indicators fail? Thanks Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 The earth wire didn't have continuity from the copper contact back to the earth in the headlight bowl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Kay Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Thanks Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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