For the past week I have tried to figure out why after wiring the
lights up during this phase of the restoration, that the left turn
signal in the front was slow and weak and the rear left did not light at
all. In addition, I smelled wiring burning! I thought that the 40 year
old Lucas components must be the problem. Couldn't be the wiring, it's
a new harness from British Wiring. All new bulbs. I checked the wiring
diagram over and over. Everything was correct. Or so I thought. I
bought new turn signal sockets at $8.95 apiece and a new flashing unit.
I even bought a new switch for the dash! Tried it out tonight and it
did the same thing!
I sat down in the garage and had a Diet Coke. No beer, I'm on a
diet. I began to think, what did I do wrong? I tried the turn signal
again and the same thing, right side O.K. and the left side dim, slow
and wiring burning. Except this time I noticed the wiring wasn't
burning, it was the flasher unit! Now, if you'll pardon the expression,
a light goes off. A lot of resistance on the left side. I go right to
the left rear turn signal light and check the wiring. I had started
wiring the lights at this light and had reversed the wires! At the time
I thought, "what difference does it make, it's a single filament bulb,
all I have to do is complete the circuit". DUHHHHH! The ground wire
was supposed to go the connection on the base that gets screwed to the
body of the car. (ground)
It works perfectly now. I now thought I will try to find out why
the license plate light does not illuminate as my next triumph over the
evil Lucas. To my surprise, fixing the turn signals also fixed this
light. Now everything works!
Called it quits at this point. Might as well, while I'm ahead Mike
1, Lucas 0.
Mike MacLean-60 Sprite
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