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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Flasher trouble

My indicators are working outside the car, but the green dashboard lights have stopped working.
After looking at the wiring diagram I see that the centre pin (three pin unit '65 car)on the flasher unit goes to the dashboard warning lamps, so I assumed that after 48 years it had a right to fail.
I bought a new flasher unit from Moss. Big mistake. It was bigger, the mounting hole was too small and what's more it just didn't work at all! It even had a caveat on a piece of paper in the box saying that to make the unit work properly it may have to have two of the wires reversed. I mean, don't they know?!
Anyway, I took it back and said that I thought it was a piece of cr*p. I was told that they have had quite a few problems with them and are now replacing them with an electronic version which is much better. Why are they still selling them then?
The new one is coming on Friday, so I just wanted to know if you think I have diagnosed it correctly or could it be something else that I haven't thought of.

Bernie.
b higginson

Bernie

Have you tested it to see if you get an output on the warning light terminal when flashing?

It could also be the earth wire to the column switch.

The warning lights get a shared feed from the flasher unit, then they are earthed independently through another pair of terminals in the column switch.
Dave O'Neill2

Thanks Dave, I'll check tomorrow.

Bernie.
b higginson

Bernie, quick way to check that it is the flasher unit and not anything else is to reverse the wires for the indicators and dash lights. If it is the flasher your dash lights will now work and your indicators wont (you can also bridge the two wires to see if your dash lights work).

Trev
T Mason

Thanks Trev. I must admit that I only messed with it for a short while yesterday and seeing as they worked on the outside of the car, it was such a nice day I went for a drive in the sunshine. ;-)

Bernie.
b higginson

One of the best bits of advice came from Nigel I believe. Must have been in the handbook. 'Buy electronic flasher units'. Far superior including a consistent flash rate.

The Halfords one worked ok for me.
G Williams (Graeme)

not from the good book this time Graeme but from experience :)

7 years ago I bought a new modern flasher unit (2 pin) and it was cr*p, a fellow Triumph owner was kind enough to post me a spare original used one he had at home and that worked

when I got my present midget a new modern flasher was swapped for a s/h original but at some time I noticed how slow the flash rate was with the engine at idle which I didn't think was a good idea whilst sitting in the middle of the road waiting to turn, swapped to electronic (relay) and now the rate is steady and much improved

as to why they still sell the cr*p ones when they're not even the original size and shape I can only put down to the price they think their customers are prepared to pay - I think they get away with a lot because most classics are used so infrequently

what about the Mot failing rubber gaiters and TREs they and others sell (including favorite suppliers)
Nigel Atkins

Nigel, electronic flashers tend to mask problems such as your slow flash rate at idle. The cause of which is likely to high resistance in one or more of the bullet connectors in the circuit.

Fix the original problem and your flashers will probably be brighter, making you more visible to other road users.
Dave O'Neill2

good point Dave but I think the flasher was just slow as the bullet connectors had been cleaned and the side light/flasher units new, and stalk connections cleaned of course, the wiring loom has been replaced, new fuses, fusebox connections cleaned

I could have missed the vital connection of course but the bulbs didn't seem any brighter (not metered in anyway) with a direct connection to battery

I could have missed it but as I'm old and only enjoy driving the cars there's a limit to how much further I'd go for only possible improvements plus it's an accumulated thing with wasting time and money on things like getting wipers to clear the screen, changing fuel pipe and gaiters yet again because the rubber is cr*p, replacing other items that you've already replaced because they're also cr*p

my f*rting about with the car to driving it ratio is far too high already mostly because, IMO, of the tight-fistedness of the average out of classic car owner

awllll, you've got me going again, what about modern bullets and bullet connectors ...
Nigel Atkins

Sorted! I must have kicked a connector next to the column as I was getting in the car, because that's where the fault was. So, the 48 year old flasher lives again. I'll still buy the electronic one though.

Thanks to all.

Bernie.
b higginson

I had flasher trouble once, when I was about 14. I kicked him in the nuts, and never saw him again. True story too. :-
Lawrence Slater

This thread was discussed between 07/05/2013 and 08/05/2013

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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