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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Indicator reassurance MkIII Midget

My indicators have stopped performing. Whenever I select right or left turn the correct lights come on but they do not flash. The dash repeaters do not light. My limited electrical knowledge says to me that it's a failed flasher unit but I am concerned the dash lights do not come on. Am I missing something?
Thanks for any ideas

Ray
Ray Rowsell

I had the same symptoms recently and yes the flasher unit was duff. I have fitted an electronic one now which is not load dependant so it will flash LEDs or filament bulbs.
Simon
Simon Wood

Ray,
previously the classic style modern made flasher unit was very poorly made and last as long as a melting snow flake, they may have improved now, I don't know.

If you buy a modern electronic type they all work very well on filament bulbs but not all so well with LED.

I've got a s/h original flasher you can have if you want, with new metal holder.

Or see below an electronic one fitted (this one flashers too quick with LED for me but just inside MoT requirements, 60-120 flashes/minute). Added earth wire required.


Nigel Atkins

Simon, Nigel,

Thanks for your thoughts (and kind offer, Nigel). I am worried about the quality of modern replacements but I hadn't thought about the electronic route. I am going to the Great Western Classic Car Show tomorrow so I will make the decision on the way forward and pick something up from there.

Cheers

Ray
Ray Rowsell

Go electronic, Ray. More reliable.
Graeme Williams

No problem Ray.

The electronic ones don't slow at idle, say when the car is stopped in the road to turn so are safer in use.

And IIRC the one photoed, at least, does still flicker faster showing when say an indicator bulb has blown.
Nigel Atkins

I wish mine was a bad flasher... its looking more like a bad ground somewhere

Uge
Prop and the

You have to remember that there are two types of flasher units with different wiring systems.

From the symptoms described, I'm assuming that Ray's car has the earlier indicator switch with a chrome stalk and a three-pin flasher unit, whereas Nigel would originally have a had a 2-pin flasher unit.

The difference is in the way the dash warning lights are wired. With the later, 2-pin system, the warning lights are just connected in parallel with the indicator lights. The earlier system uses the third pin on the flasher unit to feed the warning lights via a separate set of contacts in the column switch.

I don't know if modern electronic units are supplied in both styles. If not, some rewiring may be involved.
Dave O'Neill 2

Dave, having the three pin system myself, I have wondered if a straight swap electronic one is available, but having had a quick look once or twice I have yet to find one so I suspect wiring changes may be necessary to go down this route.

Trev
T Mason

Wiring changes would be relatively straightforward:-

Option 1: at the column stalk, disconnect the feeds to the warning lights and reconnect to the respective feeds to the indicator lamps using double bullet sleeves. Remove the wire from the warning light terminal at the flasher unit and insulate.

Option 2: Remove the wire from the warning light terminal at the flasher unit and add it to the terminal feeding the indicator switch.
Dave O'Neill 2

I bought a 3 pin one from MOSS several years ago but when I looked at my car (1973 midget) it should have been a 2 pin one. It was a Saturday and late and I didn't want to wait till Monday to swap it so just used 2 of the 3 pins and it worked!!! and has worked since then.

So 3 pin flasher on 2 pin car will work.

Rob
MG Moneypit

Good point Dave, I totally forgot about the earlier three pin units and wiring. I think having a, if only very brief, vehicle profile helps with these possible variations.

The spare I have is a two pin.
Nigel Atkins

I had an original bi-metal strip blinker can that lasted years. It's replacement lasted months, the second replacement went back for a refund and then I bought an electronic. The only snag with the particular electronic unit I bought is that if a bulb is dead/bad connection etc it blinks just the same rather than stay on and not blink - led bulbs means I don't worry about bulbs dieing.
Daniel Stapleton

Hi guys,


Durite do a good 3 pin replacement unit, which is not polarity sensitive.



Google Durite 0-606-00



Regards Steve
Steve Smith

Dave,

I hope this doesn't become a can of worms! I have the indicator switch with a chrome stalk, that is also the headlight flasher, and a two-pin unit. The car is March 1969 and the lights have been fine for the 20 years that I have owned the car. Wiring appears to be original.
Ray Rowsell

Aaaaarrrrgh!
Dave O'Neill 2

If anyone is desperate I have a number of working original Lucas 3 pin units in metal cans which I offer for sale.

I have changed a number of cars over to LED indicator bulbs and can comment on two variants of the flasher relays

This one works reliably and has been in my own car for about five years:
Made in Malta!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LED-Flasher-Unit-with-Diagnostic-12v-10w-3-Pin-Car-or-Bike-EU-MADE-/131415257333?hash=item1e98f5b0f5:g:kOMAAOSwrnNXPwrl

This one and similar looking ones don't work reliably:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-PIN-PRONG-12V-TERMINAL-RELAY-ELECTRONIC-LED-FLASHER-SWITCH-TURN-SIGNAL-LIGHT-/310721588983?hash=item4858732ef7:g:aBgAAOxyBC1SBmg1

Dominic Clancy

For info, wiring (on my car) is -

. green wire from battery (well fusebox)
. light green/brown wire to stalk switch

original 2-pin flasher unit
. 'B' post is battery so green (G) wire
. 'L' post is load so light green /brown (LGN) wire

. it's labelled as* 'LUCAS, 8FL 12V, TYPE 36, FLASHER, Y (in a circle) 35048B, 23 81 (which I think is manufactured in week 23 of 1981), A (in a circle) 6238

(* I don't know if this particular flasher unit is 100% correct for mine or any Spridget but it worked fine just slow at idle like all original type AFAIK)
Nigel Atkins

Nigel,

That's incredibly helpful. Still getting over moving home so I am not sure when I will get around to sorting my problem. I need to find the packing box containing the good book and manuals. I think I will go electronic.
Ray Rowsell

If you're going electronic then the one I had in the photo below for filament bulbs had three pins -

. pin 49 for battery so green (G) wire
. pin 49a for load so light green /brown (LGN) wire
. pin 31 for earth connection, black wire in photo

if I'm right (do check though) if two pin relay then as above minus the earth (and reverse connections for positive earth connections).

If going to LED lights there's even more choice.
Nigel Atkins

I have gone for the easy fix and purchased a replacement "old school" flasher unit. I couldn't get the rectangular one that would be an exact replacement as it's no longer available from my favourite local parts supplier (Pro Parts), so I went for the cylindrical equivalent. Fitted it and got a good steady flash without the engine running. Didn't have time for a drive. I need to drive the car as it's been off the road for a number of years - very little to do with the car, mainly to do with my (negative) attitude. In the medium term I will look more at the electronic version as well as LED lights. But first some driving! Thanks for the advice. No doubt I will be back when I take the next steps.

Ray
Ray Rowsell

Ray,
get driving the Midget first and think about upgrading later.

Just cleaning your present bulbs, inside the lenses and the reflectors (don't polish the plastic reflectors, like I did, as they wipe away) as well as cleaning the electric connectors and earths can restore some or a lot of brightness at next to no cost.

You'd need good connections and earths for LEDs anyway as they can highlight existing problems.
Nigel Atkins

I have now had the chance to drive the car a number of times and the new flasher unit is working well. No perceptible difference between flash rate at tick over and that at speed. I have now had a chance to look at the original handbook from 1969, AKD 4850 C, and I can confirm my wiring is as per the diagram therein. P36, negative earth, item 25 flasher unit shows as 2 pin with green and light green / brown wires. As I thought and hoped it seems to be original.

Ray
Ray Rowsell

Speaking of LEDs did anyone else pick up on the comment in Safety Fast this month that just changing the bulbs is in fact illegal. Apparently you should change the whole light unit as with HIDs to be legal.

Trev
T Mason

This thread was discussed between 10/02/2017 and 21/02/2017

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