Signals Help

[dreddub]

Ok, so if you've seen my other thread, you know I just got my first Land Rover home.

I think its pretty much ready for the road... Except the turn signals. The PO told me he was having trouble with them, but thought his mechanic had fixed them by the time I picked it up. He hadn't, but it wasn't a deal breaker.

So, according to PO, before the mechanic worked on it last, the turn signals were all working when the headlights were off, but the left turn signal would work when the headlights were on. Not sure what was done to fix this and the rover has what seems like a bastardized rewire. Meaning, original harness with a lot of wires cut/disconnected and a lot of wires spliced in. Basically one hot mess.

Now, regardless of headlights on or off, the when the signals are used, the rear signal that is being used lights VERY bright, but the front lights VERY dim. In addition the opposite side also lights very dim. This on a vehicle that should not have 4 way flashers.

So again to sum up, when any turn signal is used, all 4 lights blink, the rear intended very bright, the others very dim... Where do I start?????

Oh, other information, she's a 1968 Series IIa and the turn signal switch is the original type (Tex Magna type with the rubber wheel for cancelling the signal).

Thoughts on how to diagnose, get it working? All other electrics seem good...

Thanks,

Dreddub
"

[stomper]

I would start by cleaning up the ground wires from all the lights. If the left front is dim, and it should be bright like the rear, then you do not have a strong circuit somewhere, and the ground wires would be the one thing they all have in common. Try that, and see what you get for results overall. Next, you may cave a contact in the signal stalk that is corroded, or not getting a good contact. It sounds to me like you have 2 separate problems giving you the results you are facing.

Don't be afraid to open up the tex magna signal to look around, they are crazy simple, and can be reassembled without a manual or anything.

[SafeAirOne]

I too would check the grounds. Each lamp assembly is individually grounded, so you'll have to take off the metal covers in the rear corners inside the tub and check/clean the ground locations there. Same where the fronts ground in the top of the radiator support panel behind the grille.

That's where I'd start the troubleshooting.

[1971Series88]

I had a similar issue...fixed by the ground cleaning others above suggest. There are only a few grounds that really matter so start with them first, I just took a wire wheel on my drill to the terminal and the base, including the bolts, washers and nuts. Then re-attached, and viola! Give it a go first and report back.

[dreddub]

Ok, so the grounds I've cleaned so far are those that attach to the frame from the Headlamps on either side of the radiator cowl and one under the back right fender that attaches to the frame. Opening the lamps, I think you're also wanting me to clean the copper contact that runs through the lamp housing, correct? So far no luck but getting back out there now to work on it some more. One thing I also noted is that my lights with the clear lenses don't come on at all. Is that part of this problem or a separate one, do you think? My understanding is that these are just supposed to work like running lights, correct? I checked the bulbs and the filaments look good, but they're not lighting at all. Will clean up connections there too while I'm at it.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Dreddub

[SafeAirOne]

Disregard.

[4flattires]

Hopefully you are using a voltmeter and using the readings, not just a probe light.

1. Find, understand, and use the wiring chart.
2. Have your battery terminals loose enough to pull off by hand in an emergency.
3. Just dig in there, understand, and trace one circuit at a time.

[dreddub]

SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, so I got the turn signals working. I wouldn't have believed it was the grounds inside the lens covers, but it was. These lenses and markers look brand new, but scuffing them up and loading everything with dielectrical grease got me in business.

Still no white lights. They're supposed to turn on with the headlamps, correct? What's the point really, just a white marker lamp? I guess the IIa with the lights on the breakfast really could be easier to see at night.

Checked the grounds on these too and no luck there.

Wiring diagram helps a bit I guess, but it seems like there are two wiring looms at work here. One spliced into the other. So it goes from original colors to different colors and then to whatever they had laying around at the end. Opening the dash is just a mess. For example, my dash has only one indicator light which is the charge warning light. there is an indicator for the high beams that is behind the dash and works. I guess you'd be able to look and see the extra light coming through the holes. All the wires are back there, just not attached to anything. 2 of the warning lights holes have chrome plugs pushed into them. Probably a project to rewire the entire thing from scratch over a winter sometime, but for now...

Dreddub

[SafeAirOne]

Still no white lights. They're supposed to turn on with the headlamps, correct?

No. They should go on with the first 'click' of the light switch and should stay on for the next 'click' of the lightswitch when the headlamps come on (SIII, anyway).

Those lights are powered by the red wire from the front harness and split off to the individual sides and grounded through the black wire on each lamp assembly. Using a voltmenter or test probe, if you have 12v at the (red wire) split from the front harness, then check for a good contact between the splitter and the bullet connectors to each side. If they look good, check for 12v at the sockets. If that looks good check to make sure the ground bullet connectors are making good contact at the ground splitter(s).