Spitfire indicator,temp gauge and burning hot heater problem

[cjhillman]

The other week i was driving along and noticed the indicators had stopped working, a few miles later it was getting so hot (plus the smell of burning) i thought it was on fire!! My knees felt like they were burning!! also, the temp gauge had dropped off so, I pulled over and it broke down as side of the M6. An auto electrician fixed it (also need to add the burning smell/breakdown was a wrongly fitted Amp meter thats now out of there!).

Fast forward to yesterday and my folks went out in it to Capesthorne Hall car show. On the way home the indicators/temp/fuel gauges failed again!!! plus the overly burning heater is back! Now minus the Amp Meter you can still start it up but, i guess its blown a fuse again. The electrician said it kept blowing fuses while he was tracking the problem down and thought it was down to a hazard warning relay shorting out under the dash... Seems to still be happening even though it was replaced and its dangling down in mid air. Any ideas? similar problems?

Cheers,
Chris

[colnerov]

Hi, The temp and fuel gauges are fed from the voltage stabiliser and I expect the indicators have the same supply wire as the stabiliser, so I would try there first. You can get electronic versions to replace it if you want, but be aware that later versions have different voltages of 5V, you will want the older 10V.

Colin

[ChasR]

Any new stabiliser you buy for the Triumphs are now electric, despite them looking like old items.

To me it sounds like the loom is damaged. For the sake of safety I'd be tempted to take the dash out and inspect the wiring. As hoopsontoast can vouch for it only takes a minor short on a loom to take out the entire lot on a Triumph. I'd post what happened to him but it seems I've hit a site bug.

Jun 15, 2009 14:24:54 GMT hoopsontoast said:

A while ago, tidied up the wiring and made the mistake of plugging stuff back in that was not plugged in before, forgot to put a bulb in the fag lighter, result -



So had to replace the whole front of the loom

Out came the seats and dash -



did it all in a day (taking front loom from a donor car) and fitting it all back in. Back driving again, lovely ;D

[cjhillman]

Well today I tracked down a blown fuse and tightened up the contacts. Replaced it and all was well again. Went out in it to pick up more fuses and all was well... put a cassette in the tape deck and it stunk of burning. The bloke who came to fix it said the tape deck smelt burned and my folks said that they pushed the tape i'd left in it when it went wrong the other day (had the top down though). Think i'll swap that out, maybe thats what did it. All works well now... for now.