while your'e all enjoying yourselves!!
Discussion
I have been up to my armpits in wedge wires today trying to solve the cutting out problem. The side lights are working but not the dip beam, the flash sequence works with the lights working and pods coming up. I can not get the pods to come up on the dip beam. I have checked the switch and the stalk and they are all fine. I have also checked the fuses and relays and are all fine. Also the wiring from everything to everything. The only bit I have not took apart is the actual pod motors and lifty bits.
Unfortunatly the cutting out problem still occurs when the lights are flashed. Totaly frustrated! Will I ever get it on the road I ask.
Put all the other stuff back on hood etc , new brakes and bled in, interior and windows back in, bonnet, doors and sills back on, and even a new stereo, I hope not to use too much, as I wont be able to hear that howl. I just can't resist starting the beast and frightening the old goat next door.
Anyway, has anyone got any serious pointers why these lights aren't working. I have looked at all the forum bits but none really delve into anything deep enough. Nothing is easy on this car as you no doubt have read before. I have read about the diodes and stuff, but cannot seem to find these next to my fuse/relay board. Look like they are missing. Where can I get them from or can I make my own out of R.S bits.
I just want it up and running so I can join all you guys at the BBWF soon........
Unfortunatly the cutting out problem still occurs when the lights are flashed. Totaly frustrated! Will I ever get it on the road I ask.
Put all the other stuff back on hood etc , new brakes and bled in, interior and windows back in, bonnet, doors and sills back on, and even a new stereo, I hope not to use too much, as I wont be able to hear that howl. I just can't resist starting the beast and frightening the old goat next door.
Anyway, has anyone got any serious pointers why these lights aren't working. I have looked at all the forum bits but none really delve into anything deep enough. Nothing is easy on this car as you no doubt have read before. I have read about the diodes and stuff, but cannot seem to find these next to my fuse/relay board. Look like they are missing. Where can I get them from or can I make my own out of R.S bits.
I just want it up and running so I can join all you guys at the BBWF soon........
I think there may be a bit of a clue in your description Mark. You say the flash sequence works and the pods come up? Well as I recall the 'main beam' and 'flash' terminals of the column switch feed the same wire, so if one works the pods then the other should too. That would suggest (contrary to your findings I know) that the column switch is faulty (arced contact etc.).
Failing that, then therewould seem to be no feed from the dash switch in 'headlamps' position to the column switch - again contrary to your description.
If the diodes were missing, then the 'flash' function shouldn't work. But it does.
One thing: if you put the dash switch into 'headlamps' position, do the lamps actually light with the pods staying down?
Failing that, then therewould seem to be no feed from the dash switch in 'headlamps' position to the column switch - again contrary to your description.
If the diodes were missing, then the 'flash' function shouldn't work. But it does.
One thing: if you put the dash switch into 'headlamps' position, do the lamps actually light with the pods staying down?
Jeff- it looks like everything is missing.
Ian- I have checked all the switchs, taken them apart and cleaned all the contacts etc, you know me!. I have looked down the side of the pod and no the light does not work when switched on. Only the main beam in flash mode.
On some of the early cars, does the flash mode raise the pods or do the driving lights in the front spoiler flash. I might be getting mixed up with the flash sequence raising the pods and showing main beam when they should be up anyway...if you know what I mean?
This subject is not covered much in the bible !!!
nor stuck injectors!!!
Ian- I have checked all the switchs, taken them apart and cleaned all the contacts etc, you know me!. I have looked down the side of the pod and no the light does not work when switched on. Only the main beam in flash mode.
On some of the early cars, does the flash mode raise the pods or do the driving lights in the front spoiler flash. I might be getting mixed up with the flash sequence raising the pods and showing main beam when they should be up anyway...if you know what I mean?
This subject is not covered much in the bible !!!
nor stuck injectors!!!
[quote=uglymug]
On some of the early cars, does the flash mode raise the pods or do the driving lights in the front spoiler flash. I might be getting mixed up with the flash sequence raising the pods and showing main beam when they should be up anyway...if you know what I mean? [quote]
Can't help with the early cars but on my current car and my previous 86 350 the flash function operated the spoiler mounted driving lights unless the headlamps were raised - in which case it operated main beam on the headlamps not the driving lights.
On some of the early cars, does the flash mode raise the pods or do the driving lights in the front spoiler flash. I might be getting mixed up with the flash sequence raising the pods and showing main beam when they should be up anyway...if you know what I mean? [quote]
Can't help with the early cars but on my current car and my previous 86 350 the flash function operated the spoiler mounted driving lights unless the headlamps were raised - in which case it operated main beam on the headlamps not the driving lights.
Mark,
Sounds like you're having a bit of a nightmare there.
On my car ( 1987 350i ) when the pods are down the spots in the spoiler flash, when the pods are up the main beam flashes ( and the spots if the front fog light switch is on
).
One thing that might help, and forgive me if you've tried it already, is to temporarily ' doctor ' the wiring so that main beam feed goes to the dipped beam in the headlight pod wiring connection so that when you put the main beam on the head lights should pop up and dipped beam come on rather than the main beam ?
Feel free to tell me if I've missed the actual problem
Cheers
Al
Sounds like you're having a bit of a nightmare there.
On my car ( 1987 350i ) when the pods are down the spots in the spoiler flash, when the pods are up the main beam flashes ( and the spots if the front fog light switch is on
). One thing that might help, and forgive me if you've tried it already, is to temporarily ' doctor ' the wiring so that main beam feed goes to the dipped beam in the headlight pod wiring connection so that when you put the main beam on the head lights should pop up and dipped beam come on rather than the main beam ?
Feel free to tell me if I've missed the actual problem
Cheers
Al
Hmmmm. Technically, I think it was a legal requirement that the 'headlamps' had to be flashed, so the pods HAD to come up. However I've heard that later models did just flash the fog/ driving lamps, so maybe TVR were being a bit naughty.
Certainly my late '87 car still lifts the pods... or it does when I put the diodes in properly
It sounds like there's definitely no lighting feed for whatever reason, Mark.
Hang on while I peruse the 390SEs 'manual'... IIRC there are somrthing like 4 relays just to work the bloody lights...
Edit: found it. Mark, I'll mail you a piece that I wrote but never submitted to Wedgepages. It may be a bit long-winded but it does cover the later lights sequencing and may help you out.... it was originally drawn in AutoCAD but I'll send you the .pdf just in case...
>> Edited by wedg1e on Tuesday 17th May 02:08
Certainly my late '87 car still lifts the pods... or it does when I put the diodes in properly
It sounds like there's definitely no lighting feed for whatever reason, Mark.
Hang on while I peruse the 390SEs 'manual'... IIRC there are somrthing like 4 relays just to work the bloody lights...
Edit: found it. Mark, I'll mail you a piece that I wrote but never submitted to Wedgepages. It may be a bit long-winded but it does cover the later lights sequencing and may help you out.... it was originally drawn in AutoCAD but I'll send you the .pdf just in case...
>> Edited by wedg1e on Tuesday 17th May 02:08
My 81 has flashing headlights which didn’t. I shorted the connections in the switch and after eventually remembering to turn on ignition the headlights raised and flashed.
Solved so bought new switch (horn didn’t work either) then problems with wiring at pods. Once dodgy connectors fixed everything worked and headlights flashed except now the pods don’t rise. So presumably there’s a connection I haven’t fixed at the pods.
Is a flasher necessary for the mot? It works if headlights and ignition are on and yes I keep looking at my collection of photos of wedges with fixed headlights and thinking how enjoyable it would be to rip out all these bl***y relays and wires. It's like a mangrove swamp under the pods
Solved so bought new switch (horn didn’t work either) then problems with wiring at pods. Once dodgy connectors fixed everything worked and headlights flashed except now the pods don’t rise. So presumably there’s a connection I haven’t fixed at the pods.
Is a flasher necessary for the mot? It works if headlights and ignition are on and yes I keep looking at my collection of photos of wedges with fixed headlights and thinking how enjoyable it would be to rip out all these bl***y relays and wires. It's like a mangrove swamp under the pods
My 81 has flashing headlights which didn’t. I shorted the connections in the switch and after eventually remembering to turn on ignition the headlights raised and flashed.
Solved so bought new switch (horn didn’t work either) then problems with wiring at pods. Once dodgy connectors fixed everything worked and headlights flashed except now the pods don’t rise. So presumably there’s a connection I haven’t fixed at the pods.
Is a flasher necessary for the mot? It works if headlights and ignition are on and yes I keep looking at my collection of photos of wedges with fixed headlights and thinking how enjoyable it would be to rip out all these bl***y relays and wires. It's like a mangrove swamp under the pods
Solved so bought new switch (horn didn’t work either) then problems with wiring at pods. Once dodgy connectors fixed everything worked and headlights flashed except now the pods don’t rise. So presumably there’s a connection I haven’t fixed at the pods.
Is a flasher necessary for the mot? It works if headlights and ignition are on and yes I keep looking at my collection of photos of wedges with fixed headlights and thinking how enjoyable it would be to rip out all these bl***y relays and wires. It's like a mangrove swamp under the pods
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