280 Ignition Switch
Discussion
Hmmm...IIRC there is a Triumph specialist around these parts. Champion.
After more fooling around with the fuel system over the the past couple of weeks the cutting out problem persisted. Last night it died and wouldn't restart at all so I had to call the AA. Bloke immediately suspected the ignition switch, bypassed it and it started like a charm.
So now I have a car that starts, stops, has headlights, seatbelts that lock...if I can stop the blowing/rattling exhaust and get it to drive in a straight line it'll almost be respectable!
After more fooling around with the fuel system over the the past couple of weeks the cutting out problem persisted. Last night it died and wouldn't restart at all so I had to call the AA. Bloke immediately suspected the ignition switch, bypassed it and it started like a charm.
So now I have a car that starts, stops, has headlights, seatbelts that lock...if I can stop the blowing/rattling exhaust and get it to drive in a straight line it'll almost be respectable!
I can't believe I never thought to suspect the ignition switch...Early FHC 280s are TR7 and Moss who have an outlet in Darlington www.moss-europe.co.uk/MossUK/ will show it their on-line catalogue
Tonight I was coming home from work and the car cut out and died again. Luckily I managed to pull over safely, but it wouldn't restart. Another call to the AA man.
The last guy claimed to have 'bypassed the ignitions switch so it won't have any more problems'. I thought that was strange since it was still the ignition switch that was being used to start the car...how so if bypassed? Well, it seems he did nothing, other than unfasten it from the end of the barrel.
Tonight's guy turned up and he declared after wiggling the switch while the car was running (started after a few minutes) that there was nothing wrong with the switch and it's a ballast resistor at fault. He thinks it's overheating and causing the problem.
Now I don't know who to believe. The 2nd guy's test of waggling the switch would do nothing to prove that the internals of the switch were ok, just the wires attatched to it. And if it's an overheating ballast resistor, how could I occasionally have a problem starting it after it's been sat for hours?
I'm reluctant to start fitting hidden toggle switches and starter buttons. Should I replace the switch and the ballast resistor? Would that be a waste of time? Where is the ballast resistor, what is it's resistance and is it a resistore or a length of resistive wire? Is resistive even a word??
The last guy claimed to have 'bypassed the ignitions switch so it won't have any more problems'. I thought that was strange since it was still the ignition switch that was being used to start the car...how so if bypassed? Well, it seems he did nothing, other than unfasten it from the end of the barrel.
Tonight's guy turned up and he declared after wiggling the switch while the car was running (started after a few minutes) that there was nothing wrong with the switch and it's a ballast resistor at fault. He thinks it's overheating and causing the problem.
Now I don't know who to believe. The 2nd guy's test of waggling the switch would do nothing to prove that the internals of the switch were ok, just the wires attatched to it. And if it's an overheating ballast resistor, how could I occasionally have a problem starting it after it's been sat for hours?
I'm reluctant to start fitting hidden toggle switches and starter buttons. Should I replace the switch and the ballast resistor? Would that be a waste of time? Where is the ballast resistor, what is it's resistance and is it a resistore or a length of resistive wire? Is resistive even a word??
The ballast resistor is a coil of thick wire near the ignition could ith a couple of cable ties holding it in shape, typically blue or grey with male bullet connections at each end.
The one currently in my car is blue and runs at 1.5ohms (just run outside and put the multimeter across it), no idea what the different colours mean, if anything.
Regards
Iain
The one currently in my car is blue and runs at 1.5ohms (just run outside and put the multimeter across it), no idea what the different colours mean, if anything.
Regards
Iain
Tony,
If the ignition switch is suspect how about trying a toggle switch between the brown and the white wires ( IIRC
)
If the problem still persists then you could connect the wires back to original and try the ballast wire ?
Don't know what rating of wire / switch though. Maybe someone on here may be able to help ?
Cheers
Al
If the ignition switch is suspect how about trying a toggle switch between the brown and the white wires ( IIRC
) If the problem still persists then you could connect the wires back to original and try the ballast wire ?
Don't know what rating of wire / switch though. Maybe someone on here may be able to help ?
Cheers
Al
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