flashing and erections, tvr wedge pods again.
Discussion
working through the mess of electrics on my beasty trying to see what is left to do to get it moted and road legal so i can take it for a proper drive at last, i found that the high beam flash function on my wedge wasn't working.
using the main lighting switch on the centre console the pods come up (though the left one winks, goes back down and comes up a second time and stays up the second time) the lights are on as are the side lights and tail lights. i can flick between high and low beam with the left hand stalk, and i can flash the high beam by squeezing the left hand stalk towards me if the pods are up and the main beams on dipped.... BUT if the lights are off and pods down, the just squeezing the left stalk towards me does NOT pop the pods up and flash the high beam, should it? is the stalk flash function supposed to erect the pods and flash or is it only designed to work when the pods are already erect?
i did check online to see if flashing is actually a requirement for the mot and it is not mentioned in the official mot testers manual so that alone should not stop me getting the car in regular rather than sneaky use, and flashing is certainly something i can manage without though is fun and appreciated in the right circumstances, but i would just like to know if it is supposed to be able to perform, it is strange to not even know whether or not there is erectile dysfunction or very healthy erections on demand!
cheers wedgies.
using the main lighting switch on the centre console the pods come up (though the left one winks, goes back down and comes up a second time and stays up the second time) the lights are on as are the side lights and tail lights. i can flick between high and low beam with the left hand stalk, and i can flash the high beam by squeezing the left hand stalk towards me if the pods are up and the main beams on dipped.... BUT if the lights are off and pods down, the just squeezing the left stalk towards me does NOT pop the pods up and flash the high beam, should it? is the stalk flash function supposed to erect the pods and flash or is it only designed to work when the pods are already erect?
i did check online to see if flashing is actually a requirement for the mot and it is not mentioned in the official mot testers manual so that alone should not stop me getting the car in regular rather than sneaky use, and flashing is certainly something i can manage without though is fun and appreciated in the right circumstances, but i would just like to know if it is supposed to be able to perform, it is strange to not even know whether or not there is erectile dysfunction or very healthy erections on demand!
cheers wedgies.
When using the flash function on my old wedge (S2 FHC) with no other lights on, the pods would raise. Although in practice a quick flash meant the lights came on as the pods raised, but were off just as they reached full height. As long as you held the stalk for a bit longer they worked fine...
Matt
Matt
ahhh, that is interesting, i didn't think of that, i should check to see if my driving lights flash, i was just looking from inside the car to see if the pods popped up which they didn't. will check that, could be an easier thing to make happen if mine don't already do that. you wouldn't have had any trouble at mot time, i have checked and the flash is not an mot issue. i just wanted to know if mine should pop up or not, what year is your car?
cheers.
cheers.
Jonah666 said:
On my motor (350i) when I flash my lights the pods stay down and the driving lights flash.
When the pods are raised the main beam and the driving lights both flash.
I've not been picked up about it on any of my MoT's
When the pods are raised the main beam and the driving lights both flash.
I've not been picked up about it on any of my MoT's
drak ula said:
ahhh, that is interesting, i didn't think of that, i should check to see if my driving lights flash, i was just looking from inside the car to see if the pods popped up which they didn't. will check that, could be an easier thing to make happen if mine don't already do that. you wouldn't have had any trouble at mot time, i have checked and the flash is not an mot issue. i just wanted to know if mine should pop up or not, what year is your car?
cheers.
Mine does the same, Driving lights flash when pods are down, both when pods are up.cheers.
Jonah666 said:
On my motor (350i) when I flash my lights the pods stay down and the driving lights flash.
When the pods are raised the main beam and the driving lights both flash.
I've not been picked up about it on any of my MoT's
When the pods are raised the main beam and the driving lights both flash.
I've not been picked up about it on any of my MoT's
you have misunderstood wilf, i could hold the stalk all day and it wouldn't help, as i have said pulling the stalk back does not raise my pods at all let alone long enough to flash anyone, i have yet to check if it flashes my cibie driving lights though. hopefully it does. if not i will wire it to do so rather than messing with the pod system of multiple relays and switches. cheers
pasogrande said:
Sorry to hear all the problems with ED. Maybe Matt's suggestion is the best - hold your stalk longer!
Wilf.
Wilf.
For MOT you can raise the pods (take fuses out so they stay up) and pass the test.
That is how I do it, although not in the UK..
On mine, 350i mkII from 1986, driving lights flash if pods down and with pods up it is the headlight full beam.
Pods do not come up by themselves since many years and not bothered as I raise them manually if required and have used the workaround as mentioned to pass MOTs for over more than 5 years. It is on the to do list, but there is always something else that gets priority over it!
Rob
That is how I do it, although not in the UK..
On mine, 350i mkII from 1986, driving lights flash if pods down and with pods up it is the headlight full beam.
Pods do not come up by themselves since many years and not bothered as I raise them manually if required and have used the workaround as mentioned to pass MOTs for over more than 5 years. It is on the to do list, but there is always something else that gets priority over it!
Rob
hi rob,
yes i know exactly what you mean about priorities and the to do list, which for me just seems to keep growing and never getting any shorter!!!
have just checked and my cibie driving lights do not flash whether the pods are up or down, they only come on by use of the independent lights switch in the centre console and ONLY WHEN THE PODS ARE UP IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. so i could not even turn them on when the lights are off.
so it looks like the only flashing i will be doing is when the pods are up and the lights already on. but as it isn't an mot thing in the uk i don't care anymore, like you, my to do list is way too long and way too many other things take priority over a bit of flashing. i will stick to hand gestures whether friendly or less so ;-)
but at least i know now that it should flash the pods up even when the lights are off so something is missing or broken in my lighting circuit. maybe i will find it by chance when sorting my fuses and relays.
no to sort the brake lights which are essential for mot, i have traced the fault to the switch not even being in line with the pedal and some bad terminals to the switch. so i need to re-align the bracket for the switch and sorted the terminals and we should be good for an mot!!!!
cheers.
yes i know exactly what you mean about priorities and the to do list, which for me just seems to keep growing and never getting any shorter!!!
have just checked and my cibie driving lights do not flash whether the pods are up or down, they only come on by use of the independent lights switch in the centre console and ONLY WHEN THE PODS ARE UP IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. so i could not even turn them on when the lights are off.
so it looks like the only flashing i will be doing is when the pods are up and the lights already on. but as it isn't an mot thing in the uk i don't care anymore, like you, my to do list is way too long and way too many other things take priority over a bit of flashing. i will stick to hand gestures whether friendly or less so ;-)
but at least i know now that it should flash the pods up even when the lights are off so something is missing or broken in my lighting circuit. maybe i will find it by chance when sorting my fuses and relays.
no to sort the brake lights which are essential for mot, i have traced the fault to the switch not even being in line with the pedal and some bad terminals to the switch. so i need to re-align the bracket for the switch and sorted the terminals and we should be good for an mot!!!!
cheers.
Edited by drak ula on Friday 30th September 11:08
Hi Ion.
You sound like you are having the same issue as me..
The driving lights should only come on when the ignition is on and the headlamps are on main beam with pods up...They are essentially fog lights...
However they should flash with the stalk when the pods are down...BUT...Like mine yours are obviously not...Mine were working perfectly a short time ago but have suddenly decided to play up as the MOT draws ever closer...9 days to be precise.
I have found that the single diode that i have on my relay board works differently depending on which way up or down it is put in...I have been advised that this is not the case but it DOES happen..I still haven't a definitive answer to that question so I'm just as confused as i was in the beginning ..
You sound like you are having the same issue as me..
The driving lights should only come on when the ignition is on and the headlamps are on main beam with pods up...They are essentially fog lights...
However they should flash with the stalk when the pods are down...BUT...Like mine yours are obviously not...Mine were working perfectly a short time ago but have suddenly decided to play up as the MOT draws ever closer...9 days to be precise.
I have found that the single diode that i have on my relay board works differently depending on which way up or down it is put in...I have been advised that this is not the case but it DOES happen..I still haven't a definitive answer to that question so I'm just as confused as i was in the beginning ..
Doesn't a diode only work one way as it blocks the current flowing the wrong way?
On my 1st wedge which was a 1983 280i FHC I can't remember if it had front fogs or not as it was some time ago, but the pods did go up when flashing the main beam. I rewired it as the original all black wiring was causing loads of issues. I remember changing the diode in the fuse box and several relays to do with the lights/pods.
Not sure if the earlier wedges were different - quite possible, I think I used the wiring diagrams in Steve Heaths book.
Matt
On my 1st wedge which was a 1983 280i FHC I can't remember if it had front fogs or not as it was some time ago, but the pods did go up when flashing the main beam. I rewired it as the original all black wiring was causing loads of issues. I remember changing the diode in the fuse box and several relays to do with the lights/pods.
Not sure if the earlier wedges were different - quite possible, I think I used the wiring diagrams in Steve Heaths book.
Matt
i have looked again pretty thoroughly and i don't seem to have that diode at all let alone the wrong way round!
mrzigazaga said:
Hi Ion.
You sound like you are having the same issue as me..
The driving lights should only come on when the ignition is on and the headlamps are on main beam with pods up...They are essentially fog lights...
However they should flash with the stalk when the pods are down...BUT...Like mine yours are obviously not...Mine were working perfectly a short time ago but have suddenly decided to play up as the MOT draws ever closer...9 days to be precise.
I have found that the single diode that i have on my relay board works differently depending on which way up or down it is put in...I have been advised that this is not the case but it DOES happen..I still haven't a definitive answer to that question so I'm just as confused as i was in the beginning ..
You sound like you are having the same issue as me..
The driving lights should only come on when the ignition is on and the headlamps are on main beam with pods up...They are essentially fog lights...
However they should flash with the stalk when the pods are down...BUT...Like mine yours are obviously not...Mine were working perfectly a short time ago but have suddenly decided to play up as the MOT draws ever closer...9 days to be precise.
I have found that the single diode that i have on my relay board works differently depending on which way up or down it is put in...I have been advised that this is not the case but it DOES happen..I still haven't a definitive answer to that question so I'm just as confused as i was in the beginning ..
hi, mine is '84 v8, and clearly has some stuff just plain missing in terms of lighting wiring/relays etc. i don't have the diode anywhere i can see. and my pods do not come up on flashing the stalk. and my driving lights do not flash whether headlights are on or off, pods up or down. they ONLY come on when the pods are up, the headlights are on and then i turn the driving light switch on.
but i am not too fussed as everything essential for the mot is now working. i don't actually need the flash for the mot but it is nice sometimes if someone is going too damn slow in front of you in the wrong land and you want them to get the f
k out of your way, or when acknowledging someone giving way to you coming the other way.
however my brake lights now work, switch bracket adjusted, switch and terminals sorted, and then the bloody rain starts, god i am sick of having to work in the road! mot next week then, well as long as everything else is ok, bushes, chassis etc etc... ;-)!
but i am not too fussed as everything essential for the mot is now working. i don't actually need the flash for the mot but it is nice sometimes if someone is going too damn slow in front of you in the wrong land and you want them to get the f
k out of your way, or when acknowledging someone giving way to you coming the other way. however my brake lights now work, switch bracket adjusted, switch and terminals sorted, and then the bloody rain starts, god i am sick of having to work in the road! mot next week then, well as long as everything else is ok, bushes, chassis etc etc... ;-)!
Matt said:
Doesn't a diode only work one way as it blocks the current flowing the wrong way?
On my 1st wedge which was a 1983 280i FHC I can't remember if it had front fogs or not as it was some time ago, but the pods did go up when flashing the main beam. I rewired it as the original all black wiring was causing loads of issues. I remember changing the diode in the fuse box and several relays to do with the lights/pods.
Not sure if the earlier wedges were different - quite possible, I think I used the wiring diagrams in Steve Heaths book.
Matt
On my 1st wedge which was a 1983 280i FHC I can't remember if it had front fogs or not as it was some time ago, but the pods did go up when flashing the main beam. I rewired it as the original all black wiring was causing loads of issues. I remember changing the diode in the fuse box and several relays to do with the lights/pods.
Not sure if the earlier wedges were different - quite possible, I think I used the wiring diagrams in Steve Heaths book.
Matt
drak ula said:
i don't have the diode anywhere i can see. and my pods do not come up on flashing the stalk. and my driving lights do not flash whether headlights are on or off, pods up or down. they ONLY come on when the pods are up, the headlights are on and then i turn the driving light switch on.
Hi mate.The driving lights are working as they should.
Maybe the diode was replaced by a fuse instead?..
I did have two resistor type thingies on my 280i which were on the radiator mounting bolts...Don't recall a diode on the relay board either...And at one point it was dropped down and me and an auto-electrician spent half a day trying to figure out why so many wires from different things were going into one relay..Some were really obscure.
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