390SE failed MOT

[nwarner]

Hi All

I took my 390SE for it's MOT today and it failed on a couple of things and he pointed out 2 things that aren't working. At least the handbrake was OK this year

1. The passenger side headlight is very dim. I assume this is an earthing problem somewhere. Has anyone any idea where I should look ?

2. The drivers side front wheel is rubbing on the inner wheel arch on full lock and it has worn a hole right through the fibreglass. My split rims have 225x50x15 tyres fitted. I can get around this problem by fitting my set of lattice wheels which have 205x50x15 tyres. The question is should the 225x50x15 be OK and if so is there a reason why it is rubbing?

The things that aren't working.

1. Headlights don't come up when the headlight flash stalk is used. I can't remember ever using it so I don't know if this has ever worked. I presume the problem will be the flasher switch on the column.

2. The front fog lights don't work. Again I don't think I've ever tried them before. I have taken them off and they work fine when connect straight to the battery so I'm guessing it's the switch. Should they work with the headlights on or off or both ?

Thanks

Nige

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Mate..Not sure if it applies to you but when my N/S front wheel was rubbing and created a hole in the inner arch i had the tracking set up so that it misses it but now pulls slightly to the left...When straight it rubs which means the body is probably pished..
My headlights did the same and when i removed the switchgear i noticed there was a blue/white wire that was disconnected and the wire was almost hanging over the terminal that it was on, I replaced it and now they work ok..
My front fogs only work when the side/main lights are on but then i had new switches fitted and they were freshly wired..So again not too sure about yours, Could be a switch or fuse?..Hope this helps...Ziga

[CHJ]

I think the fog lights should only work when the driving lights are on. IIRC on the 400SE the flashers only flash the `fog` lights, so the headlamps don't pop up on flashing - not sure if that's the same on 390SE though.

Check the fuses and relays before anything else though.

Chris

[Convert]

I had a similar issue with n/s headlight, turned out to be a poor connection in the block connector running down from the headlight (black wire).

Tyres rubbing, I'd get the alignment checked.

Flash on my 350 operates the driving lights, and doesn't raise the pods.

[Lean Machine]

1. Flasher only flashes fog lights. (doesn't raise pods)
2. Dim headlight, bad earth.
3. Tyre rubbing, steering geometry or suspension hight adjustment.

Tony. TCB.

[adam quantrill]

2. This is normal with this size of tyre.

I have two suggestions:

a) Enlarge/deepen the rubbed hole slightly with an angle grinder, then paint over it with underseal or a different colour paint. The edges will now show the paint colour (proving that) the rubbing is eliminated.

b) The MOT rules state that wheels fouling the bodywork or chassis should be checked with the wheels OFF THE GROUND. I know - this sounds odd, but that's the rules.

If you have the wheels off the ground the rubbing doesn't happen even on full lock. Now I don't suppose you can argue the toss with the MOT man so go back to plan (a).

- Adam

[MrPicky]

This is not normal for that size of tyre fitted originally to 390s, it doesn't happen on mine (manual steering).

Is the steering rack properly centred, the tracking and alignment may be spot on but the stops may not be the same on each side, you can centralise by turning both steering rods by the same amount the same way (thus leaving the alignment the same.

If the body is not displaced on the chassis and the rack hasn't been modified then it should either not rub or should rub the same amount on both sides assuming the rubbing hasn't worn too much away. Paint over previous rubs so the tester can see that it isn't still rubbing.

The spot lights on mine are intermittent to say the least and I have found the culprit to be the wiring from the relay to the lights and sometimes the seating of the bulbs in the lamp itself.

Russ

[Wedg1e]

The fog/ driving lamps should only work when the headlamps are on. Actually, having typed that I went to have a look at the wiring diagram of my car (drawn by me, not TVR!) and the driving lamps are configured to only operate on main beam; if you pull the flasher stalk it flashes the driving lamps AND the headlamps. However in 12 years of my ownership the driving lamps have never worked (not connected since I ripped out the bodgy wiring that had presumably been added to make them work in a different fashion). So my headlamps do all the flashing

[nwarner]

Thanks for all the advice.

I've had the tracking checked and it was spot on and I will make sure the steering is centralised correctly as per MrPickys suggestion. I have fitted my Lattice wheels for now and cleaned up the earth for the dim headlight. There's still a problem as it still comes on dim sometimes so I will look at it properly at the weekend. The MOT man did say that he would have passed it if the headlamp had been OK but suggested I should find out why it was rubbing so Adam I expect you're correct about the checking with the wheels off the ground.

I've found out that the front fog lamps work when I use the flasher and they also work if I have the lights on main beam so Wedg1e you were correct.

It's booked in for a re-test on Monday so fingers crossed.

Nige

[mrzigazaga]

nwarner said:

I've had the tracking checked and it was spot on

When my N/S front wheel was rubbing on full lock my tracking was spot on too..But in order for it to stop rubbing i had the tracking adjusted to suit but the only floor was that it pulls to the left slightly..Which suggests that the body is not central..I hope you get to the bottom of it...Cheers..Ziga

[Jack Valiant]

If the car is rubbing then iether the tyres you have fitted are the wrong size, the springs and dampers are getting tired or as mentioned the steering geometry is not correct. Might be worth comparing with another similar Wedge if you have one near by? The driving / fog lights should flash when you pull the stalk towards you and only come on when you are on main beam unless some one has fiddled with the wiring fella.

Chris

Edited by Jack Valiant on Friday 22 June 12:29

[mk2 24v]

adam quantrill said:

2. This is normal with this size of tyre.


b) The MOT rules state that wheels fouling the bodywork or chassis should be checked with the wheels OFF THE GROUND. I know - this sounds odd, but that's the rules.


- Adam

dont know where you got that from, but the lock to lock check is done on turn plates with the vehicle at normal ride height
also, the front suspension check on the wedge set up at the front is done with the jacking beam lifting the front up via the lower wishbones as well

could always attach a strip of rubber to the area thats affected and say its a rubbing strip for when on full lock, as thats allowed

[vampire222]

They don't pop up for me, its the fog lights that flash, would be awkward too having them pop up and flash a good 3 second later.