Hello everyone, I have a UK '72 bay. Having a couple of electrical faults and thinking that perhaps the faults are connected. The first fault is with the indicators. The second fault leaves everything dead, engine stops running and no sign of any electrics getting to the fuse box - battery is still fine. The first issue we have had is with the indicators, it's a intermittent issue and tends to resolve itself. While engine running and indicating either way the speed of the flashing will go between normal and fast. Then when ignition turned off if you check the emergency flashers it will have the same issue except the fuel guage will also 'flash' between empty and full in time with the lights. I had the feeling it is an earthing issue so have stuck my hand up behind the pod to feel if everything is tight. Not sure if this has ever helped but the issue does eventually resolve itself eventually. Second issue (the killer!) Has now happened twice. First time, whilst driving, everything died, no electrics up front, no emergency flashers, no engine, nothing happens when you try to start again. Had to call the breakdown as at the side of road with the family. Garage took a look and managed to get electrics going again by cleaning up positive terminal on battery and replacing positive cable between battery and starter. Picked the van up from garage and drove it away, everything was fine for the first hour, until the indicator issue happened again, pulled over and while engine was running had a good feel behind pod and around fuse box, the indicator issue seemed to come and go. I was having a good look at the earth terminal from the wiper motor to the body (don't know why, just wanted to see if it was badly corroded or not) when I detached this terminal all electrics failed again and engine stopped running. Have still not managed to get her back to life. Battery appears to be fine, have tried a jump start, but no luck or sign of electrics when jump leads attached. Absolutely no sign of any electrics at the cab end. Not sure if disconnecting the wiper motor earth caused the death or it was just incidental, however reconnecting the terminal did not resolve the issue. Can anyone diagnose these symptoms? What should I check next? Is it a big earthing problem? Please help me get her back on the road, stuck in France at the moment (which is OK!) Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk
Ignition switch failure will kill everything. If the run contact breaks.. Or loose spade connectors from the ignition switch where they are pushed on to the loom in a plastic block connector under the dash. The lights all blinking in time with the indicators is another sign of high resistance in the ignition run circuit. If you can measure the voltage on a positive wire under the dash its probably bouncing up and down.. Next time, connecting the big black wire (positive not green points) side of the ignitition coil to battery plus will keep the ignition on (remove to stop engine) , then start with the key. The indicators is either dirty bulb contacts, or it is directly related to the burnt ignition switch. I bet the general light show on your bus is quite bizarre..
Thanks for your reply, very helpful. Would a broken run contact kill everything?? Surely the emergency flashers would still work as these are always operational even without a key in the ignition? Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk
Check the connections on the starter motor (give them a clean and a tug) all the van gets it’s power from this point and it’s in a vulnerable position with all the weather. Also worth checking the connections on the back of the fuse box. The indicators sound like a bad earth the earth at the rear light clusters are a common problem
^this. If all power to the front of the van fails, likely to be the main feed from the big terminal on the starter motor. Get underneath, look at the back of the starter, and check that the thick-ish cable (red or red/white?) that runs from the main stud to the front of the van is still attached.
No the hazards do not work. Absolutely no sign of electrical life what so ever. (Except at the battery terminals where the voltage appears to be good) Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk
Earths , earths and more earths, sounds like you’ve proved it by disturbing the earth cluster behind the dash near the wiper motor, everything including the fuse box earths here! Clean and squeeze all contacts , put new spades on where necessary and look for any brown wires dangling around nearby !
As snots said and check the battery earth strap on the bodywork and the large 6mm2 cable that connects to the fuse box.
