Hi folks, Had our first trip back home on a low-loader for 5 years on Sunday night after gremlins got into the old buses electrics...2 year old was definitely more amused than 7 1/2 months preggo wife! Hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary developing but when we tried to leave pub, engine cut out waiting to turn onto main road and then wouldn't let me start - cranked but presumeably no feed to coil as wouldn't fire and gen and oil lights didn't liht up with ignition. Had a poke around and did what I could to check connections, ignition barrel and changed to coil as I had one under the seat and I had doubts about the exisiting one after which the bus starts but cuts out every time the headlights are turned on! Lights can be flashed from the indicator stalk and sidelights are fine but pulling switch all the way out conks the old bugger every time... So, been reading and seems it could be to do with the ignition switch but does thios sound right or could it be owt else? Any tips gratefully recieved so fire away oracle Cheers, Olly
Get a voltmeter on the +12V side of the coil and see if the voltage dips when you turn the headlights on. I'd suspect there's something amiss in your headlight wiring, which is dragging the battery voltage down - do the lights come on fully at all?
^This. Turn the ignition on (but don't start the engine), and put the headlights on. Walk around the bus and check whether all the lamps are working. Keep your senses alert for any signs/smells of electrical burning. (The reason I say this, there could be a short circuit in the headlights). If all the lights are working ok (and no burning), put a voltmeter on the battery - it should be something like 11.7V under load from the lights (and 12.7V with the lights off). If the voltage is way down - it could be a duff battery, but there may also be a problem in the charging system (alternator/dynamo and the respective voltage regulator).
You can also put a 12v feed to the + side of the coil direct from the battery to check it works directly with no switch. Do take it off after and remember you will have to pull the wire off to stop the engine of it starts. And whs ^^^^^
Thanks guys, with the ignition on but engine not running, only the sidelights come on from what I remember (I'll check later) - the headlights flash full beam from the indicator stalk if that's any use to diagnose? Cheers and I'll try and get my multimeter out tonight if given half a chance
Assuming your headlights did work properly at some point, does the stalk switch between high and low beam properly (i.e. not just flashing high beam)?
Hi Snotty, they were working fine before we stopped for some dinner - I'll try and do some testing later to get some info that may be more help than my addled mutterings! Cheers
