Triumph Repair: Temperature indicator and gauge, cigar light, triumph spitfire

Question
QUESTION: hi Howard,
I have a 1975 Triumph Spitfire and am having some electrical issues.
The hazard lights are giving me a bit of a problem. Sometimes they work, but when they do they blink but the light is very weak. And sometimes they don't work.
Here are some of my symptoms:
- Sometimes i hear the click of the flasher unit, sometimes i dont.
- Sometimes when i touch the bottom fuse with a light tester, they will start to come on.

I have some wires that are unconnected to anything under the dash. Like the cigarette lighter and the radio, if these are not grounded, can that have an effect on my other electronics?

How should i close these wires? just cover them with black electric tape?

thanks,
aRon

ANSWER: Hi Aron,
The fact that you made them start operating by touching the fuse with a test light is a clear indication of a lot of resistance at the fuse (bad connection) This is a common problem on Triumphs and MGs. Even though the fuse and the holders look good they need to be cleaned with Emory paper and tighten the holders on both ends of the fuse.

As for loose wires you should follow a wiring diagram and connect the loose ends. If you want to just insulate them, electrical tape will work if you do it neatly.

Howard

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the tip Howard, I have cleaned the fuses and the fusebox.
In doing so I broke the middle fuse, discovered that I did not have 3 equal fuses.
in the top position i had BUSS AGC 30
In the middleI had a Lucas 35A
in the bottom i had a Buss GC 30

Should i replace them all with either 3 Lucas 35A or 3 Buss AGC 25?

Also, the car came like this when i bought it and the wiring works but is far from perfect, like i mentioned some wires don't connect to anything, i.e my missing cigar light , and some other wires are not connected to anything.

Do you think that some some fuses are pulling more electricity than others and that was the previous owners way of dealing with faulty wires?

what would happen if i had a lower amp on a fuse? would it burn?

Thanks again,
Aron

ANSWER: Aron, I have used 35a fuses in almost all locations on Triumphs and MGs with no problems. Most every thing on these cars can operate on a 35a fuse yet still protect the wiring harness 14 ga wires. Somewhere I found a comparison chart between the different rating of Lucas fuses verses US fuses but I think it is the same as picking fly poop from pepper as the thing to protect is the wiring harness. If a item it drawing enough current to burn a 25a fuse or a 35a fuse it is toast anyway. In line fuses to radios should be what ever the radio manufacture requires.

Howard

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hey Howard,
Well, i'm happy to report that most of my electronics are working. thanks for your help!

The gauge, im having trouble with is the Temperature indicator.
WHen i touch the temperature transmitter (in the engine bay) with a light meter, i get the pulsating light, and when i touch the light meter to the back of the temperature gauge, i get a pulsating light and the temperature needle moves (slowly).

Since all the other electronics work, well my speedometer needle dosnt work, but the lights on it work (iginition, beam, and panel light)

can we conclude that it is the ground on the temperature transmitter?

Answer
Hi Aron,
The preliminary tests for the temp gauge is to turn on the key and remove the wire off of the sending unit and watch the gauge. The needle should go full deflection. Then ground the wire just for a second or two and the needle should go all the way in the opposite direction. Then if that don't work, check the voltage at the power side of the gauge. It should be 10 volts.

However if you see a pulsing signal at the sending unit with it connected, it sounds like you have a bad sending unit.

Howard