Gromit Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Late last night, heading down the motorway in the hammering rain, the head lights started flickering occasionally - both sides simultaneously. Same symptoms when on dips. I could hear arcing over the radio speakers. Wiggling the main light switch and headlight switch/flasher didn't change anything. Dash lights were unaffected. I'm guessing that a common earth to the lights didn't like getting wet. As it's so intermittant, I can't start tracing it unless it reoccures, but was hoping to have a look at/clean up and common earth points for the lights. Any pointers where to start? Mucho thankos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Screwed to the inner wing. It's pretty horrible. I ran new earths back to the battery. You should be able to seethem looking in from the bonnet, or through the headlamp hole. Also watch the connectors on the back of the headlights, I had an issue when they went intermittent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gromit Posted July 12, 2010 Author Share Posted July 12, 2010 Good stuff, thanks a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete3000 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 There isn't a common earth as luke has said, it's to each wing seperately. Points to a body or engine earth fault where a single path is used if it flickers both sets together. Don't spose you hung your head out the back to see if tail lights were doing it as well. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 On the TD5 don't the earths go back to a common earth point on the bulkhead via the wing harnesses ? Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 If both lights are flickering together then 1) it could be a common earth problem but as the lights are eartherd locally, the only common earth will be one of the woven check straps comming off the gearbox to the battery. I'd say if that was problamatic you'd see other faults too... could be wrong. or 2) its a supply problem, what age vehicle is it? if its old like mine (85) then no relays so all the power goes through your switch gear - could be a problem with a switch. If later model with relays, are all your relays dry? I'm just repairing/re-building my harness, putting in relays etc. If you need any pic's just holla. Mav 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 That's the local earth I was refering to, if the vehicle's a td5 it may well not be present, I don't know. I agree that if both are flickering together, it is unlikely that one of these earths is the sole cause, but they're still worth checking, and they definitely aren't a good solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMc Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 On the TD5 don't the earths go back to a common earth point on the bulkhead via the wing harnesses ? Mo Mo is correct On the TD5, all the front lamp earths go back to a single earth header, mounted on a bolt on the bulkhead - Everything else in the engine bay (except the starter motor) and all of the earth headers in the dash and behind the instruments also go back to this point - C0550's mounting bolt is also used to earth the ABS Modulator (on it's own earth cable) via ring terminal C0362 - I would run an additional earth cable (of at least 16mm2) from C0550/C0362's mounting bolt, directly back to the battery earth terminal. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 No, not ideal, to save on wireing I was debating on extending the earth to a direct chassis connection. Then just making sure I had good negative check straps at the other end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gromit Posted July 13, 2010 Author Share Posted July 13, 2010 Super info - thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Mo is correct Thanks Paul I'd be inclined to throw another headlight switch in there and see if it improves things as these are notoriously unreliable. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete3000 Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 I was wrong, i should have read it was a td5, with new fangled earthing. Changed from my 87 110. It Seems a bit over optomistic to send that much to a panel earth? with the whole galvanic steel/alu corrosion thing going on. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 IIRC the TD5 also has a braided earth strap from bulkhead to chassis. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwankyPete Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 On 7/13/2010 at 8:16 AM, Maverik said: If both lights are flickering together then 1) it could be a common earth problem but as the lights are eartherd locally, the only common earth will be one of the woven check straps comming off the gearbox to the battery. I'd say if that was problamatic you'd see other faults too... could be wrong. or 2) its a supply problem, what age vehicle is it? if its old like mine (85) then no relays so all the power goes through your switch gear - could be a problem with a switch. If later model with relays, are all your relays dry? I'm just repairing/re-building my harness, putting in relays etc. If you need any pic's just holla. Mav What wheels & Tyres you running here Mav? looking to upgrade my 90 with something like these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackshifter Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 I'd suggest as per Mo the problem encountered by the OP may well be the light switch on the steering column, as these arc eventually. The heat melts the plastic the contact studs are in, and eventually there is no contact. Try a bit of gentle judicious jiggling of the switch when the headlights are actually on, ie when the ignition is on too. It might also of course be the relay in the headlight feed or the dip switch but the column switch has to be prime suspect, assuming the lights aren't relayed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 Holy thread revivalĀ š¤£ Fyi i hated that tyre rim combo, was something like 265 75 R16 General Graabber AT2 on modulars used to corner like she was on rails in the dry, but i found wet weather performance especially through big puddles sub optimal to the point of dangerous! I hate overly big rubber i dont like much over the standard 235 85 R16 these days on wolfs or a decent set of early period LR alloys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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