Ian Barrett Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I thought I'd share my latest little garage adventure with you, because its too ruddy stupid for words. Last weekend I noticed my offside side light bulb had gone. Not a problem, I have a box full of various bulbs, I'll swap it on Monday. So in the freezing cold on Monday I had to prise off the plastic lens. It was as if it had been glued in place but I know it wasn't because I put new front units a few years ago. Anyway, after a fight I got the lense off eventually. Next, I couldn't get the flaming bulb out. I ended up having to break the bulb (which looked OK) and taking out the metal bit with pliers. Now, what type of bulb is this. Oh great, I don't have one of these. Before I jump to conclusions, I'll check for 12v to be sure it was the bulb. Chuff me!! No 12v!!! its got to come out so I can check the wiring. And the indicator and headlamp has to come out too so I can get in. Indicator lens off, and the plastic backing plate falls apart into a dozen bits and I can't glue it back together. So that means a trip to the local indie for a new one, and I'll get a side light too as thats all cracked. Just need to pull the side and indicator out, drop the headlight out and I'm in. Oh... great... its going to be one of those days is it. I had to get the hairdryer out to warm up all the plastics so the stupid side/indicator units would pull out. Does anyone else have a hairdryer in their garage. I don't even have any hair but have a 'rescued' hairdryer!! Right, so everything is out and I'm at the wiring. The voltage is bouncing around but its still about 11v so why doesn't the bulb light up? I tested it all ends up, but couldn't make sense of what I was seeing. In the end I resorted to getting a mate to come have a look at it because I was boggled. 11ish volts. Bulb on a flylead. Not a dickie. Bulb checks OK Test everything upside down and inside out. Nothing. I had to come in for dinner but couldn't settle so after dinner I'm back out. Check the fuse. Find my side light fuses are odd. One fuse controls just this offside front light and the other fuse runs everything else! Fuse looks OK though. Ran a wire from the fused side directly to the bulb. Nothing Ran a wire from the fused side of the other circuit. Holy Hell - it works !! Clean up the fuse contacts. Nothing Test the fuse Its OK Swap the fuses. Christ, the problem moves!!!! It seems I had a fuse which was hit and miss. It looks fine. Tests fine with my fuse tester, although its quite flickery. But a new fuse has solved the problem. So, one blown bulb, I've ... Replaced the side light unit Replaced an indicator unit Broken a good bulb Bought 2 new bulbs Had the headlight out twice Had a 70 mile round trip to get parts (local place out of stock) - ooh, can you drop in at Ikea and buy my sister a dishwasher while you're passing darling !!! Spent 2 days trying to find the problem in a garage with temps around 2C AND FIXED IT IN 10 SECONDS BY REPLACING ONE 25p RUDDY FUSE !!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sirocco Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Excellent G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbs Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Welcome to my world Apart from the dishwasher situation that is!, Sometimes I detest my 90 but I persevere with it as I WILL NOT LET IT BEAT ME!! on other occasions I love it It makes me grin from ear to ear John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brighouse shed Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 So happy its not just me, I spent most of Sunday lying under the shed trying to adjust / find the reverse lamp switch on the gear box so the light would come on again. fiddled and swore to no effect gave up when frozen to drive, had some esssential lubrication/de-icer Merlot, went out and pushed manfully on gearstick and light is suddenly fine. Resolved to push like Charles atlas when selecting reverse till temperature rises Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brighouse shed Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 addendum whilst partaking of Merlot aka essential LR lubricant emptied dishwasher so can see common thread developing aside from frozen gonads and truck taking the michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Barrett Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 "frozen to the drive" Laughed my ass off at the comical picture that paints! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncmc Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I had a similar thing with my 90 the other week. My reversing light wasn't working so checked the bulb that was ok. Next multimeter on the fuse, multimeter says its ok. So check for 12 V...0V. Spent next hour or so chasing around, testing continuity of wires and circuits, testing the reversing light switch etc. Then finally took the fuse out to find it was blown!! Go figure that one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christophers1247 Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 u can get this fault with fuses they can have small hairline cracks in them so they bell ut ok but when u pass current through them they fail thats why u got voltage but no current. more comon on the bolt on mega fuses than the blade type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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