1st outing of the year!

[chrislandy]

After finding and fixing a cracked weld on a fuel line and letting the car dry out in the fine weather we've had recently I finally took the Shelsley out for it's maiden trip of the year

Down to Bristol centre and back, no overheating - which is always good but it's developed an electrical issue over the winter, if you flash the headlights it blows the side light fuse! any ideas? could it just be the switch needs replacing? Got an oil leak on the pump seal so it looks alike a weekend engine out and fix job. At least while the engine is out I can give the bay a quick clean and change the coolant hoses that you just can't get to with the engine in!

Chris.

['The Gaffer']

Odd that flashing the headlights blows the sidelight fuse.

If one switch controls all the lighting, it is possible that moisture has formed inside it over the winter causing a short. Try drying it with a hair dryer.

Could be a shorted bulb, try taking out main/ hi beam bulbs and flashing again to see if the fuse blows.

Other than that its out with the multi meter.

[YellaBelly]

As Phil mentioned, if there is one fuse 'for all' on the lighting it could cause an issue. Always better to have sidelights, dim and main on 3 seperate fuses in my book. That way at least you have some form of lighting if it all goes Pete Tong!

(I also have left and right seperated too)

JB

[chrislandy]

They are, if I flash the lights it blows the right hand sidelights and dash fuse. The left sides, and headlights are all on seperate fuses. I suspect it's the switch thats corroded during the winter, it's a 7.5A fuse so it must be shorting.

The other interesting thing I found out last night was how few garages in Bristol sell fuses these days. I stopped at every garage I found on my way out of Bristol and no one had them! I managed to find some at Micheal Woods services on the M5 in the end!

[YellaBelly]

Check your earths mate, could be finding an alternate route