The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

I went out in my Sprint today and noticed that a lot of the instruments weren't working. I had no Rev counter, temperature gauge, fuel gauge, wipers or indicators.

I went back home and checked the fuse box and the fuses are okay.

I then parked the car to change the rear exhaust rubber mounts after which I noticed that everything was working again!

However, I've just gone to move the car back inside and the instruments have cut out again.

Any suggestions on how to troubleshoot this?

Many thanks!

Howard

Probably bad contacts on the fuses Howard. Remove the fuses and give the fuse box connectors a good clean.

Howard

All of the circuits you are having problems with are on the ignition side and are feed by a white cable to the fuse box, then the cable goes Green to feed the various instruments Inc. voltage stabilizer - as Martins say's give all the terminals a good clean at the fuse box.

paul

To prevent or at least reduce the likelihood of problems I spray the fuse box and its connectors with WD40 from time to time. I also do this with the starter connections and the connector by the clutch bell housing that feeds the reversing lights and links the starter circuit.

I've taken the fuse box off and cleaned it up which did the trick! However the fuse blew as I reversing out of the garage..

Is the overdrive on the same circuit? As I replaced the overdrive wire in the gearstick today..

Unfortunately I don't have any spare fuses!

Just to double check, the fuses are 35A and the wiring is correct:

Tha red wire top right of pic with the bare lucar terminal isnt getting to earth there is it?

Tony

From what you say Howard, I expect you have a short in the gearstick, reverse and O/D get power from the same place.

What Mart said....

Position the slotted collar nut inside the knob at the very end of the thread and then do the outside chromed one up
against it. This gives the most room for your terminals and stops the bottom of the switch shorting out on the stick.
I often put a sliver of insulting tape over the switch base too to stop it shorting. You can see the bare metal switch
parts exposed at the switch base!
Epically dim design....

Jonners

Spot on.. combination of dodgy fusebox connections and a short in the overdrive wiring through the gearstick..

All sorted now and I have a new wire on order!

Thanks again

Howard

Howard81 wrote:short in the overdrive wiring through the gearstick..Howard

Howard

Did you get a shock when going into reverse gear ?



I had a terminal come loose on the overdrive and every time a switched the overdrive on I got a shock

I.E belt of electric as I was acting as the earth.

Paul

The stick loom can and does chafe through the insulation where it goes through the hole in the gearstick.
This leads to blown fuses on the green side on a regular basis. I put the gearbox loom circuit on a seperate
fuse because of this.

Stick looms are of pretty iffy quality. Most of the recent ones Ive had are standard domestic lighting cable with various attempts at the right connectors.

Jonners

Jon Tilson wrote: Ive had are standard domestic lighting cable with various attempts at the right connectors. Jonners

That's what I use 0.5mm twin lighting cable (slips nicely through that hole half way up the gear stick) + 2.8mm terminals with no further problems.

Paul