my ongoing electrical issues, sorry for the long post

[matl59]

I've posted several different times about my various electrical issues, some I have cleared up and some I live with. My car gets me around and has never left me anywhere although it’s tried several times. I drive it every day so tackling the few remaining problems happens when I get a little time every once in a great while.

The wiring is all original with exception the headlight wiring and the pigtail that runs between the regulator and alternator.

To date I have encountered,
1) Headlight issues that seam to have cleared them selves up. It wouldn’t turn on once after an hour drive in hard rain. Let the car dry out for a day and they worked fine.
2) I've had a headlight warning light that only goes out when the headlights are up. A solution to this issue was identified and I just haven't summoned the strength and courage to remove my headlight bucket again. (new paint)
3) I have one turn signal indicator that only works occasionally when the car gets wet, other one works fine. That’s an odd one to me, usually with my AH Sprite things get wet and don't work. I haven’t figured that one out yet, really haven’t tried either, probably a ground issue but I would think both indicators would be affected. This problem doesn’t bother me that much but if you have a suggestion on where to look speak up.
4) The oil pressure gauge has always read low, about 2 bars at speed, a little lower with the headlights on. Half a bar at idle. This is the second motor in I’ve had in this car with the same oil pressure reading. I would really like to fix this. I’ve checked the sending unit, it checks out, does the full range of ohm readings at various pressures. The engine has good pressure, checked with an aftermarket mechanical gauge from Autozone. Either the gauge or wiring left to check. Seams like the gauge works correctly, from what I’ve found on here a bad gauge usually doesn’t register or pegs out. Is there any way to check the gauge without swapping it for another? Personally I think it’s the wiring. Anyone find that corrosion in your wiring (greater resistance) causes the oil pressure gauge to read low? I’m thinking about bypassing the original wires to see if that fixes it.
5) A bouncing temperature gauge that I have never seen read over about 160 (I have a 180 degree thermostat). This happened a fair bit when I first got the car then settled down a seamed to work fine, still ran on the cool side but it was winter and didn’t seam all that odd. Now over the past couple of months it bounces again and some times doesn’t even seam to be reading at all. The radiator is topped off, I’ve even added an overflow bottle to insure I’m never low. I’m looking for suggestions on where to start with this one, gauge, sender, wiring?

While I’m looking for suggestions here is one last thing that may or may not be electrical related.

This is always fun for morning commutes. When I first start my car and drive off the car doesn’t like to idle and if it stalls then I usually have to wait a minute or so before it will re-fire. Not real fun at busy intersections. This condition is even worse when it’s raining. Probably a tuning issue, maybe electrical as well. I have a 2.0 with a Weber, electric choke, and electronic ignition if that makes any difference in your suggestions.

If you have any suggestions for any of the above mentioned issues I would really like to hear them.

Thanks,

Matt

[namba209]

Matt, you've probably been told or read, most electrical problems are ground related. So I'll just say "this about that". Clean and tight ground connections are a must. For the front lights the ground is forward of the radiator brace and outboard of the MC, two phillips head screws. Primary ground for the instrument panel is one of the studs holding the fuse panel in place. That wire goes directly to a series of lugs on the rear of the speedometer and all instruments and lites are grounded to those lugs. For the ignition switch wiring/horn/turn signal, the ground is on the forward right bolt holding the steering column in place. Each of the rear lights has its own ground behind the light socket assemblies with the rear corner lites also grounded to the socket assemblies for the turn lights. I've gone so far as to add an additional chassis ground to the speedo housing to ensure a positive ground for the instrument panel. Just a litttle bit of corrosion on the ground spade lug will drive a gage crazy, along with the owner.

[matl59]

Thanks, I'll check and clean all grounds mentioned and see if that does it. I know grounds are a major culprit of many electrical issues but I don't think I've read anywhere where someone has pointed out their locations so nicely.

[namba209]

I only know the locations of the grounds because I've completely redone my harness 2-3 times. First, when the coil wire burned up and took out the rats nest in the fuse panel. 2nd and 3rd time was redoing the harness and fuse/power panel to put the V-6 in Willit? The reason for suspecting grounds as the culprit in most electrical problems was my Electrical Instructor in A & P school. He moonlighted doing aircraft electrical problems and was adamant that most problems he encountered were ground related. So what's works on airplanes works on cars, too, for the most part.

[2 Fast 4 U]

Originally Posted by matl59 To date I have encountered, 3) I have one turn signal indicator that only works occasionally when the car gets wet, other one works fine. That’s an odd one to me, usually with my AH Sprite things get wet and don't work. I haven’t figured that one out yet, really haven’t tried either, probably a ground issue but I would think both indicators would be affected. This problem doesn’t bother me that much but if you have a suggestion on where to look speak up.

There are a few things to look at here:
1. Check the ground of the turn signal indicator, remove the complete housing and clean all ground contact points, if this doesn't help see if you can attach a ground wire to the unit
2. Check the wiring for broken isolation, maybe the copper is so far corroded that only water will make contact

Wat the problem is with your Austin Healey I don't know, I only know that the most British cars have a positive ground [+ of the battery is connected to the chassis] maybe the water shorts the signal before it reaches the the user??

Originally Posted by matl59 5) A bouncing temperature gauge that I have never seen read over about 160 (I have a 180 degree thermostat). This happened a fair bit when I first got the car then settled down a seamed to work fine, still ran on the cool side but it was winter and didn’t seam all that odd. Now over the past couple of months it bounces again and some times doesn’t even seam to be reading at all. The radiator is topped off, I’ve even added an overflow bottle to insure I’m never low. I’m looking for suggestions on where to start with this one, gauge, sender, wiring?

Start looking at the wiring, maybe the wire is damaged some where, clean the contact spot on the sender, see if the FM lug fits tight enough, if this doesn't help maybe a peak at the contacts on the gauge it self maybe a loose contact?? then if this doesn't help maybe a "new" sender would work??

I hope this helps you to find and repair the electrical problems you have!!

[matl59]

Well, I pulled the gauge panel out and cleaned a bunch of the contacts. They didn't look bad. Lightly tarnished, I hit them with 400 grit sand paper then a little dielectric grease then put them back together.

Kind of took two steps forward and two back though,

The turn signal indicator now works.

The temp gauge seams to be behaving itself although it still does seam to read kind of low. Is the stock cooling system that good??

OP gauge now pegs out when the ignition is on and stays energized after switching it back off. It stays pegged until I tap the gauge or wiggle wires to it. I seam to have a short someplace at the gauge. I will probably swap the gauge for another and see if that does the trick. Not a problem because I have to remove the gauge panel again anyhow. I broke one of the posts for the hazard indicator switch, nothing new, its been broken and reglued about 3 times now. Anyone have any suggestions as to what I should use to reattach it? Last time I used a two part epoxy that seamed to hold pretty well.

[baronbors]

If you need a good OP, I have a couple- $5 plus shipping.