I have a strange fault with the indicators on my 1962 3.4 Mk 2. The right-hand indicators are fine, however, when indicating left, the rear lamp flashes normally but the front lamp is dead. Also, the left repeater arrow light on the steering column binnacle does not flash, except that in very low light, both repeater arrows can be seen to simultaneously flash very faintly. I checked the resistance of the front left bulb in case it had blown, but it measured about 0.5 ohm, which actually seems too low for a 21 Watt bulb. A spare bulb I have measures about 4 ohm which seems about right, so I replaced the old bulb, but it made no difference. Can anyone suggest what is wrong?
Thanks, Ian.

 

The resistance of the bulb should be more like 7 Ohms. Often flasher problems are due to poor contacts and cured with a clean and a spray of oil, but this sounds like something else.

 

A couple of weeks ago the front r/h flasher packed up on my '66 S Type and the bulb holder fell to bits when I tried to check the bulb. It needed a new lamp assembly, which were not available at what I'd call a sensible price - under £150 with no lens included.

I spent an hour or so fixing a new bulb holder in with Araldite, one from an artic trailer marker light that I had amongst my clutter on a shelf, and it's all fine now. I have no idea what I'd have done if my lens needed replacing because they appear unobtainable. Hand signals, I suppose, like when I passed my test back in the '60s!

Ray

 

From experience with my S Type electrical faults of this nature are normally down to a bad earth. The front indicators on the S Type and Mk2 as Ray has experienced are prone to rotting out. They are positioned right in front of the front wheel and the back has no protection from the elements. If the back of the lamp section is not cleaned you can get a build up of mud which remains damp and it will rot the alloy housing and the metal of the wing. The wiring in this area is also very exposed and suffers the same fate so check the wiring behind the indicator and the earth. The Jaguar has small black earth connectors all along its wiring loom. They are a black cylindrical shaped join made of rubber with a metal insert that the earth wire pushes into. These are again prone to corrosion and if you pull them apart, clean them up and add a little copper grease on reassembly they should then be OK for another 50 years. Also check the earth to body points as these are also a point of corrosion. They are generally a small bolt through a body panel with a earth ring attached.

 

If you have a good lens, have it reproduced. There are people who make reproduction lenses.

 

SNG have the amber ones, special order, £44 and the clear (USA spec) at £16. I'm sure I bought a couple from them at spares day a few years ago for a couple of pounds. It's probably an idea to look out for some on eBay. Depending on the colour of the car, a clear lens (with orange bulb) might look good. Could go even further and add a DLR or side light, but it would require a different socket.

 

If anyone is interested in the outcome to the original thread, the cause of the failed front left indicator was a Lucas connector located below the voltage regulator under the bonnet (hood). In other words it was a lamp supply problem rather than the earth return..

 

Thank you for letting us know. I think that we are interested. Too often contributors raise a problem or question, there are various suggestions of what might be the cause and things to do, and afterwards we hear no more about what it was or how it was resolved.

 

Good idea, Jose, I'll see if I can get some lenses made locally.

When I discovered I really needed a new indicator lamp, I thought it would just be £30 or whatever so searched e-bay, Barrett's and other suppliers here in Old Blighty. Nothing seemed to be available at the time and when you want something like this for a car in regular use, you want it now.

Ray.

 

Years ago, a friend of mine made a tail light lens for an Alvis. I think he used epoxy resin in a plasticine mold.

 

I have several front indicator lenses for the S Type in the attic as spares but the actual housing you can't find for love nor money. They are made of a thin cast alloy which rots due to its position in the wing and the build up of mud so even secondhand ones are rare or damaged. If someone could reproduce the housing it would help. My originals were rotten but I was lucky 12 years ago to find two new old stock housings during my rebuild. Nothing left lying around these days unless they are being horded in an attic as spares.

 

Sorry, my reply up the page was for a Mk2 not an S Type. Does the S Type housing include the visible chromed part? If it doesn't casting one in resin might be a convenient solution. But, if it has to have a chrome finish on it, it may be complicated.

 

There is a company that I have seen that do spray on chrome. It was on Wheeler dealers (UK TV program) but I don't have the details. It is a paint I believe that gives a chrome finish so a resine casting which is then painted chrome would work.

 

The is a company in Haddiscoe, Suffolk, next to the bridge, called Aerocote and they've done chrome powder coating for several years. It's very good and difficult to tell from the real thing, even on spoked wheels that have been blasted and coated. There's a fairly high temperature involved in baking the stuff so I'm not sure if resin would stand the heat.

When I have motorcycle parts powder coated, I blank off tanks, bearing surfaces etc with metal plugs or hard wood discs.

Ray