The Prince of Darkness stikes once more...

[Nunyas]

yeah, driving home from dinner and Fry's Electronics tonight I discovered that I'm going to have to replace that tired turn signal switch sooner than I thought. My head lights kept going out on me. I had to keep fiddling with the turn signal switch to make them come back on. I imagine it was annoying to the people in front of me because I kept flashing the high beams in my attempts to get the normal lights back on.

Looks like another weekend fiddling with the elctrics, instead of driving til my right foot falls off. On the upside, I don't think I'll look like the grease monster from heck when I get done this time. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Nunyas]

which brings me to my question, Moss lists 3 different turn signal headlight dimmer switches for the '72 to '76 MGB. How do I know which one to get?

I assume the numbers off to the side are suppose to indicate the serial number range? And that number is taken from the VIN ... right?

If that's right, then I'm glad the switch i need is the cheapest of the three... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Bruce74B]

That is right...there are three choices depending on the serial number of the car, included on the VIN. Seems Lucus kept on trying to get it right, but never really did for this part /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif I think this part is where Lucus got the nickname "Prince of Darkness", as I don't know of a single car that hasn't had this switch replaced in it at some time or another. But that is life /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazyeyes.gif

Just make sure you have lots of light to do this job and it is not difficult, as long as you can see all the screw heads recessed in the cowling and the fasteners for the switch. Make sure you have some cleaner for the electrical connector and you will be all set /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

Good luck!

Bruce /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

 

[Nunyas]

I've already been inside the cowling once. While I was in there I decided that I would eventually need to replace the turn signal switch; just didn't think it would be so soon. The current one is extremely stiff in operation (I was afraid of breaking it when I first got the car). When I looked at it a couple of weekends ago I noticed hole the stalk goes into was wearing oblong so I Gorilla Glued it into the hole, and at least one of the pivot points was wearing out (the surrounding plastic was streching away from the pivot post).

Last night was the first time I encountered any malfunctioning of the unit that effected the headlights. At the same time, I recall smelling melting plastic. I'll have to avoid night driving until I get the parts from Moss.

 

[Nunyas]

I just got my new switch tonight (boy UPS runs kind of late in this neighborhood got the part at 7:30PM). Are all of these switches "stiff" in operation? This new one is definitely stiff; not quite as stiff as the old one, and certianly not as rickety feeling.

 

[Bruce74B]

It will feel stiff just trying to play with it on its own...once you get it iwtalled, you will have better levergae and it won't seem to be quite as stiff.

Bruce

 

[Bugeye58]

I installed a NOS Lucas switch from a "B" in my '72 Midget, and it was stiff for awhile too. It seems to be much better after a couple of thousand miles. At least it hasn't caught fire yet, like one of the Taiwan replacements did! I put two of those suckers in there in three months, and finally got a real Lucas one, for all things, RELIABILITY!!
Jeff

 

[Nunyas]

ah yeah... I got it installed today. it certainly doesn't feel that stiff anymore. Feels a LOT better than my old one. However, it doesn't appear to center properly. Turning the steering wheel to the right engages the canceling mechanism on the switch when the turn signals are not activated. Turning to the left seems to clear the canceling mechanisms properly.

I noticed this while installing the switch, and tried my best to align the canceling arms so there would be no interfearance while the switch is not active. I even gave the wires a full twist to help with clearance. It seemed ok when I first got everything together, but a drive out to get dinner proved my attempts to be futile.

Are there any other ways of ensureing the clearance? Or should I phone Moss on Monday and complain?

 

[DrEntropy]

Tell 'em to send you nine more and you'll send the rejects back /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[ QUOTE ]
At least it hasn't caught fire yet, like one of the Taiwan replacements did! --
Jeff

[/ QUOTE ]

This has been a constant irritation as I rebuild our MGB. I know we're feeding whole families of "cottage industry" Taiwanese, but geez... couldn't there be a QC program somehow, instead of US doin' it? Oh... I forgot the Micro$oft paradigm: let the end (L)users be the Beta Testers. "They'll BUY the product and we can simply do 'QC by complaint!'"

Sad, really.

 

[Keoke]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif