Miscellaneous irritants

[BoneIdle]

I've moved on from the ignition switch and parking brake cable. Those are fine and dandy.

The good news is that the Indiana State Police came by yesterday and inspected the vehicle for road-worthiness. There were no issues and I am now eligible for an "Antique" plate.

While I was waiting for them to arrive, though, I noticed three things:

1)With the car ( '74 GT) in neutral and idling at normal engine temp, if I press on the clutch pedal, the engine speed drops from 1000 to about 750 rpm. I know 1000 is a bit on the high side and I'll be adjusting and synchronizing the carbs, but I wasn't aware that the clutch action has any effect on engine speed. Comments? Suggestions?

2) My right front ( Starboard) parking light ( that's what I've always called it) is non-functional when the lights are on, but performs flawlessly as a turn signal. I swapped bulbs, but still no luck. This couldn't be a flasher problem, could it?

3) This one's my most alarming. I realized that I hadn't tested the hazardous flashers, so I hit the switch. Nothing happened. No big deal, I thought. Until I flipped the turn signal stalk back and forth and had no turn signals. I fumbled around and eventually pressed the hazardous flasher switch hard into the off position. It was already in the off position, BTW. At that point, the signals worked again, I left the hazardous flasher switch alone, and the state trooper didn't ask for them to be turned on.
I'll check the switch and the wiring, but I thought that I'd throw it out here in case there's a known issue or if one of you has had a similar problem.

Finally, though, we're approaching the condition the car should have been in years ago. Although, without Dr. Entropy's help initially, the car would probably have ended up as a cube some time back. Thanks, Doc!

 

[DrEntropy]

1) Completely normal, AFAIK.

2) Not flasher. A discontinuity in the red wire circuit, chase it backwards wiht a 12V test light from the lamp unit to the connectors and switch. Sooner or later you'll get to a point where the light comes on... :smirk:

3) Sounds like the hazard switch is suffering atrophy. If you take it out (make a darn good diagram of all the wire connections!!!) it can be GENTLY disassembled and serviced. They're notorious for sending small springs and bits into deep, dark recesses of the room, so proceed accordingly.

You're welcome, but that thing has had more miles under it than I would have imagined it would do. You're the reason!
All I did was give it a goose (and some coffee). :wink:

 

[BoneIdle]

I left out one other minor issue: Windshield washer is inoperable. I bought a new motor and it works fine, but the tubing is pretty well shot and the sheep bladder that serves as a reservoir has seen better days.

Has anyone tried the universal washer kit from VB?

 

[tony barnhill]

Sounds like you need to lay down on your back & disconnect & clean every connector behind the dash.

 

[DrEntropy]

Home depot carries an acceptable tubing assortment to choose from, too. You wouldn't want to have to do the upside-down, working over your head exercise more than once. :shocked:

 

[tony barnhill]

Home depot carries an acceptable tubing assortment to choose from, too. You wouldn't want to have to do the upside-down, working over your head exercise more than once. :shocked:

...the wiring behind the dash will be easy enough once you get down & can see up under there.....the tubing for the windshield washers will be a little more tricky because it goes up inside the cowl....but, with a little thread or fine wire, you can get the new tubing inside.

 

[BoneIdle]

I'll get on it after I get back from the BMV ( why does that sound like a German auto maker?)

This is the one time I wish that I had a roadster instead of a GT: drop the top and the legs have somewhere to go )

 

[MGB922]

1. Mine drops too by about 100 to 150 RPM but I'm using 10W 30 oil in the tranny. If you have 90w gear oil in it it'll drop quit a bit
2. Not flasher that's on different curcuit. Sounds like a break somewhere. Time to break out the multimeter. Here's a good wiring diagram link. www.advanceautowire.com
3. Yes it's the switch. The turn signals are wired through this switch. Change the switch and clean all the grounds on external lights. If the ground are dirty it'll cause trouble with the turnal signals. I had problem with mine that sound similare to yours. My fix was to change the turn signal, hazard switchs, cleaned grounds and change the flasher. But the turn signal switch was not the problem there was just a worn return spring not letting the left turn go off. The hazard switch was definiately bad as it came apart in hand when I pulled it out. The flasher was some huge heavy duty thing that needed at least 14 amp to work. So it was just bearly getting enogh juice to flip.

 

[tony barnhill]

The only way I can get to the backside of the dash is to remove the seats so I can lay on my back.