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MG MGA - Rear indicator lamp unit.

I have had intermittent problems with the RT rear indicator on my 1600 since I bought it over 10 years ago.
It usually works just fine in daytime but occasionaly, when I switch the lights on, the indicator light and the rear side light both flash in unison.

I have checked the earth on many occasions but the only thing that seemed to solve it was to
jamb the bulb over slightly to one side with a thin plastic shim.

So I decided that I really should sort this out and I took a closer look at the lamp unit.

When I checked it I realised that there were actually 2 contact points in the bottom of the socket! So no suprise that the bulb didn't connect correctly.

I have now replaced the lamp units with the correct single terminal type and all seems good now.
( I may solder the bullet connectors to the lamp units to avoid corrosion issues.)

I have attached a couple of pictures of the lamp units and I wondered if anyone knows what vehicle the double terminal unit is from.

The unit on the Right is the new single terminal type.
Colyn


Colyn Firth

Another view of the two indicator units.
Rt one is the new one.

Colyn Firth

It looks like a stop/tail lamp, as it has two terminals. Also, the bulb is recessed, so it would normally be fitted with a flat lens, rather than a domed one, possibly an Austin A30 or similar.

Of course, it could also be a front lamp from a car that has the side lamp and indicator combined.
Dave O'Neill 2

Colyn

The double filament looks like a Lucas L488 and the single holder a Lucas L594.

See here: https://www.holden.co.uk/displayProducts.asp?sg=1&pgCode=010&sgName=Electrical&pgName=Lighting&agCode=0050&agName=Bulb+Holders

Steve
Steve Gyles

Thanks Steve,
I checked the link and the lamp unit looks like the ones fitted to my first ever car, an Austin A30.
I seems that my cars DPO fitted the wrong lamps and never realised his mistake.

Whist fitting the new indicator lamps I decided to solder the wires to the terminals to avoid any future problems.
It was a warm day, I was wearing shorts and thinking how well things were going with none of the usual MGA sliced fingers or torn nails.
I was using a gas soldering iron to get more heat into the connector (I had safely covered the fuel filler cap with a damp cloth to seal the petrol fumes away from it)

As I soldered the connector I must have applied a little too much solder because "Ow"! a blob of solder the size of a 5 pence spattered onto my bare leg!
I removed it surprisingly quickly but it left behind a really impressive blister.

So now I really do know why they describe the name MG as a "Brand-Name"😁!

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the shape of the eventual scar turns out to octagonal😁!

Colyn

Colyn Firth

Colyn

Remind me not to come to you for dental work!!

Steve
Steve Gyles

Thats probably good advice Steve, I have to agree that I may not actually be the best dental surgeon in the UK.
However, in my defence, this could be due to the fact that I am in fact a registered optician😁.
Cheers
Colyn

PS
Are you going to be at MGA Day this year?
Colyn Firth

Colyn

Brilliant! I knew you were qualified for something in the head! Went for the wrong option.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Colyn and Steve,

I laughed out loud at this last exchange between you two!
Thanks for brightening up a dreary Monday morning.

John
JR Alexander

Perhaps the DPO should have gone to Specsavers?
Shane
Shanerj

"I wondered if anyone knows what vehicle the double terminal unit is from"

Dave O'Neil said "it could also be a front lamp from a car that has the side lamp and indicator combined.", and so it is, it is from an MG, Series MGA.

Also used on various contemporary BMC, and other, cars.

Instead of changing it you could have just fitted a dual filament bulb and connected the wire appropriately; but I guess a new unit should be an improvement, especially if you or another has been forcing a single filament bulb into a socket designed for a dual.

Had you really not spotted the dual contacts whenever you changed an old bulb in 10 years ? Maybe you should have gone to ... 😁

Cheers,
Jim

J N Gibson

Jim,
I had previously noticed that there was a twin filament bulb fitted and that there were 2 contacts in the socket.
But the indicators had worked perfectly well for 10 years and so I decided to leave them be. Until they stopped working properly.

Its amazing how Specsavers have, by clever use of advertising, managed to put themselves in the same position in the world of specs that Hoover did in the vacuum cleaner world.

My staff are not allowed to use the "S" word at work unless they precede it with these words- "Shouldn't have gone to" :-)

Colyn

Colyn Firth

It looks like the rear ones in an MG/TF or a late model MG/TD
Sandy
edith sanders

This thread was discussed between 10/06/2017 and 13/06/2017

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