spider electric mystery

[Pottree@domain.elided]

In a message dated 11/04/2001 6:42:22 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:


> I'm having a problem with my car that should be trivial, but is resisting my
> analysis (and might keep the car from passing inspection).  My left turn
> signal indicator has recently been flashing at a much faster rate - a 
> symptom
> I usually associate with a
> blown bulb, but all the bulbs test good (and prove themselves so when I 
> swap
> them with their right-side
> counterparts).  Moreover, in the front assembly the *wrong bulb* is 
> flashing:
> instead of the indicator lamp, the stop
> lamp bulb is flashing.  I can't find anything obviously wrong with the lamp
> assembly/bucket (though of course ....>
> 
> What you have are the classic symptoms of an earth fault (a ground fault to 
> US
> types). Check out all the earth/ground leads on your car and make sure they
> are sound and grounding to good quality metal.If you cannot sort it out an
> auto electrician soon will. I was once taught a 'mantra' by a BSA trained
> mechanic which went "98% of all electrical faults are earthing /grounding
> faults".  This was pre electronics mind you, but it still holds good when 
> the
> wrong lights come on or look dim. Assuming your ground points are not 
> corroded
> away they are not that difficult to put right in the majority of cases
> 
For ANYTHING that is suspect on a spider's electrical system, I would first 
start with this wisdom -- it's most likely to be a bad ground -- and proceed 
to level 2: it is most likely to be in the ground in the driver's side rear 
lamp housing (black).  This is a nice thing to start with because it is the 
#1 usual suspect (look for corrosion at the contact point if you don't see an 
actual dangling ground) and also because you don't even really need any tools 
other than opposable thumbs.  Basically I am lazy and I like to start with 
the simplest and most likely and go from there... also, because after the 
most common I am usually stumped and have to turn for advice to The Wise.

A note on the thread about improving the spider's brakes: do not do it!  
Here's why: the brakes are quite good on a spider as it rolled out of the 
factory.  More to the point, they are a lot better than the brakes on most 
"common" marques likely to be following you too closely.  Case in point: 
after getting rear-ended in her spider 3 weeks ago (by a driver who took his 
foot off the damn brake and let the auto trans shoot his car forward), my BW 
picked up the car with a freshly repaired bumper and 2 days later was 
rear-ended AGAIN on the freeway by someone behind who could not stop with 
anything like the efficiency of the spider.  Be careful how effective you 
make things and consider the environment in which the car will be used!  

Or, just hide under the covers.

Best luck!

Charlie
LA, CA, USA

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