Graeme Oxley
As you know last week I took the Stag on a 192 mile drive up around Mt Macedon. When I moved the car the next morning there was oil everywhere on our newly painted concrete driveway.
Investigation yesterday and with the engine running revealed that the oil pressure switch was leaking oil everywhere. I was hoping it was going to be an oil filter "O" ring problem. Yesterday I went to Autobarn, Repco, Supercheap and no one had a pressure switch. Today I rang Bursons and they don't list it any more. I then rang an old style auto shop in Werribee and they didn't have it either. The only place to get one was Triumph Spares in Fairfield, and they will post it out today. I got 2, so will fit one to the 2.5PI as well. The hard bit is to get the switch out. You just can't get in there. I will have to buy a tube socket that will fit.
This is the third time I, personally, have had an oil pressure switch leaking oil. Once on a 2500S (with the 3 terminal ends) in the 80's, on my 1986 Rover 3500 Vanden Plas in the 90's and now on the Stag.
It might pay to change the oil pressure switch on all your Triumphs. Prevention is better than cure.
The right hand side Hi and Lo beams were not. Also the side repeater blinker light was not working. However the main front and rear right hand blinkers were working. Firstly a blown fuse was replaced and still no lights. Checked the globes and they had circuits through them. Power was checked and there was battery power across the terminals. Jeff's car still had the original head light connectors. What a pain they are. Getting connections was not easy. Who ever designed the head light connectors must have had his brain removed on the day.
Jeff accidently touched one of those old style connectors that the wires push into and there was light but when he took his hand away the lights went out. There were three black wires going into this connector. I cleaned the 3 wire connectors on the end of the wires and got them shiny, cleaned the main connector with WD40 put everything back together and we had Hi and lo beams on both sides and the right hand side blinker repeater light was working.
As our cars age, connectors are going to corrode causing electrical issues. The main issues I have seen on cars and fighter jets that I have worked on are earthing issues.
On another issue with the rear lights on the Stag is that they rely on the plastic chrome surround to provide and earth for the lights. The easiest fix for this is to replace the lamp holders with those off a Triumph 2500 saloon and run separate earths for these lights. Ensure the earthing point on the car is shiny. I get a wire brush on the drill and clean the metal surface of all paint. Never rely on a self tapper going into metal to give a good earth as there is not enough surface area. Once the earth point has been screwed into position, just give it a quick coat of paint to prevent further corrosion. Problem fixed.
On another note Jeff's car had not been fitted with a hi-lo beam fused relay. I have fitted a NARVA Relay on the Stag and a fused relay from Super Cheap part number:- NLR-132. This one has been on the 2.5PI for probably 19 years and no issues. The only current going through the Hi/Lo beam switch in the cabin is relay coil current. Probably about 1/2 an ampere. Better to have 1/2 amp rather than up to 20 amps or more through the switch. Just after I bought the Stag, the first time it had been driven at night, l had smoke coming from the switch.
Fuses: