1979 S2 Turn signal indicator switch

[eprsplit]

My turn signal/horn/dip switch assembly died a few months ago.

While I am waiting on repairs to my engine to be done I thought I would tackle this switch.

I was told that the turn signal assembly was a duplicate of the TR7 so I ordered one up from Moss................not the same, not even close.

If anyone can tell where to purchase a new, exact duplicate I would be very happy indeed.

Edited July 14, 2006 by eprsplit

[slade]

John,

When I was looking at your car, it appeared that it didn't have a TR7 assembly at all... (I wasn't the one who told you it would be, was I? ) I guess it's not the same for the S2s...

No clue where it comes from on your car... if I spent more time in Austin/Rover sedans I'd probably know

Slade

[eprsplit]

Slade,

Actually I received that info from someone else.

As savey as us Lotus owners are someone has had this problem before and has a Lucas replacement number?????????????? HUH?

[eprsplit]

Here are a few pictures.

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Computer is malfuctioning...................pictures later.

[mblommel]

My turn signal/horn/dip switch assembly died a few months ago.

While I am waiting on repairs to my engine to be done I thought I would tackle this switch.

I was told that the turn signal assembly was a duplicate of the TR7 so I ordered one up from Moss................not the same, not even close.

If anyone can tell where to purchase a new, exact duplicate I would be very happy indeed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good luck on this one. I ordered a replacement from Dave Bean for my S1 a few months ago. Although the "guts" of the switch are the same everything else is different. In order to make the new switch work I...

1. Snipped new ends off wires, spliced on old ends (new Lotus part has wrong ends)

2. Cut stalk to correct length (new part is about 2x to long) and added handle from old switch (new part's design does not match other handle). I had to resolder 1 wire for the horn and attach the horn switch to the shortened stalk with a dab of 5 minute epoxy.

3. Used dremel tool to grind the plastic body of switch to fit the steering column (new part's radius was too small).

Now that it's in it looks original and works great. I called Dave Bean to complain, but what they sent me seems to be the only thing available these days. Other's have had luck finding the exact replacement, perhaps New Old Stock parts?

Edited July 15, 2006 by mblommel

[eprsplit]

Thanks for the reply................I had a feeling this was not going to be an easy find.

I heard that a Land Rover Series III is an exact match............can anyone confirm?

Edited July 15, 2006 by eprsplit

[USAndretti42]

That's what Graeme Simpson posted in the parts cross reference topic at the top of this sub-forum page. Parts cross-reference

[eprsplit]

I went to Lotus PBC in Cerritos today to pick up a couple of shift bushings and to check on the off chance he might have an indicator switch.

The shift bushings........in stock, turn indicator switch...........he looked for about 15 minutes for a used one with no luck.

Claudius however was kind enough to show me a later model Esprit indicator switch that looked exactly the same as my original with the only difference being the stalk and knob.

I looked closely and it even had the same Lucas numbers cast into the plastic pieces (119 SA) same mount pattern, and wire colors as my switch.........strange?

Are the later model switches the same sans the stalk and knob?

There is an independent Land Rover repair shop close to my house and I hope to stop by on Monday to sort the illusive turn signal switch..............I'll report back here.

Also what is the wire coming off of the brass rivet terminating at a spade connector? (green with a purple tracer) Is that a ground wire?

Thanks for the help.

[Tony K]

Hey John,

These indicators usually burn/melt when someone has installed E-code headlamps without upgrading the wiring (installing relays). In stock form, all of the current for the headlights runs through the dimmer switch. With sealed beams, this is about 35 watts each lamp; throw in E-codes (Hella, Cibie, whatever), and you have 55 watts lo-beam and 65 watts hi-beam. A long trip at night will be enough to melt or burn the switch using just the low-beams; with the high beams on, it usually happens in less than a minute. So if the car has E-codes, take them out until you get around to rewiring them so the switch turns on a relay and the relay turns on the lights!

Good luck with your search -- what I can tell you is the same thing as Mike Blommel -- the Dave Bean part does not fit AT ALL, and you will spend a lot of time trying to make it fit. Hopefully the one from LPBC will work, but I would look carefully at the curvature where it is supposed to fit against the steering column, as well as the length and spacing of the plastic arms/tabs for cancelling the turn signals. If LPBC's part turns out to be the same as DBE's, then I would suggest looking at switches from various Triumphs and Jaguars to see if one at least has some parts that will work and hope that you can "kabosh" one from your old one and parts from another.

When you are all done and have fixed it, please let give us details!

Also, when you are all done and certain that you won't need the old (burned) one any more, would you like to sell me what's left of it? I'd like a bad one to play around with to see what I can do as far as fixing/rebuilding it goes. My email is [email protected]

Cheers,

Tony

[GSimpson]

Can confirm the Landrover S3 switch fits as I have done it.

Cost ~$120NZ (40 GPB)

Mods required

Reprofile bend in stalk using vice.

Cut off connector and replace with old one, or as I would do now just place male and female connector with a complete new one.

Graeme

ps I also replaced the wiper one with one from Triumph 2000

Edited July 17, 2006 by GSimpson

[eprsplit]

Graeme and Tony, thanks for the replies.

I will give the Land Rover indicator a try and report back with the details.

Tony the old switch is yours once I have a working replacement.

[eprsplit]

My Land Rover series III indicator arrived in todays post.

I am happy to report that it appears to be an exact duplicate with the exception of the stalk and Lucas numbers cast into the plastic body.

Thanks Graeme for the tip.

I will have to switch plugs and figure what to do with the stalk but that should be easy enough.

I am leaving on on vacation for the next two weeks so I will update when I return.

If any one needs this switch I ordered it from:

British Pacific in Valencia, CA.

Part #575383 (it is a factory Lucas item) $54.25

1973 Land Rover Series III

1.800.554.4133

[USAndretti42]

I didn't know British Pacific was just around thge corner from work. That's good news. Now I have them and SM World ((Citroen SM specialists. Not what you think, Slade!) close by.

[slade]

((Citroen SM specialists.  Not what you think, Slade!)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Things like this I find out the hard way. Do you even know how disappointed I was when my job description of "subbing high school kids" turned out to merely be teaching? Though I've always been more of a dom myself in any case

Seriously. I like SMs DS with a Maserati engine, how can you lose eh B) I've always wanted one.

Good to hear we have a match on the turn signals as well!

Slade

[eprsplit]

OK I am back from vacationing in the Bahamas..............very nice indeed!!

I worked on my turn signal switch and here is what I came up with.

I removed the original stalk assembly complete with two wires from the old unit via driving out the pin carefully.

I did the same for the new assembly.

I installed the old stalk assembly into to the new switch with a new pin.........functions great.

A friend at work provided me with the correct pins that I was able to crimp onto the new (cut) wires (Remember the Land Rover plug is different and some wires are stray, not inserted in the plug like the Lotus)and I re-inserted them in to the orginal plastic square Lotus plug.

I now have an EXACT duplicate of my original switch complete with the original stalk.

My computer is still down so when I get it back on line I will provide a few pictures.

[Tony K]

John -- you rock! Make sure you post your findings in the parts cross-reference thread if you have not already!

Before you use the switch, make sure you don't have H4s/E-code headlamps in there, or if you do that the high-beam switch only powers a relay, or it will burn all over again!

Once again, I would greatly appreciate leftovers for tinkering. PM me for address..

Thanks,

Tony

[eprsplit]

Tony,

Check for the PM.

I would like to thank Graeme Simpson for the info, without him I would have made do with something else.

I will add the info to parts section.

Edited August 2, 2006 by eprsplit