Indicator fault

My series 3 1981 has developed an indicator fault. The indicators randomly stopped working the other day I have the 3 pin type relay but i have replaced the old one for a new one to try and rectify the problem but no luck. Also checked all the fuses and they are ok could it be a problem with the stalk or could it be a wiring/earth fault?

Mine's a two terminal relay, you should see volts at the indicator stalk on the light green wire. If it's not there check to see if there's volts on the relay (green wire), try a two terminal version. (I presume one terminal of the three goes to earth.)
The contacts on the stalks can burn out or corrode but it usually only affects one side. You will need a multimeter to chase this one properly.

Ok thanks ill try that, i have already replaced the relay before as the first one the indicators just stuck on. Before it had the 3 pin plug and also coming out of the relay was a yellow wire going to a red light on the dash. i put another relay in but couldn't plug the red light in. it seemed to work ok until just recently I will see if i have lost the positive feed first and check earth then try a 2 pin relay.

sounds like a bad earth to me, if one of the bulbs has a bad earth then their won't be the correct load on the flasher unit and can cause an indicator bulb to not flash. Very easy to test so might as well start there.

I had a problem with mine today, the relay was flashing fast. so had a look at the bulbs and 1 had a bad earth and wasnt making contact, a good clean and wd40 and all sorted now

my 1980 s3 used to do that it turned out to be the bonnet prop touching the battery terminals after id gone right through the wiring with a fine tooth comb

I doubt it is this simple... but I had the same problem, I was continuity testing and drawing a blank. I then on whim just started to press each fuse home to make sure it was in, and one must have been a little loose. I must have dislodged it when taking the dash panel off to fit a new flasher unit.

Problem sorted for now, the relay has been working fine all along by the looks of things the dark green wire seems to be the power to the relay coming from the fusebox/ignition? think the wire may be damaged i will see if they stop working again. If not i shall leave well alone.

If you want to use the dash tell tale indicator lamp on a relay that does not have an output for it, you can still do it, connect one of the tell tale wires to the left hand indicators and the other to the right hand indicators, you can do this at the indicators column switch.
It only works with a bulb type tell tale, an led type would only work when indicating in one direction.