Odd electric problems 1992 200tdi 90

Hi everyone. Im still getting to grips with the factory built 1992 200tdi 90 i dragged out of a hedge back in October last year. Its running and driving now but I just cant get my head around a few electrical issues im experiencing.

Ive got all the lights working except for the front near side sidelight and the headlights. I can get the full beam to flash but not stay on and I cant get a dipped beam either. No brake lights, fog or reversing lights at the moment.

Today I pulled all the fuses out, scuffed them up with emery and did what I could with contact cleaner. I also re made the earth inside the wing behind the side light. I have replaced the non functioning side light with a brand new one and it still doesnt work. Will put new fog and reverse lights on tomorrow and see if that makes a difference.

Tomorrow ill get the column cowl off and have a look at the switches, as I haven't got that far yet, but I still cant help thinking im missing something. Are there any common earth problems that I should investigate? Im remaking any earth I can see and it still isn't sorting anything. The cigarette lighter did come to life when I went through the fuses.... shame I dont smoke. Any hints and tips to sort these issues out would be greatly appreciated.

Have you checked the wires behind the plastic wheel arch for good connections?
There are a few block connections there.

side lights should be fused each side so if you have the rear but not front (pull the fuse just to make sure they have not wired up wrong) it would be a wire problem

check fuse board for outgoing power for brake lights

The cheap power probes off ebay are bloody good tools for elec work.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274873865203?hash=item3fffc253f3:g:eO0AAOSwuMlg9oGM

Thanks, both of you. All i've got is a test light and a multi metre and although up to now I've been replacing seriously corroded bulb holders and trying to do what I could through the headlight aperture, today I will have to get the wheel arch liners out and have a good look around. Will report back later.

OK, slow progress being made but progress, none the less.

All indicators are now working. Dont know how thats happened but i'm not complaining. Also all side lights now working. One side light didn't have a ground, but now it has.

Brake lights are on and working at the switch, but not from the pedal. With the switch removed the brake lights are on. With the switch screwed in barely 1/8 of one turn the brake lights go out, but I cant screw the locknut down without pulling the 1/8 of a thread out so that is useless. The plunger must be 1/4 inch too long and I guess there is a spring in there so I daren't cut it down. This is the switch thats in there:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233574278588?fits=Model:Defender&hash=item36621ca5bc:g:M60AAOSwIWZh2Ycc

Still no headlights. With my test light on the headlight switch if I put it to the either the red terminal or the bare terminal with the headlight switch in the off position the test light comes on. The test light does not come on at all when the head light switch is switched to either side light position one or the main beam position two but the switch will turn the side lights on, but not the headlights. I cant seem to get any life with my test light at any of those four 7.5amp fuses on the fuse board.

Brake lights working now. That was just the switch.

Although I can still get full beam flash I can't get dip or full beam from the headlight switch and a new switch didn't cure it. No power at any of the four 7.5a headlight fuses at the fuse box........ any ideas, anyone? It's giving me a headache.....

Check each side of the fuse to earth with a meter.(to make sure your not going to cause a dead short)
If all good make a test lead to power the fuse to test the switch.

Dim dip relay may be faulty

Hicap phill said:

Check each side of the fuse to earth with a meter.(to make sure your not going to cause a dead short)
If all good make a test lead to power the fuse to test the switch.

Click to expand...

Thanks Phil, although no doubt you appreciate im "winging it"... half teaching myself as I go and half poking around in the hope something comes to life.... I think I tried that approach earlier. Ill have another go tomorrow with a more strategic approach.

jimllshiftit said:

Thanks Phil, although no doubt you appreciate im "winging it"... half teaching myself as I go and half poking around in the hope something comes to life.... I think I tried that approach earlier. Ill have another go tomorrow with a more strategic approach.

Click to expand...

Ok… glass or plastic fuses?
Are all the relays in the holders?
Have you a pink/red box behind the speedo?

Scooby22 said:

Dim dip relay may be faulty

Click to expand...

Thats a red relay isnt it? I wasnt looking for it earlier today but ill keep an eye out for it when I go back to it tomorrow. Its just occurred to me that the fog light and fog light switch arent working either and they are on the same circuit, arent they?

Plastic blade fuses, all the relays ive found are present but I hadnt removed any of the clocks. The dash lights are out but i hadnt realised there were more relays behind the clocks. Will have a look in daylight.

jimllshiftit said:

Thats a red relay isnt it? I wasnt looking for it earlier today but ill keep an eye out for it when I go back to it tomorrow. Its just occurred to me that the fog light and fog light switch arent working either and they are on the same circuit, arent they?

Click to expand...

Normally if the fog lights are on the high beam won’t work. Flash will work

Pretty sure ive tried it with the fog light switch on and in the off position too. No fog light working on either occasion but I will bare it in mind tomorrow.

DIM DIP RELAY PINK

Nice drawing. Much easier to read that the Haynes Manual version I have been working from .

Just pulled the dim dip relay out from behind the speedo but when I popped it open I was surprised to see theres nothing in it. If anything its just linking two pins together. Cant believe theres anything to fail in there, can you? Part number YWZ 10003. Quick google suggests its a bypass rather than using the proper relay, but judging by the dust on it, this one has been in there for quite a while.

have you checked you light switch for feed on brown wire you could have corrosion on one of the headers where they are linked

It's a brand new headlight (and fog light) switch and my test light comes on in every position of the switch.

HOORAH!!!!! Cracked it, at last!

Although I had pulled the relays out and replaced them, one by one, i just noticed that the yellow relays all had the same part number, so I swapped them around until I worked out which was the duff one. All fixed now. Cheers lads