where can you fine the flasher relay on a 1970 xke
Ron - welcome to J-L!
So far as I know, all S2s have it on the far left under the dash and towards the firewall, up high in there. If the under-dash millboards are installed, one of them may have to be remove to get at it.
I searched my photos for ‘flasher’. I addition to pics of guys in raincoats, I found this:
Not as far forward as I was thinking.
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Thank you, I’ll check it out.
I recently got another problem….the fuel gauge is pegged past full. I removed the float. All seems well, still the gauge is pegged. It does go down when the key is off???
What this means is that there’s a short to ground on the wire that feeds the gauge. Happy hunting.
(The first place I would look is on the back of the gauge. The terminals can twist around and touch the mounting studs. The second place I would look is on the top of the gas tank.
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Sure. The advantage is that the gauge would always read full. No more range anxiety!
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I get that a bunch of people don’t understand electricity. They talk about something being shorted out when it’s really an open.
The electrical current for the gas gauge circuit goes through the 10 V regulator, then through the gauge and then through the sending unit in the gas tank to finally make it to ground. The tank is grounded. The gas tank ground is the only place the gauge circuit should be grounded.
The sending unit varies its resistance, with lower resistance being a full tank, and higher resistance being an empty tank.
You are half right. The problem is a short to ground, not an open.
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Can I just run a new ground wire to frame to fix problem.
Can I run a wire from the ground terminal to the negative battery post to ensure that ground is the problem?
No you cannot. The problem is the circuit is finding a ground someplace it should not be grounded. Have you checked the back of the gauge? It’s possible the connection has rotated causing a short to ground. Next check the tank connection. Disconnect the tank sender and see if the gauge stays below E. If it does, buy a new sender.
Ok, maybe not clear. The problem is that the wire between the sender and the gauge is shorted to ground, that’s why the gauge is pegged. Running another wire to ground isn’t going to do anything.
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Hello Michael,
I am contacting you for 2 reasons.
First, thank you for the help with the fuel gauge. You were totally correct. After a lot of work, it is now working fine.
I now have a problem with the brake lights. If I put light to light medium pressure on the pedal the lights do not come on. A firm pressure will work the lights.
Any suggestions?
The brake lights are controlled by a pressure switch plumbed into the brake line. My experience is that these switches aren’t very sensitive. You can replace it as a first step. It’s located on four way junction, either on the firewall just below the booster or on a front frame member. If you still can’t get it to work to your satisfaction, you can substitute a mechanical switch.
.attn Michael Frank.
Good day Mike. Thanks for your help in the past. This has not been my year for my 1970 e=type, that I have owned for 49 hears.
I took it for gas yesterday. It started up very well and fast as always. I had to drive 2 miles to the gas station. Car ran great, but I noticed that the voltage gauge was deep into no charge zone.
I found this to be odd, but it was running so well I kept on. When I got to the station I turned the key off, but the car kept running…as if it had a 1960’s preignition problem. I immediately put it in gear to get that to stop. The car wanted to keep moving in gear.
It eventually (60 seconds) stalled out. At which time smoke billowed out of the right side hood vent. I opened the bonnet hoping there was no fire…there was not, but the wire connecting to the starter and possibly the wire and the starter had huge plumes of smoke. I got a handy pail of water and doused the whole area. The smoke and burning did stop.
After further inspection I found the pos and neg battery cables to be melted, the negative post actually broke off in my hand.
Obviously the starter, battery, and any melted wires need to be replaced. I had it towed to my long time Jag mechanic who of course is sick and is not sure when he will be back.
I am having anxiety issues over this. Do you have any ideas what might have started the whole ball of wax rolling?
Now that’s an odd story. I would guess that the starter solenoid was stuck, leaving the starter engaged. But that’s just a guess. There’s nothing for it but to replace the damaged bits.
Based on the provided facts, I concur with your diagnosis.