Chris W

Should have checked the wiring diagram first 😳. The immobiliser LED has 12v permanently fed from the battery and the immobiliser unit effectively earths the cathode of the LED (through a resistor somewhere) to light it up. In which case, you're gonna need a transistor to switch the relay if you want to avoid unnecessary current drain from the battery when the car is off. Sod's Law at work again. It's not difficult, I can email a circuit diagram if you would like it. The OFF current drain would be similar to a dash-mounted analogue clock. rgds Chris

Good idea Gareth. One way to do it would be to pick up a live from the immobilser LED and use this to operate a relay whose contacts are in series with the start switch. Depending on how much current drive is available on the LED line, it might be necessary to incorporate a transistor to switch the relay. In order to reduce the current drawn when the car is switched off, it's probably better to wire the relay such that it is energised when the LED is off (ie: when you're driving). If the relay should fail, wired this way, it won't stop the engine, merely prevent starting next time. You could even incorporate a small hidden on/off switch to bypass the relay should this ever happen until you can replace the relay. I think I'll go and try it now........ back later!!! rgds Chris

Not sure what you mean Peter. I didn't change any of the wiring layout from the original ignition switch, I just moved it to the new switch. If I try to start without disabling the immobiliser, the car will indeed start but conks out after about 2 seconds. rgds Chris

I played around for quite a while as I wanted a spot that was easy to reach but not liable to get accidentally knocked off when you reach for a switch etc. Also a place where my partner can't accidentally knock it while redoing the lipstick etc. I finally put it above the oil temperature gauge lying horizontally just to the right of the immobilser LED so that it opens away from me. It seems to be a pretty safe place (famous last words!) and looks good too. I can also rest my fingers on the top of the dash just above when pushing it over one more position with my thumb to start (I fitted the combined switch). Sod's Law as usual dictated that the world's thickest wiring loom runs right behind that spot so I had to do some arm wrestling to get it in, but it's OK now. rgds Chris

Graham's suggestion above of fitting a relay would solve the issue as you can then use thin wire to the relay. On my new SV, I have just fitted an aircaft style starting switch and the red/white wire that goes off to the solenoid is the thinnest of all the wires connected to the original ignition switch. Chris

DT aircraft switch installed and working. Great feel to start it with just a click of a switch. Chris

None - other than the wire will be thicker and therefore possibly less easy to route. Checking on the web, it would appear a general figure for starter solenoid current is somwhere in the range 5-10 amps. Chris

I have a new SV 1.8K 140hp and would be interested to know where to fit a sender for an (electrical) oil temperature gauge. I can't find anything specific on the archives. thks Chris

Your switch is probably a "double-pole-single-throw" (dpst) in the jargon. That means it has two totally separate switches in it which are both simple ON/OFF types operated by a single button. You can check this out easily with a battery and a bulb if you don't have a meter or a 12v tester. Once you have ascertained the layout, simply use a pair of terminals that give ON/OFF when the button is pushed regardless of what else they do in the other position. The current to the solenoid is fairly low and since the solenoid is only energised for at most a few seconds on starting, I am sure your 2 amp terminals will be sufficient. The more important thing, if the switch has very small terminals, is to ascertain what the current rating of the switch is, although in general it's unlikely to be less than the 2 amps. (This is not a warranty of course!!!) rgds Chris

Richard It is possible to wire the LEDs to ONE variable resistor (1K ohm should do)to control their brightness. (Actually an approx 470 ohm resistor in series with each LED is also necessary). The issue with the standard car is that 4 of the 7 switches illuminate all the time with the side lights and 3 only come on when the relevant switch is activated. You may want all 7 to come on individually or all of them to come on with the sidelights or some combination in between. Whatever you decide, it is still possible to control the brightness of all the LEDs from one variable resistor (pot). There will however be a small variation in brightness depending on how many switches are ON. As more LEDs are turned ON their brightness will fade, but this can be compensated for by tweaking the pot (brightness control). This will give you something extra to do when you drive at night and is a good anti-tiredness exercise. The 470 ohm series resistors are very important to (i) prevent the LEDs burning out when the pot is at minimum value and also (ii) to allow the LEDs to function correctly as they would otherwise be in parallel. (I won't go into the electronic reason at this stage why LEDs don't work properly in parallel). If you would like a circuit diagram of how to wire it all up, email me and I would be happy to oblige. Since pots come in standard values of 1K ohm and then 5K ohm (the 5K would probably give too coarse a control) you may need to experiment with the 470 ohm value (possibly 390 ohm or 560 ohm - these are all standard values) to get the brightness range you want. It will really depend on exactly for which LEDs you eventually opt. It's simpler to do than to describe in words, it just needs a bit of experimentation to get it to your liking...... and all the above components are going to cost less than a tenner in total. Hope this helps rgds Chris

Jeez that's quick. I ordered the aircraft switch (on/off + start, all-in-one) yesterday afternoon by phone from DT (spoke to Dave Kimberley) and it arrived in this morning's mail. For the record the DT part number is LON 4549. Price for this or for the on/off only version (whose part number I don't know) as previous post. cheers Chris

If the overall tyre/wheel combination diameter is different, I guess you will also have to change/adjust the speedo sensor so it still reads correctly. I'm new to 7's so I don't know where or how the speedo sensor functions yet. rgds Chris

Can you give us details of the senders and where you bought them from - and the best place to fit them including any special tools etc etc. thanks Chris

My new SV is shod with Avon ZZ1 205/45's on 16" wheels. It was delivered with pressures of 22psi but the handbook states they should be 16psi for that size. I queried this with CC and they said that 22psi is better if one is going to use it mainly on the road. However, the guy hesitated before answering so I wasn't sure if he just wanted to give me a quick answer. Any views appreciated. thanks Chris 😬 my face since the SV was delivered yesterday

The DT price @ £16 + VAT is for the aircraft switch with ON/OFF facility. The £27 +VAT variety is for the ON/OFF + START facility all in one switch, ie: a further push upwards enables a momentary switch for starting.

I've put two strips of dark coloured draught excluder side by side on the nosecone where it "fits" over the lower chassis member and a further strip where the nosecone sits under the bonnet and also where the bonnet sits on the body in front of the windscreen. The latter two are simply to augment the existing hard rubber that CC put on. It's made the whole thing somewhat more rigid or, more accurately, less loose ❗ but it's not engineering.

Thanks Peter - spoke to Dave Kimberley and ordered the switch you suggested (£30.93 inc VAT and postage). It will appear on their website soon rather than just the panel mounted versions.

Thanks for all the helpful feedback. I spoke to CC this morning and their response was as follows: Steering Lock - not fitted with Q/R wheel Hazard Warning switch does have a buzzer in it which activates during the brief moment of switching - no use, just happens to be the switch they use Intermittent Wipe - stopped fitting it 4 years ago because it was "useless". They didn't realise it was still in the handbook. I was pleased as I had built a wiper delay circuit prior to delivery and now I get to use it! The nose cone question: more problematic this one. They claimed the 2 clips (called "Zeus" clips I discovered!) and the fitment over the lower chassis member are perfectly adequate. After I pointed out that the nosecone still moved even with the bonnet on and that other Blatchat members had had related problems, they said that they would fit a strip of rubber (as per your useful replies earlier) over the lower chassis member at the 500 mile service!! Re the aircraft flip up ignition switch - Demon Tweek only do the panel mounted Longacre product and Vehicle Wiring don't do one. Any other ideas please? Also I asked CC about tyre pressures as the handbook states 16psi front and rear for my 16" 205/45's but they were delivered with a pressure of 22psi all round. (excuse the pun) What do you think? CC said that 22psi is better if one is going to use it mainly on the road. thanks again for the help Chris

I have just taken delivery today of a factory-built new 1.8 140bhp SV. Christmas is here at last! Apologies if some of these questions have come up before, but I'm brand new to blatchat. It's also 3am!!! Do all blatchatters stay up so late? I'm going to talk to CC tomorrow of course on some of the issues below but your previous experience is really welcome. 1. Where can I get the aircraft style flip up ignition switch in the UK? (I have seen the Longacre product on the web with the switch and starter button combined on one panel but I would prefer to get the items and mount them separately. 2. I don't have a steering lock (or it's not working). Is this because I have a Q/R Momo s/wheel? 3. The hazard warning switch emits a loud buzz as I switch it on or off. Is that normal and, if so, why? It works perfectly otherwise. 4. The handbook says that an intermittent wipe is fitted. However, following the handbook instructions (switch on wipers to low then off) doesn't make it function? 5. The nose cone is fixed by two quick release clips with large screwdriver slots situated on the sides where the bonnet fits over it. The front is held in place by the fibre glass moulding resting on and slightly around a chassis member. Is this correct? The nosecone can be moved quite a bit by hand even once the bonnet is back on. 6. I know I'm being dumb, but where have they hidden the coil, distributor and spark plugs? Unless they're way down low somewhere, I really can't see them..... and I don't believe in perpetual motion!! many thanks Chris