Thread: Defender electrics - Is it too late to sue Lucas - not fit for purpose?

I spent much of the day chasing electrical problems in my 1996 Defender 130. Started with rear lights and trailer socket. Found the previous owner had shares in vampire joiners. Removed heaps of them!

I then replaced many of the bullet ends on the cables with the solder brass ones and replaced most of the insulated joiners. I even used bullets to add in the trailer socket wiring. $&@)$ blinker failed as soon as I moved the car. Finally traced to the plug that connects to the bulb holder. Had a spare so fitted that one in and maybe they will work for a week!

So do you normally persist with lucas and bullets and keeping original or use something better to achieve reliability?

Problem is the design of the tub on a 130 directs lots of water into the lights area. All the connectors get wet, the bulb holders get wet sometimes they even fill up. I am thinking of sikaflexing all the seams to minimise water ingress. Any one else suffer with dodgy lights?

Tonight i went to put car away and no headlights! They have always worked fine before.

Will go looking for that problem tomorrow.
James

pulled my lights apart on the 130 tub to fit a switch wire to a reverse light.

it looked as if water had never made it's way into the compartment.
it is pretty dry here in WA though.

good luck with the head lights =]