Hi, I have just restored my steering column. Can't believe everything was In perfect working order, just needed refinishing.
Steering wheel has the usual crack of which I need to repair.
Can anyone tell me what works in the 3 positions of the light switch as I can't find this out from any of the manuals.

Big lever..Bottom...main beam, middle...dipped, top..sidelights. All repeated on mine when you turn ignition key the opposite way to parking lights. Pull lever for flasher. Lights master switch is centre of the three.
Check the horn ring works before fitting. I found the brass spring that contacts earth was a bit temperamental

not sure if there is a difference between F & L.


I have checked the switches
up is off
middle is main
down is dipped

Franko500 said:

not sure if there is a difference between F & L.


I have checked the switches
up is off
middle is main
down is dipped

Click to expand...

Italian job...aren't your sidelights in the indicators? Maybe that changes it?
The "up" should do something because it's the dash toggle that activates the stalk switch or turns all functions off.
Dependent on which wires are connected where the main loom meets the steering assembly, there could be a lot of combinations possible which would all work. Based on best colour match and some faded labelling, that was the most likely combination I got on my car.

yes it could be slightly different on the Italian 500L, not sure if the column is the same on the F.


I have done a continuity test to check if all switches are working as when I first got the car the electrics were not working apart from getting the vehicle running.


Indicators all ok
Common white/black
Left Blue/Black
Right Blue


Horn
Yellow/black


Lights are a bit unknown but this is what I have found
Top position - nothing works


Mains flasher Black(ignition feed) - Grey/Red


Middle Position
Main Beam White (Light switch feed) - Grey/Red


Bottom Position
Yellow(side lights) - Green/Black (NS headlight)
Pink(side lights)- Green (OS headlight)


confused .com

Those colours sound about right from memory. I managed to dispense with Pink but there is a bit of additional wiring for my RH drive and I think there is some redundancy from what is provided for the original LH loom.
There's nothing to beat just starting from the fuse-box and working back and after a few wires find the right location it starts to sort itself out.
I'm still not sure how I ended up with everything working so well but I don't see that you will have a problem Sean.

Well I didn't change any of the wiring, so as you said Peter I think I shall have to wait until the electrics are all back in.

Sean if you goto http://www.passione500.it on the righthand side is a list of all the wiring diagrams for Italian market cars.

Vitesse said:

Sean if you goto http://www.passione500.it on the righthand side is a list of all the wiring diagrams for Italian market cars.

Click to expand...

Cheers Tony, I have all of those already downloaded & a few in English.
Trouble is knowing if the switches themselves are working as I don't have it all connected up. I will have to wait until the electrics are ready and I have all my lights etc. Need to place a big order of parts, but I need to wait a while as this was supposed to be taking me a year. I am getting through it a bit quick and not allowed to spend our savings!
Just bought another compressor with a lot more umph, so I can buy a small sandblasting cabinet and do my own blasting on all those small pieces etc.

Franko500 said:

Hi, I have just restored my steering column. Can't believe everything was In perfect working order, just needed refinishing.
Steering wheel has the usual crack of which I need to repair.
Can anyone tell me what works in the 3 positions of the light switch as I can't find this out from any of the manuals.

Click to expand...

Curious....how do you fix a crack in the steering wheel? I have two and they are rather big!

Here's the master at work!


http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/foru...php?t=14089&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

What was used to fill the crack in...epoxy? I have two cracks about the same size on my steering wheel.

Yes it was epoxy it came in a little tube and is white on the inside and blue wrapped around it. One is the hardener? You just chop of how much you need and manipulate it with you fingers until you get a good mix. Then just push it into the gaps, I left some excess on the outside and took the majority of it off with a small sanding wheel on a Dremel. Then fine finish with some wet and dry.

Sounds like good stuff. Do they do it in Ivory because I could fill my broken tooth with it.
My indicator stalk is broken just above the end of the internal steel rod. Does that epoxy have any structural strength because I could pad some round the plastic "splint" I have put on it?

No not really Peter it is definately more filler that fixer. JB Weld might have the strength you need?

I used jbweld as a filler but it says it is suitable for a huge range of "cold weld" purposes !

Got some already, will try it. Thanks.

Hi Franko,

I've just imported a 500L from Italy, and I've found exactly like you. The switch on the dash turns the lights on and off as a master switch and the stalk is as follows - up sidelights, middle dipped beam, down main beam.

However I had the problem that the sidelights were the front indicators as well with a white bulb so an mot fail. I had to pull the side lamp wires off, attached two Leds and fed them into the main headlamps and then dipped the front indicator bulbs in orange glass paint as normal orange bulbs didn't fit due to them being single filament and the ones in there were double!

Good old Italian wiring jobs!

Haha!

ciccio500 said:

However I had the problem that the sidelights were the front indicators as well with a white bulb so an mot fail. I had to pull the side lamp wires off, attached two Leds and fed them into the main headlamps and then dipped the front indicator bulbs in orange glass paint as normal orange bulbs didn't fit due to them being single filament and the ones in there were double!

Click to expand...

Interestingly, when we take ours for the MOT (same set up, white side lights and front indicator combined) the tester reasons that the orange repeater lights are clearly visible from the front of the car which satisfies the requirement for orange front indicators..........


I am not going to argue........

Vitesse said:

Yes it was epoxy it came in a little tube and is white on the inside and blue wrapped around it. One is the hardener? You just chop of how much you need and manipulate it with you fingers until you get a good mix. Then just push it into the gaps, I left some excess on the outside and took the majority of it off with a small sanding wheel on a Dremel. Then fine finish with some wet and dry.

Click to expand...

Yes. I know what this is. I have some too! I didn't even think about that. I will give it a try then have the wheel painted. Thanks.