1979 Midget complete electrical shutdown

Hello all. Two questions: #1. in reference to the post reprinted below from uk.rec.cars.mg dated from July 14 2003: I need more info. If "stops working now and then" is the same as "complete electrical shutdown", then I have exactly that. As though the Gods have their own key to my new car, and will just turn it off at random. It has only happened a single time so far in the week I have owned it, but I know it will happen again...My question is this: did the person who posted the reply mean the IGNITION switch? or SOME OTHER switch? I know it's a lame question but hey, it's only my second MG... The only info about the poster's car was 1500 series. Post and Reply below...

(post)

Hi.

I was wondering if anybody had this problem.

my Midget stops working now and then. my mechanic puts a cable between the coil and the battery, then the car starts. you can remove the cable, and the car stays running, but it happens again and again. he says its the switch, but i just dont know...

does anybody had this problem before? my distributor is not electronic ignition,

what would you recommend for a later midget to stop having ignition problems? original distributor with Crane ignition? dual point Mallory?

Thanks! Michael

(Reply)

It just could be the switch. Before you upgrade just to fix a problem that maybe isn't there why not have the switch checked? Your mechanic could just be right. If you don't trust him use someone else.

The distributor is not a known weak spot, it works perfectly well in normal use.

Graeme

Question #2: Iam having a difficult time locating an accurate wiring diagram for my 1979 MG Midget, California emissions specification. I am considering purchasing the "Midget 1500 Workshop Manual", does anyone know if this text contains the appropriate wiring diagram?

Thanks a lot for your help, Richard

One of the things that people don't realise, is that an apparently solid and tight electrical connection can be almost useless if there is galvanic corrosion on the surface(s) of the connection terminals.

Plated terminals that were tin-plated, cadmium plated, zinc-plated can all exhibit the same symptoms when the plating has degraded over time.

One of the things to do is to strip and clean all main bolted terminals and assmble with a smear of Vaseline, Komoline or other petroleum-based jelly between the faces. Do not use grease, that will make the problem worse.

Lucar or Faston terminals need to be pulled off and the contact sides gently brought in a bit to give a tighter grip on the contact blade, and again a bit of Vaseline before reassembly.

I have had batteries go completely dead before, although that tends to be a terminal condition and rarely recoverable.

The open fuseholders and the fuses themselves are another fruitful source of failure through surface corrosion.

Main culprits for these failures are the battery starter solenoid connections where the main feeds go off the the ignition and lighting switches.

HTH

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Engine pages for preservation info:

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