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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Another Poser?... electrics

Hi

As mentioned on another thread, my indicators have stopped working over the weekend. I know it's not the bulbs or a fuse and the hazards are working fine. I've tried repeatedly flicking the hazards on and off to try and make sure it's not the contacts interfering but to no avail.

I've had a look at the manual and it sounds relatively easy to swap over to a new indicator switch - which I've got in a box of spares from the previous owner. However... I've taken the cowl off the steering column and everything is swathed in thick black plastic tape - presumably the original loom. This worries me because I really don't know enough to be happy fiddling around at that level in case I bugger something up completely.

I'm not entirely convinced on the wiring for the stereo that the previous owner fitted a few weeks ago (he said he's not good at electrics ;O( and the one speaker has become very intermittent, so I've checked for a lose wire/connection and everything appears to be ok BUT when I flick the headlamp flasher which is working fine (on the same indicator stem) the CD stops (and the speaker clicks) so something is wrong (interference) somewhere. Does anyone know of any where local ish to Shropshire that is good with MG electrics who could sort this whole thing for me? Or should any normal garage be able to do it?

Cheers
Jue
Jue Williams

Id remove, check, and clean your ground connections along with the bullet connectors as well.

Dont just look at the ground connections,,, as they always ""look"" good.

unless your flush with lots of cash (Im single and avialable if your are) then id buy a test light and spend an afternoon with Mr haynes book


prop
Prop

Radio/CD could be interference or he might have the electric power supply wire to it jioned from another (possibly lights) power supply wire

I'd suggest checking or even disconnecting the CD/radio from where ever he connected it making sure there are no naked wires or connectors left and start again and make sure you put an in-line just for the radio/CD supply wire

As the car is new to you personally I'd suggest listening to the car not the radio/CD learn it's noises, what it sounds like after a FULL and proper service - once you know everything is OK with the car then listen to the CD/radio

Indicators sounds like it might be the switch but before try to fit the replacement switch make sure that works, it's often that you can replace a faulty component with an even more faulty componet (even if it's brand new)

Talking of electrics bear in mind running electric motors like CD player, heater fan, wipers, takes a lot of battery power and the petrol pump will be going too, especially if at night when you could also be using your headlights, brakelights, indicators so beware you'll need a good battery and alternator especially for winter

What year car is yours BTW?
N Atkins

Sorry N,

I got to disagee, play that radio loud and often...you really dont want to know what a midget sounds like driving down the road... at least if you want the illuision of a nice sounding car other wise buy lots of sleeping drugs cause you will never sleep well agian. LOL

Prop....out of sound out of mind...a peaceful nights sleep
Prop

Thanks Prop :O) I'll pop and get a test light shortly. I knew there was something I forgot earlier, must have had the CD on too loud lol.

She is a 1976 1500. I've been driving her without the radio on for the past few days as the speaker is playing up and the engine sounds perfect :O)
Jue Williams

Fair dos Prop, get a CD recording of a V8 engine and exhaust, confuse yourself and others

I don't think much notice will be taken of not listening to the radio/CD otherwise it wouldn't have been fitted or refitted :)
N Atkins

Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms Atkins.

Thank you for your concern. I'm terribly sorry if I'm appearing a tad ungrateful. Unfortunately the tone of your messages is not sitting well with me. No doubt I'm over-reacting to your remarks but I do not find smugness an attractive attribute on a forum that I believed to be available to everyone for advice and support. I genuinely hope that IF the time comes when you find yourself in need of assistance that you are given it without being judged.

As for everyone else, thank you from the bottom of my heart for genuinely trying to assist a newbie over the past week, who is trying her very best to learn how to rectify problems herself and not rely on others to bail her out.

I may or may not return.
Jue Williams

Jue sorry I don't mean to sound smug
please don't go on my account

Typing not my best thing

I'm trying to offer ideas but I don't know how much you already know I really want to help if and where I can

Sorry to have upset you, I apolgises again

If you can't forgive then just ignore me I'll keep out of your way but don't leave this excellent forum and the theother good people on it

The bit about the V8 sound was a (pooR) joke I meant to put a :) as there's no smilies to show it was a joke

I can asurre you Jue I need as much help as most people on here and have been helped already on my thread with good suggestions from others a few of which I should have known anyway but forgot and/or didn't think straight

I'm a Mr BTW, Nigel, I'll try and alter my profile so that it reads Nigel
N Atkins

Jue,
I think on a 1500, if you delve behind the steering column cowling you should find a multi-plug connector where the column stalk switch wiring plugs into the main loom. It may have had tape wound around it but should still be identifiable by the bulge! If so, then you could just plug your spare switch into there to test it first - without even having to remove the old switch from the column.

If it does work, then just check the other functions (main/dipped and horn) as well in case it has some other fault.

Guy
Guy Weller

Jue,

I have to say, I detected No smug or offense on the part of N. I think his ideas are sound, and only expressed his oppinion. Id hope you take an hour break then re-read his posting with clearer head.

thats the part I still have trouble (spelling not included) is conveying my emotional state of what I intended, its really easy to tic off half the planet with a few misplaced words... AKA why you find my monocler of (LOL) so often

That said, Im all for taking MR N out back and beating the living Sh*t out of him just for the fun of it...after all someone has to be a victem

Prop...H.S. guidence conselor advised Me NOT to persue a carrer as a middle east peace negoitator, Im not sure why
Prop

Jue,

If the comment made by N was about the CD with the sound of the V8... Im sure that was directed at me!

Still i cant belive N would even consider making such a horriable ratched commit as suggesting a CD with V8 engine sounds... just a hitler wanna be, evil to the core...imagin the copy right violations that would corrupt.

ill never be able to enjoy this BBS ever agian, It so over for me. N. If ony you could see the tears of pain streaming down my face, and the moans of agony belowing from my soul.

N. If you can get carl to make me some of his fender vents, Im sure id (eventually) be okay

Prop...ventless in multiple ways

Prop

LOL - nor am I Prop - coz he sure was wrong when he advised ya to be an engine changer :P!!!!!

Jue - yet again, I'd like to recommend the garages at Drayton Manor, just outside of Tamworth, not only are they very nice and reasonably priced, but, they also do a really good job - they have got me out of trouble at least once when something bad has gone wrong when I've been that side of the country. (My wiper motor blew up, and no-one was in that I could scrounge from, so, I popped around, and he spent an hour in the pouring rain digging around to find out WHY it had blown - and then gave me a free one which was lying around as I'd said that it had been doing this for awhile).

Written words never convey emotion, so, you have to understand how people come over is not always how they are - so, you just kind of have to watch and see how they word things - before you take it the wrong way. As for your radio, Nigel has made a very valid point - whilst the car is new to you, it would do you alot of good to drive along at different speeds/driving conditions and really listen to your engine and car - that way you will find out her own particular noises. As I've said before, each car is different, and, it's only by listening that you get a good idea of going on.
rachmacb

TBH I think Jue is right, on rereading a couple of my posts they do come over as a bit pompous

I’ve been getting a bit that way with my posts must be my age plus I’ve been a little car stressed just recently with not only my own dear Midget but also dealing with a warranty issue on my wife’s car, cut backs have hit very hard at one multi-national car manufacturer especially in the legal and ‘customer care’ sections

I’m typing this in Word to get my post more accurate to what I mean and spelling where Word can understand what I written

The problem with doing it this way for me is I’m a very slow one fat finger typist so my posts go at least partly out of date before I can commit them to the thread

>>Prop - That said, Im all for taking MR N out back and beating the living Sh*t out of him just for the fun of it...<<

Prop you’ll be there a very long time if you want to complete your mission and I apologise to you about the CD comment I should have said 8-Track

Fender vents are rust holes on bumpers to me so I’ll be happy to post you some rust holes I’ve collected in the past in an airmail envelope
Nigel Atkins

Nigal,

I guess your no longer as bad as hitler, but still far worse then fidel castrol...LOL

You got the V8 sounds on reel to reel?, I got BJ thomas (rain drops keep falling on my head) firmly jambed into my 8 track player with no release possiable 8^P

Prop
Prop

No problem Prop but I only have it at 7½ in/s tape speed

but that's my last word on this as I've just realised I thread hogged and gone O/T

and you led me astray, I'll watch you more carefully in future
Nigel Atkins

Nigel... we may have thread leakage, but it sure makes 6 loads of laundry more paltable. LOl

Agreed ... Btw ... what was this thread about orginally?.. oh well probably wasnt important...LOL

Prop
Prop

Well, if you want V8 sounds in your little midge...you can always go this way:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9XAC-BvUyo

:)
Dave Rhine ('78 1500)


Oh, Dear! I've read and reread Nigels posts and can't for the life of me see any smugness, unless I intentionally put it there.

Now the Ugly American, on the other hand.............

:) :)
JM Morris

Jue,

back on topic....

Guy's right, on the 1500's once you take the cowl off from the steering column, follow the taped wires back & you'll find a big (~1.5" wide) connector. Mines shoved up behind the dash to keep it out of the way. Pull it down so that you can get a hold of it & then separate the connection. As Guy suggests, plug the new one in and see if it works. If the switch is faulty then they are really easy to swap over.
Hope that helps,
-craig
C Robertson

Going way back OFF topic - Prop - did you ever get that little gismo to make the V8 noises or was it Arie - or, well, most likely BOTH of you coz you both sit there making vroom vroom noises!

Anyway - if you did - is it good - and have you stopped sitting making vroom vroom noises now?!

Rach - is totally nosey and it's raining outside so a tad bored!
rachmacb

I never did rach...

work is slow and the pay is cheap, so Im watching the pennies while clipping there wings and breaking there legs so they cant get out of my pocket as fast... LOl

Im still using the old fashioned method of lip sounds, but for extra fun ill use a playing card with a cloths pin hooked to my lower lip ... it gives a popping sound like the choke is sticking, so something to fix in the evening or while raining

why does it rain when I want to work on the car or perfect weather any other time i cant work on the black hole

prop...yeah its raining here to 1 inch so far
Prop

Back way off topic...

hmmm,

I guess nigel really screwed the pouch.... no sign of jue scence

And No Jue is NOT the pouch. LOL

Prop
Prop

LOL Prop - YOU have a garage, so rain is not an excuse :)

I, on the other hand, am waiting for a few hours of dry to put a weber on to see if that makes things better as my carbs are now officially knackered! I'm hoping to get it done before Sunday, but, with rain forecast everyday, a mare going out on Thursday and about 101 other things to catch up on - it's not looking good - guess I'll be last :( Ohhhh to have a garage .....!!!!
rachmacb

Oh your so right rach (sigh)... I hate to admit it, I do have the car in the dry shop, up and around the corner out of the rain, for some reason I just cant get into the idea of picking up the wrench to finish it. But I need to

Been lazy long enough, Ill get a sandwhich to go from the frig and go get on it, that was the plan for the day anyhow


Besides if I dont, Im afaid you will call me "The national embarrecment" agian... LOL

Prop... Im out of here with turkey Sandwhich in tow.
Prop

This thread was discussed between 07/06/2010 and 08/06/2010

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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