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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Electrical issue

On my way to work this morning, all of a suddeen my dash lights started dimming, as did the headlamps. Then, the car just died - dead, no battery at all. All of the time the alternator light did not come on at all. Waiting for the tow to arrive, I decided to try starting it just to appease my curiosity and it statred right up with no problem. Made it to work, shut the car off and tried restarting. Same thing - dead. Soleniod clicked and nothing more. All the time no alternator light. Any ideas??
Tim Michnay

Start by cleaning the battery connections and battery earth to body.

Check / clean large connectors onto solenoid (brown wires) and onto fuse unit.

R.
richard boobier

Alll the connections are good. Part of the spring cleaning. I put on my spare alt, and the battery seems to be charging. The real mystery to me is why no idiot light when the battery was running down?
Tim Michnay

Off for a test drive.... UNLIKE Prop!

Tim--I don't sweat the little stuff
Tim Michnay

bulbs blow

even ignition warning lights

which would turn off the alternator

(which would probably "self-excite" above 3000 alternator revs, thus starting a generating session)

The battery could easily flatten if you didn't drive "spiritedly" to keep the revs up

so check the bulb
bill sdgpm

Bulb is OK. Came on when I tried to start it later. Just didn't come on at all while driving. I was keepeing the revs up- going about 60 MPH. Alos curious why it started right up after waiting about 30 min. I know batteries come back, but it started up like a fully charged battery.
Tim Michnay

Tim,
I sound like a broken record, but look under your dash, trace the brown wire backwards from the headlight switch to the double bullet sleeve and make sure it isn't cracked. I don't have a wiring diagram here at work, but if that isn't it trace that brown wire all the way back. Probably in there somewhere, but I always suspect that connector after what it did to me once. That connector supplies the headlights through the switch and supplies the ignition switch as well.
David "not into 'forgive and forget'" Lieb
David Lieb

Thanks Dave. I'll look into it more tomorrow since I don't have to work. I do have the Bently manual for the 1500 here, so I'm going to check out the wiring diagram. Fortunately, the PO didn't do too much to the harness as far as jumpering wires, etc.

BTW, ever get those SF tires mounted?
Tim Michnay

Hmm, what year is your 1500? Now that I am home and looking at a 1500 (pre-200000), there does not appear to be any break in the brown wire from the solenoid top the headlight switch, neither does it feed the ignition switch from there. Looks like the common area is the solenoid... of course that merely constitutes a junction for the browns, not switched, so it is hard to see something there failing.
David "not yet" Lieb
David Lieb

It's a 76, pre 200000.
Tim Michnay

I had mine (1275) stop as you descibed - after my heritage rebuild - it was the brown connector on the solenoid - yes it appeared clean, needed further cleaning and a bit of grief with pliers to tighten it up.

Car just died as I slowed down - that is way I mentioned it earlier.

R.
richard boobier

This thread was discussed between 31/03/2010 and 02/04/2010

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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