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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Goes Dead on Starter Pull

I went to start the midget today (62, 1275, Datsun 5 speed, generator, Facet pump), turned on the ignition- pump starts clicking, generator light comes on -I pull the starter and everything goes dead. No pump, no gen light, no headlights, no wipers, no nothing. Battery is charged,and the wires are tight on the ignition switch.

I waited half an hour with the battery on the charger to be sure there was enough juice, and it does exactly the same thing. I bought the car last year and it has started every time with no problem. I drove it two days ago with not hint of anything wrong.

Any ideas where to start looking.
TS Dougherty

could it be starter solonoid?

still could be battery, check each cell for (distilled) water level and clean lugs to connections and that battery has held charge

check battery leads are clean, secure and protected and all terminals

IF neg earth - check earth lead from engine to body - if you can get a jump lead secured on battery to secure on engine then try starting with that on to test engine earth
N Atkins

Thanks.

It is negative earth, and I tried a jumper from the neg. battery terminal to the thermostat housing and the pump started clicking away, but the battery barely had enough power to turn it over . It did not start.

Could I have lost the earthing strap from the engine to the body? Would that cause the problems?
TS Dougherty

TS - Check both the ground and battery cables for corrosion up under the insulation. Also check the connections at either end of both cables. You have got a high resistance somewhere between the battery and the rest of the car. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Just to add... physically remove the battry cable... dont do just a fast look, and think its okay

I and others have fallen victem to a fast look only to actually pull the cable and find the "hidden" corrosion up under the insulation...


Also check that the brown wires are tight and corrsoion free



Prop
Prop

Exactly the correct thing to do TS D. By placing a jumper between the battery and engine proved the connection of the battery to the car to be faulty The reason why the engine did not turn over too quickly with this configuration is simply because your jumper cable was on the small poor side.

I think the problem is with the cable from the battery to the body/chassis of your car this needs removing cleaning at both ends any paintwork/corrosion removing from where it connects to the body and then refixing. You may also do this to the engine earth strap but if that were the problem then when you tried to start the car the pump and ancilliaries would continue to function but the starter would not turn the engine. As it is all you stuff fasils suggesting a total failure that can only be caused by the battery to chassis connections. Also clean up the positive wire from the battery to the starter solenoid for piece of mind.

Bob Turbo Midget England

had a similar prob on a 948 +ve earth frogeye --- turned out to be a poor connection where the solenoid wire goes into the battery terminal - removed cleaned refitted - no problems now!
Mick struggling with the wiring

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I'll jump on this after work today and let you know what happens.
TS Dougherty

Just noticed I used the wrong "piece"? should have been peace!! :)
Bob Turbo Midget England

If you try starting the car a couple times then feel all the terminals starting at the battery terminals and working your way down, the bad connection will be warmer than the rest.

Bob
R.A Davis

Bob, you wouldn't have been the first person to have given me a piece of their mind!

Is that just an American English idiom?
TS Dougherty

Closer inspection showed the battery to be seven years old, and there was no body to engine grounding strap. I installed a new battery, a grounding strap and cleaned and tightened every connection from the battery to the body, to the solenoid to the starter.

Works great now. Thanks for all the help.
TS Dougherty

Great stuff
I think I may have made some quality suggestions (as did others) does that mean I too can be a "trainie GURU" ? I really do hope so.
Bob Turbo Midget England

Or maybe a trainee, Bob?
Unless you have taken up train spotting.
Guy

LOL well spotted (Ian Allen enthusiast) LOL
Bob Turbo Midget England

I claim battery/earth/clean all connections guru

oh, yeah, of course - owners Handbook guru
N Atkins

Bob. I think you already qualify as a Guru and not just a "trainie" one (took me a while to spot that).
I was an Ian Allen geek too. My mate works at Manchester airport using airport transfers tunbridge wells and says there are lots of 'plane spotters there. Apparently they are refered to as Jelly heads. I wonder who the aeronautic version of Ian Allen is?

Bernie.
b higginson

Bernie thought I would search for my first combine "Silver Fox streak" and found it, photo attached (thanks to google)
However could have sworn his name was Allen and not Allan, age I am afraid is a terrible illness



Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

This thread was discussed between 03/06/2011 and 04/06/2011

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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