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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Ignition Problems

I have a 1974 Mg midget and i am having problems getting it started.
It works to drop the clutch to get it going (push the car in first gear with the clutch in and release and re-engage the clutch) but, I cannot get it to start using the key and started.

I noticed that the accelerator control cable (the one that goes from the accelerator to the engine) gets hot when the engine is turned over multiple times.

My dad brought a clamp-on-ammeter home from work and we found that 30 amps are running through that cable when the car is turned over.

I noticed when taking the radio out to inspect behind it when i got the car that there was a spark from back there.

I was wondering if anyone could help me. I really have no idea where this electrical short is coming from.

I am also having troubles with the break lights and the turn signals the passenger side (American) one works (it flashes) but the drivers side only goes on.

Also, the brake lights dont go on when i depress the brakes.

I am very much an amateur and I really could use all the assistance anyone could give me.
Thank you.
SB Brecklin

You have no ground cable from car to engine, or a very bad connection on it. It's from the frame to the slave cylinder mounting RH lower gearbox, or it may have been moved to bridge the rubber motor mounts, or gearbox mounts. Best thing to do is run a new battery ground cable from battery to a bolt on the engine/gearbox flange, then a jumper from there to where the ground is now, somewhere on the firewall near the battery.
And buy a new accelerator cable - once they've been hot they are no good, and lead to all sorts of grief. Possibly the choke cable and any other metallic connection from car to engine as well.

FRM
FR Millmore

Also, I would suggest 2nd gear for push starting the car. First is so low that it puts a lot of stress on things.

Charley
C R Huff

Classic symptoms of no ground cable between the engine and the body and is a simple fix, wish everything was that easy. As suggested by FRM it can be fitted to the clutch slave bolt but I have seen many bridging the rubber engine mounting. You should be looking for a heavy piece of cable doing this task.

The turn signals sound like the side that only turns on may have a bulb gone front back or side or alternatively in one of those areas or more the light units have a bad earth. Everywhere you see a black wire connected to the body give it a clean up.
The brake lights could be a bad switch, try bridging the connections on the switch (under the bonnet (hood)
Follow the brake pipe from the master cylinder and you will come to a switch. Bridge the connection with a piece of wire to see if that makes the brake lights come on, it that does then the switch is probably faulty.
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Thank you for the advice.
SB Brecklin

Oh, and about pushing it in 2nd gear, the car slips out of second gear and wont shift up into 2nd gear from first gear.
SB Brecklin

Third gear is even better than first for push starting.
If you think about it, in first gear the transmission is trying to turn the engine over 3 times for every rotation of the driveshaft, whereas in fourth it is only turning it once.

The brake light switch is attached to the top of the pedal box (in the engine compartment) and is turned off by the pedal returning to rest. When you push the pedal, the little plunger is supposed to pop out. Yours isn't. Spray the inside of the tip of the switch with silicone or WD40 and take an icepick (or similar) and just sit there pushing it in and letting it spring back over and over and over and over... eventually it will start working. Once you have it working, think about possibly using this switch to trigger a relay.

The turn signals could be a problem with the flasher relay or with one of the bulbs. The relay in the console is for the hazards, not the signals. The signal relay is under the bonnet on the passenger side of the firewall near the hinge.

If you want to replace the accelerator cable, the best one you can get is to go to a good bicycle shop and buy the finest braided brake cable (the smaller ended one) with telfon coating and a teflon-lined sheath to go with it. If they don't have it, you can get a good one on Amazon, too.

What part of Illinois are you in, SB?
David "think backwards" Lieb
David Lieb

Thank you for the help.

David, I live on the north side of Chicago. Around the Edens Kennedy junction.
SB Brecklin

This thread was discussed between 17/11/2009 and 18/11/2009

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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