MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Midget 1500 electrical problem

When i hook up the battery on my '76 midget 1500 the left turn signal comes on, and can't be turned off except by a battery disconnect. I'm an electrical neophyte ! does anyone have any suggestions as to what the cause of this may be? This is a brand new (fully tested) battery from Exide.
l. a. coutts

Excide...well theres ALL your future electrical problems, seriously sell it, and get a decent battrey...even a 6 year old diehard basic from the junker yard is going to be less trouble.

My guess its in the switch somewhere, not sure how to test the stalk colum switch...if its bad you will need to replace the whole stalk colume lever unit.

Prop...What no one wants to defend Excide....Prop
Prop

Are you saying that the turn signal stays on and does not flash....if it doent flash, and stays on constantly, then most likely its a flasher unit.

On the passanger side of the american version look on the fire wall by the hood hinge there will be a barrel shaped cly. with a diameter of a 50 cent piece and about 3 inches tall and 2-3 wires comming off the bottom...pull that thing out and take to a auto parts store and replace it...its like 5 dollars, these things seem to go out almost as fast as a condenser

let us know what happens

Prop
Prop

Hi Prop, thanks for the prompt response, the left turn signal flashes ( and clicks) constantly, it can't be turned off, except by removal of the battery leads.

Lionel
l. a. coutts

Lionel,
As far as I know, the electrical bits of your 76 should be about the same as my 72. There are two flasher relays, one near the right bonnet hinge in the engine compartment for the turn signals and one inside the console for the hazards. Try turning on your hazards and see what happens.

The wiring for the signals goes through the hazards switch and this switch has been known to cause some interesting anomalies. Flip it back and forth a few times and see whether there is any effect. If you get desperate enough to disassemble the switch, take a photo of the wires (unless it is a single big connector) before you disconnect them (be aware that one of the wires is a green with a black ring on it near the connector to differentiate it from the "normal" green wire also connected to the switch). Also take a photo of the guts of the switch before you take anything out of it.

The wiring diagram in the Haynes manual or the Bentley manual is adequate to figure out what should short to what in each of the three positions of the signal switch, so disconnect the block from that and test it for continuity. The way I am reading it, there should be continuity from the LGN (light green with brown stripe) to the GR (green with red stripe) when signaling left and from the LGN to GW (green with white stripe) when signalling right. No continuity when not signalling.
David "another hazard" Lieb
David Lieb

What David said, but the turn signal flasher for the 76 is on the inside of the firewall, right side, behind the dash and above the glove box. Same as his 72, just inside.
Lee Fox

That's funny, it looked like it was in the engine compartment on the wiring diagram ;-)
David "spatially challenged" Lieb
David Lieb

Thanks David,

I forgot about the hazards.


Prop...Turn signals!, who still uses those...Prop
Prop

Get a schematic and a meter and learn as this won't be your last electrical problem. Lots of info on the internet.
RC Bishop

I had that problem last week on my 77 1500. It turned out that I had switched on the hazzard flasher switch when working under thd dash on speedo. did not realize it until I was out of car 15 min later. It took about 5 min to figure it out. For some reason only the left blinkers were flashing, oh well, the hazzards only working on left side is way down on the to do project list...
jim at least i am left handed
jt simmons

This thread was discussed between 06/08/2009 and 07/08/2009

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.