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MG MGA - Shouldn't of jacked with that...

O.K. it was real dumb to touch wires together with no clue of what they go to. That being said, let me explain. I was trying to get the fuel guage to work. The previous owner had installed about 10 extra toggle switches on the bottom of the dash. I figured out if I turned #1,4,5,8 & 9 on - the guage would work. So I ripped it all out, because everything else worked. Once it was removed, the turn lights didn't work. But when I turned the turn switch, the fuel guage would go to the full end, when I let off on the turn switch it would go to empty. So, this is when I got dumb... I started clipping diferent wires together. The guage worked (for a second) Then nothing. I didn't hear the fuel pump, no lights would work. I checked the fuses, they tested out O.K. I pulled the starter, the motor would try to start.

So I disconected the battery and went to bed.
Any Ideas. Could I have just fried the ignition switch?
D.M. Black

Stop playing hit and miss with your elctrical system--It's shooting blind--you could screw up more than you fix. Got a feeling the dpo probably set up the toggles as a combination lock for the ignition switch. Get out the schematic and start tracing out the wires and figuring out where things should go. It may be so cobbled that you might want to think about investing in new wiring--but usually these things can be reclaimed with patience and good electrical connections. More that likely you momentarily grounded the ignition through the turn signal system and either smoked the flasher unit or the bulbs. Raandomly connecting wires is a surefire way to a disaster.
R. L Carleen

Warning,the fuel sending unit is a wire wound resistor that is unsealed in the fuel tank. If you are expairmenting touching wires together and you happen to connect the battery to the sending unit, you may very likely end up with out your car, garage, assorted body parts, etc. Take care.
John H

Where in Colo.? I am in Englewood area. E-mail a phone #. I'll help if I can.
Randy
R J Brown

RJ Brown,
I live out near the airport using airport transfers tonbridge. My direct e-mail is dblack@davisav.com.
Thanks for any help.
Don
D.M. Black

Don,
Moss sells the new wiring harnesses, and I believe that you can buy just the underdash portion. I think that it would be in your best interest to do so.
mike parker

Thanks all! The car runs again, and I learned something. It turned out a wire came off the ignition. Pure dumb luck I guess. I think the car was tring to protect it self.
DMB
D.M. Black

This thread was discussed between 07/09/2005 and 10/09/2005

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