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 MGB Technical - brake lights and turn signals

I have a 1975 MGB midget and I have no brake lights or turn signals. The car was sitting for 6 years.I have checked the bulbs and the fuses. Can anyone give me some advice. I am a new owner and I am in the process of rebuilding the car.
Jay from Minnesota
Jay

When you say you checked the bulbs and fuses, how did you do that?

I would suggest taking a multi-meter first to a bulb socket itself. If you get power (12 volts) across it, I would suggest re-inspecting the socket for corrosion and replacing the bulb if there was none.

If you don't get 12V across the bulb socket, check for +12 to a ground point on the body. If you get 12V, that way, your fuses and positive wiring are good but your ground is not. Check that your ground wires are in tact. I believe those grounds are attached to the license plate bracket bolt on the inside of the trunk.
Jeff Grant

MGB or Midget? I'll assume MGB and hope you didn't mean 'MG Midget' in which case you are on the wrong subject.

Do the parking lights work? If so it is probably two separate faults and likely not in the light units. Does the fuel gauge and tach work? If not the problem is in the fusebox.

For the brake lamps locate the brake light switch, which should be on the pedal box. With the ignition on conenct the two terminals of the switch together. If the lights glow now the switch is faulty. Be aware that replacements tend to be poor quaility and will fail very quickly unless a relay is installed at the same time. If still no glow check, and with the ignition still on and the switch terminals still connected together check you have 12v on the switch connections. If not there is a bad connection either at the bullet on the green switch tail or at the fusebox. If so, then check for 12v both sides of the 2-way bullet connector where the green/purple switch tail connects to the rear harness in the mass of connectors by the fusebox, and if there check both sides of the 4-way bullet connector where the rear harness splits off to feed each rear light unit.

For the turn signals, do the hazards work? If so check the 12v feed through the hazard switch on the green wires, through the turn flasher, and to the turn switch on the light-green/brown.
Paul Hunt 2

Wiring diagrams are available at http://www.advanceautowire.com click on stock schematics.
Kimberly

Jay,

Have you joined The Minnesota MG Group? You will get all the help you need, and have a lot of fun to boot.

http://www.mmgg.org/

Also, submitting your membership to this forum (it's free) instead of logging in as a non-member will allow you to search the extensive archives.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

This thread was discussed between 07/04/2008 and 09/04/2008

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGB Technical BBS is active now.