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MG MGB Technical - Rear and side lights...

Just putting my 71 BGT back on the road after a 4 year lay-off... oddly there were no electrical issues. (She had a new loom 7 years ago). But typically, after servicing, new oil cooler, fuel pump and other sundries, now I have no side lights or rear lights. headlights are fine, dipped and full beam but indicators are running a little slowly. Fuses seem OK... any suggestions chaps? Thanks, Vic
Vic Synott

Hi Vic,


Favourite on a car that's been standing has gotta be dirty fuses, top two in the fuseboard with the red wires attached.


If you have a test light check the feed in and out on both fuses. No feed, means prob switch contacts prob dirty, try working the switch a few times and see if it comes back to life.


Regards Steve.
SR Smith 1

Thanks Steve, all was OK on Saturday and had been for the past 2 weeks... and there's obviously a connection somewhere as I accidentlaly left the lightswitch on while I came online and I've just killed the battery! Doh!

Will update when I can get a charge. Thanks again anyway.

Vic
Vic Synott

OK, now I have an intermittent issue where side lights are working but only on one side... but the side that's off keeps changing from right to left (but not whilst the lights are on, at different times) dependant on something I still can't identify... Lucas electrics will have their own special place in hell!
Vic Synott

I had a similar problem when commissioning the lights. My problem was very poor connections between the front loom and the bullet connectors going to the lamps. It would be worth your while checking these connectors and maybe squeezing the 'tube' gently to tighten them up.
Richard Coombs

Thank you both for your help. I do appreciate your responses. Been a while since I've used these boards, but delighted to be back. I've conceded that this is a connector somewhere ... but as the law of 40 year old cars dictates, it's not anywhere obvious.

Vic
Vic Synott

Favourite has to be the fusebox, if the whole of one side either works or doesn't. There should be four red wires on the back of the top two fuses, each one of those goes to one corner. The chances of two separate faults on one side (actually four faults one on each corner!) coming and going at the same time are negligible.

PaulH Solihull

Thanks Paul... fusebox it is... new one on the way. At least all my connectors are dry checked and tightened up now though...

This board is fantastic, thanks for your help.

Regards

Vic
Vic Synott

Bet it is the fusebox.


You'll see when you remove it that the top 2 fuses have a riveted connecting link between them. I've seen lots of B's and midgets where there's is high resistance caused by corrosion between the rivet and the link, this often gives the probs yr experiencing.


You can get around the fault often by fitting a link between the one red wire on the imput side and the blank terminal directly beneath.


SR Smith 1

Be careful that your new fusebox is fitted in the same orientation as the old one, so that the linked fuses are in the same position.

It is not unheard of for fuseboxes to be fitted 180вк out, which can cause some strange things to happen!
Dave O'Neill2

Currently have both red wires attached to the top fuse and it all works fine... worried about the current draw across that fuse though...
Vic Synott

I wouldn't worry about the current draw. The total for side and tail lamps is only about 2.5 amps.
Dave O'Neill2

Make sure your new fuse box does have the link. But all is not lost if it doesn't. Just make up a short link with two Lucars.
Allan Reeling

This thread was discussed between 09/04/2012 and 11/04/2012

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