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MG TD TF 1500 - I believe I have a bad ignition switch

I just purchase 21 days ago a restored 1952 MG TD. It ran fine until yesterday. Yesterday I inserted the key,turned it on,pulled the starter knob, she cranked away but would not start. I did not recall hearing the fuel pump work. After fiddling with it for 20 minutes, turning the key off and on repeatedly, I finally heard the fuel pump cycle and it started. At home I turned the key off and the engine shut down.

Today, it had the same problem as yesterday. After 20 minutes, still no fuel pump or starting. Having read several responses to other problems of this nature on this website, I removed the lower 3.5 amp fuse, checked it and when I reinserted the fuse, the fuel pump cycled and the car started when I pulled the starter knob. Problem fixed?? NO! When I turned the key off to shut the engine down, it kept running.

I had to remove the fuse to stop the engine. I reinserted the fuse, did NOT turn on the key, pulled the starter knob, and it started.

The lights will only go on if the key is in the ignition, but the key does not turn off the engine.

My surmise, the guts of the ignition switch are locked in the on position?

But why the need to have removed and reinserted the fuse?

I don't mind buying and installing a new ignitions switch, but am unsure that is the total problem.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. P.S. I'm more of a blacksmith than I am a car mechanic or electrical troubleshooter.
D.J. Sexton

If it keeps running with the key off, either the switch is bad or something very mis-wired. Pulling the fuse just kills the ingition and stops it. Also. the key should have no effect on the lights at all. George
George Butz

This thread was discussed between 12/04/2011 and 13/04/2011

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.