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MG TD TF 1500 - INSTALLING A NEW WIRING HARNESS

I need some help and encouragement on installing a new wire harness in my 1951 MGTD had a small engine fire some years back an now am thinking about can ?? one with little or no experience in electrical wiring accomplish this task? are there any instructions available to guide one in this task? someone on this board surely have been successful at this, , , can you share some light or advice about the risks I might encounter and or where can I find a printed guide walking me through this project.
Any help, guidence, or help directing me to a source
for the abc's of where to start 1.2.3.4.thru 66 connections.
thanks in advance to any and all comments or guidence.
garry irwin
berea, kentucky
theirwins@windstream.net
gei irwin 1

garry, the new england T register included a very nice color coded wiring diagram in their publication a couple of years ago. i am not sure if this is a reoccurring event or not, but it would really simplify the job for you. do you have a service manual? that would be of assistance as well.
did you buy the harness or are you building up your own? i have read some of the larger harness suppliers provide good instructions with their harnesses. regards, tom
tom peterson

Garry - Even without a colorized wiring diagram installing a new purpose built harness is really pretty easy. What I did to make it easier was to lay the harness out on my work bench and match each wire to the diagram and mark each end as to where it goes, using wire markers that can be written on or masking tape. this saves a lot of time once the harness is run and looking at the ends of the wires trying to decide where each should go. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Garry, I've never done the wiring in a T series, even though I have that job to do in the future, but, I have wired an MGB with a new harness, which I've been told is a little more complicated. The secret for success is what Dave said about tagging the ends before you start installing it in the car. You can go to an electrical supply house and buy wire marker tape. The tape set has numbers and letters on it, it's very narrow and easy to apply merely by wrapping it around the wire end close to the fitting. Every end will have a different number or letter, (your choosing), and write that number on a paper list, where it goes or, apply a matching number by the connection on the car. Like color coding only more precise. Easy as pie! PJ
P S Jennings

I never tag the ends in a quality harness. The wires mostly fall right to position when running it along the chassis. There are several shots on my website of wiring TDs, including mine, another TD and a Mk II. After I install the wires I may clean up the installation a bit by shortening the wires where needed (such as around the voltage regulator) tinning the exposed ends, and reinstalling under the grub screws.

Hope this helps,
dave
Dave Braun

Great ideas above. Find either the colored diagram, or the black and white one with the color code key.Either way- label in advance, or after the main bundles have been run to location in the car. The branches are almost self-explanitory- ie the large and small yellows go to the dynamo, blue/blue-white to the headlamps, etc, etc. It will also be obvious which bundle goes to the rear of the car, right side of the firewall, behind the dash, etc. You will need to trim a few of the wires (too long- side lamps, and perhaps change a connector or two for the under-dash part. Study how the intact parts of the old one are routed before you remove. Somewhere in the archives a few months back some specific areas (routing behind the pedal box, where the dash/flasher relay branches go) was discussed in detail so maybe dig that info out. Good luck. George
George Butz

Garry,

When I was doing my new harness, I put together color bitmap diagrams (that can be viewed with Microsoft Paint) and printed. They are rather large so if you tell me if you want early, late etc, I can email you the diagram.

Dave
Dave Runnings

When I did my car, I took the wireing diagram in the MG book and went to Kinco's and had it blown up and then covered with clear plastic. Taped it to the front of the beer fridge and went from there. Did not tag the wires, as Dave B. said it is kinda obvious what goes where.. Have fun getting it thru the grommet on the firewall.
Tom Maine (TD8105)

Dave Runnings: thanks for the offer. If you would do that for me. My TD is a late model. I look forward to receiving it, as i am excited to get started on this project. I've received encouraging remarks from this board, what a blessing to have so many experienced hands freely give of their time to advise 'WE OF LITTLE EXPERIENCE' thanks to you all. TO DAVE DUBOIS,
i will be in the seattle ares the 24th of august for 10 days. I'D like to get with you an arrange lunch one day. I've followed your comments on this board for some 20 years. THANKS AGAIN

garry irwin
the; irwins@ windstream.net
859-248-6236
gei irwin 1

Garry, You have mail.

Dave
Dave Runnings

Hi Gary,

I am restoring a 51 TD not too far away from you down here in Corbin. I haven't gotten to the wiring yet but have installed wiring on previous projects. If you need a hand let me know; I will actually be coming by that way this coming Saturday to pick up my rear-end from a 4:3 conversion which actaully ended up turning out to be a total unit exchange due to my original core being trash.

Regards,
Rich
Richard Taylor

I did the wiring loom on my Y which should be about the same as the TD.

Despite my handicap being colourblind, I found it easy if you work logical and take your time. As much as I could I left the old loom in place, in order not to forget wiring, each time changing an old wire with a new one.

It took me two weeks, working approx. two hours a day. That is very slow but I took much care in cleaning all the contacts and fittings on my unrestored car. I treated all the contacts with dielectric grease.
Willem vd Veer

Garry - "TO DAVE DUBOIS,
i will be in the seattle ares the 24th of august for 10 days. I'D like to get with you an arrange lunch one day."

I sent you a reply to your e-mail last night which bounced back at me. Since we have been having ongoing problems with our server, I resent the reply on our regular server, plus on a secondary server we use, so you may receiver the reply twice - just a heads up. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

This thread was discussed between 08/08/2010 and 09/08/2010

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