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MG TD TF 1500 - Need some electrical help

I think my VR is toast, but I thought I'd ask for an expert opinion.

Background; The wiring on this car is a mess and I have been working on fixing the obvious. To this end I have a new battery and an overhauled generator. The PO removed the ammeter. I had a flash short to the gen light that burned up the wire. The car runs great on the battery.

Where I am @; I bought and installed a cheapo ammeter for testing. Wiring to the gen light has been repaired. I found the brown and white wire from the A terminal on the VR hooked to ground. I removed this and hooked it to the new ammeter.

Here is what I am seeing.

1. The ammeter shows discharge with the lights on.
2. The red gen light shows red with ignition on car not running. (Don't know what it doing running due to the mess of wires for testing.
3. With the car running the ammeter shows a heavy pulsating discharge.
4. With the cover off the VR there is a birght flash, also pulsating.

Conclusion:

The VR is toast.

Right????

John
JA Lewis

John,

This is not expert opinion but intended to help until others comment on your problem(s).


Here is what I am seeing.

1. The ammeter shows discharge with the lights on. (CORRECT)

2. The red gen light shows red with ignition on car not running. (Don't know what it doing running due to the mess of wires for testing. (CORRECT)

3. With the car running the ammeter shows a heavy pulsating discharge. Sounds like you may need to flash the generator field. This is described in the archives of this BBS.

4. With the cover off the VR there is a birght flash, also pulsating. Sounds like the regulator is trying to respond to generator output. Adjustment instructions are in the WSM. The current best advise is to send the VR off to be converted to solid state. Someone will be along with the address for this service.


Best regards,

Jim Haskins

1953 TD
J. M. Haskins

Good day all:
Attention Mr. J.M.Lewis

Contact: Robert Jeffers, at: bobj50@comcast.net
Land address; 10 Stony Brook Drive, Wilton, Ohio, 03086. He operates Wilton Auto Electric, LLC. He is adept at changing the original control box (vreg) to the solid state format.

Cheers then; respectfully:
Jack Emdall, TC6768/TD3191, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.

kernow

Is the flicking to discharge rythmic or random? The needle may flick quite a bit to discharge when the fuel pump ticks. East to check- start it, then unhook the wire to the pump, the car will run for a while with fuel in the carbs. George
George Butz

Victory,, Got it working. Flashed the Gen by removing the field wire from the VR and hooking a jumper, started the TD and hit the - post on the battery. Turned car off. Hooked the field wire back up and fired it up. Charging after 1599rpm or so.
JA Lewis

I'm not in Wilton, Ohio but in Wilton, NH. The zip code is correct 03086.
Cheers,
Bob
Bob Jeffers

I think a solid state VR is an excellent investment, but in my case there is so much that needs to be done to this car other things take priority. I have no working native instruments. Maybe I should start with a working tach, then speedo before I focus on MG engine instruments. This money pit of mine may not have a bottom, but my budget does.
JA Lewis

This thread was discussed between 19/06/2012 and 20/06/2012

MG TD TF 1500 index

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