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MG TD TF 1500 - Parking Light Wires

Can you give me insight on these four questions for my TF?

1) Did the pigtails for parking lights with turn signals have two wires or three? TF0554, TF8541, and TF9052 have only two wires. The old reproduction pigtail in my TF had three vinyl covered wires. The third wire is a ground with a bullet that plugs into a female on the front of the mount for the socket. The other end was probably into a three-way snap connector to the headlight ground inside the engine bay.

2) If only two wires, where does the ground wire connect that has the bullet into the front of the bulb mounting bracket? (Assuming that there is a wire and bullet into the front of the mounting.) The connection is under the socket and brass base of the bulb in attached photo.

3) What was the original covering on the parking light wires? Seen on the TFs noted above.

4) Are additional purchases of snap connectors between the bullets on the Moss TF harness and bullets on the turn signal pigtails needed? Same question for headlight pigtails.

And a bonus question: About how many extra snap connectors do I need to purchase for all connections to my Moss harness?

Thanks for your help.

Lonnie
TF7211



LM Cook

Lonnie

Only two wires. The socket when bolted to the wing is the ground. The second question - on my old harness is was cloth wrapped. You will need a double bullet connector for the side lights and a triple for the head lights.

Frank
TF1414
Frank Cronin

Hi, Very dim recollection is that there were originally two wires, and grounded as above. At restoration of my TD, I used a short third wire for a ground, with an eyelet that goes under one of the mounting bolts. Expecting to ground through the lamp body with rubber pad questionable. Of course this requires removal of paint for metal contact to the wing. George
George Butz III

George's caution is well noted about the ground. And if it is inadequate you won't just find that lamp does not work but it can cause all sorts of issues with the turn signals and maybe even the break lights if I remember correctly.

So make sure you have a solid ground to that lamp holder.
Christopher Couper

Lonnie, If I remember correctly there were two wires to the bulb socket and on the base was another place to attach the ground wire. I ran the three wires thru the fender and attached the two socket wires to the wire harness and the ground wire to under one of the mounting screws making sure paint was removed for good contact.
Bill TD24570
Bill Brown

Thanks guys. That's exactly what I wanted to know. Let's face it, parking light wiring is a bad design ... rust, paint, and anything else to cause the ground to fail. I want to avoid those possible pitfalls.

Even though TFs used two-wire pigtails to the parking lights, I will make a three-wire pigtail that has a dedicated ground wire to inside the engine side panel for my TF. No one will know after it's wrapped with cloth harness wrapping tape.

>> Here's another question:
Please explain how to attach parking and signal wires to the two connectors on the lamp socket.

Thanks again for your help. George, enjoy the Sebring SVRA races!

Lonnie
TF7211

Top photo: My socket with ground and wire connections. Ground wire is hidden under other two wires.
Bottom photo: Closeup of other side of wire connections. Wires look like off-the-shelf automotive colored wire. (home made?)






LM Cook

Push the split ends at the back forward. They are spring loaded. When forward, pull the wire out. When pushed forward, you will see an almost round hole. Cut new wire to length, twist together, insert into hole and let go. Spring tension pinches the wire tightly. Think tail lights the same. Of course really clean the brass contacting surfaces and use some silicone dielectric grease to prevent corrosion.
George Butz III

This thread was discussed between 18/02/2021 and 20/02/2021

MG TD TF 1500 index

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