Dan,
Guess I've shown my complete ignorance of automotive electrics (never my =
strong suit)! I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunities to rectify this =
situation battling the Prince now...
I guess the good thing is, that the flashers didn't totally quit, and =
the right side, (is the there something on the left side only going on?) =
kept flashing. So there's a soul in there somewhere yearning to make =
someone happy!=20
The hazard switch diagnosis makes total sense now, cuz I flipped it back =
and forth and the left signal started working again!
I forgot to mention, the owner doesn't know what a gem he had, so I =
suppose its better for the car this way, and the Breed in general! :)
Dan
----------
From: DANMAS
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 1997 9:20 PM
To: danray@bluegrass.net; mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Found My MGB!
In a message dated 97-12-23 19:55:28 EST, danray@bluegrass.net writes:
> The turn signals worked great until I checked the hazard switch, then =
they=20
> started doing funny things. I seem to remember that they work off the =
same=20
> relay, and the hazard switch probably hasn't been touched in over a =
decade!=20
Dan:
Congratulations on your new toy!
99.99% of the time, when you use the hazard flashers after they haven't =
been
used for a very long time, the turn signals will quit working. They =
don't use
the same relay (there is no relay involved in either one), but power for =
the
turn signal circuit passes through the hazard switch. Power is available =
to
the turn signals only when the hazard switch is off. Unfortunately, when =
you
turn the hazard switch on and back off again, corrosion and crud that =
has
accumulated over the years won't let the TS contacts close properly. If =
you
want to get your turn signals working temporarily till you can take the =
hazard
switch apart and clean it, just remove the two green wires from the =
hazard
switch and connect them together.
One warning, though - if you should do this, and you should ever have =
both a
turn signal and the hazard switch on at the same time, power will be =
backfed
through the turn signal switch to the ignition switch. Everything that
normally operates when the key is on will now get power - even with the =
key
off - every time the lights flash: on-off, on-off, on-off. Not a =
problem,
just something to avoid.
> The right head AND taillight didn't work, so that's probably a relay =
or=20
> connection too and not the bulbs, right?
There is no relay involved here either, and I wouldn't rule out bad =
bulbs. By
a process of elimination, you have two problems, not just one, so the =
bulbs
could very well be the problem. The headlights are connected together =
and to
the headlight switch by blue/red wires (low beams) and blue/white wires =
(hi
beams). Since the left light works, the problem is either in the wire =
between
the left and right side, the connection at the lamp itself, or a bad =
ground.
The connections at the headlight switch are good, or the left light =
wouldn't
work. The same analysis applies to the taillight. Power is from the =
headlight
switch via a red/green wire to a fuse. From the fuse, red wires feed the
taillights, parking lights, dash light dimmer, and marker lights. If all =
these
work except the right taillight, you can narrow your search considerably =
- the
problem is going to be limited to the wiring for that one lamp
Hope this has been of some help, and not excessively wordy (I do tend to =
run
on!).
Dan Masters,
Alcoa, TN
'71 TR6---------3000mile/year driver, fully restored
'71 TR6---------undergoing full restoration and Ford 5.0 V8 insertion - =
see:
http://www.sky.net/~boballen/mg/Masters/
'74 MGBGT---3000mile/year driver, original condition
'68 MGBGT---organ donor for the '74
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