This afternoon I saw a 1980 MGB in a parking lot. Its owner was busily
applying bright yellow dry-chem fire extinguisher powder to the
alternator and wiring harness. Once he disconnected a battery cable,
smoke cleared and he had a moment to talk. Apparently he changed the oil
oil and filter in the NAPA parking lot , after which he attempted to
start the engine. It appeared to me that the connector to the
alternator had become loose, as copper wire was in contact with the
recently-shiny NAPA oil filter. It looks like the large wires (10 or 12
ga) to alternator and starter are burned as far as they are visible, and
some smaller ones are burned and melted together too. He made
arrangements to have the car taken home on a flatbed and I gave him a
lift home in my truck.
The owner just bought the car a week ago. It has been unused for four
or five years. He has a Haynes and a Moss catalogue, but no toolkit and
no previous MG experience. I suggested he get a red-cover Bentley manual
immediately, and start attempting to discover the extent of the wiring
mess.
Is the entire harness likely to be destined for copper recycling now?
What can we compile as a page of advice for the poor fellow?
Bob
Guilford CT
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