Hi all. I'm hoping to get a little advice on how to deal with those wonderful
lucas electricals.
I've got a '76 MGB that has been very reluctant to start recently.
It all started about a week ago when we got quite a bit of rain. Unbeknownst
to me, the bridge over which i usually travel home from work was washed out by
the river. It was dark out and I drove my car into about four inches of
water at roughly 40mph: needless to say, the electrical system didn't like
this very much.
I managed to work the car out of the water, but it wouldn't stay running for
more than a few seconds under load. I think the tailpipe was under water, but
I'm not sure. Once I got it out, things seemed to be working ok until I got
home.
Ever since then, I haven't been able to start the car on the first try. It
used to start just fine before the water experience, but now I only get a
click from under the hood somewhere when I try the ignition. The strange
thing is, I can get it to turn over if I keep trying long enough. Sometimes
it takes 30 clicks before it turns over, other times it only takes a few. My
headlights dim when I engage the ignition. When the car finally turns over,
it seems to be having more trouble getting started than it used to. Banging
on the starter seemed to help once, it but doesn't work consistently.
What's worse is that my battery has died twice on me since the starting
trouble began. Normally, i have battery power (the lights and everything
work ok) but the starter refuses to engage. On these two occasions, the car
has been completely dead--no little red dashboard light, no headlights,
nothing.
I'd appreciate any advice that anyone has to give.
Thanks,
Andrew Bernard
Visix Software
|