Strange thing is that all the lights circuits are fused - green fuse for
stop, reverse and turn, top two fuses in the 4-way block independantly
fusing each side of the car for the tail, side-marker and number-plate
lights. The only circuit using that harness that isn't fused is the ground
for the fuel pump and any fault in that would have cooked the white as well.
I would investigate the fusing.
PaulH.
----- Original Message -----
From: Rick Huber <rickhuber1@home.com>
To: <mgs@autox.team.net>; Andrew Huber <AFHuber@aol.com>
Sent: Monday, June 19, 2000 11:53 AM
Subject: Prince of Darkness strikes Brake Lights
> Hi All,
>
> When the policeman stopped behind me and hollered that my brake lights in
my
> 75 MGB weren't working, I thought, yea, one of those connectors has come
> loose in the trunk again, no problem. Boy was I surprised !
>
> When I started digging in the boot, I found about one foot of burnt /
melted
> wires between the spare tire covering carpet and the back wall of the
boot.
> It's the harness between where the ground wires come out on the right hand
> side and where the wires to the left hand license plate light come out of
> the harness. It looks like the worst burned/melted wire is the red wire
> that supplies power across the back of the boot, but I'm thinking that
> another wire shorted it and caused the extra heat. The worst is around
the
> harness where the license plate light take off is, where a red wire loop
and
> a connector are located. The connector is melted as is the insulation
cover
> over the red wire supplying power to the license plate light. Four or
five
> other wires are also burned through and the metal wires are exposed,
> including the green with purple stripe wire that powers the brake lights.
> I'm lucky it didn't start a fire with the boot carpet.
>
> The funny thing is that all the other rear lights continue to work - back
> up, running lights, license plate lights, turn signals - only the brake
> lights don't work.
>
> First time in 23 years driving MG's to have a wiring harness burn up - I
> guess I was due. So now I guess the thing to do is to unravel the burned
/
> melted mess, replace each wire one by one, and then try it all again. I'm
a
> bit leary about putting power back through the system without identifying
> the cause of the short. Is it foolish to believe that two wires have
chafed
> and shorted together, or should I look hard to make sure there's not still
a
> short that will cause the new wires to do the same thing ?
>
> Safety Fast,
>
> Rick Huber
> 75 V8 MGB
> 65 MGB undergoing lengthy restoration
>
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