In a message dated 5/10/99 9:02:38 AM Eastern Daylight Time, CraigS@iewc.com
writes:
> Engine runs, gauges on main dash work, I have NO lights in back or front.
Craig,
When you say "NO" lights, I assume you are talking about headlights, marker
lights, tail lights, and license plate lights, but NOT talking about back up
lights, brake lights or turn signal lights?
If that is correct, your problem is in either the headlight switch or the
main feed wire (brown) to the headlight switch. I don't know what year your
car is, so I can only give a generic answer, but there should be three wires,
or three groups of wires, on your main headlight switch. One of them will be
brown, or brown with a colored stripe. This is the main feed wire. With a
voltmeter or a test light, look for voltage on this wire -- it should be hot
at all times, key on or not. If you have power here, the switch is bad
(assuming all of the wires are actually connected); if not, there is a break
in the feed wire. Of course, it is posible that you have more than one
problem. To confirm for sure that the switch is the only problem remove the
other wires from the light switch and touch them to the brown wire. If the
lights come on, then the switch is indeed the culprit.
> The solenoid is giving me a little trouble but I don't know if it is
> related.
> The solenoid when cranking won't stop after the engine fires. I have to
> turn the ignition off and then back on quickly for it not to continue to
> run. On occasions it will start the starter again and I have to go through
> the process again.
My guess is that it's your ignition switch that's acting up. To find out, rig
up a test light to monitor it. Connect one side of the light to the white
wire with the red stripe coming out of the ignition switch, and the other
side to ground. The light should come on when you have the key in the "start"
position, and go out when you release it. If it stays on when the starter
sticks, and comes on when it re-engages, your switch is the problem. If not,
then the solenoid is the problem.
> By the way, there is a yellow wire hanging down near the ignition key area
> with a ring terminal on it connected to nothing.
> Also a black wire grouped together with a like wire plugged into a wire
> leading to the ignition key box.
I'll have to let someone who knows something answer these two.
Dan Masters,
Alcoa, TN
'71 TR6---------3000mile/year driver, fully restored
'71 TR6---------undergoing full restoration and Ford 5.0 V8 insertion - see:
http://members.aol.com/danmas/
'74 MGBGT---3000mile/year driver, original condition - slated for a V8 soon
'68 MGBGT---organ donor for the '74
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