John,
The starter switches aren't indestructable. My car is on its second one.
It's not clear from your email how you tested the switch, and I'm not
immediately familiar with the TD switch setup.
If you used a continuity tester with a lead on each terminal, you should
get no reading when the switch is in the normal position, and you should get
a reading (or a light) when you pull the starter button.
If you used a regular test light, you should get a constant light on one
terminal, and a light on the other terminal only when the switch is pulled.
Another way to test the switch is to cross the two terminals, if you do and
the starter actuates, you'll know the switch is bad. If it doesn't, you'll
know the problem is elsewhere.
At any rate, the starter should work regardless of the polarity change.
BTW, did you know if you push in the little pin between the two terminals
you can activate the starter switch from the engine compartment? Very
handy, but make sure it's in neutral!
Regarding the other wiring gremlins: First let me express my shock that any
British car would have electrical problems! ;-D But seriously, it's
typical, at least in my experience. (Well, with a couple MGs and a '60
Jaguar under my belt, anyway.)
It's just a matter of spending hours with a multimeter checking for proper
grounds, improper grounds, and finding all the screwy things the previous
owner did. Be suspicious of everything that's wrapped in electrical tape.
Carefully check every place the wiring goes through a body panel - that's
often the location of a worn wire that's grounding out.
Luckily, the wiring on our cars is fairly simple. I would make a photo copy
of the wiring diagram and mark my progress on it. Highlight the wires that
you have checked and that test OK. Eventually, you'll narrow it down and
you'll fix it. I have every confidence in that.
I'd be willing to bet the last mechanic that worked on the wiring was in a
hurry to get it over with. Mechanics that enjoy ferreting out electrical
problems are rare.
And the horns: Maybe I could shoot you a digital picture of where mine are.
I'll try to take a few pics tonight.
-Mike Eldred
'54 TF
>From: "Gunnell, John" <gunnellj@krause.com>
>To: <mg-t@autox.team.net>
>Subject: Stuck in the '50s Again
>Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 09:12:49 -0500
>
>Good Morning Mates
>
> Now I can't start my new TF (except via hand crank, which works fine)
>
> I'm going to sketch the scenario from start:
>
> Got car Wednesday. Jump started to move off trailer. Drove 30 miles to
>"cruise" on Wednesday night. Both headlights working on both beams. Left
>signals working, right parking lamp not working but signals OK. By the time
>I got home, right headlight high beam appeared to be burnt out.
> Thursday no problems. Disconnected tach conduit to check why not
>working. No cable. Tach drive working. Left cable loose. Car died on way to
>work Friday morning. While checking things noted battery installed negative
>ground. Reversed battery and cables. Car still dying when clutch put in.
>Turned out to be tach cable shortiung against distributor as clutch put in.
>Tach cable reconnected and problem solved.
> Friday night, disconnected right front parking light, disassembled,
>cleaned everything, checked wires, put back together. At this point the
>left parking lamp works, but blinker does not. Right blinker works, but
>parking lamp does not.
> Saturday morning car running well. Changed valve cover gasket and
>cleaned engine with Gunk and hose. Immediately started to dry off. Car ran
>OK.
> Sunday, went to take a ride. Car is totally dead. Lights work, but no
>cranking. Battery will start a '57 Buick but does nothing in the TF. Idea:
>Compare things to my TD. Note that batteries are hooked of different on
>both cars. TD has cable from battery to frame and braided cable to engine.
>TF has cable direct from battery to engine. There appears to be a braided
>cable (very greasy) far down on left side going to engine or tranny, but
>hard to see for sure and seems impossible to get at.
> Put test lamp across terminals of starter switch (manual solenoid) on
>both cars. It lights on the TD, it doesn't light on the TF. But I have
>heard that these starter switches NEVER FAIL. I have ordered a new switch
>from Moss, but won't have it for several days.
> Took off panel under fender and inspected starter cables. They all look
>good.
>
> To me it sounds like I'm dealing with two issues:
>
> #1 Something wrong in the starter circuit, most likely the switch or
>the starter itself. I'm wondering if this could have been caused by hosing
>off the engine after Gunking it or by reversing the battery to posditive
>ground on Friday morning?
>
> #2 Sounds like a bad ground from engine to frame on the other
>electrical stuff, plus a bad socket on the RH parking lamp. But I'm
>wondering if reversing the battery plays in here? After switching, should I
>have "re-polarized" the system? How do you do this on a TD/TF?
>
> I think I'm heading down the right paths, but any advice, opinions or
>personal experiences would be appreciated.
>
> By the way, in the parts I got from the previous owner was a bill for
>work done in 1984, which was only about 1,500 miles ago. The bill included
>repairs to the starter, the right-hand signal lights and removal of
>non-working horns? Which, by the way, reminds me, where and how do you hook
>up the horns on a TF?
>
>John Gunnell
>Old Cars Weekly
>Iola, WI
>
>John Gunnell
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