MG Car Repair: Problem, starter solenoid, starter problem

Question
I have a mg midget 1977 and sometime  my mg turn and turn and  don't start, and sometime just a clic and he start.I put a new coil &a new resistance. My mg have a electronic emission.and he's work good.I have a new fuel pump and she's not a gaz problem.

Answer
Hi Michel,

Don't replace any more parts until you do some tests and find out what is wrong.

You must have the car in a failed mode to do the tests. If the starter spins the engine and it don't start, you need to put a timing light on the coil wire (not a plug wire) and hold the trigger down when you spin the engine and watch the flash of the timing light. If it flashes very fast then it tells you that the distributor and coil are doing what they are suppose to do. Then move the timing light pick up to a plug wire and spin the engine again and if it flashes the cap and rotor are ok and that plug wire.

If it just goes "Click" when you try to start it, put a 12v test light on the second large post on the starter solenoid. (the first post is battery) Then turn the key to start and if it just clicks and the test light lights up, you have a starter problem. If it goes "Click" and the light didn't light up it is a bad solenoid.

Howard