QuestionQUESTION: I have a 1972 MG Midget and my question is this. I have what I thought to be everything hooked up, but since the battery is dead, I jumped it off my truck. Now as soon as I hook up the jumper cables to the cables on the car, the blinkers, wipers and radio work, and when I go to start it, it clicks, and at the point where the wire from the solenoid connects to the starter, it just sparks and nothing happens. Anything advice? I've been told a short somewhere but as far as I know everything is hooked up. Now the solenoid is not grounded with a wire, just attached to the frame, so if I were to make a ground wire, what gauge should it be? thank you very much for any help.
Clint
P.S. If we could, could we talk over emails directly, and not through here? I just really want to get this car done for my daughter. I don't mean to sound weird, it just takes so long through here, but if not then here is fine. thanks again
ANSWER: Hi Clint,
First thing I learned was that you can't diagnose an electrical problem by symptoms. The ONLY way to correct an electrical problem is by testing. The tools necessary are a wiring diagram and a 12v test light and a volt meter. These tools are not expensive.
First thing is to stop fooling with a jumper battery connected to your dead battery and put a known good battery in the car. After you have done that, check the voltage of the battery at the posts (not the cable ends) (12.5+v) Then hit the starter and watch the voltmeter. If it still just goes "Click" Tell me what the voltage reading is when the key is in the start position? let me know and I will tell you the next step.
If you don't have a wiring diagram let me know and I will attach one for you to copy.
E-mail will not go quicker but actually slower. I answer these twice a day and I answer e-mail once a week.
Howard
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QUESTION: thank you so much, and I do not have a wiring diagram, so one would be much appreciated.
Clint
ANSWER: Clint, go to http://mg-tri-jag.net/72Midget1x1.jpg for the diagram and change the end to
72Midget21x1.jpg for the index.
Howard
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: So based on these diagrams, where would the starter be grounded to?since its bolted to the engine is it automatically grounded? Is the engine grounded? With my solenoid, I have 2 prongs on the hookup from the battery to the solenoid, both have wires running from them, but on the other end, the one from the solenoid to the starter that contact that is sticking out to the side has no wire attached to it. Would that be the ground for that? and also the ground for the coils, is that a wire like the battery ground, or is it grounded through the bracket it is attached to. Thank you again, and sorry for all the questions.
AnswerClint,
There are no ground wires on a starter, starter solenoid nor coil. They are all grounded through the engine and it is grounded to the body by a ground strap (cable) usually at the joint of the engine and bell housing and connects to the body close by.
On the starter solenoid there should be two large posts and one small terminal. (some models had two small terminals) One large terminal should be close to the starter motor and that should have a short flat terminal coming out of the starter motor. The other large post gets the battery cable and any plain brown wires (if any) The small terminal gets the small White w/red tracer wire.
Howard
