MG Car Repair: 1972 MG Midget (USA) ignition troubles, tick tick, starter solenoid

Question
I recently replaced the starter solenoid among some other work and hoped to drive my car on a beautiful afternoon yesterday.  I washed her (my first mistake I am guessing) and then tried to start it and it ran for a few minutes and then cut out.  Restarted it and again after a very short time it died. Got it started a 3rd time and was able to drive away only to have it shut down as I was driving.  I slipped it into neutral while driving and re-started it. A short time later it died at a stop and did not re-start.  At first it turned over (fuel pump, starter motor) all working.  Then after a few tries no click when the key turned to ignition position, fuel pump still running though. Any ideas?  Thanks for your advice in advance.  Frustrated Midge owner ('cause it was a beautiful day for a drive!)

Answer
Hi John.  Sounds like fuel starvation to me.  

The fuel pump could be lazy.  It fills the float chambers, you start the engine, and it runs.  However, once you get going it cannot pump fast enough, so you keep emptying the carburetters, after which the car stops.  You turn the key, the pump re-fills the carbs and off you go again.

Your starter problems might also be related.  If you have a weak battery or a weak dynamo, then starting the car several times could flatten the battery.  Not so much that it cannot power the fuel pump, but enough so that it cannot operate the starter any more.  In this state, it might be supplying the fuel pump with a low voltage.  

Charge the battery overnight.  Then, when you first start the car, wait till the pump stops ticking before you hit the starter.  Does the pump sound like Brrrrt tick, tick? Or is it more like chug-a chug-a chug-a?  If the latter, then I would clean the points inside the lid of the fuel pump.  If the points are badly burnt, you may need a new set of points, or possibly a replacement fuel pump.

If you have an inline fuel filter, fit a new one.  If there is no filter, fit one.

Finally, get the battery checked out with a load tester.  (simple DIY version:  turn on the headlamps, turn the starter, do the headlamps go out?)