QuestionQUESTION: i hooked up car wrong pos earth for a few sec.altenator started smoking so i changed back to neg. i just got car.wont start no spark has been sitting for 20 years not sure where to start help
red ignition lights stays on except when you turn it on then it goes off what do you think this means thanks rick
ANSWER: Hi Rick,
It sounds to me like you fried the alternator or at least the regulator in the alt. The "Ign" light is not an ignition light. It is the trigger light for the alternator. When it is correct, there is no current going through the light so it should not light up with the key off. When you turn the key on the light turns on because the alternator is not charging and it is a ground for the light, thus the light comes on. When you start the engine, the alternator starts charging and becomes (+) and the dash light bulb being (+) now on both sides makes the light go out.
You now have power in the alt at the light all the time and when you turn the key to on you make both sides (+) without the engine running and that is why the light now goes out when the key is just turned on.
A 76 Midget normally has an electronic ignition system and you may or may not have fried it too.
Get the Alternator fixed first than charge the battery and see if you have spark at the plugs. If not you will need to check for power at the coil. If you have power at the coil (+) put a test light on the (-) side of the coil and spin the engine over and the test light should flicker on and off.
Howard
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QUESTION: thanks for the info i rate it 4 stars i have another ? and probably quite a few over time till i get it running as for my last ? i did not have the ignition on so hopefully wont hurt the elec.ign is there a test for that.also car had no spark before that at the plugs so i will try your other suggestion with the coil right now i have no power accept the car turns over may have fried all the fuses
my ? now is will the car start without the alternator working.and is it true that MGs are very unreliable hope not thanks again rick
AnswerYou can't fry a fuse by connecting a battery up backwards. A fuse don't care which way current is going through it.
If you have the original Lucas/Opus electronic ignition all you can do is see that the air gap is correct and that the coil has power and if it don't pulse the negative side of the coil like I told you to test, it is dead. One of the several disadvantages of electronic ignition.
If you have some other kind of electronic ignition system you need to check with that manufacture for the test procedure.
Howard
