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MG MG Y Type - Indicator wiriny

Gertie came with Morris Minor indicators held onto the wings with self-tapping screws and operated by a toggle switch in the centre of the dashboard (which has now been replaced by the heater fan rheostat control). The wiring to the toggle switch and flasher units form part of the existing loom, which had been replaced before I owned her.
I'm taking off the front indicator lamps and fitting the twin bulb sidelight 1130 units from SVC. The rear will be altered in time to a lamp holding steel fabrication as in the YT one day (some day, never).
I shall operate the indicators from the original clockwork mechanism in the steering wheel. I shall operate the trafficators from a separate on-off-on switch. I have two new flasher units at hand.
Would some kind soul be able to give me some tips regarding the wiring pattern that I'd be best to adopt please?
A J R Felthouse

Have you looked on https://www.mg-cars.org.uk/imgytr/hints&tips.shtml yet Tony?

Look for Fitting Flashing Turn Signals with Trafficators on the index grid.

The answer to many questions are on www.mgytypes.org :)

Paul
Paul Barrow

Paul's wiring circuit is excellent and illustrates the ease with which operating trafficators can be retained when fitting flashing indicators. As I am in the middle of this I would like to add a few practical points. Firstly many existing diagrams eliminate the trafficators as operating units as they don't want to get into the added complication of adding the extra wiring. Indeed the autosparks wiring loom which i have used, which has the extra wiring for flashers, requires an expensive extra "relay kit" to enable both circuits. As i don't believe in spending unnecessary money i avoided this but am puzzled as to how this extra relay unit would work anyway as the one I have is setup for a single flasher unit mounted under the dash. Paul's diagram shows the required two flasher units which are needed to avoid the trafficators going up and down as the lights flash. Also in order to avoid some unsightly wiring to mount them under the dash the two flasher units are, in my opinion, better being mounted somewhere under the bonnet, perhaps down near the slip ring unit. I may change my mind on this in the next week when I come to actually do it! I have added an extra degree of complication as I don't trust my slip ring unit which was broken when I removed it. Although it appears to have glued OK I don't expect it to last so I have added separate horn and indicator switches on an supplementary panel under the dash which I have managed to wire in such that both systems will work in parallel. Maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment. I will not bore you with how I managed this with minimal extra wiring as I am sure few will want to go down this path.

regards
Ian
ian thomson

Thank you Ian for your complement.

I would not recommend putting the flasher units by the slip rings as it is too close to the heat from the exhaust manifold which may lead to premature failure of the relay in the flasher unit but that is up to you.

Best wishes

Paul
Paul Barrow

Hi Ian
Thank you for those interesting comments, which sets me thinking about Gertie, as so far both the horn push units in the shed have so far proved duds. I've tried stripping down and cleaning contacts, but no joy so far.
I like the idea of separate indicator and horn switches in parallel. Are you bringing the supply wires up form the autosparks loom? or form under the bonnet?
A J R Felthouse

The "extra" wiring for the supplementary panel comes from neither the underdash wiring proper nor had I to bring extra wires up from under the bonnet. As I was installing a new Autosparks loom I ordered it with the supplementary wiring to bypass the steering mechanism already fitted but I opted not to order the extra "relay module" to enable both the flashers, which I intended to install in the existing front and rear light units, and the existing semaphores to operate at the same time. The consensus of opinion both from the Autosparks literature and elsewhere is that this is not possible though Paul's Autosparks diagram suggests that they are being rather disingenuous here. Indeed most things I read were, to say the least, confusing but as I have spent my life "fiddling" with wiring I knew that nothing is impossible. The problem, as ever, is how to run the wiring neatly. I was expecting to need more extra wiring than I eventually did, but got away in the end with having to run only one, for the flasher "tell tale" on the supplementary underdash panel. Indeed if I had decided to do without this I would have saved one wire. I have to point our here, for the pedants, that although the law, arguably, requires this I also installed a buzzer under the dash. The use of this Autosparks loom would have been helped if they had actually included the diagram Paul posted, or indeed any, but it was quite straightforward once I had got my head round it and realised that the loom I had was setup for a single underdash flasher unit which would need it's wiring bypassed with a link. The use of the two systems, flasher and semaphore, requires the use of two flasher units(or relays as some call them, with the indicator switch being positioned before rather than after the flasher unit(s) electrically. I hope anyone reading this is following me but it is easier than it sounds especially when you have the dash on the kitchen table as I had.
regards
Ian Thomson
ian thomson

Well, good luck chap, as I foresee that I am going to be in the same boat myself vis-a-vis having the dashboard out and on the kitchen table, as I have a problem that will require a discorger: the engine keeps running when I turn the ignition off at the key. Detaching the earth on the battery stops it, thank God
Now CR Tyrrell in Canada said that it might be dodgy fuses, but I feel that I might have cocked up the wiring.
What could be the problem?
Here is a Gordian Knot for the mighty to untie.
A J R Felthouse

Hi I have just had a look at the wiring on the ignition, it looks you have a back feed on that ignition fuse try removing the fuse to see if it fixes the problem?It should run if wire correctly. Have you had the wires out of terminal A3 and A4 on the regulator? Is the ignition switch wired as per diagram GOOD LUCK AND STAY SAFE Bob
Bob Wood

Thanks Bob, I'll have another look at the fuses. I really took my time over rewiring the dash and checked it 3 times afterwards, but it might have to come off if the fuse trick doesn't work
I have had the screw out of A3, to add a heater and map light feed, but no A3 wires were disturbed.
A J R Felthouse

Hi Just a note to say by the diagram A3 is a ignition feed but it is not fuse protected but A4 is. If you use A4 you would need a higher amp fuse. BOB
Bob Wood

This is the sort of problem where a multimeter comes into its own, or at a pinch a 12volt bulb with two connector wires with crocodile clips on them. What you are looking for is 12volts on the distributor when the ignition is off. If you find this it is a matter of chasing it back to behind the dash via the coil to find out where it comes from. disconnect the wiring to each terminal as you come to it in order to determine which lead is the guilty party. Of course a wiring diagram and a modicum of knowledge about how to follow it helps. Having correct colour marked wires makes things much easier. You should very quickly find yourself staring at the ignition switch terminals and wondering whether it is the culprit. I hope I have not patronised anybody. Good luck.
Ian Thomson
ian thomson

Thanks Ian
I shall use your tracing back method; I'm pretty sure that I must have wired up the ignition wrongly somehow, but I will check the fuses too
A J R Felthouse

This thread was discussed between 04/04/2020 and 23/04/2020

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