MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MG Y Type - Push-button starter.

Sorry to flog this BBS lately, but things are moving apace, and little questions keep popping up! The beauty of posting a query in the evening here (Aus), is that friends in the Top Half can often let me have an answer by morning - so here goes: Y3348 has the push-button starter, and alas I can't find what I think is a simple rod, threaded at both ends, joining the rear of the starter switch to the bakelite button in the cabin.. It looks as though the rod (if I'm right) is about 15cm in length, and less than 1/4 inch diameter. Can anyone kindly confirm size, specs and maybe a photo from which I can scour my workspace??
Thanks as always,
John.
J P Hall

Push starter from y0974. Hope this helps
Regards Rob




Rob Snell

Perfect, thank you Rob.
On checking the archives today (as you do), I found a discussion from 2011 in which Rob King had put up a great photo of the full set of components, referring to Service # 76406B; and J Birkbeck added Lucas Model No. ST18 Type L/15.
I tracked down my "lost" connecting rod today, and after a cleanup it is installed. Interestingly, the threads on each end of the rod are UNF #12 - 28tpi.
Thanks for your photo Rob - See you in June at the Gympie 75th bash?
John.


J P Hall

something like this is in my car
tried to take a picture to explain it
also a picture of my YA

easy to rebuild and adjust




FT Franz

here is a part looking like the original

FT Franz

Well, after fixing the length of the connecting rod to get a decent pressure onto the switch, it turns out the switch internals are worn/degraded to the point where it will only operate on the bench intermittently (with a hard push) but not in situ. So I'm on the hunt for a replacement to retain originality - I see NTG have an offering - at 54 GBPounds horribly expensive; I hope to find a direct seller of reproductions to save a few pennies.
Franz' conversion looks a bit complicated to me - Franz, does the original connecting rod in your photo still operate the switch somehow by the original pushbutton? Very interested, if it does.
John.
J P Hall

Dont try shorting the terminal with a big wrench or screw driver JP - LOL. NOT RECOMMENDED!!

Paul
Paul Barrow

Hi John
yes i have the original button
and my construction is so easy to make
buy such a simple knock off switch and try it
it will cost less 10 Euro
look to my picture, take such a switch in your hand and the old parts and you understand it at once.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/274096264496?hash=item3fd1691530:g:yxUAAOSw54NdzRqT
FT Franz

Franz, thank you - I hope to buy that exact switch tomorrow and see what I can do. If I have any problem I will contact you; keeping it on this bbs enables the info to be shared!

John.
J P Hall

you will have no problems

my new projekt
a light wall stainless steel art
from my TA


will do it for YA Too


FT Franz

John
I have one of these cutout switches FT FRANZ recomends on my MG as a cutout switch--and thought it might be too strong for a push button--- so just out of interest pulled the red key out and got a piece of dowel and poked in the hole and yes, it's fairly light really and can be easily pushed in with a finger--I reckon you can make something work with one of these--

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/274096264496?hash=item3fd1691530:g:yxUAAOSw54NdzRqT
William Revit

yes it is as you have written.
and if the push button don t work
you can reach the switch with your hand and can turn it to start the car..
;-)
FT Franz

Well Franz, Willy R. et al - I bought the exact kill-switch that you described; with the key removed, it is indeed easy to operate with a stick or plunger, and I am trying to mount the switch as a temporary arrangement without enlarging the original hole in the firewall - because - I found the exact original switch at a very reasonable £30, at Holden Vintage and Classis supplies in the UK. Also, they only charge £10 postage, whereas NTG charge £25 - ridiculous.
So I will end up with the original setup, which I prefer where it's feasible. A 1949 MG saloon with pushbutton start - you have to pay extra for that these days!
Thanks all.
John.
J P Hall

Just about be worth waiting for the 'Holden' one to come, postage from UK has been pretty good lately 10-12 days to here----not worth using freight companies either-Royal Mail is cheap and hassle free-----up to 2kg = 9.90 B/pounds

willy
William Revit

ok i make the sponsoring for you
if i get a part from England it is always more then 15 Pounds ;-(

i don t like Royal air mail
it is really expensive shipping to germany
FT Franz

This has been fascinating - I have a later car with the cable pull starter switch, which of course brings its own problems...

But beware of thread identification. I say this as a bit of an engineering nerd, because the UNF standard was agreed only in 1949, which is after Y3348 was built. I don't think UNF would have appeared on then-current Morris/MG parts for some time after that, and most probably only on the emerging Austin/BMC cars of the early/mid 50s. I think it's more likely that the starter rod threads shown in the very good pics here are BSF, which was used widely for non-engine small parts for Morris. But someone else may know better...
Tim Griggs

Agree, Tim
If John's thread was 28tpi it would almost certainly be 7/32" BSF

Royal Mail- International tracked to Australia

Parcel
Max 2kg Max L 60cm x W * x D *
*L+D+W must be under 90cm
Branch from £ 12.30
Online from £ 9.90

and to Germany---you're getting ripped off FTF

Parcel
Max 2kg Max L 60cm x W * x D *
*L+D+W must be under 90cm
Branch from £ 9.90
Online from £ 8.75

William Revit

So Willy, Holden's are applying a very reasonable charge at 10 pounds. Shame about NTG - the same part for 54 pounds plus 25 pounds postage! My temporary hookup to the killswitch is only to avoid jumper leads, and to check that the full ignition circuits, ancillaries etc are all wired correctly before I button everything up properly.
The thread on my connecting rod (both ends) is 28 TPI, so BSF I assume.
Thanks for your input as usual.
John.
J P Hall

This thread was discussed between 05/03/2022 and 10/04/2022

MG MG Y Type index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MG Y Type BBS now