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MG TD TF 1500 - grrr... engine won't start again

Very annoying... no spark today (again). One day it works reliably, the next, nothing.
Think I'll go see a movie instead.
Geoffrey M Baker

You could try this movie then....
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3893476/
Willem van der Veer

Geoff

Obviously you have something loose, the Aussie sarcasm should chip in here and suggest it is "the nut behind the wheel".


For what its worth, betcha your points have closed up.
G Evans

I'll check that. Maybe its time to replace the 30-year old coil while I'm at it...
The problem is ALWAYS the nut behind the wheel...
Geoffrey M Baker

And today I was leaning over the car trying to clean and tighten the engine ground strap when my lower back just went POP!
Sometimes, nothing works right, not the car OR the driver...
I won't be back to this for a couple of days, I think... plenty of whiskey, beer and Doan's pills.
Yes, I self-medicate.
Geoffrey M Baker

Geoff, (1) make sure the tach transmission is not shorting out the distributor. (2) I had a similar starting proplem on the MGB. After much frustration, on a whim, I swapped out the condenser. VARROOM!! Starts and runs like a champ (at least for now). Jud
J. K. Chapin

Thanks Jud I'll give that a try. With a new coil and condenser I think I will have replaced all ignition parts...
Geoffrey M Baker

OK, today I installed a new coil and condenser. (I bypassed the ballast.) It was a real pain replacing the coil, I had to remove the bracket and do some file work to get the new coil to fit in properly. To do that, I had to disassemble the horn as well. But I got it all back together - and she fired up immediately.
I turned her back off as I now need to reset the points etc; but the good news is she is running again.
Tomorrow maybe I'll reset the points and try running her for a few minutes...
A good day today, but my back is still keeping me from doing too much.
Geoffrey M Baker

Quote;
(I bypassed the ballast.)
Unquote.

My TD never had a ballast, I dont see any on any wiring diagram.

AFAIK these cars did not use them. You would need a coil designed to use a ballast resistor.

Jim B.
JA Benjamin

Jim, we covered this in an earlier thread. A PO installed a coil with a ballast resistor probably some time in the 60s. It was a CO car so they probably wanted it for cold starts. I have now removed it.
Geoffrey M Baker

Sorry I missed that.

Jim B.
JA Benjamin

Today I reset the points at TDC, put it back together and she fired up and ran smoothly. Music to my ears! A friend will come around on Monday and we will time and tune her. The carbs need adjusting (idle is too low and she will eventually conk out without gas) but apart from that she sounds wonderful...
Everything is looking very good indeed!
Geoffrey M Baker

This thread was discussed between 08/01/2016 and 13/01/2016

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