Well MGers... Bill wins the prize. I think (hope) I found the problem.
As it turns out, one of my batteries was not seated all the way down in the
compartment. I guess over time it tilted forward and the positive terminal
grounded out on the battery cover. I only discovered this because I was
working on it last night and I left the cover off. When I came out to work on
it some more tonight, I turned the key and it fired right up.
Before I get excited, would grounding one of the positive terminals on the
battery cover cause the batteries to act as if they are completely dead? I
know better than to jump to conclusions so I want to get some confirmation
from the list.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-mgs@autox.team.net On Behalf Of tallen
Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 1997 7:38 PM
To: Bill Schooler
Cc: PHILIPPE TUSLER; MGS@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: No start, Alternator?
Quick story:
In the middle of no where on top of a mountain, the "road" is big rocks,
and I'm takin' it kinda easy in my '71 B. Bigger rocks, car dies
immediately. Coast like 5 miles to my friends house where we started.
Call my dad and he comes over to jump me. Go to hook onto battery: no (+)
terminal or post, missing, GONE! The battery had jumped (there was no
hold down) and grounded out against the top of the battery compartment.
Anyway, we jumped the car (to this day I don't know why we couldn't push
start it) and I drove it home with NO BATTERY! So, I hate to disagree
with a fellow list member but... been there, done that.
Tom, '60 MGA 1600
On Tue, 24 Jun 1997, Bill Schooler wrote:
> PHILIPPE TUSLER wrote:
> >
> > >When you jump start your car you are bypassing the cable that connects
> > your two 6 volt batteries together. If this wire was "open" there would
> > be no path for the current to flow from your batteries and your
> > alternator would not be able to charge. Take a close look, I'll bet you
> > <find it open.
> >
> > My vote goes for this, too. I'll bet that set-up mechanic #1
disconnected
> > the battery cable under the seat and that close-up mechanic #2 had no idea
> > where the batteries were, or looked at 6v battery number 2 and didn't
> > notice that the cable to battery number 1 was disconnected OR
> > In installing the muffler they touched, moved or broke the battery
> > ground strap, not even thinking that the batteries were back there.
> >
> > Let us know what it turns out to be....
> >
> > ************************************************************************>
*Philippe Tusler - Mission Viejo, CA | "MILOU" '57 MGA Roadster *
> > *A-Mail: <TUSLER@MP050> | "TINTIN" '66 MG/MGB-GT *
> > *InterNet: TUSLER@MP050.MV.unisys.com | "N/A" '88 ISUZU Trooper*
> > ************************************************************************
> Only one problem here. Don't believe you car will run without a battery
> in the electrical circuit. If there's an open in the battery-battery
> connection, I suspect the engine would die as soon as you disconnected
> the battery being used to jump start the car. Now, if you had a magneto,
> that's a different story....
>
> BTW, please correct me if I'm wrong here (as if this list needs an
> invitation like that!)
>
> --
> *Bill Schooler *Check the MGCC Wash DC Centre Web Page
> *Woodbridge, VA *http://members.aol.com/mgccwdcc/
> *schooler@erols.com *Editor of The Spark
> *69 B/GT, 53 TD *Web Page Coordinator
>
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