John Rogers wrote:
> I have an intermittent problem with my MGA. After I
> have the engine started and I turn on the headlights,
> every once in a while the engine will die (and fuel
> pump shuts down). The headlights are nice and
> bright, plenty of juice available. I can sometimes
> shut off the lights and catch it before it dies but
> sometimes not. I have to turn off the lights, turn
> the ignition off and then back on to get the fuel pump /
> ignition going again. Is a problem with the ignition
> switch, lighting switch??
'Shooting from the hip' in typical Bob Allen fashion ...
its either the lighting switch or one of the lighting
circuits fed by the switch. I'd check the lighting
circuits before replacing the switch.
Both the ignition and lighting switches are fed by an
*unfused* brown-blue wire from the control box
(regulator). The wire runs from the control box to the
ignition switch and then to the lighting switch. The coil
and fuel pump are fed by the ignition switch (via the
fuse block). So ... since the ignition and lighting
switches share the same feed, a fault in either the
lighting switch or in one of the lighting circuits would
result in a loss of power to the coil and fuel pump.
The lighting switch feeds the dip switch/headlamps,
running lamps, and rheostat/panel lights circuits ...
test each of these (by disconnecting the others from
the back of the lighting switch) ... if the problem persists
regardless of which circuits are connected then its the
switch.
Safety Fast! ... larry.g.unger@lmco.com
'61 MGA 1600 MkII
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