I don't mean to insult your inteligence so I will preface this by
saying: I spent an hour trying to figure out why the brake lights on my '60 MGA
wouldn't work before I took it for my first inspection way back in 1970. The
answer came when I asked my father for help. He stepped into the garage, looked
at the car from 20 feet away and asked if I had turned on the IGNITION switch!
If that is not your problem, check the grounds. There is a black wire
for ground inside the right rear fender (wing). If your tail lights work that
is
probably not the problem...
Check the hydraulic brake light switch under the hood (bonnet). They
don't last forever. If you have 12 volts going into the switch (ignition ON)
connect the two wires at the switch together (temporarily). If the brake lights
are now on (ignition ON) the circuit is OK and the switch is bad. It is a
standard US thread, I get replacements locally. I think the original has small
screws to attach the wires, I made short jumpers to adapt to what I bought
locally. If you have 12 volts and connecting the two wires does not light the
brake lights then there may be a break in the circuit leading back to the rear
of the car. Check the bullet connectors inside the right rear fender (wing).
Sometimes just disconnecting/connecting a few times will clean them.
If memory serves (and it often doesn't lately - getting into OF
territory) the directional indicator gets it's power through the fuse box. I
think the wipers are on the same fused circuit - do they work? Pull the fuses
and clean the contacts with a small ink erasor or super fine sandpaper. I have
even seen old fuses that look OK at first glance but don't pass electricity...
My experience is with a 1600 model. Since you mention a direction
indicator relay you must have a 1500 model. Looking at the wiring diagram, it
would seem that the brake light circuit does indeed go through the relay unit.
Could that be your problem? Sorry, I don't have experience with the relay unit.
P.S. The turn signals also need the ignition switch turned on.
Good Luck, Eric
Bridgewater, MA
<ejrussell@sprynet.com>
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