Seems on cars of my youth, in cold climes, parking brake freezing was a
constant problem. We quickly learned it was better to avoid using the
parking brake where possible - which is most times and places - unless you
live in San Francisco or Duluth. To this day, I leave the car in reverse -
using the parking brake only while starting the car. No this is not a fix
- but it may explain why my '76 has yet to do this. ((There I go - tempting
fate again...))
Allen B...
>From: douglas wilson <dfwilson@netcom.ca>
>
>List, Rare MGB problem. On 75/76 MGBs there are diodes on the right side
>footwell panel. They regulate current from the starter/parking brake light
>switch.If a diode fails when you put the parking brake on the starter can
>engage even though the ignition is off. Weird problem that occurred on my
>76B. I read the tech description on the Sacremento MG Car Club web page.
>For your info. Cut off switch a good idea if you remember to use it all
>the time.Doug 76B.
>
>----------
>From: Bob Howard
>Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2000 7:23 AM
>To: mgs4dave@warwick.net
>Cc: mgs@autox.team.net
>Subject: Re: Battery Size info / battery cutoff switch
>
>Dave,
> I am a believer in the cut off switch too, having one in my TD and one
>in my MGB-GT. Not only for the reduction in the chance of electrical
>misfortune, but simply for the convienience, are they great.
> A week ago Friday, I got a call from a club member whose '76 is her
>daily driver. She took it from work to get lunch for the staff, returned
>to the office and parked it. Later, some of the staff were laughing about
>her parking her B in a snowbank. Seems that she left the car in gear,
>starter chose to engage, and powered the car across a parking lot, up a
>curbing, and into the bank where it stopped and the starter turned the
>drivetrain until battery and starter died.
> They still haven't figured out exactly why this happened. As I
>understand it, the wires running up from solenoid to relay and to the
>distribution junction were both fried. Who knows--could have been
>ice/snow abrasion or build up, something run over on the road--just no
>real way to tell.
> However, had a $25 switch been in the car, this could not have happened
>to an unattended vehicle, and a minor problem could have been much more
>serious.
>Bob
>
>
>On Sat, 05 Feb 2000 11:53:22 +0000 Dave Houser <mgs4dave@warwick.net>
>writes:
>> With all this talk about batteries and box sizes, I hope everyone
>> replacing their batteries also installs a battery cut-off switch
>> there
>> too! For safety's sake, it's a lot easier to throw a switch than
>> trying
>> to unscrew those five dzus fasteners or watch the flames go ever
>> higher.
>> I put em on all my MGs and I'm resting a little easier.
>> Cheers,
>> Dave Houser
>
******************************************
Allen H. Bachelder =iii=<
Sinking Creek Home for Wayward MGs
49 YT, 57 ZB, 58 ZB, 65 B, 67 BGT, 73 B, 73BGT, 76 B, &...
New Castle, VA 24127
USA
540/544-7333
******************************************
|