Both my MGBs have labels stating the engine should not run with the battery
disconnected, and they have no more electronics than tach and alt.
PaulH.
----- Original Message -----
From: Garner, Joseph P. <JPGarner@UCDavis.Edu>
To: 'Susan and John Roper' <vscjohn@huntnet.net>
Cc: MG list (E-mail) <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2000 8:48 PM
Subject: RE: moment of extreme pathos
> Indeed, words from the wise. And why? because the battery actually acts as
a
> capacitor to help smooth the voltage coming from the alternator. I
actually
> gave Bill the same warning, but he was adamant that he knew from
experience
> that this test was OK on his particular car, i don't know how or why
because
> that model does have one hell of a lot of electronics inside it. YMMV
>
> cheers
>
> Joe.
>
> ___________________________
>
> Dr. Joseph Garner
> University of California
> Department of Animal Science
> One Shields Avenue
> Davis
> CA 95616
> USA
>
> Phone: (530) 754 5291
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Susan and John Roper [mailto:vscjohn@huntnet.net]
> > Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2000 8:07 PM
> > To: Garner, Joseph P.
> > Cc: MG list (E-mail)
> > Subject: Re: moment of extreme pathos
> >
> >
> > Joe, a word of caution. Disconnecting the battery on a
> > running car with
> > electronic controls is an invitation to fried electronics. John
> >
> > Garner, Joseph P. wrote:
> >
> > > You guys will love this.
> > >
> > > One of my housemates has a 93 mustang convertible. It's his
> > prize and joy,
> > > and oh how he has scoffed at me for buying an MG "It'll
> > always break down"
> > > he says "not like my trusty mustang" he says. So anyway,
> > last week the
> > > stereo stopped working. There's poor old bill scratching his head in
> > > confusion at the labyrinth of gubbins under the hood. So
> > magnaminous as i am
> > > I help him find the fault (half-arse installed power-lead
> > got crimped
> > > against the frame and shorted the whole system out). "Be
> > careful the battery
> > > isn't too flat" says I. "It'll be fine" he says and drives
> > of jollily into
> > > the sunset. Sure enough that afternoon the car won't start
> > and he has to get
> > > a jump in the supermarket parking lot. The same things
> > happens twice more
> > > over the next few days: "Should never have bought an
> > american car", says I,
> > > "it'll always break down". Bill pulls a face. Anyway, off
> > we go to diagnose
> > > the problem and the alternator is patently shot (jump the
> > car it runs, pull
> > > the ground off the battery and it stalls). So we spend an
> > entire afternoon
> > > putting in the new alternator - the joys of the MGBs
> > spacious engine bay
> > > become blatently apparrent, even to Bill.
> > >
> > > Then, oh joy of joys, we jump start Bills 93 king-of-cars
> > mustang, with my
> > > 79B, I would have taken a photo, but unfortunately you
> > can't see which way
> > > the electricity is going! Anyway "Make sure the battery isn't too
> > > knackered", says I. "It'll be fine" says Bill, very pleased
> > at how much
> > > brighter his lights are all of a sudden.
> > >
> > > Suffice it to say that i had to go and rescue him from the
> > fast-lane hard
> > > shoulder of interstate 80 yesterday morning. So if any of
> > you whizzed past a
> > > white 79B jump-starting a 93 red mustang by the central
> > divide of the I-80
> > > between davis and sacramento yesterday rush-hour morning.
> > That was me
> > > enjoying a moment of extreme pathos as I jump started
> > bill's car (again),
> > > only this time in front of the entire commuting community.
> > Irony, upon
> > > pathos, though - how many of those people will have assumed
> > it was the B
> > > that broke down?
> > >
> > > cheers
> > >
> > > Joe
> > >
> > > ___________________________
> > >
> > > Dr. Joseph Garner
> > > University of California
> > > Department of Animal Science
> > > One Shields Avenue
> > > Davis
> > > CA 95616
> > > USA
> > >
> > > Phone: (530) 754 5291
> >
> >
> >
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