Reply to: re: MGB help
Bob,
As a 74 MGB owner, I feel obligated to take a stab at your question.
Shorts, by definition, usually cause smoke, fuse popping and possible eventual
mass destruction. If you see evidence of this, I'd avoid the car. I had
occasion some years ago to try to separate the wires in a partially burned up
wiring harness on a 72 B. A very nasty experience indeed.
(BTW - There are many theories about the usefulness of smoke in Lucas
electrics. Perhaps someone will post some of these.)
It's likely that what you really have is a weak or nonfunctioning alternator
and the battery just runs down over time. I had this problem on my 74.
Rebuilt alternators are relatively inexpensive ($100 order of magnitude) if
that's the problem. You can also, I believe, usually fix them yourself (the
diodes usually go) but I'm much too lazy for this.
It's an easy thing to haul the alternator down to a shop which specializes in
these beasties to see what shape it's in. However, be prepared for "Where the
*&^&%^ did that come from?" and "We don't fix those @@&* things!" Calmly
explain that you would like it checked and will hide it in a brown paper
wrapper as you leave the shop. They should be able to tell you how much
current the alternator is capable of producing. Mine was only doing about 10
amps and I believe it needed to be something like 50.
As to tracking electrical problems, I have spent many an hour with my manuals
trying to figure out Lucas schematics. Actually it's not too bad and, in
general, I've found that the wiring is fairly logical. The colour coding is
sometimes a bit difficult to deal with. They use strange codes like Nb to mean
white wire (if I remember correctly) for example. Also, I've found that the
connectors shown on the schematics are only approximations of how they actually
wired the car so "looking for a connector with 4 blue/green wires" usually
doesn't work.
The biggest problem I have had with both of my MGs is that someone has
performed a hack-a-rama on the wiring. It gets really tough to figure out
what's real and what's a hack. I'd look in the trunk, around the fuse block in
the engine compartment and take a peek under the dash (a non trivial event) and
see if it looks like someones been seriously messing with the wiring. If
things look messy, you're probably in for some serious wire chasing.
My car is actually a 74 1/2 which is sort of a 74 engine on a 75 body. This
makes things that much more interesting since I'm never quite sure which wiring
diagram I'm supposed to be using. I may be more sensitive to wiring issues
than others on the list.
I yield to more enlighented opinions on the price.
Mark
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british-cars@encore.com
Subject: MGB help
A while back I posted about my '75 MGB (with a '72 engine) about the
cost/feasibility of rebuilding the engine. If you remember I also mentioned
that car has substantial frame and body rust that needs to be fixed.
I have decided not to fix this car. I've decided it might be better to
get one that is in better condition initially and use the car I
have as a parts car. I have found a '74 for $1600, that according to the guy
selling, it has a solid body and runs well (it has a rebuilt engine). He said
the interior is ripped out, though, and it has a short somewhere that keeps
draining the battery.
I haven't looked at this car yet and I am asking you b-c.mail.list people
for advice/opinions. The fact that the interior is ripped out doesn't bother
me, because the seats I have now are in pretty good shape as is the dash, and
according to my parts catalog they should be inter-changeable. Am I right
this? Also what should I look for when I go look at this car? What is a
reasonable price for an MGB in the above condition? I have a feeling I can
get it for less than $1600, its been advertised since November (although
that fact kind of worries me). What about the short? How hard is it to
find shorts in MGBs (I don't have much automechanic experience)?
Thanks for any and all replies.
Bob Jones
bobj@meaddata.com
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