[Mg-t] TF Blinkers & Brake Lights

[gunnellj at athenet.net]

Hello Again

   I am dealing with a number of issues involving brake lights and directional signals on my MG TF. 

   Let's start several years back. The directionals were not canceling when I got the car. A shop put in a brand new repro switch from the leading supplier. It didn't work. The shop sent it back and put the old switch in. 

   Then I found a man in Dayton, Ohio selling parts on eBay. He said he could fix the switches. One hour labor @ $75. I sent him the first switch and he fixed it. Worked fine. I bought a second non-functional switch on eBay and sent it to the man in Dayton and had it rebuilt for my MG TD which has no blinkers. I never installed it. 

   Last year the first rebuilt switch started working only on one side. We took it out and installed the second switch rebuilt by the man in Dayton. It did not work.  We took the first switch apart and discovered why it worked only on one side. It had a U-shaped copper contact inside and half of the "U" was broken off. We figured we could take the other switch apart and pirate its U-shaped copper contact. No dice. It was of a different design inside and did not have a U-shaped copper contact. 

   This year I found a man in Atlanta area who said he could rebuild the switches better and cheaper. I sent him the second switch. He returned it and said it was cleaned. adjusted and tested. When I put it in the car it did not work properly. The vacuum did not come off on either side. On the left, it just kept blinking away and seemed impossible to shut off unless you moved the plastic handle just right. After a 25-mile ride, I had no blinkers AND NO BRAKE LIGHTS. 

   I have now replaced the brake light switch. The first one tested bad, but the new one did not solve the problem. Still no brake lights and no blinkers. All other lights work. There is juice at the flasher mounted under the hood. I have not re-tested the new switch under the car. We have no signal light switch in the car right now. 

   There are several things I'd like to know:

1- Is it possible to get oner of the U-shaped copper contacts so I could fix that switch?

2- Any ideas on where my problems lie. 

3- Any information that would help me track down signal light how-to articles that were published in Sacred Octagon. Or a wiring diagram for a car with signal lights. 

4- At this point I'm pretty frustrated with the original Lucas vacuum switches and would just as soon rig up a neat looking aftermarket setup that works better with toggle switches, a motorcycle switch, a golf cartt switch, etc. Has anyone done this or know where I can get information on doing it in a T Series?

John Gunnell
Iola, WI