MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - Tail Light Ground

Just replaced the ignition switch and corrected wiring e.g there was a second wire from Control Box A1 direct to light switch instead of looping from ignition switch. On checking all was well (should have done this first) I discovered intermittent tail- and brake light on RHS. The car is a 1500 but PO fitted 1600 tail-lights and separate flasher minus the standard 1500 relay. Having removed the tail-light lens I see various attempts at grounding the L540 reflector, there is old solder on the top right up-stand but the ground was actually via the securing screw shown in the image using a dodgy looking ground wire. The top right up-stand appears to sit on an isolating nylon base but is clearly riveted to the base plate. I see an extra connector position below and to the right of the bulb so where should I correctly ground and should there be two ground wires?

Cheers Kevin


K Garner

Kevin, Do you think that your PO has added the two AMP connector ground connections himself because there aren't any on my rear L549 base units. Neither are there any on the two old Lucas spares I have. On mine (1600) there are three black wires entering each unit. One of the three has a ring connector and is fitted under the top fixing screw. The other two I have soldered together into a bullet and this bullet fits into the bottom right connector which you haven't marked on your picture.

Perhaps your bottom right bullet connector was not making a good contact and this is why the AMP connectors were added?......................Mike
m.j. moore

The ground connection is the one to the right of the buld, low down.
Art Pearse

Guys thanks for your response, Mike the two up-rights or the AMP Connectors as you describe look as if they were meant to be there and are repeated on the LHS lamp. In my arrangement which is a 1500 to 1600 conversion I only have the one ground wire on each lamp and certainly the one on the problem side looks as if its seen better days. I have had the lamp off the car and tested the connections on the bench including the connector adjacent to the bulb that you both point out and that appears to be working well so after cleaning all the ground points in that area I will try that connection. In case I need to run a new ground wire to the lamp I may need to remove the single flasher lamp to give me extra access do these simply pull/twist off as I cant see any form of fixing.

Cheers Kevin

Newport, Shropshire.
K Garner

The flasher light glass is retained only by the rubber lip, which hold the rim over the glass. Just wrestle it off, or use a screwdriver blade to peel back the lip of the rubber.
Art Pearse

Thanks for the help guys, as suspected the issue of tail and brake lights on/off was down to a poor ground, not surprising given the state of the terminal used on the inner rear wing - see photo. Mike I think you may have been correct about the up-rights, now that I've had a better look they seem to have been pop riveted into place. I used the bottom right bullet connection as advised.


Cheers Kevin

K Garner

Kevin, which bolt on the rear wing does that ground connect?
Art Pearse

Hi Art, rather than describe the location I've attached a picture, this is where the ground wire was located. Im tackling some strange wiring on the car so not sure if this is the correct original location - Im sure others will know. There are two wires shown as I added in an extra ground wire.


Kevin

K Garner

This thread was discussed between 09/06/2013 and 17/06/2013

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGA BBS now