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MG MGB Technical - starter problems

Hi I have had my engine and trans out to fit a new clutch, now having put it all back in I am having trouble, when I turn the key I just get a click, I have cleaned and checked all connections (I think) one thing I did do which maybe wasn't such a good idea was connect the two studs on the solenoid thinking maybe I missed something when reassembling (didn't photograph the starter...silly) and when I reconnected the battery there was quite a display of sparks and the starter span the engine without the ingnition on! Any ideas? Please excuse me I am but a novice really but learning as I go still can't believe I managed to get the engine out and back in!!!
Cheers, Graham
G Morriss

P.s I've noticed my wiper don't work either, maybe related???
G Morriss

Graham,
Could you tell us what car/age you have and the voltage of the battery (the clicking sounds like a low battery)
R Walker

Of course, it's a 79 BGT, I've got it on charge as we speak, my multimeter has given up the ghost but I'm pretty sure it's fully charged, the ignition light does not dim at all.
I'll try and borrow a meter and report back
G Morriss

UPDATE I've just tried it again and it turned over! albeit slowly and with a whisp of smoke which is a trifle worrying, I've put the battery back on charge and will commence battle tomorrow (still no wipers)
G Morriss

It's cold in Lancashire so the battery may well be the starter prob. So far as I can see, the wiper motor takes a feed from the third (from top) fuse - try your indicators - if they don't work, you know where the prob is. (The fusebox contacts often corrode - it's sensible to clean them up from time to time). If that doesn't work, tell us if your windscreen washer motor starts.
R Walker

Did you remember to put the earth braid back on the front engine mount?
Allan Reeling

If you shorted the two studs on the solenoid, then reconnected the battery, and the engine spun then that shows everything is OK *apart from* the solenoid. If it spun over smartly that also shows the battery and its connections and the engine earth strap are OK.

A click could be coming from the starter relay by the fusebox, or it could be a clonk from the solenoid lower down. If the click then it could be the relay failing to send the voltage on to the solenoid, or the solenoid failing to operate when it receives it. If a clonk then it's the solenoid contacts failing to send the battery voltage on to the motor brushes.

But then slow cranking, and smoke, does sound like the gearbox (not engine) earth strap not having been attached properly, starter current is trying to flow through things like the accelerator, choke and heater cables. This is the most likely given the engine and gearbox has been out. The strap goes from the gearbox casing to the removable crossmember, i.e. bypassing the rubber mounts.

And no it's nothing to do with the wipers not working, if that's all that doesn't work.
PaulH Solihull

Ok thanks for the responses, I've checked the earth strap and fabricated another one for good measure the battery has had a good old charge and we're now cranking properly with no smoke, now to work out why theres no spark!! oh and those pesky wipers.
G Morriss

This thread was discussed between 11/02/2012 and 12/02/2012

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