British-Cars.org

Welcome to the DMR Site for British Car Information.

Recommendations

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 Midget and Sprite General - Do I cut the red wire or the blue wire ? Tic Tic T

Okay, so its not a bomb, but it sure feels like one

On my 71 USA spec midget ... Ive had issues with the wiper arms working until I turn them off and then it blows a fuse.

Sometime back it was decided the issue was in the "Park" section ... and I could cut the park wire and it would work fine but Id have to "time" the wiper manually so it shut off at the bottom of its stroke..., Which is perfectly fine with me

So do I cut and cap the Brown with green stripe wire at the wiring block that goes into the wiper motor to make this happen ???

I have no desire to actually trace down the issue...and do a proper fix Id just like to have my wipers work without blowing a fuse each time I shut them off. and stop messing with the car for a while.

Prop
Prop

Cutting the brown/green, as you suggested, should do the trick, I think.

See this diagram...

http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/wiper4.htm
Dave O'Neill 2

Thanks Dave

Ive been studying the haynse manual wire schmatic for about 2 hours last night... and sure looked like the brown/green striped wire... but figured Id ask 1st before I cut


Prop
Prop

Call me clueless, but why not unplug it instead of cutting it.
Trevor Jessie

trevor... is that possiable?

its in a 5 wire prong clip togather elecrical block

Prop
Prop

I could just make up 4 jumper wires and connect the other 4 wires to there spades and leave the park wire un-attached.

aka a bridge from the male to female block connector
Prop

Yes, if they are spade connectors locked into the housing. Use small screwdriver to release.
Trevor Jessie

Sounds a lot like circumcision of the defenseless to me.

FRM
FR Millmore

why not find out where the short is (i'm betting it's the stalk switch) and actually fix it. I've had to time turning off the wipers because the park switch was broken, and it's not as easy as you think.
Chris Edwards

Prop - you don't have to actually cut the line, you could disconnect it - then see what happens for awhile and if it still fuses it. The other thing to look at is the whole tubing system from the motor to the wipers.

TBH I think that the whole park switch system is just designed to drive us all crazy ... ;)
rachmacb

Mission accomplished
Dave O'Neill 2

HAHAHA ... FRM, that should seriously be an electicians term for cutting wires.

You are correct I should spend the weekend tracing down the issue and fixing it, but at this point, im a little burned out esp with playing with wiring...




I guess we could put it to a vote?

Text A ...To Circumcise it

Text B ...To Fix it correctly over the next "6 Months to a YEAR."


Prop
Prop

B
Bill 1

B
Chris Edwards

Prop, I think this is one thing you really can't put off. If you cut or remove the brown wire with the green tracer I doubt if it will solve your problem, but it might. I fear that the real cause is internal to the wiper motor itself. You can try that of course, but you can't really ignore the problem as some suggest as you'll need wipers if you drive the car this spring, especially on the Missouri Endurance Rally as it usually rains for that one it seems. The other alternative would be to install a circuit breaker in that circuit so that when it blows when you turn it off it will reset and then start when you turn the wipers on the next time. However you do run some risk of burning a wire by doing that repeatedly.
B Young

Just don't drive in the rain. Problem solved!!

Bob (miss my Midget) Scottaline
Bob 76 Midget




I may have found the perfect cure to fix the problem

Homeless Blvd Fred with his window squiggy...only a buck an hour....LOL.

just have to figure out how to strap him onto the hood



Prop
Prop

Hey Prop, good idea, solves your navigator problem for the Rally at the same time. LOL
B Young

Is it just the parking switch thats Kn*ckered ?
Had a couple go - its just a plug in unit if it is faulty.

R.

richard boobier

I've just had another look at the wiring diagram.

The brown/green wire is actually live most of the time that the wipers are running, other than when they are at the bottom of the screen, passing through the park position. It isn't actually doing anything, though, as it isn't connected to anything through the switch.

This would tend to suggest that it can't actually be shorting out, or at least not all of the time.

Is it possible that the wire has come adrift at the switch (stalk switch?) and is shorting when the stalk is moved? Or could it be a high resistance connection somewhere on the brown/green wire between the motor and the switch which is causing the current draw to increase, thus blowing the fuse?

Where's that ammeter?
Dave O'Neill 2

thanks guys

Im just going to rig it so the wipers can work for now, then Ill try tracing it back to the cause at a later time.

It seems the stalk is usaully the cultpret from what ive read, Ill look into finding another at some point.

Prop
Prop

This thread was discussed between 24/03/2011 and 26/03/2011

MG Midget and Sprite General index

This thread is from the archives. Join this live forum now