Tuesday, January 18, 2022

MGB Starter Button...

Nothing happened when the starter button was pushed, repeatedly.
It finally started after about 20 times of trying...

The car is a normal key twist start.
But, something must have been messed up with the key ignition switch, or someone decided to change the starting setup for some reason.
Now it's a button start...

Not sure if the problem is the switch, wiring, connection, or a drained battery, or an issue with the starter, or starter wiring?
I replaced the starter and the battery not too long ago.

Will start with looking at the starter button/switch.
The switch panel is held in place with two screws on either side.


The panel can be pulled back and rotated enough to get to the switch from the back without disconnecting anything.

Took off the finger nut on the front side.
There's three thick washers on the back side to space the switch back (only 2 are shown in this picture).

Two connector points so a simple spring loaded momentary contact switch inside.

The screws holding the connectors were very slightly loose so tightened them.


Looked up this switch online.
It's a very common 12V 20A switch.
Available online for less than $10...

Will order one and replace it to see if the issue is internal resistance in the switch.

There's this component/relay(?) mounted to the structure behind the switch panel.  It's pretty strange looking.  Not a typical relay...

These, mounted near the top of the structural panel (instrument panel to center tunnel) look more familiar.
The black item is a pretty standard relay (low amperage circuit controlling a higher amperage circuit) and the cylindrical item is a typical flasher unit for the turn indicators.

This looks like a diode (kind of a one way gate) going into one of the two terminals for the flasher unit.
Don't know why it's there.