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Post by dave1800 on Nov 1, 2024 0:17:55 GMT
Have you checked the engine earth strap connections?
David
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Post by 1800heap on Nov 1, 2024 8:13:42 GMT
Hi Shelley, My apologies you did indeed say you tried that! Your results suggest that the solenoid itself is the problem, correct. It is worth checking the ground is good before replacing it. To many cooks I should have stayed out of it!  Nick Hello Nick, many thanks for your welcome and thank you for your diagnostic suggestion which, as you may see from my earlier postings, I've tried already. Unless I'm missing something here (entirely possible I'm afraid) I reckon I'm looking at a faulty solenoid, brand new though it may be. Shelley.
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Post by shelley on Nov 1, 2024 8:23:59 GMT
Thanks again David and Nick; I haven't thought to check the earth connections as I'm essentially dealing with a brand new car and I've assumed (there's that weasel word again!) that all is well in that department but I'll certainly go ahead and check them now.
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Post by shelley on Nov 11, 2024 16:56:23 GMT
Hello again. I'm delighted to be able to report that I've at last succeeded in my efforts to get Muddy to start with the ignition key. After all the diagnostic investigation into the car's continued failure to do so, detailed in the above postings, I had effectively run out of ideas and was getting close to calling in the cavalry in the form of an auto electrician. However, being a great believer in the wisdom of crowds and specifically the Youtube crowds, I started trawling through the many contributors dealing with the subject of solenoid problems and happened across
Exactly as Taryl suggests, I got myself a cheap three-pole solenoid, wired it into the existing set-up and, as Taryl frequently says, "There's your dinner!" |
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Post by 1800heap on Nov 11, 2024 21:30:03 GMT
"I dunno how it works. Must be like that there Space Shuttle!" Wow there's a bush mechanic, how funny! 😁
Interesting implications though.
Nick
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Post by Penguin45 on Nov 12, 2024 0:37:58 GMT
Clever. Universal heavy duty solenoid and bypass the one on the starter. I suppose it's obvious really.
Chris.
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Post by dave1800 on Nov 12, 2024 7:24:00 GMT
The only issue I can see is that it is still possible to keep power to the starter once the engine has started and thrown the pinion back if you leave the key in the start position. Need to make sure the bypass solenoid has a really good ground.
Maybe worth trying to spray contact cleaner onto the switch contact disc at the rear(internal) of the original solenoid if it's possible in case it has become contaminated with oil etc. David Clever. Universal heavy duty solenoid and bypass the one on the starter. I suppose it's obvious really. Chris. |
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Post by shelley on Nov 12, 2024 8:47:36 GMT
Chris, the additional solenoid doesn't actually bypass the one on the starter, it powers it up, the same as the old screwdriver across the solenoid terminals trick which I'd already found to work.
David, your reference to "if you leave the key in the start position" rather baffled me; surely the inbuilt spring loading in the ignition switch precludes any possibility of this happening.
Shelley.
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Post by dave1800 on Nov 12, 2024 10:00:19 GMT
Didn't mean to baffle you . I meant if you should inadertently hold the switch in the start position rather than let it go and return under its own spring action. David ...... David, your reference to "if you leave the key in the start position" rather baffled me; surely the inbuilt spring loading in the ignition switch precludes any possibility of this happening. Shelley.
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Post by shelley on Nov 12, 2024 12:02:27 GMT
Er, still a bit baffled I'm afraid (to be fair, I do spend much of my life in a state of bewilderment  ); wouldn't that caveat apply equally with the existing solenoid/starter set up too? |
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Post by dave1800 on Nov 13, 2024 0:54:36 GMT
Don't worry it gets worse as you get older but then you forget why you are baffled. Unless I am missing something, the new set up by-passes the disc (ie switch) in the solenoid that feeds power to the main starter motor windings. When the pinion is thrown out by the engine starting it opens this switch removing power to the starter motor. With the add on by-pass solenoid this function is absent. David Er, still a bit baffled I'm afraid (to be fair, I do spend much of my life in a state of bewilderment ); wouldn't that caveat apply equally with the existing solenoid/starter set up too? |
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Post by shelley on Nov 13, 2024 8:27:37 GMT
"...the new set up by-passes the disc (ie switch) in the solenoid that feeds power to the main starter motor windings."
I don't think this can be right David as all the additional solenoid does is to provide a direct connection between the trigger terminal and the battery-fed terminal on the existing solenoid which then operates in the normal way; there is no direct connection between the extra solenoid and the starter motor itself.
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Post by dave1800 on Nov 13, 2024 9:31:44 GMT
As I understand the wiring from the video, the heavy duty battery feed is now fed to one of the large power terminals on the new solenoid. The other power terminal on the new solenoid is connected to both the original heavy duty battery connection on the starter AND the smaller trigger terminal that was originally connected to the ignition switch ie by-passing the disc switch but still allowing the solenoid to operate to engage the pinion. The ignition switch is now connected to the trigger terminal on the new solenoid. Am I right!!!?? "...the new set up by-passes the disc (ie switch) in the solenoid that feeds power to the main starter motor windings." I don't think this can be right David as all the additional solenoid does is to provide a direct connection between the trigger terminal and the battery-fed terminal on the existing solenoid which then operates in the normal way; there is no direct connection between the extra solenoid and the starter motor itself.
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Post by shelley on Nov 13, 2024 12:45:34 GMT
Well, your understanding of the wiring set-up is spot on so, presumably, your concern regarding the possibility of overlong use of the starter motor itself is soundly based. I have to admit that I was completely unaware of the inbuilt protection against this in the stock solenoid/starter set-up that "When the pinion is thrown out by the engine starting it opens this switch removing power to the starter motor." highlights. Everyday's a schoolday, as they say. |
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Post by shelley on Nov 14, 2024 20:47:52 GMT
Hello again chums; this time it's calipers, pistons and seals. I've stripped down the sticking nearside caliper, the outer half of which was medievally stuck and took an immense amount of persuasion for the piston to emerge. Unsurprisingly it was pretty comprehensively gummed up but has cleaned up OK (see photos below). Now, a couple of problems.
Firstly the inner, less stuck of the two pistons, now slides comfortably enough into the caliper but, even after a thorough clean and polish, I cannot push the outer one home by hand and I'm reluctant to do so with a G clamp or similar as I'm fearful of ending up back at square one with a sticking piston. My feeling is that, off the car, with a light smear of silicone grease on the piston, it should slide into the caliper with reasonable hand pressure. Am I right?
Secondly, the fitting of dust seals. The 1800 manuals show brake pistons with a groove machined into the outside face, just shy of where they impact the brake pads, into which the seals fit but, as you can see, there are no such grooves in mine which, I think may actually be MGB pistons. However, I see from MGB sites that the calipers on those cars have a recess machined into them to accommodate the dust covers which are in any case a different shape from 1800 ones, being very similar in appearance to the piston seals that go in the recessed grooves down inside the calipers themselves. Any thoughts on all of this? ![]() Attachments:
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); wouldn't that caveat apply equally with the existing solenoid/starter set up too?
