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Classic/Antique Car Repair/52 MG TD Won't Start
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Question
Dear Sir,
I own a '52 MG TD. The last time it was driven was 2 years ago, and has been in our garage ever since. It ran great. Today I put a new battery in and it will not start. The battery is good, I had it tested. When the key is turned, the fuel pump clicks, but the starter will not engage and the head lights will not turn on. I tried to bypass the solenoid by physically connecting the positive and negative terminals with a wrench to no avail. Any ideas?
Thank You,
Craig
Sounds like a bad ground. This is a positive-ground (earth) car, BTW, so make sure you've got the battery wired in OK.
Make sure the ground strap to the frame is bolted tight and that both battery cables don't have any corrosion, and that the terminals are 100% clean. Same with the cable running to the solenoid.
These starters often jam with disuse, as does the solenoid. A sharp rap with a hammer on the starter's casing while someone pushes the button often will free it up.
Before I did any of this, though, I'd pull the spark plugs, check the gap, make sure they're clean and dry, and squirt a single squirt of light machine oil or WD-40 into each spark plug hole. Then turn the engine over a couple of turns with the hand-crank to distribute the lubricant. Re-install the plugs, check to see that the coil is getting power, and turn it over on the key.
--Paul
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Paul- You were right it was a grounding problem. After sitting for 2 years many of the grounding points were dirty. We unscrewed all the grounding bolts and scrubbed and cleaned them with a wire brush. We also discovered a grounding wire that had worn through, so we replaced it. Starts like a champ now! Thanks for your advice! Craig Beauchamp | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Paul Wilczynski
Expertise
Most questions involving vintage car restoration, mechanical and body, paint and upholstery. Parts sourcing. Extensive experience in wood-bodied station wagons, British and French cars of the '40s through '70s. Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, Sunbeam Alpine and Tiger, Citroen Maserati, VW Beetle, 1955-65 Chevrolet (especially Nomad station wagons), Corvair.
Experience
Wide-ranging and long-term. I owned a restoration shop in the 1970s, continue to dabble in vintage exotics. At one time, had a seven-car collection of contemporary exotics which I had restored and maintained myself.
When I was 18 years old, I designed a woodie kit for the VW Beetle, which I developed into a product which was featured on television and in over 100 magazines and 25 books at last count. I still own and drive one of my creations.
I owned a design and fabrication consultancy from 1982-2002, specializing in show car fabrication for manufacturers including Ford, Mazda, GM, Subaru, Mitsubishi, etc.
Since 2003, I have been a department manager in Industrial Design, and a full-time instructor in automotive design and fabrication at the university level. My students go on to design automobiles as staff designers for major auto manufacturers worldwide.
Organizations
Western Automotive Journalists, Industrial Design Society of America.
Publications
Long list of magazines and books, including Playboy, VW Trends, VW Greats, Hot VWs, and European automotive magazines.
Education/Credentials
I teach design and fabrication at university level. My education is in Industrial Design, University of Illinois (1966-1970).
Awards and Honors
Many awards for restorations in local concours and shows.
Past/Present Clients
Mazda, Ford, GM, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Honda, Toyota, Chrysler, Mercedes, Porsche.
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