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MG TD TF 1500 - Temporary Wiring for Startup

I'm almost ready for a test start-up after a (second) TF 1500 engine rebuild. The car is a rolling chassis with no wiring harness yet. I've mounted the rebuilt temp/oil/ammeter gge to monitor engine performance and to bed the cam. For a temporary electrical hook-up I've run a hot wire (car converted to neg. ground)from the battery to the fuse block, then to the starter switch, then the + of the coil, then a wire from the -coil to the distributor side terminal. The generator will not be connected yet. A + wire will run from the ign switch to the fuel pump. I'll connect a grounding strap from the block to the battery -. Does this sound okay? thanks, Tyler
C.T. Irwin

I just did mine but had the ground +. Hooked the + side of the battery to ground. Hooked the negative side to the starter switch. Ran a wire from the hot side of the starter switch to an off/on switch which powered the fuel pump and coil. + side of the coil to the distributer. The fuel pump was mounted to frame for the ground.
Mike
Mike Hart (52 TD 16378)

You need a switch to disconnect the power going to the coil and points. If the points remain closed and the power is on for very long, the coil will overheat and burnout.
Dallas Congleton

Tyler, you don't really need the ammeter, especially if the generator isn't connected. The only wires to the starter switch should be the heavy one that goes to the starter and the heavy one that comes from the + terminal of the battery. Forget the ignition switch. Without a wiring harness you gain nothing by connecting to the fuse block. You need to connect power (+) to the fuel pump and the + terminal of the coil. A switch, as Mike suggests, would be a good thing to include. The wire from the - terminal of the coil to the distributor is necessary, as is the ground strap to the body/chassis. Do you have a ground strap from the frame to the bellhousing? Good luck. Bud
Bud Krueger (TD10855)

I used jumper cables from a Battery to my starter. I had the rotating on-off switch on the battery terminal and undid it when the car started.

I used a battery charger on a power strip (on-off strip) and connected the battery charger to the fuel pump and ignition coil. The fuel pump ran a flexible line to the gas can. I had an assistant flip the powerstrip on and off to power the coil and fuel pump.

Neither the fuel pump nor the coil were attached to the car, so I had to ground these to the battery charger and the chassis.
Dave Braun

fire extinguisher should be nearby!
George Butz

This thread was discussed between 29/09/2010 and 30/09/2010

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.