MGB Just bought a 1966 MGB

[DrEntropy]

Or you can go with an original harness from British Wiring.

If you feel you must replace the harness, the one from British Wiring is CORRECT. Just did one a few months ago. Their's is of proper gauge wires and color codes. Only difference is the spade connectors using clear instead of gray covers. Stay with the original British color coded wiring.

If you want a true British wiring harness, I've got a spare

From an early MGB?

 

[jjroth63]

If you feel you must replace the harness, the one from British Wiring is CORRECT. Just did one a few months ago. Their's is of proper gauge wires and color codes. Only difference is the spade connectors using clear instead of gray covers. Stay with the original British color coded wiring.


From an early MGB?

What is the rough estimate of time and cost to replace the harness?

 

[jjroth63]

The dual OP/temp gauge is mechanical, an ether bulb (expanding gas) for temp and a copper pipette from engine to gauge for oil pressure. Only has an electrical connection for an illuminating bulb. All dash lights are (or should be) on red/white stripe wires. Solid red to rheostat for power, out from that to instruments.

I think that everything is connected to the dual gauge, can the gauge be bad, it does not look original, its too clean. How can I test it and or remove it?

 

[DrEntropy]

If you drove the car more than ten minutes, the temp and OP needles should have moved. To remove the gauge you would need to disconnect the fittings at the engine and pull all through the firewall and dashboard with the gauge.

 

[jjroth63]

If you drove the car more than ten minutes, the temp and OP needles should have moved. To remove the gauge you would need to disconnect the fittings at the engine and pull all through the firewall and dashboard with the gauge.

I keep driving it and the gauge is "stuck" in that position. once I disconnect it from the engine and pull it through, is the gauge serviceable or just replaceable?

 

[jjroth63]

Maybe I am wrong, I just started the car and the pressure went up to 40, I will have to check it again on my way home.

What is the button to the right of the gauge?

 

[YakkoWarner]

The way horns on the MGB work is that they DO always have 12V applied to them, the horn button (either steering wheel or on the end of the turn signal lever) is attached to the ground side, so when you press the button it grounds them and they go off.

Turn signals are kind of a Rube Goldberg routing because they are also wired up through the hazard flasher switch. There are seperate flashers for the turn indicators and the hazards, they are easy to replace and would be step 1 for me. If the hazard flasher switch is missing or broken, the turn signals likely won't work because all the wires go through it.

 

[DrEntropy]

Maybe I am wrong, I just started the car and the pressure went up to 40, I will have to check it again on my way home.

What is the button to the right of the gauge?

If the dual gauge registers, you saved about $300.00 and a LOT of aggrevation!

If you refer to that thing between the gauge and the ignition switch, it's not a button, rather some sort of indicator lamp jewel.

 

[jjroth63]

If the dual gauge registers, you saved about $300.00 and a LOT of aggrevation!

If you refer to that thing between the gauge and the ignition switch, it's not a button, rather some sort of indicator lamp jewel.

The pressure is moving between 45 and 55. The temperature seems to be stuck at 125F

The location of the jewel in the attached diagram shows the choke should be there, but I have a Weber carb, so no choke, I wonder what it was supposed to be.

 

[jjroth63]

The way horns on the MGB work is that they DO always have 12V applied to them, the horn button (either steering wheel or on the end of the turn signal lever) is attached to the ground side, so when you press the button it grounds them and they go off.

Turn signals are kind of a Rube Goldberg routing because they are also wired up through the hazard flasher switch. There are seperate flashers for the turn indicators and the hazards, they are easy to replace and would be step 1 for me. If the hazard flasher switch is missing or broken, the turn signals likely won't work because all the wires go through it.

When I removed the horn switch from the steering wheel, the wire from the switch was wrapped around the purple/ black wire inside the steering column, it was constantly grounding, that's why the horns were disconnected. I have continuity from the horn wire under the hood to the bushing that the copper wiper from the turning signal rubs against. I need help understanding where the purple/ black wire goes, I have to assume that it connects to the bushing on the column. It is too short to strip and extend to connect to the horn switch or to check conductivity.

Where does the wire from the horn switch connect to?

 

[YakkoWarner]

When I removed the horn switch from the steering wheel, the wire from the switch was wrapped around the purple/ black wire inside the steering column, it was constantly grounding, that's why the horns were disconnected. I have continuity from the horn wire under the hood to the bushing that the copper wiper from the turning signal rubs against. I need help understanding where the purple/ black wire goes, I have to assume that it connects to the bushing on the column. It is too short to strip and extend to connect to the horn switch or to check conductivity.

Where does the wire from the horn switch connect to?

I am unable to provide much guidance on that because I have one of the years where the horn button is on the end of the turn signal lever, so the wiring is different because it comes thru the sub-harness that is part of the turn signal switch.