Electrical problem [imagine that]

[Donzi]

I have a '75 Midget 1500 with a mechanical fuel pump. It went out so I decided to try an electric pump instead. I pulled the old pump off, blocked the hole and installed the new electric pump. Well, the new pump seems to work fine, but the car won't turn over. It makes one clicking sound when you turn the key and that's it. the headlights work and don't dim when I try to start it. Just to double-check, I charged the battery up, but no change. I've taken the fuses out and checked them with a meter, they are all good. I checked the manual and it says that the ignition and the brake lights are on the same circuit. I checked the brake lights and they do NOT work. I think maybe I may have pulled something loose when I was taking the old pump off, there are a lot of wires dangling in that area, around the solenoid switch, some are not connected, look like they have never been. I also have disconnected the electric fuel pump, but that doesn't make any difference.

I've run out of ideas...

 

[SilentUnicorn]

hi
sounds like you have a loose connection. i understand from your description that you get a click out of the starter and then nothing? clean and check all connections on the starter and the solenoid. you may have loosened one of them working in that area. where did you wire the fuel pump in?

mark

 

[spritenut]

If you get a clicking sound, check your connections at the solenoid. Sometimes the starters jam up too.
Put the car in 4th gear, brake off, and rock it back and forth. It usually pops the starter. Or try turning the square shaft on the back of the starter with a wrench.
You may also have a bum solenoid. For a quick test, run an old screw driver across the 2 large terminals, be sure the key is off and the car is in neutral, and be forwarned it will make a spark and probably wreck that screwdriver. If the starter turns when you connect the 2 terminals, the solenoid is probably shot. That is if all the wires are on correctly.

 

[Donzi]

I'll give those ideas a try tomorrow, thanks guys. I wired the fuel pump directly to the fuse box, to the second fuse from the top.

 

[littlecars]

one more thing to check. the fact that the lights brake are not working.makes me think that possibly the chassis ground strap is not making good connection. I know on my Bugeye the strap is a woven wire mesh strap connecting the engine to the chassis on the bottom of the car near the starter but yours is most likly different. Good luck

 

[scruffy56501]

when i redid the wiring on my 69 midget, i had a similar problem.i couldn't get enough juice to the starter. what i found was the connections at the fuse block was causing me grief.i decroded everything,i don't even know if that's a word.ah must be. and everything works even some things i didn't know were broken

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Ditto on that ground strap. They nice thing about periodic electrical problems is that it forces you to do maintenance like cleaning battery connections and such that you often put off for too long.

 

[Donzi]

thanks again guys. Just got home from work and am going to tackle it again. I'm gonna try all your suggestions and hope one of them works. I'll post my results...

 

[Donzi]

well, the screwdriver across the solenoid terminals did the trick. Guess I'll find a new one. solenoid, that is. did put a couple of scorch marks on the screwdriver, but its still usable.


thanks guys.

 

[TypeRboy]

Check to see if you can get your selenoid apart. If you can you may be able to repair it by filing the brass connections. That will save you a selenoid... Also make sure the selenoid has a good ground...