• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Ignition Switch Removal

Share this page

77_MG_Midget

77_MG_Midget

Jedi Trainee
Offline
Ok... my first question... My 77 Midget has a problem with the ignition switch. I've got a new switch, but when I removed the cover on the column, it seems the bolts that hold the 2 halves of the switch housing to the column are round on top and cannot be removed. How the heck do you get them out? I can't even figure out how the factory got them in... LOL...
 
You need to loosen the column. There are three nuts under the dash (note where the spacers are) and there are three bolts under the hood that retain the column. Then you can pull the column out enough to get to the back screws.
 
Doh, I thought you were talking about the shroud. never mind
 
LOL... no, I got the shroud off, it's the actual 2 bolts that hold the 2 halves of the switch together. The heads on the bolts are round. I have no idea how the factory would even put such a thing togther, let alone how to get it apart.
 
David from the MGBBS once wrote this about the removal:

"No, you do not need to drill out the shear bolts!
Once you have carefully lowered the inner end of the steering column (and counted the washers and memorized how many went where), you can remove the plastic bubble that protects the signal switches, etc from DPOs and see the two bolts. Take a Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel and carve a lovely slot in the end of the bolt and use a flat-bladed screw-hammer to remove it. Not a big deal at all.

It might be necessary to disconnect the steering column from the rack, but you certainly do not need to remove the three bolts where it goes through the firewall, much less remove the column entirely. It is quite possible that your problem is caused by the mechanical portion of the locking mechanism entering the steering column and that a bit of light grease here would make your life better.
David "At least it applies to LHD models" Lieb"
 
I think that the ignition sticking is a pretty common problem. With the shroud off, where exactly would you need put the grease. I can't see any way into where the locking mechanism actually is. I thought about just putting it everywhere I could find an opening but was afraid of messing up contacts in the switch itself.
JC
 
Back
Top