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MG TD TF 1500 - High Beam Indicator Lamp TD15470

Hey All,

Today I was wiring my instrument panel, and identifying all the connections of my custom built harness. When I'm done, I'll have a dash mounted dimmer; turnsignals with the relay and flasher on the interior of the firewall; and a remote mounted buzzer to alert me of my turnsignals on TD15470.

I was surprised to see that the harness didn't include wiring for the "Main Beam" Indicator in my dished dash. I don't have a socket for the indicator as well. I recalled reading last week that the Main Beam Indicator was added at TD17548, which explains why my tachometer and speedometer were two different colors in as much as I have the last Speedometer version, rather than the middle one.

Dave Dubois has noted in the archives that you can add an LED to the instrument with a resistor. Moss calls out a bulb and socket which I beleive is more common to the TF (161-918) with a specific indication in their catalog that the TD uses only one. Is this the Main Beam Indicator socket? Which way would you go, LED or Light Socket?

On the plus side, the rebuilt rheostat and the freshly soldered sockets in the newly painted instruments is so much brighter, even in daylight, then I ever experienced at night in my unrestored car!

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

I took apart and cleaned the rheostat when I was working on the car two years ago and got a bit more dash light, but still not a whole lot... When you rebuilt it, what did that entail?
gblawson - TD#27667

While I'm at it, what have folks done about the four red wires which must fit under the tiny grub screw at terminal 'T'on the ignition switch. It seems a perfect place for some bullet connectors and a cluster.

dave
Dave Braun

I'm surprised you got that brightenss Dave. I have not driven mine at night yet, but perhaps LBCs are different than BBCs, as in any Jaguar, for example, prior to 1988 (in NA) the panel lights were adjustable via rheostat from OFF all the way up to VERY, VERY DIM :-)
L Karpman

Hi Gordon,

My rheostat starts at off, turns full to off, and goes full bright before the second off. I had to respace my resistance wire carefully, and assure that the correct tension was being applied by the sweeping arm. I was prepared to rewire it, but cleaning and adjusting did the trick.

My instruments are almost white inside, which helps, and I didn't dip my bulbs in green stuff when I installed my bulbs (I read one of your previous posts somewhere.)

You might want to check the wires before your rheostat to make sure you are getting the current you need. Power comes from the worst connection on our cars, the four red wires at terminal 'T' at the ignition switch.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Larry,

I always thought the TD's panel lights were terrible too. But that was with old, grimey instruments, poor wiring, and a rheostat which had dead spots and never passed the full current to the bulbs. I'm looking forward to checking this out further. I hope my new brightness doesn't do in my bulbs!

dave
Dave Braun

That's good to know Dave, but alas for the Jags, that's just the way they are. They're famous for it :-)

When I install my new dash I'll check the rheostat as noted in your post, as mine also goes from off to on to off as it is turned. As I said, I have no clue as to whether mine are dim or bright at night, other than checking in the dark garage. My Speedo is quite bright, but my tach is not. Of course the speedo seems to get stray additional light from the illumination in the center of the odometer and trip meter. Nothing in the center of the tach. Not sure if both bulbs on the tach are good though.

I only have light on the right side of the oil/temp gauge, and none in the ammeter. All to be checked when I rewuire the new dash for sure.

Larry
L Karpman

Dave,

It's a good idea to apply solder to all of wire ends before you insert them into the grub screw posts. Even with multiple wires, the solder will compress/deform and firmly hold the wires in place. Works great!

Good luck,
Evan
Evan Ford - TD 27621

Evan,

Did you twist the wirest together first, and then solder, or solder each individually?

I tinned the end of the first wire (the rest are on the main loom, and will have to wait until I have a tub on the car) and it seems that I won't have enough room for more!

dave
Dave Braun

I found the inside of the speedometer was painted white/cream and the tach was still the casting colour. I painted both inside white and it improved the brightness.
My rheostat also goes from off/variable/off. It improved when I cleaned it, but isn't bright by any stretch!
gblawson

Dave,

I tinned them individually. I remember it was a tight fit on a few grub screws, but I was able to get all of them in. You could put them in one at a time and compress them with the screw between wires.

Evan
Evan Ford - TD 27621

Gordon, I watched my rheostat operate with a multi-meter set to ohms. I worked on it until it was smooth, and giving consitent increasing readings the entire range. This is the first time I tried it with lighting, and I was shocked at the improvement. (OK, not really shocked, because it is a very small current, but you get the idea).

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Thanks Evan,

I'll give that a shot.

As an aside, your picture in Gordon's Gallery looks great. I remember driving about with my two sons seated just as the children in your photo. Brings back great memories. It is a coincidence that I'm finishing TD15470 ivory over green just as you did. I hope mine turns out half as well.

dave
Dave Braun

You and your fancy testing devices...oh, if I only would have taken that 'Electricty' course after high school... I cleaned it with steel wool, blew into it a few times and re-installed it... Not exactly 'rebuilt'...but did work a little better.
gblawson - TD#27667


Hmm, good topic.

My main instruments are plenty bright, however the ammeter and oil pressure gauges aren't getting much light at all. But, the bulbs which are supposed to provide lighting illuminate the footwells just fine...

Any thoughts? I've thought of replacing the middle panel bulbs with white LEDs on stalks that sit right next to the (very) small light-admitting slots on those small gauges and shine straight in. These LEDs would plug right into the original bulb sockets so there wouldn't be any mods to the wiring.

Scott
Scott

Was chatting with a TC/TD owner tonight at a meeting who has changed over everything to LED's... the dash lights he is just doing now... I asked him to do an article for our newsletter and will post it when its done!
gblawson - TD#27667

Thanks Dave!

I'm sure your car will turn out great, judging from the work in your pictures, it is well on it's way!

My boys love the TD. They fight over who gets to ride in it now. That picture was from their last day of school in the spring. I picked them both up from school. All of the school kids go crazy for the old TD. It's fun to see their faces light up!!

Evan Ford - TD 27621

Gordon,

Get some potentiometer cleaner (electric connection cleaning spray) and when you dissassemble the rheostat, spray a liberal amount on there. Also, a new pencil eraser gently rubbed on electrical connections will go a long way to brightening them up. I spaced the wires with the blade of an exacto knife. The mulitmeter is digital, but an analog version is cheap and easy to find. I bet the cleaning spray and the analog meter could be had at Radio Shack for under $20.

Evan,

I'm a 'doer' not a 'perfectionist'. Although I have a capacity to give a lot of attention to detail. My range of talents are not nearly as broad as those who will tackle their own tub wood and metal. Also, as I work on the car, some of the details I can attack later I'm leaving less than perfect. My goal is to get this TD on the road again, in as beautiful condition as reason and budget permits. I miss driving it very, very much. Your analysis of your engine start and shake down cruise was one of the first things I read on this board. I was actually pretty tickled when I saw that we had choosen the same color scheme for our cars.

Larry,

The MGB I care for has horrible lighting as well, and it is controlled by a simple on/off switch on the column. So I think I understand the Jaguar comments. Right now I would have to say the TD will have superior lighting to the B.

dave
Dave Braun

This thread was discussed between 23/10/2006 and 24/10/2006

MG TD TF 1500 index

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