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MG TD TF 1500 - Turn signals; inoperative; protocol to diagnose

I have a late 1950 TD in which a previous owner installed turn signals. When I bought the car two years ago, the turn signals did not work and I refurbished the turn signal switch to repair it. It worked fine.

Recently, the turn signals stopped working and I replaced the flasher unit. The new flasher did not make a difference.

I do not know where to start to repair it. Is there some way to diagnose the unit to figure out what is wrong? A protocol? Common problems? A good article in a magazine?

Thanks for your help.
Milton
Milton Babirak

Hello! Hope you and crew are well. Go to archives and enter “turn signal problems” , click all of these words button and search. Many posts which should help. George
George Butz III

Probably a lot depends if the previous owner replicated the later factory turn signal system using the 8 terminal DB10 relay unit or some other one off system. If your system includes the DB10, cleaning the internal relay points and each exterior connections would be a place to start.
John Quilter (TD8986)

Do you have a workshop manual and understand electrical wiring diagrams?

If so,you are ahead of the game. With a test lamp you can trace out the circuit.

If not, this will be tough.

Peter
P G Gilvarry

Hi Milton,

We are looking forward to your group getting together with the Classic MG Club when you make your Florida pilgrimage.

I worked on a club member's TF turn signal relay a couple of months ago. You probably already know most of this. Here's what I found:

> Study the wiring. Mark the paths on a wiring diagram and keep it nearby. Also follow the wiring in the car from the fuse to the flasher to the relay box to understand the process. Note that wires go to each front wing light, the brake switch, and each rear taillight. Stick some masking tape by each terminal and mark its purpose. Confirm that the wires are on the correct terminals.

> Clean and check all connections and grounds on the switch, the relay, the lights, and the brake light switch for continuity.

> Clean the relays with some 400g paper

> Do the relays "click" when the switch is turned? IF not, why?

> Manually close the relays to see if they make something happen.

> If you need to bend the relays, do so gently. They bend very easily.

> Check your work with the headlights on, with the brake lights on, and with no lights on.

We kinda got the turn signals to work, but then found that the owner had another turn signal relay, so we replaced the old one. Everything worked. Eezi-Peezi. SHOULDA DONE THAT FIRST!

Here are some links that may help:

From the Frame Up - Technical Articles
Scroll to "TT EL918 Turn Signal Relay 8 Post Product Aleert (pdf)"
https://fromtheframeup.com/ftfu-tech-tips-1

Bud Kruger's Ttalk
"Turn Signal Relay From the Inside Out"
http://www.ttalk.info/Directionals.htm

MGA Guru (may only apply to MGA?)
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/electric/et105.htm

Moss Motors Turn Signal Relay Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gohbQXC-5wQ

Good luck,

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

Thanks, George. I am going through the various threads now.

Initially I did look at the archives but must not have used the right search words because I didn’t find much. With your search phrase there’s quite a few and I’m going through them.

Milton Babirak
(c) 703-501-7924
Milton Babirak

Lonnie
Thanks for your comments.They look very helpful. I'll go through them this weekend. While turn signals are not proper on a 1950 TD, I sure have found them helpful. I'd like to fix them.
Yes, my Chapter, the Chesapeake Chapter, is very much looking forward to visiting you and your club in Florida this winter. We always have such a great time there. Again, we will be spending two weeks down there in February. Please make a point of introducing yourself to me then. We can catch up. Maybe my turn signals will be working then!

Milt
Milton Babirak

Milt, will your group be driving their MGs to Fla? We have a very active LBC club (https://fbccsc.org/) here in Greenville, SC (about halfway between VA and FLA on I-85 and we do many mountain drives in late fall and winter. If you're looking for a stopover place and maybe a side trip, let me know.

Jud
jchapin3atAOLdotcom
J K Chapin

I'm going thru this now. Carefully redid all connections. But it is the relay that is the problem.
Contact points 1 and 5 would work but not 2 and 6. The 2 and 6 gap was much wider and did not fully connect. In fact gap was too wide for cleaning with double over 1o00 grit paper. Removed the relay and adjusted.
Peter Dahlquist

One more thing … with a little effort, the cover can be rotated and attached 180 degrees off. Since the terminals are noted on the cover, this makes it real hard to identify the terminals! We finally figured that was a problem with the signal relay on which we were working.

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

I just went through this. I ended up completely removing the whole aftermarket system (Sooooo much electrical tape from the 70's), getting back to the from-factory TD system (no signals) and then buying a supplemental harness to add the turn signals in.
Grif

Jud
When we travel from Virginia to Florida and the return trip from Florida to Virginia, we don’t drive our MGs. We take the auto train and put our MGs on that. It’s a lot easier on us and the cars. Thanks for the offer to meet up with your club on the way down to Florida but that won’t be possible since the auto train doesn’t have any intermediate stops. You and your club are welcome to join our club in Florida this year or some subsequent year. We have a lot of activities and scenic routes planned. We always welcome MG folks to join us.
Milton Babirak

All
Thanks very much for your help. I’ll be working on this over this weekend and next week. Hopefully I’ll fix it.
Appreciatively,
Milt
Milton Babirak

Sounds like a wonderful ride. If the autotrain had a mid-point stop in SC I'd be at a lot more GOFs. Enjoy your trip. Jud
J K Chapin

Milton, If they were working and quit..as in now none of them work..how are the points in the relay box under the dash?

Regards, Tom
tm peterson

This thread was discussed between 12/08/2021 and 20/08/2021

MG TD TF 1500 index

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