Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi,
Morning to all.

I have a 1956 morris minor, have not driven in a while, I placed a new battery in her, but I am not having any success with the battery. when placing the battery and turning the ignition, I get the red ignition light, but not the green light,
She is positive earth, so have turned around the battery,
In the meantime I got a second hand positive earth battery, which appears a bit more positive, as it will start on a jump,
However the battery appears doomed as it will not re-charge.
I am wondering why a brand new battery will not work ? even when turned around,
Suggestions advice welcome.

The battery on its own is not pos. or neg. earth, it is the car which is pos. or neg. earth. If the car is pos. earth then the pos. terminal on the battery must be connected to the car body, normally the battery box. The neg. terminal is connected to the starter switch/solenoid.
The red ignition light is meant to come on when the ignition is on, it goes out when the engine is running. If there is a green light it has nothing to do with the ignition, it is the low oil pressure warning light and should also go out when the engine is running.

Hi and welcome to the forum. You really have to sort out whether it is pos or neg earth first as Mike says.
Are you saying she won't start? Did it start okay with a "jump" start?
Did you mean using jump leads from another car or a bump start when you push it to start it?
When you say it won't charge do you mean charging on the car or on a battery charger?
John

thanks for the assistance

I believe it is positive earth, from my memory I had to have the battery turned the back to the front previously.

Just started it there now with jump leads from my other car,

tried another good battery I had, So the problem is electrics on car, rather than a battery issue, I believe.

Sounds like very dirty/corroded battery terminals/earth connection.

If you put the jump leads from the other car directly on your battery terminals and it started then the car electrics are okay (apart from possibly Neil's suggestion, very dirty corroded battery terminals)
If you put the pos jump lead on the battery and the neg lead earthed to the engine then it is probably your body earth connection on your battery lead or poor earthing from the body to the engine/gearbox.

Thanks for correct suggestions,
Issue resolved

However no lights on dims or beams
Are bulbs easily changed ?
All other lights fine,

Thanks for the help

If the side lights are okay then check the blue wire from the light switch to the dipswitch.
It is unlikely (but not impossible) that all 4 elements in both headlight bulbs have gone at the same time.

Can happen if the battery has bad connections and the dynamo output voltage goes sky high - with no battery to 'sink' it. But I do agree - it's much more likely a wire has come off at the dip switch - or at the lights switch.

Thanks or advice I will check that