Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi,
This car is a restoration on my minor 1000 1957 I have connected the battery and without the key the oil and ignition lights are on in the speedo and also I can pull the starter button without a key is this normal, I'm thinking not and someone has messed with the wiring. I have the key and it turns...

You should be able to pull the starter without the key, but the engine should just turn without starting. The lights should not be on. It is likely that the wiring has been put together wrongly. May be as simple as wires on the wrong connections on the back of the ignition switch. Also, if the switch is very worn, you might have the key taken out whilst the switch is still on - make sure that the switch is definitely off.

Ok, that makes me feel better that the engine should turn over without a key which it does. Haven't managed to get it started yet though. I do think the speedo is not original so will pull it out and take a look at the wires. The key turns fine in the ignition so think it is a case of wrong wiring on speedo.

It's more likely to be on the back of the switch rather than the speedo, but could also be in the area of the fuse box. If you look at the wiring diagram you'll find a lead to the switch that supplies power to the switch, and then wires that take the power to the ignition and warning light circuits. If they have all been put on the same terminal on the switch, then that will be why the switch does not turn them off. Happy hunting.

Battery disconnected...whilst you check out the fault, wiring diagram in hand.
Bob

Yes I will disconnect the battery before I do anything! Thanks, I had a quick look at the wiring diagram on this message board and wanted to ask if it is pretty much accurate across all models... Just I know for a fact the wire going to my fuel pump is yellow but it shows it should be white on the diagram and I have a none working fuel pump right now... Might have to spend a few days chasing all wires...

It's only yellow with age........it should be white.

ok thanks, i will go investigating. I think the ignition wiring uis wrong as looking at pictures of other cars i see that my ignition switch is upside down. when i turn the key the slot is at the bottom and the key turns to the left.

Probably only two terminals though.....so hard to see how it can be wrong, unless both wires are on one terminal........

here are some pics of the ignition and speedo backs. The ignition has two white wires coming in from the right side and one brown and blue lined wire leaving from the leftside. Is this normal?

It is such a mess of wires and ends twisted together in there... I think I might need to get expert help soon...

Oh and i noticed the key number does not match the fp number written on the lock, does this matter although the key turns the ignition?

[frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

Hi nam,
The two white wires are ignition coil and fuel pump, with the switch on you should get 12v at the fuel pump and the coil. The brown and the blue come from the control box. You really need a multimeter and a wiring diagram to check voltage and continuity around the circuit.
PM me your email address and I will send you a copy of a manual.

ok I will have a go at the multi meter testing tomorrow. pm sent thanks

ok update today, i looked closely and found that there was a 15 amp fuse that had been slotted into the middle bit of the fusebox. so the top 35amp fuse and the 15amp were touching. i have since moved it to the bottom slot... am i right in thinking it should also be a 35 amp fuse??

Now the headlights are working but the indicator lights have stopped working and also the oil and ignition lights have both gone out and don't come on at all when i put the key in the ignition second position...

Very odd! The Ign light is not in any way fused...so you need to look to the white wires.....where do they go? I would pull out all the fuses for now and concentrate on getting the NON fused wiring sorted out first.

Ok will do. Could you tell me what is fused so I can rule out that they will not work.

Without ignition - horn and interior lights - lilac wire from fuse box. With Ignition on - wipers/brake lights/indicators/heater/oil pressure warning lights - all light green wire from fuse box. No fuses = Ignition/fuel pump (obviously only when Ign ON) and running lights (any time) - later Minors had an in-line fuse for the side lights.......
Print off Barry's excellent 'simplified' wiring diagram at top of this section - and refer to it!

I have that diagram but in a lot of cases it seems those wires are different colours on mine so I suspect I will have to check every wire and where it goes. I can tell this has been a big both job on wiring with the quality of of some of the connections too. I have also found bits of rubber around some wires where they clearly look melted. Like the wire around the fuel fump rubber and inside the dash.....

Electrics 101 is needed...

Here is a picture of the fusebox as i s now in case someone spots a silly mistake in the wires[frame][/frame]

last night i tested as much as possible with the multi meter. i have found that feed from the battery into the top fuse left was there and also at the other end of the fuse, the two faded lilacish wires. I also tested at the control box and the first and second one's also showed current, the one's marked A and AI. I have turned the key to ignition on and nothing. I checked the power that should be coming back to the white wires at the beginning of the second fuse. So I think there is a problem with the ignition switch. The key I have is not the one for the ignition as the numbers don't match although it turns the lock. So I am looking to get the key made from the lock code. Hoping the right key makes the ignition work.....

As long as the key turns the lock - that should do it. Better to get a new lock with keys I think.

I got the right key and turns it perfect now. I have now pulled the lock out and tested for power at the brown wire. Nothing... any idea why I am getting no power to the ignition switch. Also according to the wiring diagram should A at the control box have two wires coming out?? Mine has only one. Also found the diagram on the manual page 307, where is the lighting switch it refers to?