MG Car Repair: MG wiring, fuse box, uk cars

Question
thanks Barrie! still a mystery as this insulated resistive wire is not connected to anything on the one end - hangs loose near the fuse box -maybe it has come loose? ps  My MGB is a 74 1\2 and the wiring diagram I am using is download:
http://mg-tri-jag.net/74MGB11x1.jpg - ( diagram 17 from MGB workshop manual ) but no resistive wire is shown on this.  
thanks in advance..PW

Answer
Hi Paul.  Diagram 17 only covers 1973-74 MGBs to USA spec.  You would be better off looking at diagram 18 which covers 1975-76 UK cars.  The resistive wire is clearly shown between fuse #3 and the + terminal of the coil.  Without this wire the engine will not run, so presumably someone has run a bypass wire.  Put a voltmeter on the + terminal and check the voltage to the coil. With the engine running it should be between 8 and 9 volts (NOT 12 - 13 volts) unless the coil has been replaced with a different type.

This is interesting.  keep the dialogue going.