MG Car Repair: MG Midget starter switch wiring, haynes book, starter solenoid

Question
Barrie,
My son owns a 1974 MG.  the key switch in the column was bad, so the previous owner cut the wires and added a key and push button.  We are replacing the switch.  When you pushed the button a wire went to a small relay block. I traced the wiring put the original back and now it won't even click the starter relay. We have a Haynes book - which is terrible - but the new switch has 4 wires. i have 5 hanging from the original. have i missed something in the hookup?
Keith

Answer
Hi Keith

If you look carefully at the back of the ignition switch, you will see that the terminals are numbered 1-4 (moulded into the plastic).

You have 5 wires.  Brown is permanently live, so you must disconnect the battery before working on the wiring.

White with a Green stripe is for unimportant accessories that do not need to be live when starting the car, such as a radio.

The two White wires are essential circuits such as the coil and the fuel pump.

White with a Red stripe is the feed to the starter solenoid.


The terminals must be wired as follows:

1)   White with a Red stripe
2)   White with a green stripe
3)   Brown
4)   The two White wires