MGB: My Gauges Died!

I was driving down the interstate this morning, looked down at the panel, and my fuel and coolant gauges quit! In addition, the turn signals, map light, and brake lights quit too, and the high beam warning light and handbrake warning light.

Funny, but the hazards still worked!

Could there be a bad ground somewhere?

Thanks for your help!

Stuart Bear
'78 MGB

You have blown the second from the bottom fuse, or have a bad connection there.

Bingo, seen that same problem, traced it to one of the wires on the left (front) part of the fuse panel having some corrosion on it. Might not be a bad ideato clean all of the connections there, after you've checked the fuse.

You guys are PSYCHIC!! I checked the second to bottom fuse & voila!, it was blown. So, I wrapped some tin foil around it and kept going.....just kidding ;)

My question is, why did this happen? Is it just a fluke or a something to expect again?

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stuart Bear

If it happen again you will need to do some digging.

Nothing to do with being psychic, comes from seeing the same problem, figuring out what could cause that problem, and then fixing it. It's the been there, done that concept.

Why did it happen? Well, that is a good question, and not one that I think is easy to answer. The first question would be were you working on anything on the car ? Since that fuse is on a switched circuit, ie there is no voltage if the key is turned off, it would have to have been on for that fuse to blow. DId you turn anything on and then notice you had no gauges?

I will yield to Tom on this, but the load on that circuit is fairly steady for the gauges, but there are three things on that circuit that I would be suspicious of, the washer pump motor, the wiper motor, and the heater motor. If any of them are having a problem, when you turned them on, they might be drawing too much current, hence the fuse blows. You replace the fuse, test everything one at a time, and it all works, but the entire load might be the problem, such as the heater motor and the wipers, and then hitting the washer at the same time.....

I find that the tin foil from gum works the best......

Tin foil doesn't carry enough amps. I prefer to use a 1/4" bolt cut to length...

What about the old .22 long rifle cartridge trick?

You know, there might be people reading this that don't know that you guys are kidding!
Well, I guess the hard lessons are the ones we remember best. :)

who says they are kidding, I've actually seen some of this (I don't recommend any of it though)

OK. I hope they are kidding! I have seen it too and it is scarier than meeting your girl friend's relatives.

I've seen so many scary bad electrical hacks its not even funny. Ya know, every British car I've had with an unhacked electrical system had NO problems. Once the goons start hacking at it... things go bad.

When the thread started with someone talking about how he found a blown fuse and wrapped it with tin foil and added the proper caveat, it just kind of started from there. It didn't occur to me when I responded and ended the serious ideas that I gave with a joke that was not really identified as such that someone might take me serious. Many of us that work with this stuff all the time see the danger and the humor, but someone who doesn't might not.

good points

dave

Don't worry Dave!! If they do it, they will never forget!! :o)

Well I am a wet blanket (hopefully not electric). I was only half serious above. Sorry.

Well, if you use the .22-caliber bullet repair, make sure you point it away from your passenger unless you've some premeditated reason to do otherwise...."Officer, I never thought there was enough electrical charge to set it off. I just wanted to take her on a romantic evening top down drive. And, we were so happy together. May I go home to San Diego to mommy and daddy?"

ouch Tony!! i been following that case way too closely lately.. feels like it is happening right next door but it is really about 180 miles or so north! my friend used to work with her, and we all went to the same school at the same time around 94-98.. :(

would that really fire a .22 bullet if put in the fuse block? it needs a ping dosen't it? then again u could just use low octane for that. NEVER MIND.... bad joke, time for bed, later y'all.. ;)