Irish Mini Owners Club

Hi folks, just a quick question folks if anyone can help, I have absolutely nothing electrical working on my 1977 998, it starts on the perfectly using the button on the solenoid but I have no lights,hazards,wipers and won't start on the key??
I know I'm in need of a new loom and it's actually on order but I wondered if any wiring gurus have any ideas??

When you say it starts on the solinoid I presume you mean it cranks the engine but doesn't run. If you have no power at all I would think you have mixed up the battery cable with the starter motor cable at the solinoid.

Check there is power on the battery side on the fuses and then the other side. Everything can look fine but still not work.

Get two pieces of wire and a bulb to make up a tester.

It starts on the solenoid button, then you can get in and drive away, it just won't start on the key??
Now a bit of an update, my brake lights and indicators started to work

As rmc123 says, check the fuse box and then the connectors up at the rear of the speedo housing in the engine bay. Behind the carb.

It sounds like you have more than one problem. Has this happened suddenly or has the car been off the road? If so what work has been done?
The fact that the car is running ( ignition in the on position I presume) it means there is power to the ignition switch so the problem is either the White/red cable from ignition switch to solinoid or the solinoid itself.
The lights are feed directly from the solinoid with the horn so if both are not working check the connections at the solinoid.

It's been sitting 18 months, been starting it every now and then, the starter died so I got it rebuilt and put it in and it wouldn't start on the key so I assumed the solenoid was dead and lobbed a new one in.
I think I'm going to have to put a weekend aside and throw in a new loom, the wiring looks like it should be in a 17 year olds Vauxhall nova!!

I'm allergic to the idea of re wiring it

Does the new solinoid have 3 (2 bolts and 1 spade) or 4 connections ( 2 bolts and 2 spades)

Sorry for the late reply
This is the solenoid

http://www.minisport.com/s7051-starter- ... utton.html

Ok 3 connections. Did you fit the spade on the small bolt and join the white/red to it? All the browns than fit on the bolt with the spades and the battery cable.

Yea, I retired it the same as the way it came off the old one, I changed it because the key didn't work, I'm now thinking the old solenoid was good and the lack of key is an entirely different problem

To check the solenoid get a piece of wire with with a spade on one end. remove the white/red wire from the solenoid and put the new wire with spade on instead. Now touch the other end of the wire off the battery cable, engine should kick.
There is a connection on the white/red wire behind the heater for use on the automatics to stop you starting in drive, make sure the male and female bullets are joined together. Your lighting problem could be a faulty switch, common problem.