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I've run an A+ engined Midget with the 1500 Midget gearbox for 6 years. Uses an HIF 44 (HIF6) on an alloy MG Metro manifold. The MG Metro head has larger inlet valves (Cooper S size) and is compatible if you drill and tap a bypass hose stub for the water pump end. Photos available along with any other info. Picking up my new MGCGT today. Triple 45 DHLAs!!!! Had 3x48 webers on it but he bust one getting the spindle out to change the acc pump. Cost him just under 800 quid for the bits to do this.... MORE
My midget is running great, however, my other older car that is used every day is having a problem when the weather is hot, once the car warms up, it loses power, stalls and will not restart until it cools off? Any ideas? It is driving me crazy, my usual mechanic hasn't been able to solve the problem because it only happens when the weather is hot and the car has been warmed up. Thanks for you patience with a non-spridget problem John Poynton 79 Midget, Yellow Fever teachjp@... 1951... MORE
How do you spell "VAPOR LOCK" usually caused by a fuel line running close to "HOT" exhaust manifold orthe like, causing the fuel in the line to evaporate into a gasseous state. This bubble of gas prevents the fuel from reaching the carburation device, hence the stall out. When the engine cools down the gasseous gas condenses back into liquid and presto chango......the vehicle starts like there's nothing wrong, until the process starts all over again. "Stevens, David" 1953... MORE
Roger Thanks for the info: As far as I can tell I think I had solved it! Under test bed conditions, fired up in the workshop, its now tight. Action taken to solve problem was similar to your. Introduce three breathers, Crank case, rocker cover & F/T/C/cover. (remove filter in the front cover first) & run to catch tank. Also, meticulously cleaned the oil scroller, make sure the top 'arch'seal is flush and sealed flush with the backplate. Check half moon seal at end of sump and ensure that it clears the pressure relief valve return pipe back to... MORE
Bob, Whey hey!! Not a fan of ZZ top are you? BTW I have pics of the tyres you wanted I'll post to you soon. Best regards Paul. paul@... 1868... MORE
Paul This is a common problem on fibreglass cars - fibreglass being a much better heat insulator than steel... The best place to put your air vents are at the side behind the front wheels (behind the front 'wings' on an Arkley) or just behind the radiator in the middle of the bonnet (both low pressure areas) - you can get aluminium vents for central heating systems from B&Q/Do It All etc. which you can 'let' into the fibreglass so that you don't have unsightly holes... Also make sure that the radiator is properly shrouded so that all the... MORE
Hi Chaps, I have just cut some holes in my bonnet!!! No I haven't gone mad, it's just an attempt to add a little more cooling. Although I've put a new matrix on my Arkley, and added a Kenlowe, when the weather gets warm, Ha!, what here in the UK!!!, I still have to keep an eye on the temp guage, and it does sometimes start to hover around the 90 mark, (the engine temp!). I bought one of the air-intakes for the MGB heater scoop, and have fitted it to the bonnet just infront of the windscreen, in... MORE
Paul, I don't know if this will help you but here it is anyway. You might be able to get some good info out of this lot. Gary (Newcastle UK) 69 Sprite MKIV www.geocities.com/garys_sprite_site Facts You Should Know About Air Filters The primary function of an air filter is to clean the air before it enters the engine. If this is true, why do we see so many engines, especially expensive competition engines, without air filters? The answer is airflow. An engine's power output is proportional to the volume of air it can ingest at any given rpm, assuming... MORE
Mark It might be the hydraulic pipe connection to the clutch slave cylinder. On my car this was a rigid pipe formed into a coil to absorb vibration, but after years of vibrating without me knowing what was causing the noise, it suddenly stopped while on a motorway journey. I thought "thats good, nice and quiet now", but when I next came to use the clutch I didn't think it was quite so good. One learns clutchless gear changing very quickly in such circumstances. There is now a flexible hose in the pipe run. The noise was independant of... MORE
I'm having trouble locating a rattle in my mk3 sprite. It only appears when the engine is warm/hot, it's coming from the middle of the car and it's a constant (doesn't change with speed/revs) dry sounding rattle. Someone has suggested gear selector forks - does this sound likely? Any guidance much appreciated. Now for something to contribute (for a change!). If any of you are having exchange/replacement front wishbones make sure you get the ones that have the three holes already drilled into them for a front roll bar. Because of the shape of the wishbone it's really tricky... MORE
Hi Chaps, Have you missed me.............? .......Anyway, anybody going to the Cotswold Wild life Park MG day at Burford Oxfordshire, this Sunday? I'll be there with my Arkley, (as long as I can get it repaired after a girl reversed into it in a car park!!!!!..........to have an accident when you are not in your car is a bizzarre experience!!!), and my friend in his MGB, that we have just refurbished? Hopefully it will be a good day, lets hope it's hot, still entrance is free to car and driver! ......yes I know it is a long way from... MORE
If you are looking for drivability and not concerned about it looking correct for the era, check www.minimania.com they have a compressor that comes as a kit part # SPC100 (belts, carb, manifold, and compressor) for $3995.95. But I have seen it on sale for $2995.95 in the past. It seems like a good package but I could buy another sprite that needs some lovin for that. Chris Chris@... 1725... MORE
I had something similar to this happen a while back. What was going on was the clutch fliud either had air and/or moisture in it. When I would first start to drive the fliud was cold and worked pretty good. Once I was driving and shifting a while, the fliud heated up and the moisture would boil under the intesnse hydraulic pressure and of course if there is any air at all, it made the situation worse. This would result in the clutch not disengaging completely as the clutch just would have the correct amount of pressure and fluid... MORE
Hello this my first question for the list. I am having problems with changing gear when the engine is fully warmed up. It is fine when cold but very difficult when hot. I have bled the clutch but still no change. The bite on the clutch is very near the bottom anyway. Any ideas? Its it possible to adjust where the bite comes? The car is a 1972 1275 midget Thanks Andy J (Hinckley, Leicestershire, UK) "andrew.jackson12" 1691... MORE
Dear Miget-Spriters: Please allow me to cross post this from the MGB group in case someone is interested. Thanks for the bandwith: I decided to sell my B! It is a brit racing green 67 in clean daily driver condition. No rust. Originally from CA always garaged. I have owned the car only since earlier this year and I brought it back on the road after it sat for 2 years with the former owner. It is ready for the summer now! Here are all the facts that I can think of. I will take some digi pics tomorrow... MORE
Thorpe Green is about 1/2 a mile from Virginia Water . . .. I still have to plan the run, I will try to make it interesting he he! Chris "Chris Nevard" 1628... MORE
Thanks for the offer of help. I've always used standard M*ss type crap in the past. Never seen much need for better stuff before, since there had never been much of a problem. 'Course, my engines are lasting a lot longer nowadays! When you see a 4 year old thermostat gasket all torn and powdery, you have to wonder what the oil pump gasket must look like. High pressure (90 instead of 12psi) and all of that nasty chemical stuff. Still, I guess if it wasn't up to the standard then M*ss wouldn't sell it. . . . .... MORE
Rob, If you give me the dimensions of the gasket in question I should be able to match you up with some appropriate material. I have numerous suppliers that I deal with frequently that would be able to field your questions. Knowing the pressure & relative temperature parameters along with the fluid characteristics, matching a gasket material should not be a problem. I guess the thickness required would be the dimension that I need to know. Dave in NY "Dave" 1549... MORE
Bought a nifty piece of kit off of a Rover 2300 SD1. Extension pipe to allow me to fit a pressure gauge and a pressure failure switch to the oil system and to mount it next to the rearmost stud on the cylinderhead. I fitted a 22psi switch and a flexible nylon hose but it unfortunately highlighted a small problem. It seems the car gives 80psi when cold at idle. Tried another gauge. Same result and the same (22psi) point at which the large dash light lights up after switching off the motor. So, the question is.....can 80+ psi... MORE
Metro 998 had them as standard. Might cost you 5 max. Some Turbo and VDP automatics also included some nice water heated oil coolers (heat exchangers) to keep the oil temp under 100c, in theory. I exported a ton of these things to the US but everyone only wants to buy the ones from Minimania etc. Rob (..who got to play with real SEMTEX today at work!!!) "rob thomas" 1522... MORE
I really like the autocross and rally photos that Robsog8 has put up in the files section of the midgetsprite group. People look at me strangely when I talk about dirt rallying in my spridget - as though this is a really daft thing to do (it still may well be daft - Rob?). What other unusual competitions have spridgets been used in? My contribution is running my bugeye on a speedway (Aus/UK) or dirt circle track (US). Big opposite lock, powersliding. Great fun. See http://reality.sgi.com/ahsdc/my_sprite/speedway.jpg (this is part of the "My Sprite & I" page for my bugeye,... MORE
You know the things, right? Brass body with 5 pipes and an electrical connection. Fitted to Marinas and Itals, Sherpas, 1500 UK Midgets etc etc etc. So.....which pipe goes where? Unit was cut out of the car by PO. Guess that split is front - rear. Two outlets to the two front brakes? One to the rear? Just rubber O-rings to make the seal? What if one fails. Does it allow fluid to blast out the switch, or is that a bit far fetched? Metro uses two separate bias valves on a dual circuit system to give failure protection... MORE
Bob As promised the gospel according to Vizard... The 'Evacusump' system "The system draws air out of the crankcase on the engine so as to reduce the pressure in the crankcase.... ...at idle, intake manifold vacuum is used to draw a vacuum on the crankcase . Depending on the intake manifold used either 1 or 2 PCV valves can be plumbed into the crankcase at the rocker cover. When an intake manifold vacuum exists air will be drawn from the crankcase via the the valve cover and the fumes will simply be burnt in the combustion chamber. When the... MORE
Flat plate like a fuel pump blanking plate but a large bore stub comes off it at 90 degrees. This connects to a large bore rubbery pipe that acts to collect and drain the oil that runs through the turbo bearings. It is a downwards drain that catches the hot oil from the bearings and dumps it straight into the sump. Uses a standard fuel pump gasket. I used one of these vented to the air via a nasty cheap filter. Changed it later for a breather canister from a Rover 2300 which looks identical to the ones used... MORE
I still managed to out-qualify some of the modified cars with Dave At Thruxton its not such an advantage to run big brakes (plenty of time for cooling in between applications!) It is an advantage to have big balls (and grip!) however! Glad it went well - I am trying to get out at Lydden on 7 May to shake the car down before Spa. James "James Bilsland" 1359... MORE
