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I was going to say, worn brushes or bad internal contact thinking you had the standard Lucas Bendix type starter. But if you have a gear reduction starter, that's different. That type starter has a solenoid to engage the gear against the flywheel and the starter won't spin before the first step is complete. If you get no click when you introduce power to the solenoid, than that is what is probably bad. Putting power directly to the starter won't have any result. You need juice to both. Check power to the conections at the starter with an ohmeter... MORE
Just drove home ny 1974 Midget. It's been about 6 years without an LBC, and its good to have one again. Before I used to restore MGBs. I drove the car 200 miles back to my house in Bucks County, Pa. Drives fine, good oil pressure, doesn't overheat. Immediate problems to pass inspection are: (1) Horn doesn't work (2) Wipers don't turn on. (3) Directionals don't work...but flasher/switch turns all on. So...I'm looking for some guidance. Does anyone have a spare Directional Switch to sell? Mine has directionals, flashers, but not the horn on it. Haven't checked the wiring... MORE
Asking the stupid questions first.. fuses check ok? connections not green or are they clean.. OK now on to more less stupid points.. (the stupid would be from my end..not yours..) Horn problems usually revolve around the bullet/spring that makes the connection to the ring.. mine broke/melted.. I just re-routed the wires to a switch on the dash.. for me it was easy, heater removed so I had two spare slots on the dash. wipers.. have 1.8 part spridets..both 71's so not sure if the wipers are same.. my driver is a 74... could check to make sure tomorrow,... MORE
Jeremy Lots of ghost stories about slave problems. I was trying to figure out how the slave could be leaking. Overthrow is one idea! However the final problem was traced to a split pipe which was running down the inside of the pipe to the slave and collecting on the bottom of the slave LOOKING like it WAS the slave !! It wasn't so I had a new pipe made up, cleaned everything and bleed the system which was a nightmare. As you say the nipple is so tight up against the chassis so I had the starter out,... MORE
Cap'n. Bob I understand what you are saying but I just came back from a 30 mile ride and the oil pressure is staying at 55 to 60. It does not drop back to 45 to 50 as you and I thought. But at next oil change I think I will change the oil pump because in my infinite wisdom when I rebuilt the engine I did not change it although I changed everything else. am going to a classic car show today it's about 40 miles away and it 80+ degrees. Will see if oil pressure maintains 55... MORE
Peter C (I think) at Worldwide Autos (I think) is spoken very highly of. Read his peice on Gerards site and he really does go to town on the rebuild. Were it me I'd dig deep and get some of his. I've wasted so much time / money on 'repainted' shocks. "Jeremy Cogman" 12123... MORE
Doug- Get your oil really hot and it probably will get back to 45lbs.!! When you re-shim the valve you are adjusting it totally and not at "one end" of the spectrum, I have been told. Other listers more mechanically educated will tell me if I have been advised incorrectly. I do not know about 1500's but, on Series "A" motors, oil pressure at the low end of "normal" can also (and often is) be a sign of a worn oil pump, and not necessarily worn bearings. And, I cannot see why this would be any different for any... MORE
Hello all my soft top friends: I'm very much enjoying the great driving weather that has finally arrived in southern Ontario. But I have come to the conclusion that I MUST do something with my front suspension. Every bump/pot hole causes the front end to jump around and clunk audibly (at least to my ears). I've tried topping the shocks up, but they leak it out quickly. It's time to replace or rebuild. Whom in Ontario is good at rebuilding (that will last more than a year or two) at a reasonable rate (I'm also between career successes at... MORE
HI lady 'b'.. I vote we blame Brad. He prolly had something to do with it anyway. -) You need to learn to check out some of the advice given here. Did you buy that stock in Enron yet? chuck n tx croche 12081... MORE
Yes, I think that's the way to go. I will stick with my stock canister filter with the original "felt" element and change oil at regular intervals. I have not seen the inside of any spin on filter that looks like it will trap more debris than this nice thick felt filter... Mike kna331@... 12016... MORE
Which brings us back full circle. The use of the magnetic oil drain plug. A piece that is removed every oil change, inspected, cleaned and put back in. Putting a magnet on the oil pan would collect particles in the low flow area and trap these particles to the magnetized area. Until you remove the oil pan and clean all the particles out, they just sit there until that unlucky day you just barely clear that squirrel and his head takes the magnet off the pan. Now you have just removed the holding mechanism and release all those particle... MORE
Good question. In truth neither yet as not fitted! However I would prefer if it were a blow through, I could get away with a smaller carb (or get more power out for a given size), it would be possible to fit an intercooler and it would keep the blower pumping clean air rather than a fuel air mixture. But I don't think there is enough room under the bonnet/hood to work this set up. So practically it might end up as a standard suck through. Geri. "G & J Swann-Price" 11985... MORE
Geri- Thanx for filling me in on the rootes-type blower you are using, Geri. I am using 1.5 rollers with a Cooper S cam in my "new" Rivergate engine. What problems have you been hearing about with this arrangement? I experience none. A flowed head, say with 1.4+ intakes and 1.215 or so exhausts sounds like a plan, Geri. Should make quite a difference. MiniMania also has the aluminum variety with 1.4 intakes but stock size exhaust valves. I am happy with mine. The alum. head IS flowed in that it's ports and comb. chambers have been resdesigned so... MORE
Bob, Magnuson produce the so called 'Magnacharger'. They are a US firm (were in Santa Ana, Ca) and this blower is a gear synchronised lobe (or roots) type unit, employing 3 lobes on each rotor. They produced a range of sizes that will suit most size of engine from bikes to small block V8s. His main interest seems to have been bikes which is why they are particularly good for our small motors. Magnachargers were made in 40, 60, 80 and 110 cu in versions of which I have an MC 80 ie the 80 cu in version. These... MORE
Jorge, That is a Spridget? I'd have to say that's one of the nicest modifications I've seen. I don't really care for the front air dam, but that's the old fart in me. Thanks for the pic! Robert B. Houston Santa Teresa, NM '74 Midget '63 TR4 In a recent interview, General Norman Schwartzkopf was asked if he thought there was room for forgiveness toward the people who have harbored and abetted the terrorist who perpetrated the 9/11 attacks on America. His answer "I believe that forgiving them is God's function. Our job is simply to arrange the meeting.... MORE
Tony, No, but the system seems tol have been converted back to a contact-breaker system from an electronic system that I guess was stock on the 1500 engine. Thanks Mike K. kna331@... 11935... MORE
LOL, Dave! Chip Detectors by Ronco!! Of course.... "A great Christmas Holiday gift"!! Don't know if those magnetic belts for filters work or not but, I see no reason why they would not "hold" metal particles to the inside of an oil filter cannister. Easy enough to check out so why don't I do it. Sounds like a good idea. Let's see if Triple J or Autozone has 'em... I'll give them a try and let all know what the inside of the filter case looks like when we take it apart next oil change. We've been using magnetic... MORE
Has anyone done the MGB caliper installation on a Spridget? I understand it is a direct bolt-on conversion using MGB calipers and Spitfire rotors. There may be some modification of the Spit rotors. Anyone know about this? Does it bolt right on? What difference do you notice? Lower pedal effort? Better stopping? Is the front/rear brake balance OK? "tloutrec" 11803... MORE
Putting a Midget 1500 'box into a 1275 can be done but it is not a simple task and I would not recommend it just for synchro on 1st gear. However I have just undertaken a similar swap on my 1275 Sprite. But I have used a Triumph sourced overdrive gearbox to give me 7 useful ratios as well as synchro on 1st. Another reason for going the o/d route rather than 5th gear is I wanted to keep the car in period and produce something the factory should have developed if they had not have been starved of... MORE
Replaced the pedal return spring and the front rubber hoses. Still no full return of the pedal. The old hoses looked fine inside (even dissected them). Still, they were old. The calliper pistons seemed to still have firm pressure on the pads even with the brake hose disconnected. Had to push the pads back off the rotor to get the hub to turn freely. Should I have had to do that even with no fluid pressure applied against the pistons? The callipers didn't look in too good of a shape - old, rusty, bleeder screws seen better bleeding days,... MORE
All, Has any body made a list of the different bearings used in a Midget . designation like NJ 1-3/8 or size and type e.g. ID 1-1/2"x OD 3" x 1/2" W Roller brg. All the standard ones for Wheel bearings , Gear box , Engine - are there any more? can you fit alternative bearings ? Regards Alan "alan.east-jones" 11783... MORE
Home re-bushing for SU throttle shafts Some while ago I copied this from a web site - but cannot remember where. Apologies to the Authors, if they feel agrieved by my circulating it here. The original has some colour photos to illustrate the technique. Anyone interested, I can send off-list as an attachment and include the photos . Havn't tried it yet myself but it sounds good to me! Guy (Copied text) Just a Simple Wrench by Ann & Jake Snyder Doing It Yourself It seems like decades ago, and it was, when a peaceful weekend afternoon meant tuning... MORE
Sounds to me like you need to replace the throttle shaft bushes. I'm about to do that on my SU's. It might be tricky to get the old ones out if you don't have access to machine equipment as they need to be bored out exactly in line. I plan to use a boring tool in my desktop milling machine. You should also check the throttle shaft for wear where it passes through the bushes. Mine will be replaced (and modified per David Vizard's ideas) when I reassemble the carbs. My carbs shined up pretty well by using white... MORE
Mike, Almost all of the Midget/Sprite threads are American National Fine, known to some as SAE fine , or Unified UNF. 5/16 24TPI is a VERY common and easy to get machine screw or bolt thread. The thread would be axactly the same if it were on a hex-head bolt. Assuming you're somewhere in North America you should be able to find a whole range of National Fine bolts & screws from # 6, #8, #10, & 1/4 up to about 5/8 or 3/4-inch diam with absolutely no problem at Home Depot or equivalent. Any automotive shop worth its... MORE
I wonder how many good intentiond people dont realize that in turning in there old car for cash some factory is allowed to continue its polluting instead of spending there money to clean up its factory pollution?? "stanley hill" 11707... MORE
