MAIN
Technical Info
Previous Page | Next Page
Tim, With the gearbox-end still attached, can you rotate the free speedo- end. (Don't twist too hard) This would indicate a problem with the plastic drive-gear inside the gearbox. Lack of oil in the gearbox might not help with wear on this gear. Next, try moving the car (or even driving it very slowly) with the cable attached at the gearbox. If it rotates, try to stop it rotating. If it jumps, again the problem is inside the gearbox. If all appears fine, the problem is most likely the speedo IMHO Charlie '72 RWA (First ever car, 2 rebuilds,... MORE
If you take the standard dynamic ignition settings from the Haynes manual you're supposed to disconnect the VA... I agree though that when running a Weber you should junk the VA and modify the mechanical advance to your requirements. James "jamesbilsland" 7714... MORE
I just came across an old paperback copy of Don Stanford's "The Red Car." I believe that this was the book that first got me interested in sports cars back in the '50's. I'm re-reading it now, and it is still bunches of fun. In the first scene that "the kid" actually gets to drive the MG-TC that he has been working on (since he salvaged it from a wreck), he has that MG grin plastered on his face. Each time I read a page, I wanna go drive the Midget all over again. Fun book! chuck chuck 7726... MORE
I have now taken out the speedo-drive at the gearbox end and it looks fine. I would describe it as a plastic gear on a shaft with the end squared- off to drive the speedo cable. Spinning this on the cable-end registers on the speedo - so all is well at that end. It slots back into the gearbox nicely - its feels right - nothing appears to be loose or missing. So why doesn't it work ! Can it be a internal gearbox problem or is this unlikely ? For example, could the car drive well but not... MORE
Hi, I'm new to this list. I recently bought a Midget restoration project. Its history is unknown but as far as I can read the car number is GAN1L5175. I has no roll-up windows, but it does have wire wheels and disk brakes on the front. At first I thought the wire wheel/disk brake combo would make it a 1963 model, but does the GAN1 code agree with that? Where can I look for more info on that number? Is there a web-site or a book with exhaustive info like this? Also, I'm looking for pictures of early Midget... MORE
I had a similar problem... not that I am that tall (only 5' 11"), but I installed a roll bar in my midget that I later found out was not "for" the midget, which hindered the seat from moving all the way back. What I did is redo the seat to give me extra inches. The back of the Midget seat has a lot of wasted space and the head rest was too large too! I removed the backing from the seat which let me move the seat back a bit... I also cut off the front 2-3" of... MORE
I have a 1974 midget with the alternator with built in regulator. The molded plug has been removed and I am left with 3 individual wires. I have searched my book and cannot figure out how it should be hooked up. There are two large spade lugs and one small on. One of the large ones goes to the battery. Does anybody know if the battery connects to the end or the middle of the plug? Thanks in advance! "darre1l" 7676... MORE
I am looking for a top with a zip out rear window. I know that someone on the list had purchase one earlier but I forget who and where they got it. Robbins and Caribou both claim they are afraid of liability if the top flies out and hits a car behind you, for goodness sakes, it's plastic!!! Damn lawyers (sorry Steve) have everyone scared to do something out of the ordinary any more. Anyway, if whoever it was would speak up so I can check into it, I would appreciate it. Thanks, Brad Brad Fornal 7644... MORE
Non members welcome . .. . . February 2002 Sunday 17th MG show at National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh. 10am- 4pm. Club has stand. Note date change. Saturday 23rd Rallye Sunseeker Motor Fair - Dorset Area have been invited to have a Stand at this prestigious local event & have accepted! We will need to display 5 cars and plan to have our Gazebo in place. Pete Downton will be co-ordinating this event. March 2002 Sunday 3rd International Telford Show. Provisional club stand. Contact John Canning on 01789 764889 for details. Sunday, 3rd Dorset Area Cobweb Spin - Club run... MORE
The postings about setting valve clearances reminded me of how I felt unsure of myself when I used feeler gages to set them up. A machinist friend made me a measuring instrument that made the job very easy to be accurate. It uses a dial indicator on a solid framework which bolts to the head bolts on the cylinder head. I have set up a folder in the Photos section so anyone interested can see what it looks like. I call it "Valve Measurement Tool". Nelson Wittstock Medina, Ohio "witstock7" 7606... MORE
One more thing that is very helpful is an adjustable timing light to use when you do this or just time you motor. Mine is digital but you can get a real cheap one from HF. Mine gives RPM, dwell, and advance or retard readings and you can preset the amount of advance you want to see. I have a mark for TDC on the top of the motor where I can see it. With an adjustable light you get RPM readout and how much advance at that RPM. As an example say I want 32 deg at 4000... MORE
Has anyone on the list ever rebuilt a mechanical fuel pump. Do you have to drain the oil or fuel tank before removing it? When I use the manual primer, it seems to work well and then not at all. I'm not very familiar with it so I'm open to suggestions. Thanks, TimS '63 Sprite MkII Detroit, Mi "Summers, Tim" 7581... MORE
Bree Blue smoke is oil smoke. Is your Spridget smoking under acceleration or does it get worse when you lift off the gas? James p.s. As a general rule blue smoke is oil, white smoke is water and black smoke is fuel (i.e. too rich). "jamesbilsland" 7494... MORE
Please be seated for a reading from the book of Horler. "Yea, for in january of 1964 was the Mk3 created. And the chassis number was HAN8 for the blessed Sprites and GAN3 for the slightly-more-porky Midgets. And there was much shouting and praising of the uprated engine and improved hood. The first HAN8 car bore the number of the beast thus; 38829. (being, in total, HAN8-38829). And so Abingdon begat spridgets until it came to pass that in late January of 1966, car number HAN8-58500 was created. Followed by 58501. And so forth unto the end of the... MORE
Well.. It depends. In the good old days they put tetra-ethy-lead in fuel to increase its octane rating. The lead also had the bonus effect that it coated the valve seats and cushioned them from the hammering the valve gives them as it opens and shuts. Consequently most car manufacturers used softer materials for the valve seats- cast iron in the case of our A-series engines. Nowdays most fuel is unleaded. Modern cars have hard valve seats which are able to take the hammering, however your 1960's technology valve seats probably cant. What happens is Valve Seat Recession- or... MORE
Hi Bree Anna, I have an actual workshop manual for a Mk 3 Midget, somewhere in the attic. I will look it out, and see if there are any diagams in it, and e-mail them to you. It may take some time, as we are in the middle of a complete re-furbishment of our home at the moment. Margaret South Lincolnshire (UK) mmbrock88@... 7414... MORE
Firstly I hate to be picky but what you have is sidescreens. Sidecurtains were the budget options on the cars and were hood materials as opposed to solid perspex / aluminium. I've found the best thing for getting rubbers into channels is aerosol silicone lubricant. It smells horrid but does the trick. Also make sure you are doing it in a warm environment and make sure the channels are super clean. And yes it's annoying that those joints come apart as you are fitting the things. I've experienced that. Jeremy '63 mk2 Sprite "Jeremy Cogman" 7385... MORE
Ah! You've got me there. A good SU book is the one thing I havent got, although really all I'd want was a list of which needles/springs were fitted to which cars... So I could go to the scrapyard and pillage all the SU's there. I do have a nifty wee program which sorts out all the SU needles and tells you which type you need based on measuring the size... Give me a yell if you'd like it. Cheers! G "Grant Bowyer" 7330... MORE
Yes. With the port restricted, when you 'floor it' the carburettor would rise slowly due to the restricted flow of air into the space below the piston. Varying the weight of oil in the damper would be the correct way to achieve the same effect. The spring controls how far the piston lifts due to airflow through the carb. Fitting a stronger spring will only ensure that at a given airflow the piston sits lower than it should. For example, if you bored out your engine, you may find that the piston hits the top of its travel at,... MORE
Hi Group ! The exhaust on my '66 (single-rear-bumper) midget presses against the underside of the rear bumper where it exits underneath the rear valance. As I drive along bumpy roads there is movement which causes a scraping/squeaking noise which is very embarrassing ! This appears to be because the tailpipe turns upward as it exits the rear silencer box. I was wondering if the car is perhaps fitted with a split-bumper exhaust in error (I bought the car with the rear bumper not fitted). If I had split-bumpers it would presumably appear somewhere near the edge of the... MORE
LOL, Growler- Wish I could help you out on your pillaging but besides the AN needle for the Sprite carbs, I've not a clue. Isn't there an SU carb. supplier (somebody bought SU out "over there" just recently, as I recall from previous autox.team spridget posts) in the UK who might have this info? Web search, perhaps? As to different needles available by measuring at the 8 or 9 stations, I have the Teglerizer site for this, though I do thank you for the offer. And I definitely thankyou for explaining very clearly the functions of this SU carb... MORE
OK, Growler- I percieve. And yes, the application is a "suck through" type. One more question and I will bother you no further, promise!! There are a bunch of books out on SU carbs.; which would you recommend as the most complete, both in theory and as a practical guide? Cap'n. Bob '61 :{) PilotRob@... 7328... MORE
Tim, I had my speedo go, and it turned out the drive had gone. Previous owner had replaced one plastic gear with a metal (?brass) gear. Problem was the metal wore out the plastic gear opposite! Try spinning the cable inner from the speedo end - if you can rotate it, sounds like the gears have worn out or broken. You *should* be able to access it through the inspection holes (as long as you've small, double-jointed fingers). Good luck! Charlie '72 RWA (First ever car, 2 rebuilds, 3 engines so far...) "heardcd" 7305... MORE
I had the same problem. In my case the drive from the trans was working, and the speedo registered when the cable was turned at the trans end. Turns out the square metal drive end of the speedo pickup gear had been rounded off. It looked as if the cable had frozen at some point and caused the drive end to spin around the square end of the cable. I lubed the speedo, replaced the cable, cleaned up the drive gear teeth, and pinched the metal drive end square. All this can be done with the transmission in the... MORE
Tom, Sharon and list, FYI Don't know for sure but the Virus Software here at the state smoked what ever was attached to the email that was sent by Tom and Sharon. I must advise you that McAfee indiscriminately erradicates virus strings and anything that IT THINKS is a bug as well. The possibility exists that there was NO infected material involved, but it exterminated it none the less. The State of NY takes great care in assuring that we have the very latest in Virus software updates and .dat files. Just thought I would pass it on just... MORE
