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Thanks to all the "start-up" advice, the initial run-in went without a hitch. But a strange problem cropped up. Engine is a fresh high compression 1275 with PCV only. It would run very well for the first few minutes, and then start to belch smoke the likes of which few could imagine. It would do this for a couple minutes, then run normal again. Also, I could not get it to idle below 1200 rpm despite the fact that the carbs were fresh and were properly set up. With throttles CLOSED it still idled at about 1200. After doing... MORE
G'day Paul I agree with everything Rex said. But after 20 minutes of running at 2,500 to 3,000 rpm and then 10 minutes of silence, I retorque the head and adjust the tappets. And I dump the oil and change the filter right then. There are ALWAYS some metal filings floating around in there, from when the block was re-bored etc, and after 20 minute of running they should all be in the oil by now. I don't want them floating around in the oil and through the bearings for another 500 miles, so I refresh the oil and... MORE
Samuel... Since you are off to Don May's, please be kind enough to pass along to him (along with yourself, of course!:) my very best wishes for a Merry Christmas. Good luck with the head! :) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 27835... MORE
Paul, Yes, there is a proper way to break in your engine. The first 20 min will tell if your engine will live a long life or die at an early age. Lots of people have differant ideas on how to run it in for the first 1000 miles. I will tell you how I do it at work and what I reccomend to my customers. When we go to start up a new one we always go through the same check list. All fluids up to specs. Gravity fill the oil cooler if installed. Make sure the fuel... MORE
for the valve trouble/work imfo group! i'm looking forward to getting my mits on the head and giiving it a good yank after the holidays,..i would do it very soon,and i i love the idea of head work in the kitchen but street parking and engine work do not go well together, so its off to don may (one more chance to back out old friend!) or to my garage were i work..they have promiced me a place behind all of the dead volvo's and the second techs alfa that i can use if needed. i'll let you know... MORE
Hi, Ginger.... Just as I thought.....SCAMERINO!! :( Well...this whole event has been extremely deflating resulting in significant personal shrinkage (in terms of trust in the internet...of course! What did you think I meant?:) Wanna bet the poor quality is due to the fact it isn't really Paris in that film clip? :) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 27814... MORE
Samuel, IMO the time to do your head is when it's wet and cold , can be done indoor s , try the using kitchen !!!!!!!. Then refit it before the sun comes out so you can be driving. I'm assuming you will be grinding in the valves , I didn't realise the old engines were fitted with valve stem seals, I thought that was a more modern innovation. (or are they fitted to 1500s - I only 'know' A series) Alan - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -... MORE
Ahhhh....congrats, Steve! There we go!! Another Dave Tabor motor on the loose! Terrific, eh???! :) Cam surfaces are broken in at much higher rpm than idle. At least something over 2,000 rpm for the initial 20 minutes of running. There are others on this list who are more current and more technically knowledgeable and more proficient than I at this stuff. Like Rex Urban, Frank Clarici & Charles Christ to name a few. This is just a hobby for me, my only area of expertise being getting airplanes safely from point to point!! :) Obviously, valve lash should be... MORE
Samuel... Question to those "in the know" ought to be...is it really necessary to remove the head to replace one intake valve seal? Or have I misunderstood in that you mean a "leaky" valve? Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 27789... MORE
yes, it's not too difficult a job; it's even possible to do the valve stem seals (is that what you mean?) with the head still on, though paradoxically it's probably trickier to do that way. There are no particular pitfalls I can think of, just make sure the engine's cold before you loosen anything, get a workshop manual for torqueing the nuts up in the right order, oh, and don't forget to refit the little bypass hose between the head and water pump *before* you screw the head down. Regards David "David Jacobs" 27776... MORE
Cost, Rdgard??? Certainly, you jest. How about "ZIP"...nothing!! Though it could have been $30.00. They tell you when you sign up that cancellation instructions are given in their initial email which contains the link that enables you to watch the 42 minute movie clip. Now, remember, you only have 30 "free" minutes after you initially sign up and they send you their initial responding email. Now, no one is going to mind a $30 charge for watching Paris in a "quality" movie clip of Paris in action. I mean she's gorgeous and $30 is reasonable for 42 minutes of... MORE
ugh,..my prized 62 1098 midget has been diagnosed with a leaking valve seal,...has anybody pulled a head and done the valves?..i'm told its pretty straightforward.. i may enlist old fried Don May to help out with this,..so i would like to have some extra imfo so when we pull the head so can we know what to look for. any wisdom lad and ladies?,..i plan to tackle this after the hollidays and the rains clear up,..i miss driving junior! cheers, happy hollidays. samuel "modernlmi2000" 27772... MORE
Paul, we all got there in the end, It's usually something simple when you can't figure out the problem. I wish I could have been a bit more precise when relating to the similar (mini) engine build problem I had many years ago. All I could remember was a long bolt fouling on something but couldn't remember where. It wasn't the oil filter bracket though. Oh well. Alls well that ends well. Looking on the bright side, you got your clutch working, you didn't have to drop the sump / remove the head or pull the engine out. SPILLUNG... MORE
Alan... No clue what any of this means. Sounds like "crossed" mail discussions. Fire the ebay email you got to spoof@... and let them be your guide (which I am sure you have already done, anyway!:). Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 27764... MORE
David Jacobs wrote ........if a valve seat does come loose, I would have thought it won't actually drop onto the piston, since the valve head should always be bigger; having said that, if it holds the valve open, it can still cause interference problems. Very true, but I've also heard that if the press fit tolerance isn't correct , the valve seat insert can crack and break in half, not likely ,but a possibility that can easily be detected visually. More likely though is the long bolt in short hole theory. Alan "alan.east-jones" 27752... MORE
Hi all- First, let me take a moment and thank you all for the gracious way so many of you have spent your time trying to help. I recently sold a '96 Porsche 993, and let me tell you, if you do your own wrenching, you are on your own. This group is a real pleasure..... Worked on the problem this evening. Not sure what I have learned. I first pulled the starter. No change in problem. Next I decided to spend some quality time on my knees watching the valve and piston movement. Very interesting. I watched each... MORE
Hi Bob- Good ideas. I have carefully marked the crank pulley and can tell you that when I push it forward, it stops at exactly the same point each time. When I push it back, it stops at exactly the same point. These two points are about 15 degrees apart on the crank pulley. It does not "tighten up" as you approach the stopping points. Engine turns and then stops. Period. I am going to watch each cylinder and valve assembly closely before I tear into anything. I will watch closely for the TDC issue as you have outlined.... MORE
Hey Everybody I need some help. The guy I bought my Midget from has two AH Sprites and he doesn't know what year they are so Im trying to find out for him. Iv already taken the identification numbers and tried decoding them using the guide on this web site. http://www.mgcars.org.uk/midgetspriteclub/sprite/spriteident.htm I know there Mark IVs but I cant narrow down the year they were made. My Midget has a plate a the door jam that shows the m/y it was made but these darn Sprites have nothing. Is there anywhere in the VIN, engine, or body #s that... MORE
Hi Alan- That's what has me really confused. I am NOT sure it is stopping mechanically. Years ago I had a problem like this with one of my race motors, and it was found to be a ring of rust. This time, since I could not detect any "mechanical" stop and the valve train looked fine, I had my boys push a little harder, several times. They ended up skidding the car about a foot. It ain't budging. Got any suggestion as to how I can free up the initial tick-over? One other note. I carefully marked the crankshaft... MORE
Sooo it could be that one of the hardened valve seats has come adrift thus locking things up. Take the rocker cover off and try again but watch the movement of the valves, then I tink my previous email will still apply ref. pulling the head. Sorry Alan "apjones72mg" 27714... MORE
Are you sure it stops mechanically? If the engine has not turned over for a long time a ring of rust could have built up above where the top rings would have been , specially if the plugs have been left out for all that time. Then - if the engine has been rebored and crank reground , even with the plugs out , with a tight engine it is sometimes difficult to get the enough umph to turn the engine over top dead centre. At that point nearly all the mechanical advantage has gone and you will be... MORE
Don- As best as I could, I tried to eliminate the tranny in my testing. I put the car in neutral and could roll it all over the garage. I then left it in neutral and turned the engine by hand via the fan pulley. The crank turned the same amount as when in gear. Am I correct that this rules out internal tranny issues? Is there anything I could have done when bolting the tranny to the engine? For what it is worth, as I roll the car it sure FEELS like the problem is in the engine.... MORE
Nigel I will strip and examine the probably get a local rebore shop to do the cra nk and block if required. Rebuilding and head reprofiling I'll probably do myself. I will probably get hardened inserts put in also. Some machining I can probably get done if required by my sub contractor machine shop. I got a bit interested in the bore Vs stroke for 1340cc . I might look into that also. I got machined and rebuilt modified mini and MGBGT engines in the past (bef ore the kids started growing up) but have really only been doing... MORE
Paul, I have been reading this thread with interest. A lot of interesting ideas. Let me think a moment and apply my simple Polish logic. Before you go into motor....... you have marked crank pulley and it always stops in the same place. If you back it up, it stops a few degrees from the same place always? right? Then take it until it stops and check into plug holes and find if any pistons are at or very near TDC. If they are, there could be something in the cylinder that is hitting the piston. If non of... MORE
I can't imagine anyone competent doing it incorrectly but I would suggest that you take off the front timing cover and make sure that the valves are correctly timed. It sounds very much like the pistons are striking something solid (a valve?) If you carry on rotating the engine given valve mistiming, it can be a bit expensive bending the valves etc. Aside from the con-rod being in the wrong way around, (although I think that the symptoms would be different for that - the interference would be much sooner during the revolution) there is not much else that... MORE
