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Are you sure you are loosing pressure from the tube? Sometimes air can get trapped between the tube and the tire when mounted and slowly this "bubble" of air will leak out around the outside of the valve stem. How do you know it is leaking? Do you hear it? If you rub soap and water around the stem, do you get bubbles? Watch it and see if the air stops leaking at some point then add air to the tube and top it up and see if it still leaks. Bob in San Diego "Robert D. Gardner" 36913... MORE
The valve controls the water flow through the heater core. Without the core the valve should be closed or some of the water will by-pass the radiator. With the heater core in place, the core will act like the radiator, cooling the water passing through it. Cooling problems can be caused by a number of things - "junk" in the radiator, bad thermostat, and, while not too common, the water pump impeller corrosion, amoung other isues. "Jim" 36873... MORE
I have a 73 Midget that is over heating.. Just bought the car. 1275 car, runs pretty well, timing is good, carbs are good but still getting hot. Replaced the thermostat still no luck. I noticed they removed the heater core and kinda looped it thru the water control valve. I don't seem to be getting any flow in/out of the radiator. J Jeremy Loukinas 36871... MORE
Jim, Common theory is that you should turn on the valve and either run the water through the heater core, or use a short by pass hose and loop the water back into the engine. That will insure better cooling for the number 4 cylinder which I hear can be a problem. Bob in San Diego "Robert D. Gardner" 36879... MORE
Just wondering if the gasket has failed between 1 and 2.. as when I had the head off my '75 I found some odd machining round the top of the bores.. this overlaps between 1 and 2, then 3 and 4, no idea what it was for, but can't help gasket sealing, but I just put it all back together and found I had good compresion so did not worry too much. If anyone knows what this is for I would love to know! Stewart "Ford Prefect" 36865... MORE
Gavin... I know little about 1500's and nothing about European spec types however, I 'd not be driving the car with a fuel leak in the engine compartment. Not as bad as a Series A wherein the exhaust/carbs reside on the same side of the engine nor a situation wherein the higher pressures of fuel injection may be involved but....not a good idea nontheless. Pick up from your supplier an SU carb overhaul kit. This will contain the n ew gaskets/seals you no doubt will need to put a stop to the fuel leak, assuming it is from the... MORE
My car recently broken down and I was hoping somebody might be able to give some idea of the likely fault and how to fix it. After being run fairly hard for about 30 mins then pulling up to traffic lights my '76 1500cc Midget had very little power when I tried to pull away from lights. Pressing the accelerator made neighter the speed increase or the Revs. Instead it just made the engine sound rougher. I pulled over straight away and found out that the lower two pistons ( furthest from the driver) were doing nothing. (I pulled... MORE
Rick, My V6 is a GM crate motor sold for replacement of the Chevy S10 2.8L V6. It is rated at 160 hp if the stock S10 2bbl intake and cast iron exhaust manifolds were bolted back on it. With my headers and Holley/Offy intake system, I would guess mines's up toward 190 or so, but I have no dyno data. This month I am planning to install a set of Crane roller rockers, so that sould push it up over 200hp. My traction sucks. The 185s I have don't hook up. The only time they did when I... MORE
I don't know what the deal is with motors and me. I think the only things I have that have good motors anymore are the two new cars I got in December. They are good, because I purchased them brand new. I don't tear things up; I just tend to buy other peoples worn and abused stuff, and more than likely they tell me things are fantastic, when in fact they aren't. Skorpion Motorcycle Motor dropped a valve, chewed the piston up, etc. etc. etc. - recently sold to a racer - was caused when the PO jacked with... MORE
"Should I worry?" The objective results of a compression/leak-down check will answer your question my friend. Cap'n Bob Basic Frog "Robert E. Shlafer" 36815... MORE
List still active? Normal day I receive many listings. Today none. Are we, me, unplugged? Bill French Hilton Head, SC '59 Bugeye '73 RWA frenchww@... 36798... MORE
Mike, Assuming you haven't had the head off for a while I think backing the bolts off and retorqueing to spec and approved sequence is probably worth a try. Who knows, it might work! Rob C-75 Midget with asthma Webfoot Leisure.com Your Local Pool Store-On the Web rob@... 866-530-9801 toll free " robbiesg@... " 36791... MORE
Hi I have noticed for quite awhile the faint smell of coolant while the engine is running. No dripping or smoke from the block. More like that "pissing" thing they do. In the process of changing the carbs and now have a clear view of the teltale rust trail coming from the front side of the head (manifold side). should I?? Crack all the head bolts a 1/2 turn then retourque everthing Just retorque now,possibly finding a loose head bolt in that area. I will probably end up having to do the new gasket but thought it may be... MORE
Unless you have an aversion to removing the water pump, I'd just go ahead and replace the head gasket at this point, based on my experience with "quick fixes" in this area. The hard part is already done - removing the carbs & manifold. An oil change is always healthy. However, if you do want to try the re-torquing bit, from what i have read/heard, you should do one bolt at a time - loosen and retorque - in a specific order (as listed in Haynes & Bentley manuals). Cracking all the bolts at once will allow the oil... MORE
Much better to have the head converted to unleaded. Here in the UK I ran with an additive for a while, can't remember which brand, but later had the conversion done. The olny difference I noticed was that the engine ran a few degrees hotter, which I have ben advised is normal, as unleaded runs hotter than leaded. Hope this helps Margaret South Lincolnshire (UK) "May you be in Heaven half an hour before the Devil knows you're dead" mmbrock88@... 36784... MORE
Dear Listers, Since folks seemed to have so much fun with carb adjusting let me try and keep the ball rolling. What would be anyone's best guess on a timing setting for a 1500 engine with dual 1.25 carbs, 2 inch exhaust and the lower U.S. compression? My Haynes gives anything from 10dgs BTDC (UK spec) to 2 dgs.ATDC in stock US single carb tune. I'm just not happy with the way the motor runs in all ranges and am trying to set a baseline timing. Any input is appreciated. Rob C Webfoot Leisure.com Your Local Pool Store-On the... MORE
"SU carb adjustment" Excellent, Vince....way to go! Ignore my most recent post on valve adjustment. K&N filters? Absolutely! :) Cap'n Bob Basic Frog "Robert E. Shlafer" 36765... MORE
"It just might roll down the driveway" Geeze....BFD....like this is rocket science or something...yeh, right. It didn't roll yesterday when I set the "rollers" on my 1.5 set-up and hasn't in 42 years so I sorta doubt it, most especially since parking brakes and wheel chocks were "invented". Unless you got a clutch fan, do it my way and you won't need a chock anyway. Just leave it in neutr al and set the parking brake....OK!! If it makes you feel better, put a chock(s) under a wheel....or dead cat(s)! Now, take the damn plugs out so the engine... MORE
My goodness, how many posts does it take to describe valve adjustment? Anyone got a Haynes or something? "joe blxfstz" 36752... MORE
"Put the car in second...." Sure...this'll work also the same...but.... ....why all the exertion when turning the engine over with the fan while lo oking directly at the valve(s) seems so much easier & accurate as well??? 'Course, if you've a "clutch" fan, you're SOL and "bumping" is indeed in the cards! :):) Cap'n Bob '60 :{) "Robert E. Shlafer" 36747... MORE
You may be on to something, Brad. If anyone has some step-by-steps on adjusting the valves I'm open to feedback. I'm reviewing my shop manual to prep. YOu might want to check your valves, make sure they are all set correctly. Brad Vince 36744... MORE
Vince....I may be mis-understanding your terms, but here goes..... Off hand, it sounds like the front carb is "weak" while the rear carb is "correct" or maybe a little rich. Don't forget, these are "interdependent" considering they're "connected" by a "balance" tube. Therefore it is possible for one carb to run the whole show....IOW, one "weak" and one maybe "overly" rich. For BOTH carbs..... the result with proper mixture should be a slight initial rise in rpm (50 or so) followed by a return to the prior i dle speed as the air valve is "held" less than 1/8"... MORE
YOu might want to check your valves, make sure they are all set correctly. Brad "" 36723... MORE
Dear Spridgetland, Before I operate I wanted to throw this our for comment or ideas. Dear old McGee, my 75 Midget now has dual 1.25 carbs and a manifold from a 1300 Spit. New carb needles have been installed and the motor runs well except..........it idles at 2000rpm! I've sprayed down the intake connections to head and carbs with WD and couldn't detect a leak. Other info: The motor may have accidentally ingested foam air cleaner material( I wont say how but it was stupid). The motor idled at the proper rpm when I first got it going then... MORE
Terry, the hoses go in place of the rigid pipe from the block to the filter head and the cooler itself usually goes in the nosecone in front of the radiator. For remote filter units, look at MGB V8 conversions (and factory V8s) as they use them - absolutely no room for an engine mounted filter there. David "David Jacobs" 36635... MORE
