MAIN
Drive Train
Previous Page | Next Page
Strange one this , I suspect it 's not too important. MG book shows concave towards the outside of the engine i.e. Front of car. The Maestro A series 1300 engine shows a slight centre dish concave towards the gear, but the outer rim edge of the thrower is like a normal washer, flat. My Haynes Mini book - (all A series engines) shows the same type of thrower but with an 'F' marked on one side. The 'F' is fitted towards the outside or normally Front of car. i.e. centre concave goes next to the gear. Lindsay Porters... MORE
The old "dodge" for a whiney rear axle was to add some sawdust to the oil. Not that I would recommend that sort of thing! I bet Frank knows this one - only 'cos he is a chippy, you understand. Guy "Guy Weller" 31260... MORE
Hi all,and a happy easter to you all. Now one for the group to give there views on,was talking to a chap in the week whos got a 74 midget,well he was saying that he nearly got rid of it a while back due to the fact he was fed up a whine from the rear axle ( diff ),at the same time his seals on his range rover swivels had gone,well when you do them now the hubs are refilled with a mixture that he said looked like a mix of oil and grease he called it a... MORE
I love it when a plan works out...so far that is. As I mentioned in an earlier post, my new 175/70x13 Yokohamas on the new 5.5 inch Dayton wires were rubbing on sharp bumps and right hand turns. It was scraping the RWArch, and I was a victim of the dreaded driver side droop, not to mention the extra lbs I carry...hitting about 260 at my last weigh in. So, shopping at my handy Checker Auto yesterday, I find a "helper spring" in the trailer parts. Two leaves about 16" long, one for each side. I just installed the... MORE
Just a couple of tips about adjusting rear brakes and handbrake. Firstly, you MUST totally back off the handbrake before you attempt to adjust the rear brakes. Preferably, remove the clevis pin where the handbrake cable is attached to the compensator mounted to the diff housing. This ensures that the adjustment at the wheels is not interfered with by the handbrake being partly on. After you have adjusted the brakes, you can then re-connect the handbrake and adjust it. You will often find that the clevis pin will no longer fit, and you have to back off the handbrake... MORE
I tried to post this earlier today from work, but I think it got lost in cybersomewhere.... Still looking at alternatives for my'69 Sprite, with bad trans. Maybe adding a bit more horsepower in the process of fixing the transmission. I have found some sites with Toyota engine and trans combo swaps, and a few Datsun engine and trans swaps. Of course, the most common dats 5 speed trans, using spridget engine and rear end. I also saw giant engine transplants, big honkin V8's and some V6's with variable combinations. Oh, and one electric conversion. Do any listers know... MORE
Ken, When you are measuring the end float on the cam are you doing it with the cam drive gear torque to spec? Without the gear in place, yes you will have plenty of end float. The cam drive gear pulls the cam forward towards the triangular plate. Biff Jones '59 Bugeye 'Kermit' '61 AH Sprite 'Ole Gray' in the "Healey Book" '71 Midget 'Freebie" http://sprites2.homestead.com/ "Biff" 31130... MORE
Are you checking the end float with the camshaft gear in place and tight? There won't be anything on the oil pump end to keep it in place and a spacer in there isn't a very good idea. Paul A "Paul Asgeirsson" 31129... MORE
Jim I'm not sure on this one, but as I've been reading the comments it suddenly came to me. I used to have a Ford Mondeo over here and I'm pretty sure you had to lift that to put it into reverse. Now, as I said, I may well be wrong, but that Mondeo box I think is the same basic 5 speed box as used in the Ford Sierra that preceeded it -and I'm pretty sure that Sierra box forms the basis of a lot of 5 speed conversions. But I was under the impression you'd need to... MORE
It can be a reliable daily car if you look after it.. I ran a 1959 frogeye from 1998 to 2001 as my only car, clocking up in the r egion of 40K in that time. The car was not a prime example when I started and its still not a prime example. It had been modified, (1275, ribcase box , Disk front brakes, later diff, 3.9:1, Fiberglass bonnet,). Mainly to save the steel bonnet, and make it a truly usable car, which it was. In the 150 0 already has most of these parts. I did service it... MORE
Hi Ben If I was you I would try to buy a part restored 1500 that somebody has given up on. It's amazing how much people spend on the mechanics, blinkered to the fact that the shell is totally rotten. We did the same with an MGB when the engine blew. As well as a recon engine and new carbs we also got a set of wires,overdrive box, new brakes, a good interior, a silent back axle, 2 new tyres and a webasto roof! Not bad for =A3300 Take whatever you need from the donor car and then sell... MORE
Ben, My 1500 has Peco exhaust, oil cooler but no magnetronic ignition or kenlowe fan, from Nov 2002 until Oct 2003 it was in daily use and i covered 15000 miles in that time as well as several large jouneys includng Le Mans and back which all told was 1000 miles in 4 days. (I'm in the UK) My car is far from perfect but regular and pre-emtive maintainance is the key to reliablility. Once you've ironed out all the faults that the previous owners failed to take care of (in my case my own brother!) its pretty easy... MORE
Bill, There are at least 2 different sets of ribcase internal that are not interchangeable, so you your plan may not work. In some ways, re-assembling a trans is more tricky than an engine. You can make minor errors in an A-series engine and it will be forgiving about running anyway. Miss a couple details in the gearbox and you'll be locked in gear (or worse) again. I'm not saying you can't do it, but it requires more finesse and attention to detail. I'd say you'd be better off finding a already good one or having Paul A rebuild... MORE
depending what car the rear axle came off, it will only be a bolt-on fit one or the other of your cars - the quarter elliptic rear suspension of the frogeye had slightly different spring mounts on the axle casing when compared with the later semi elliptic springs. David "David Jacobs" 30900... MORE
Hi Bill B, There are 2 4 speeds that you can use. One is the same size as the 5 speed and is found in all the years of the 210 and any of the B210 years with a 1400 engine. The other is a smaller one in configuration, but bolts and mounts exactly the same as the 5/4 speeds. It will be found in ANY of the B210, 1300, and 210 WITH a 1200 engine. This trans is wonderful. Even spacing on all the gears and shifts like glass. I have one in my van and love it.... MORE
I have a pair of front stub axles and complete rear axle with tube shock conversion with a set of wirewheels. In need of some TLC. My RWA midget, under restoration, has Rostyles also in need of TLC. I believe my Frogeye* also has pressed steel wheels, in need of TLC. When restored, the midget and frogeye will both be useable but not concours. However, The frogeye will be more of the show car and used for runs etc. The midget will be used for fun 'driving'(read hooling around , commuting to work, having a blast etc) So, which... MORE
I had a bit of a windfall hit me yesterday. I would like to use this money to purchase a pair of A arms with the kingpins already attached. I know that true happiness if found through the application of heat and curse words on the original A arms as one attempts to remove the badly worn fulcrum pin with cobbled together tools. But, with the extra funds, I have discovered that I have become even more shallow. Does anyone have a source for what I mention, that would be of good quality. Anyone that might even offer a... MORE
Bill, Fairly common fault. The selector fork wears and the result is that the 1st / 2nd gear moves a fraction too far along its splines and allows the spring loaded plungers to pop out, preventing the gear cluster from moving back as it should. Sorry, that is probably not too clear until you have dismantled the box to fix it! Cause is likely to be from "crawling" in first gear with your hand resting on the lever. One can often get it back out of 1st by pulling REALLY hard on the gear lever whilst driving. As you... MORE
David, the metal spindle is spring-loaded. It will push in enough against the spring to just clear the case. Guy "Guy Weller" 30829... MORE
Anyone taken the Speedo from a MK III Sprite apart, I want to get the mechanism out of the housing can without damaging the trip meter spindle hell they got it in there so it must come out. Anyone know how?. Regards Dave "David Dixon" 30822... MORE
If you want to keep the rear axle and suspension stock, I wouldn't go overboard in increasing the power output from standard - even an enthusiastically driven 1275 can break standard halfshafts! David "David Jacobs" 30801... MORE
Listers - My current project Midget (75) has no motor or trans, I'm searching for alternate powertrains to transplant into it, does anyone have photos, info or web sites they have run across on hot rodded Midgets they could pass along to me? Currently have a Ford 2.0 litre 4 cylinder with matching 4 speed, but looking at other options, plan on looking around for a 2.3L Ford 4 cyl with a five speed, which could be transplanted without too much hassle. Ford 2.3L turbo motor would be nice too, but don't want to spend a ton of cash,... MORE
James... Anything you can do to "cool" a motor which is otherwise running at a normal temperature extends service life. Yesterday's petroleum oils got by on viscosity more than film strength. Today they get by on both, more or less, while synthetics go more with film strength than viscosity for superior lubrication, inclusive of their ability to maintain superior film strength at higher operation temperature than the most modern of petroleums. Oil which is "overcooled" does not perform as well as oil running at "proper" temperature...thus the oilstat. However, one must monitor the oilstat for proper operation and thus,... MORE
I had to do just that on my 68 midget, loosen the pedal box and wedge a screwdrive under it to give me enough clearance to install the new switch. and as someone else said, taking care not to get the wires so twisted that they break. Cute little operation!! Mark 68 midget "MARK" 30772... MORE
Dave, Yeah, it's certainly "live and learn" with these little monsters.. so you don't feel so bad. I just spent the better part of a day trying to remove the pedal assembly from the seized pivot bolt from the pedal box of a early MGB. what a job.... Mike mk2sprite@... 30751... MORE
