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Curt, The easiest thing to do as process of elimination, is to install another dizzy with the stock ignition and see what happens. It's nornal for coils to get warm, even hot. Gerard "gerardchateau" 31800... MORE
I found the source of the wisp of smoke from the starter area to be that the 3 wire connector between the distributer and ignition module (Howard Assoc. of Costa Mesa Ca.) was sometimes shorting against the +12 Volts to the starter (neg. earth set up). It's no longer in a position to short, But I still loose ignition after I start to crank. Think I cooked the ignition box? If so, what would be the hot choice to replace it? Supose a new Lucas sport coil would be a good idea while I'm at it? Cheers, Curt "cfisher1a"... MORE
Hi guys, Very happy to report I now have a good clue to the hard/no start problem on my full race 948 set up. Noticed that after a few seconds of cranking and some coughs while the motor nearly started, the ignition light went out. Pulled a plug and sure enough, Nice spark for a few seconds of cranking, then the ignition light goes out and nothing. on subsequent tried the light goes out immediatly when cranking and no spark at all. After cooling for a while I get the light and spark for a few seconds again. The... MORE
Hi, Curt... Pure race Huffaker carbs are modified to be "fixed" rather than "variable" venturi...IOW, the air valves are held fully open and machined to form the top of the venturi (or "fixed choke"..which is not to be confused with "choking" for mixture enrichment when cold). So, the butterfly works but not the air valve. Thus, to start "cold", you need to cut off part of the air supply to artificially enrichen the mixture. The fellow lister who mentioned the "duct tape" is "the man"!! Huffaker's pure race engine is usually fitted with "crankfire" ignition. Whether the advance is... MORE
I hope someone can give me some advice on this. Drivers school and race second weekend in June and I can't get the bloody running. I have a highly tuned (national level) race bugeye from the 70's era. Don't know the compression ratio, but probably pretty high, 12 to 1 at least. 4,000 to 7,000 rpm cam. 30 deg. advance. 110 octane race gas. champion n59g spark plugs. Electronic ignition box. No choke, just ram air intakes modifed hs2 carbs. Had it to a local brit car guru last fall and he tuned the carbs and set it up... MORE
Bob: Yes indeedy I am old enough to remember radio spark suppressors. In high school I had a 31 Model A Ford coupe with a Cadillac signal seeking radio mounted in the shelf behind the seat. Did I ever need a spark suppressor! The last time I saw one was in the ever present J C Whitney catalog. I can find Whitney catalogs in the magazine section of my local grocery store. Good luck, John "mg_john2" 31731... MORE
Those of you that may be as old as me, remember? a spark suppressor that we added to the dist. (a capasitor I think) to kill the broadcast of the spark to the radio. What was/is it? Where do I get one? And how do I hook it up. I have Neg. Ground. TIA. Bob, Troutdale, OR "Robert Webb" 31730... MORE
This car is both my love and my worst enemy. '76 Midget, single ZS All cylinders firing, all new plugs this afternoon. She idles fine and smooth, but as soon as i hit the road she revs fine UNTIL about 2800rpm, same spot every time, the rev nearly stops. No matter how far i push the accelerator, it takes nearly 30 seconds to rev from 2800 to 3200, and that makes for a lousey drive. The manual choke is wide open. It looks to be getting enough fuel in that the fuel filter and the screen in the fuel... MORE
Ben... Glowing ignition light....when there shouldn't be! Ass-u-me(ing) an alternator...diode going bad. Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 31672... MORE
I have had my Mk3 Midget for 19 years, and the ignition light has always glowed at show speed. Margaret South Lincolnshire (UK) "Margaret Brock" 31708... MORE
Hi all, What a day today was!! 120plus miles in bright Cornish sunshine! Cannot wait untill tomorrow! She is running like a dream carbs are a bit lean but gogin to sort that out tomorrow!! I really do Love these little cars! I filled her up with optimax she seems to be running well One problem is that the ignition light is glowing (only very slightly) when i am gogin slowly!! fan belt seems not to be slipping! alternator on the way out maybe?? Anyone got any other ideas? Cheers Ben Lawlor 31648... MORE
I guess what I will do, until I can find a goo dused one, is to just bypass the valve. I will plug the hose going from the valve to the heater, and use s fitting to connect to hose from the engine to the carburator thermostat(?). That way the system shoudl work just as if the heater valve was closed. I think... "Michael" 31581... MORE
Initially I thought it was the gasket, so I changed those. Then, when it still was leaking, I removed it from the fender well and the fluid was leaking out from the where the crank goes into the body. I only drive the beast in the summer. I have never had the heater on (I think the core leaks), so could I just come up with a couple plugs and seal off the hoses, thereby ignoring the valve altogether? "Michael" 31531... MORE
hi, Im in the process of pulling the engine from the car (1500) so it can be rebuilt. While it and the box are out it seems like the ideal time to change the box. However, im presented with a dilema. the purpose of rebuilding the engine is so i can run the car in sprints and hillclimbs so the close ratio box is pretty attractive, however, the ford box is still a closer ratio set than the original and has the added attraction of the extra gear for better cruising. Having said that the Moss close ratio box... MORE
Jens It's spot welded - but I plug welded and seam welded mine. Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 31440... MORE
I've got braided hoses but run an "off-engine" oil filter set-up ('cause I like to use the largest filter I can) and I like the protection the braid offers the rubber from any chaf, etc. Yet, James makes excellent and valid points for using rubber. Also, in the event you later decided to install an "oilstat", it's a much easier job with the rubber hoses. Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 31454... MORE
Martyn... Firstly, check the oil level in the carbs and further, is it "thin" 10 wt or the thicker 20 wt. stuff? Secondly, when it "stumbles" off-idle upon initial acceleration...is there smoke of any sort out the exhaust before it finally "catches" and "go's"? Thirdly...check the timing. For a "stumble" upon initial acceleration is not an unknown symptom of too much initial ignition advance. Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 31417... MORE
Alan Hershaw....float level Bet you hit the nail on the head Alan, considering color of spark plugs under normal driving conditions. Too much fuel pressure can also be the gremlin. Webers (for the road) prefer about 1.5psi, but no more than 2.5psi even for highly tuned units. You MAY need a fuel pressure regulator? Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 31413... MORE
I have a '76 midget with the weber conversion (New carb). Car runs fine under normal use (35,000 miles), but sometimes when idling at lights, the engine will "choke up", and start to falter. Revving the engine will clear it (accompanied by black smoke until cleared). This also can happen doing short stop-start errands in town. I'll get back to the car and it will require full throttle cranking, will misfire and eventually clear once I've given it some revs (accompanied again by the black smoke). Plugs don't show signs of a rich mixture (healthy tan colour) and I... MORE
My son and I have finally finished the Sprite. Now we're work on some final tuning. The engine is a 1098 with a VP3 cam and 1.5/1 rockers, carbs have the rich needles and stiffer springs at Cap'n Bobs suggestion which I agree with. I can get it to idle at 1000 or so but when pulling away it sputters and stumbles. It will rev freely in neutral. Does anyone have an idea what the problem is? Ignition parts are new. Thanks. Martyn "Martyn Eastwood" 31400... MORE
Ed.. 2 years isn't that long for the engine/ drivetrain though this will most likely not be so for the hydraulics. Have a portable FIREX standing by. Assuming the fuel pump is doing it's thing, add as much fresh gasoline as you can. Pull the plugs and using a healthy battery, turn over the motor until the oil pressure comes up. Do this in 5 second spurts over a period of time so as not to abuse the starter motor. Reinstall the plugs and fire it up, running initially gently. Good luck! :) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 31381... MORE
Hi all As discussed in the previous thread my 1500 is totally standard bar the K&N filter, which was fitted and set up by the MGOC on their rolling road. However it has always been a bit hesitant, especially pulling away from cold. I also noticed it yesterday when it was fully warmed up and I was driving along at about 40.Ipressed the pedal down to accelerate and there was a definate hesitation, almost like turbo lag. Naturally I checked under the bonnet to see if some wag had fitted a turbo, but alas not! When I bought the... MORE
James... You may have the airflow balanced but you haven't got the mixture balanced. The twin carb. set-ups are "interdependant". You can actually go full lean on adjusment on one, and very rich on the other and the engine will run on all four cylinders but the plugs will "show"....... exactly as your engine does! Go back to "square one" and use the Colortune (excellent tuning tool) CORRECTLY. Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 31378... MORE
Steve, Just a thought.... Take a look at the rear attachment points of the spring. The shackle should slope down rearwards from the mounting bracket to the eye on the spring. I think it is possible with new curved springs to get them fitted such that the shackle slopes forward and the spring eye is in front of the mounting point. Once fitted like this they wouldn't naturally flip over to the correct position. The result is a high ride height and axle moves forward a bit. Guy "Guy Weller" 31334... MORE
James, A couple of points about the fact that lead was not introduced untl mid-30's (and then ommitted again during the war years. The lead does 2 things; 1. It "lubricates" the valve stems. This only became necessary as finer tollerances were introduced and engines ran at higher revs. Not critical for many of the earlier side-valve engines. 2. It reduces pre-ignition. Again much less of a problem on early low-compression engines. I have run an old 750 side valve engine on a mix of petrol and paraffin (kerosene) It was common practice during war year rationing in the... MORE
