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I joined this group because I just got a 1977 Midget that to my supprise started after sitting in a pasture for 6 years. I fitted new tires and filled up the brake and clutch with fluid and I am on the road. There are a few pieces missing though...Like tail lights, mirrors, headlight bezels, air filter, and wiper switch. There are some of these items on ebay but the are for a 1977 MGB. What is the difference between an MGB and a Midget? Are many parts interchangeable? Thanks in advance, Cole "Cole Warren" 33277... MORE
"oil in combustion process...reduced octane" Most assuredly so, David. Yet another symptom we knew nothing about prior to Jen's last post. I had no idea it was blowing blue smoke. This is "wearing me out"!! :):) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 33283... MORE
Stop mucking around and go to a dyno, before you do a head gasket or worse. beckers "beckers" 33268... MORE
Jens... Timing..... I am an adult. So talk specifics to me. How "overadvanced" was the total timing from 30 degrees? Give me numbers. PCV valve.... Assuming you are running a stock intake manifold mounted PCV valve with a rubber diaphragm (and it's compatible "filtered" plastic oil filler cap), excessive oil burning would be the product of the rubber diaphragm which has become "porous". They can "look good" even when they're worn out. Replace same and you're done with this. :):) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 33278... MORE
"hard starter" Absolutely, Jens. Enough to ruin the engine in very short order. :( That's why my recent previous post was couched in strong terms as in..."get the job done". As little as 4 degrees over- advance can cause combustion temperatures that can burn through the piston crowns in about 10k miles. Ask me how I know :):) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 33269... MORE
Coil should get warm, but not too hot to touch. If it is getting that hot it may be that as it heats up the insulation breaks down and the spark is failing. This would cause the misfire. Maybe you have 2 unrelated faults? Mixture and spark? Excuse me stating the obvious, but I always have to think hard about which way to screw the jet to richen or weaken the mixture. Lower the jet for richer isn't it - so its clock-wise as you look down at the carb. Guy "Guy Weller" 33255... MORE
OK so it isn't that, but it still sounds like it is running weak at high revs. Guy "Guy Weller" 33254... MORE
Jens....STOP!!! Your chasing yourself in circles here. The variation in cooling temps with the mixture variations, along with appearance of the plugs and most of all, detonation/ pre-ignition (with octane changes thrown in for good measure) suggest the engine is operating on the borderline of self- destruction, in short time. Saving pennies on octane is extremely penny-wise, pound foolish. With a tuned unit utilizing high rpm's a good part of the time, "economzing" on octane can shortly become extremely expensive. Your "tuned" engine is an investment. Feed it a proper and appropriate "nutritional" diet. :):) May I suggest..... ...firstly,... MORE
Jens... What color are the plugs after you pull them out after a hard run? They should be chocolate brown (insulators) with the shell tinged carbon (dry) black, assuming "correct" timing, mixture and cooling system in reasonably good shape, etc. And what compression ratio are you running, BTW? On what octane #? Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 33252... MORE
Jens...."harder" (colder) spark plugs After you look after the carbs and intake system in general for vacuum (air) leaks, we should "re-visit" this topic. But, first things first for obvious reasons! :):) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 33251... MORE
Jens I spoke to Burlen this morning as I mentioned and they were very helpful. I've ordered up two spindle kits, two rubber washers and two new AN needles from them. For interest and reference for others going down this route in the future the cost of drilling out the spindle holes in the carb body and putting in inserts for the new spindle is about =A320 GBP + VAT. The new spindle kit (comes with butterfly screws and gaskets) was =A36.87 GBP + VAT and the AN needle =A36.33 + VAT. The moral behind this is to avoid... MORE
Jens I spoke to Burlen this morning as I mentioned and they were very helpful. I've ordered up two spindle kits, two rubber washers and two new AN needles from them. For interest and reference for others going down this route in the future the cost of drilling out the spindle holes in the carb body and putting in inserts for the new spindle is about =A320 GBP + VAT. The new spindle kit (comes with butterfly screws and gaskets) was =A36.87 GBP + VAT and the AN needle =A36.33 + VAT. The moral behind this is to avoid... MORE
brought the frogeye back to life tonight. First time it has started in the last year or so, but for the last 4 years it has only really run once a year to move to a new resting place. However this time it was a bit reluctant to start, and I found no spark so ran a hot wire from the fuse box to the +ve terminal of the coil and it fired up easily then. Interestingly when attempting to rev the engine it really did not want to know, and coughed and spluttered instead, this got better when... MORE
Trevor The needles are fixed not sprung, but I take your point on replacing them - I'm replacing them as a matter of course anyway. I think they're .090" ones, they came in a rebuid kit I bought ages ago, which indcludes all the gaskets, jets, needle and sets and disc/throttle spindle screws. Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 33170... MORE
Trevor Are needles and jets matched? Can't you just swop out needles without having to change the jets? I've found more problems with the front carb this afternoon I need to sort out before I worry about changing the needles! Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 33168... MORE
Jens Thanks. I think I may have figured out why the needles may have been changed inthe past. On dismantling the front carb this afternoon I discovered that the butterfly spindle was badly worn - and I mean badly lol. It's worn down by about a mil which is a lot. I can only assume the switch to those needles was in some form of compensation for the worn spindle. No wonder the engine had such a lumpy idle which I could never fix no matter how much adjustment I did - with that amount of wear on the... MORE
Hmmm.... somebody started you up once in a while, you might initially perform the same way, eh? :):) Do it a favor....do a major tune-up and be done with it. Then you can go out and enjoy it with no fear (well....less!) of running problems or worse, damaging it. Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 33174... MORE
For the purposes of discussion on subject engine with 1.25" carbs... There are two types of needles.... "fixed" (no jet interference) & (emissions/later cars) "biased" (spring loaded...runs against jet's inner core...) The fixed needle should experience no wear as long as the needle is correctly centered within the jet. Theoretically, they never contact and in this respect, should not wear. The "biased" needle/jet is a contact set-up and thus wears, requiring replacement from time to time. I forget which metal is softer and what wears first (or most, over time/use). The stock jet is always size .90 for the... MORE
G'day Hammondale The recommended torque is 45 ft lbs, then to the next split pin hole. The slight play is most likely due to the hub being worn. As a consequence, the outer bearing races are close together than they should be and the inner races aren't seating properly on the ramps in the inner races. Got that? So why aren't they seating when you tighten the nut? Because the cast iron spacer is holding them apart. The solution is to machine a little off the spacer. You can use a lathe if one is avaailable, or a linisher,... MORE
Robert Thanks, that's interesting. I wonder what it's doing in my twin SU HS2's then ! As they are on a 1275 Midget Mk3! And by the AUD markings on the dashpots they are the correct carbs for that car, ruling out someone simply swopping over some from the 1100. I'll ponder this a bit more, but will probably swop back to the AN needles. Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 33164... MORE
Sorry Bob but both the single and two speed wiper motors are 12v. Terry "terry.isherwood" 33163... MORE
My book says that the D3 was the std needle in 62-68 MG 1100 (1098 cc) using 2 HS2 carbs. The numbers are as follows: AN D3 1 .089 .089 2 .0855 .085 3 .0827 .083 4 .0807 .081 5 .0787 .080 6 .077 .0794 7 .0753 .0785 8 .074 .0778 9 .073 .0745 10 .072 .0764 11 .071 .0721 12 .070 .075 13 .069 - Bob Troutdale, OR "Robert Webb" 33161... MORE
Colin, Thanx a ton! Or whatever the unit of weight is down there X the exchange rate. That torque setting is quite a bit higher than what I've cranked in I'm pretty sure. I didn't use a torque wrench, just went to the nearest split pin hole after it got somewhat tight. As far as my hubs go, they are new welded-in-back ones from MiniMania, although I can't say they are exactly correct wrt dimensions. (How would I know without a mic and the spex.) Your explanation makes sense. I will probably take the spacer to a shop with... MORE
Hi The 14W wiper motor was made in single speed and two speed versions. This is the round motor can type located under bonnet. Anyone changed their single speed wiper motor and switch for the two speed versions? I have the two speed wiper switch and a two speed 14W wiper motor. Someone told me the single speed motors only had 4 out of the 5 terminal positions fitted whereas the two speed ones had all 5 terminals present. Wrong. My old single speed motor had all 5 terminals fitted but not all connected. The two speed one has... MORE
Hi guys I was cleaning and reassembling my carb's today and noticed the needle was a D3, yet for normal mixture the standard needle is meant to be a AN. Can anyone shed any light or explain why this needle might be a D3 and not an AN and should I switch back to an AN needle? The engine is not modified in any way. Tia Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 33149... MORE
