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Hello All. I live in Cheshire, Oregon USA and I'm the new owner of a very nice 1979 MG Midget:) I just bought it this past weekend and I can't wait to play with it. It has a couple of problems that need to be addressed before I can really drive it, one of which is a throttle that keeps sticking wide open. The other is bad brakes;) This combination of issues makes me a bit nervous! It desperately needs windshield wipers and I am having difficulty finding the little 9" wipers that are on it now. Does anyone... MORE
Hi Cap'n and Jens, I guess I've got to be a lone noise in the wind here. I've always used Fram or Pennzoil filters for as long as I can remember. I've got a 1275 in my van that has almost 300,000 miles on it since a major rebuild. Did 105,000 mile on a quickie rebuild before that, on an engine that came out of a burned MG Midget wreck. Admittedly this engine is now pretty tired, but it still goes OK. I changed the oil and filter religiously at 5k miles, with nary a peep out of this... MORE
My 2 cents worth. I don't think there is a exact reading, but I think 120-160 is normal. A compression test is more of a overall test and should be done twice. The first time, just pull the plugs and do it. The second time, squirt some oil in each cylinder and do the test again. The results will show condition and any problems, then there are leakdown test, etc. The readings should be within 10 percent for high and low. If there are any problems, like yours of cylinder 3 & 4 being low, the oil test will... MORE
Hi Everyone I did a compression test on my 1500 motor can anyone tell me the compression reading in lbs for the 1500 motor Here are my readings I think they are low ?? Can any one tell me if have a problem or going to have problems with the diff readings between cylinders in the future CYL 1 - 130 2 - 130 3 - 115 4 - 100 Thanks again every one for all the help you have gave me Ed "nastyboy089" 32184... MORE
Jens, Maybe..... Condensation is collecting in your silencer (muffler). Only when you have run the engine for a little while does this warm up enough for the condensed water to evaporate and produce the white cloud. Still possible that it is originating from a fault with the head gasket, allowing water to leak through into the cylinders, but not causing an obvious leak to the outside or mixing of oil and water. Have you tried a compression test? Guy "Guy Weller" 32108... MORE
"Maybe condensation...." Absolutely!! As previously mentioned... a normal part of start up from cold in the morning, most definitely with a car left outside overnight, and most definitely in cool, damp weather. Problem is, I'm "over here", Guy Weller is "over there" and Jens is somewhere else! So we can't see what Jens is looking at under these circumstances in terms of "extent". Is it normal, or "abe normal" (courtesy, "Young Frankenstein":) It sounds abnormal considering it happens every morning to a great extent, whether the ambient air is "dry" or "wet". The engine warms up after a couple... MORE
Well... I'll tell you Jens. It sounds like the head gasket hasn't taken completely. And obviously, you have a coolant leak in engine compartment in any event. This must be found and fixed. It may be leaking from between the head and block (which you already expect) when the cooling system is fully pressurized, further indicating head gasket sealing problems. Sounds to me that once you warm it up, the head gasket seals more fully as parts swell due to heat. So the whitish/gray smoke disappears accordingly. Head Gasket: I don't think it's fully taken. Nothing to lose by... MORE
Blackish/Grey you say? Well ALLRIGHTY THEN, Jens...it's not oil!! :):) Oil is bluish in color and "stays" in the air. and....the exhaust definitely smells of burning oil (and not unburnt gasoline). Whitish/grey (or gray) is water which is a byproduct of combustion and along with condensation within the exhaust system is produced most abundantly when a "cold" motor (overnight sit, fr'instance) is initially fired up, most definitely on those cool, humid mornings when it tends to stay in the air rather than more immediately evaporate as it does in "drier" air. Black is definitely unburnt gasoline which we get... MORE
I am on the point of summoning up the courage to replace my Mk IV Sprite's tatty old hood with new fabric. A couple of questions for anyone who has already done this: 1. What sort of glue should I use to fix the fabric to the header rail? 2. Is there anywhere I can get the grey paint for the hood frame? Thanks in advance. Tede "tede4uk" 32070... MORE
You have worn valve guide on the inlets. You can replace the seals on the valve stems, but it will only make a marginal difference. The problem is that when the throttle is shut there is a vacuum in the inlet port area, created by the piston going down and nothing to go in. The inlet valves are open, but not the carb's butterflies. Hence vacuum. This pulls oil from the rocker area thru the valve guides and most of it burns on the back of the inlet valves. Once you're underway this diminishes and you are ok. Don't... MORE
No, that is normal. In SC/CR box, the only comfortable gear is 4th! Get some hawk disc brake pads from the usual suspects (winners circle, mini mania etc) Mike "Mike Gigante" 32046... MORE
Ah, at last, some empirical facts to check! Thanks David. Actually, those figures look to me like quite a lot of resistance (wind + rolling) combined with not a lot of momentum ( mass X speed ) Maybe my car is pretty standard in this respect after all. By comparison, I know that on the more or less level road into the local town I could accelerate my Padded Cell up to about 70 and then coast for over 1 1/2 miles before it had slowed to 30. The game was to judge when to come off the power... MORE
Curt, This information is worth exactly what you are paying for it....nothing! I seem to remember that straight cut gears are always very noisy. That would explain noise in 1, 2 and 3. 4th or top gear is straight through and are not loading on any gears so it would be much quieter. If it was loud in top gear, that would indicate a problem. Cheers, Bob in San Diego "Robert D. Gardner" 32045... MORE
Ed, All your points taken to heart or somewhere on the anatomy. As far as power washing, I am but a humble peddler of pool products. Such manly pursuits are beyond me. giggle & snort! Rob C Webfoot Leisure.com rob@... 866-530-9801 toll free robbiesg@... 32011... MORE
Guy, LOL! Seriously, I couldn't care less how hard it is to push the car out of the garage. But I am interested in improoving effieciency to get better performance. And in discovering what it is about the modern car that reduces its rolling resistance. Guy "Guy Weller" 31982... MORE
These are strictly for reduced rolling resistance, not necessarily for improved performance, as certain things would increase your 'lap time' through worse handling. Fit narrow (standard 145) tyres and pump them up as hard as the highest recommended pressure; use the lowest viscosity oils in the transmission (consider ATF for the gearbox?); check/adjust the tracking to as close to zero as you can get it, and check all four wheels' alignment; remove any extra un-necessary weight. I also do the 'pushing out of the garage before starting' routine, but I can manage it by sitting in the car with... MORE
I usually push my Sprite out of the garage each morning before I set off. The garage has an interconnecting door to the kitchen so I try to minimise the exhaust fumes in there. The point is this. It is quite heavy to push. The brakes are not binding and the tyre pressures are at 24 / 22. It should weigh in at about 1520 Pounds (Sprite,1971) By comparison, my daughter's Peugeot 106 has a kerb weight of 1675 Pounds and rolls very easily, you hardly have to lean on it. So what views are there on minimising rolling... MORE
Damien, Unless you are planning on replacing the needle roller bearings in the Hardy Spicer joints, I would not attempt too dismantle them as it will be virtually impossible to do so without damaging the bearing caps or grease seals. Clean the UJs in situ, taking care not to de-grease the bearings, and then paint the tubular part of the propshaft only. Guy "Guy Weller" 31950... MORE
?I figured I would seek the advice of those who have been there and Never seen a single DCOE setupon any 4 cylider engine with 4 inlet ports in the head!. The A_sereis normally has only one DCOE dues to a restriction in the head design that means that each pair of cylinders shares and inlet port, the only two intel ports, and thus no real point in using two DCOE carbs. The 1500 engine does not suffer this limitaion. Triumph tume and lawerence tune in the UK will sell you a twin DCOE mainfold for this engine. However... MORE
Morning all, I'm pretty new to this list and "Sprites and Midgets" in general but enjoy reading all of the comments that are passed. I writing from Australia and I am not familiar with the "Vizard Chart of Performance Upgrades" is it possible for it to be scanned and send to me or can some one point me in the right direction to get a copy of this item. Thank you in anticipation Jeff Moore. "Jeff Moore" 31940... MORE
Jeff I could probably scan the pages for you, but to be honest, it's such a good book - its worth getting your own copy or at least tracking one down in the local library. Here are the details - Tuning BL's A Series Engine David Vizard Published by Haynes Motoring Group ISBN 0-85429-732-4 Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 31943... MORE
It comes from a very good book written by David Vizard. It is called "Tuning the A-series Engine." A worthwhile addition to your library Nelson 62 Sprite in progress "Nelson Wittstock" 31941... MORE
Jens Indeed, you can release more power from having a more efficiently flowing intake manifold but you don't have to modify your existing one. There's plenty of aftermarket ones that do the job as well if not better than modifying the standard manifold. I've often seen them popping up on ebay - worth keeping an eye out for one. Nigel "amukdigiphoto" 31939... MORE
Jens Yep! Pretty much what I've been saying, not only is the twin 1.5 SU setup better on the lower rev ranges than the DCOE, they're easier to set up and maintain, but hey no one ever listens to me ;) Where a bit of extra whooomph is needed on an uprated engine, I don't dispute the DCOE's come into a class of their own, but not on unmodified engines. "amukdigiphoto" 31938... MORE
Hi list, I have huffaker spec 1 1/4" HS2's on my 948 competion motor. When I look in the air rams I see a fountain of un-atomized fuel coming up around the needle of the front carb while running. No fuel is visible when looking in the rear carb. I'm guessing the front float bowl needle is not shutting off and pressure is building up and forcing the fuel in the carb. I have a holley pressure regulater that I think I have adjusted to the minimum pressure (about 1 psi) Is this likely the cause? (I have new... MORE
