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midgetSpriter's, I've been trawling the lists for an answer to what seems to be an eternal struggle of getting my Standard Block 1275cc Midget (1970) to run in a reasonable fashion. I've read with interest a number of suggestions and am even more confused as to what the right thing to do in regard to getting this car to run with todays fuels. I've tried the full complement of fuels and am currently running with Premium Unleaded. The engine has been recently rebuilt with the addition of hardened valve seats so I guess I should at least have some... MORE
"Power"?? Hah! :) What "power" are we talking. Certainly not power in personal relationships, Ginger! Gave that up for what occurs "naturally" a long, long time ago so that it could all be fabulous, after attaining true "power" through knowledge of "the self". (Gettin' "heavy", here!:) If your into power in the traditional sense, you want my older millionaire-type bro'... ........certainly not I or my younger brother who cares about traditional "power" about as much as I do....well, maybe a wee bit more than I do! :) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 22922... MORE
I was born in '59 Mr. Pilot man. A very good year, I might add. I'm cruising up into my power years so yall just better watch out!!! "Virginia" 22892... MORE
Hooray! After reading the suggestion below I went and swapped out the solenoid for a new one. The Midget now starts up like a champ, instantly and without fuss, with the key, every time! This leads me to believe that I may have left out a clue to this mystery. I didn't even know it was a clue until now: since I got the car 16 months ago, the starter always took 5-15 seconds of cranking to start the car. The PO informed me that it "has always been that way". He had owned the car for 6 years... MORE
Hooray! After reading the suggestion below I went and swapped out the solenoid for a new one. The Midget now starts up like a champ, instantly and without fuss, with the key, every time! This leads me to believe that I may have left out a clue to this mystery. I didn't even know it was a clue until now: since I got the car 16 months ago, the starter always took 5-15 seconds of cranking to start the car. The PO informed me that it "has always been that way". He had owned the car for 6 years... MORE
Gingerino! Yes...but..the job is done correctly and it's a "one off" deal....and the seats are securely buttoned down (as they should be) which means YOU are securely buttoned down assuming you use your seat belt. See....your flying out of the car at the speed of light on a tight turn (I mean, all the screaming, swearing and everything) is going to attract a lot of the "wrong" kind of attention...could give LBC's a bad name....not good...:):) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 22856... MORE
Steve.... It DOES sound like a battery that is no longer "holding" a charge, assuming cables and connections (especially "grounds") are in good order. Most mechanics/shops have a battery load checking device which can be hooked up to check the battery's dynamic cranking power. Thi should uncover a "bad" battery in a heartbeat, "static" condition notwithstanding. Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 22846... MORE
Needed a clutch slave cyl kit. From Moss it's 20 bucks including shipping, takes 3 days. At Advance Auto it's eight bucks, overnight. Advance has lots of mechanical parts for Spridgets, so it's always worth checking before sending money to Mo$$. "Jeffrey Holmes" 22814... MORE
I seem to remember metholated shaving cream rubbed into the carpet and allowed to dry then vacuum up. I tried it once in the house and it worked rather well, at least as I recall. Martyn "Martyn Eastwood" 22822... MORE
Don... Good observation on the vacuum advance line...way to go, buddy! :) Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 22804... MORE
Don, Have been following your discussion of mystery mods. This may help. It sounds like your 74 has twin carbs. In 75 they went to the single Zenith and the third rubber hose from the canister hooked up to a compression fitting on the back or firewall side of the carb near the bottom. It may be that the emissions equipment was retrofitted. FWIW Rob C 75 Midget robbiesg@... 22781... MORE
Actually, Bob... Number of carbs notwithstanding, it's probably the same system they used on the single carbed '75, slightly modified for the different engine and/or single carb. set-up and/or closed loop fuel system. However, your input gives us the reason for the compression fitting in the first place...I was not at all sure how it figured into the system, as you may have guessed! And while I do not recall it being a part of the emissions stuff I pulled off my previously owned '74, most likely it was there, in the same place as Don May finds it... MORE
Hi, Don... Well, I have to admit I am doing most of this from memory of what I had on my po'd '74.....this was like 20+ years ago!! Naturally, when I looked at all that stuff cluttering up the engine compartment, I barfed! Then I took it all off, cut the restrictors on the carbs, got a ventilated/ filtered oil filler cap and set up a "ventilated" rather than "evacuated" system. But as Gerard and many others have correctly pointed out, a properly working PCV system is a "good thing" in more than one respect. Yes...the engine breathes in... MORE
Hi Bob, The restrictor inserted in the hose from the oil separator is a modification and not a stock part rather a jerry rig piece of a standard plumbing compression fitting he used to restrict the line, so it was not an official California set up. All I know to do is return it to the direct hose and see how it runs. Although curiosity leads me to wonder why he did it. If I recall correctly in 74 model year the pancake looking PVC valve on top the intake manifold was deleted and the Y connector to the... MORE
Hi, Don May... 1. The missing hose from the carb. to the charcoal cannister MAY be for the fuel bowls with respect to an "anti- runon" valve feature. This is a guess on my part. What this did was create a vacuum at the fuel bowls when oil pressure fell to zero through a solenoid switch when the ignition was switched off. The fuel bowls were vented to the charcoal cannister as part of the closed loop fuel system. The solenoid switch was wired "hot" which is why the PO MAY have disconnected this. 2. The line off your... MORE
I very much doubt if twin HIF 1 carbs were ever fitted to a production car as the philosophy of extra performance using twin carbs had been replaced by using a big single one, by the time HIFs were being used on performance A series engines.This being so, you'd need to find left and right handed individual carbs to make up a set. (was the HIF carb even made in this size?!) You'd do better swapping to twin 1s and modifying the backplate of your filter case to suit, if you're desperate to keep it. David "David Jacobs" 22773... MORE
Once again faced with mystery PO modifications. These have to do with the emission controls. First, particularly on California cars, one must find a proper diagram of the system, something the weak of heart should not attempt from a Haynes Manual. The car in question is a 74 Midget I assume with a stock 1275 First discrepancy . . . The manual, if correct, shows a hose from the valve cover to one of three hose connections on top of the evaporation canister, check . . . that is there. Another hose goes to the gas tank vapor collection... MORE
is it possible to replace the hs 1 1/4 twin carb setup directly for hif twin 1 1/4 and get a slight increase in performance? i already have the marque k&n filter and so want to utilize it thanks Rob "R.Eades" 22761... MORE
Many thanks for the reply Cap'n. I'm told the torque is relatively unaffected but mid-range performance is definitely boosted. I have a 1300 Spitfire manifold and will probably go ahead with the project this winter. I'm still trying to get the car roadable after dumping my wires for some American Racing mags. Been a real pain. Rob C robbiesg@... 22759... MORE
"Thanks Bob & Allen for the education" (You owe me big time, Don May!!:):) Assuming it's a stock 1275 you are looking at Don, the correct model of the 45DCOE for the set-up is 45DCOE13. The DCOE is my favorite performance carb. I got mine initially when the shafts of the stock SU's my PO'd '74 started leaking air and needed rebuilding. I figured what the hell and sprung for the 45DCOE tuned for the stock 1275, instead. Glad I did. Worked just fine right out of the box, with the addition of a "deep" K&N filter. Subsequently, the... MORE
Hello Folks I had my Carbs adjusted this past spring on my 1971 MG Midget. At the time they were fine, but now when I start up the car I get a big wiff of gas coming from the tail pipe. I have check all my nuts and bolts and every thing is tight. What is the next step? I have not lost any power and it is running better then it ever has, but the smell is a little to much. Any help would be appreciated Jason 1971 MG Midget 1964 MG Midget "Jason Gross" 22738... MORE
Ah...congrats on the "new" car! "Late for work"...yes...of course! :) Yes...humidity could be the culprit..maybe. If you just got the car, then a major tune-up when you can get around to it is most definitely in order to start owner-ship "fresh" so to speak, with the engine running as best it can. This way you know what you've truly got and where it's at when you "began". Now we're just grasping at straws. It could be connections, distributor cap, etc.,etc.,etc. or a "combo" of same. In the meantime, simply renewing the wires may or may not help but it's... MORE
Don... Dave Vizard's excellent book goes into the "differences" in good detail. Usually, the Weber sidedraught carbs. are utilized along with other performance upgrades such as cam, inlet valve size increase, flowed heads, etc., though they can be used on the stock mechanically sound motor, the benefit in the latter case mostly confined to more "quick response" rather than a true "power" increase due to scads more aiflow available by larger throats. The operative word in the foregoing is "mechanically sound". The engine in question has got to be developing good vacuum for the Weber is a "fixed venturi"... MORE
I see that a Weber side draft carburetor is a popular modification to Spridget engines. Ok . . . I admit ignorance . . . what are the benefits of doing this? How much power is gained? How easy are they to maintain? What are the pros and cons? Don "Don May" 22718... MORE
Having installed power windows in multiple LBC's I can tell you there is only one type of power mechanism out there that will fit the door. And that IS NOT INSIDE the door. It's a power 'pod' that attaches on the door panel and drives the original crank handle. "ptegler@cablespeed" 22712... MORE
