QuestionQUESTION: I have a 77 MGB that after I take a ride in it and turn it off and wait about 10 mins. it will not start. It will turn over after trying for 5 mins. and then it will start. The coil gets very hot. Any suggestions.
ANSWER: Hi Jesse. I need a bit more information.
Does the car turn over but refuse to fire, does it turn over and cough a bit but it won't run cleanly, or when you hit the starter does it not even turn over? Also, are you still using points, or do you have an electronic distributor?
If it turns over but refuses to fire, it is probably what we call `heat soak'. Seems to be happening more these last two years.
If it won't even turn over for a while, could be the starter solenoid is sticking when it gets hot, or maybe the secondary starter relay is unreliable.
These are both common faults. Either way, get back to me.
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QUESTION: Yes, the car turns over but refuse to fire. But if you wait 5-10 minutes it will fire. We have a electronic distributor.
What do you do for a "heat soak"?
Thanks for the help.
AnswerBasically, you have got to cool things down under the bonnet.
If your carburetters do not have a heat shield, then fit one. If they do have one, make sure it is properly lined, originally with asbestos, nowadays with heat reflective, silver foil lined glass fibre matting.
The fuel lines need to be protected too, so they do not soak up heat from the exhaust manifold (hence the name heat soak).
The distributor has an amplifier attached to the side, and they can get hot, so maybe this is failing.
There is a panel each side of the radiator. It helps to punch a 2 inch hole in the left hand one (on the carburetter side), to let cooler air into the engine compartment.
