QuestionQUESTION: I have a "76 MGB that has been sitting for about 15 yrs. I have flushed the old oil out an couple of time and put a new battery in it. I can get it to turn over but it will not spark. I changed out the plugs, wires, Distributer cap, rotor, points, condensor, and sylinoid. I have overhauled the carb. and it is getting fuel. I have come to the conculusion that it is electical. I just really don't know where to start. Like I said before it will turn over just not fire.
Please help.
ANSWER: Hi Jim,
A 76 MGB didn't have points and condenser. But if your's does that makes it easy to test.
Remove the coil wire from the distributor cap and either place it close (1/8 in.) from metal on the engine or connect a spark plug to the end and lay the plug on metal of the engine. Then with the cap off, turn the engine slowly until the points are open. Turn the ignition key to "ON", then take a screwdriver and short between the points contacts and watch the plug fire. If it does not fire remove the white wire with the black strip from the connection on the side of the distributor. Then turn the Ignition to "ON" and scratch the end of the white w/black wire on the side of the metal of the distributor and watch for a spark. If you now get a spark, The points are installed wrong. The sequence should be (on the threaded post) insulator first with the hat part up. Then the points spring over the insulator hat. Then the condenser lead, then the short pig tail lead from the side of the distributor. and the other hat of the second insulator should be slid into the pig tail and threw the condenser lead and into the points spring so that NON of the three items make contact with the threaded post. Then install a washer and the nut on the insulator.
A simple test if you got it right is to install the wire back on to the side of the distributor and turn the engine so the points are open and turn the key to "ON" and take a 12v test light and check to see that the points spring is hot. Then slowly turn the engine until the points are closed and check again with the test light and the points spring should be dead.
Let me know how you do,
Howard
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QUESTION: Howard,
I got the car running. It was the damper in the carborator. I didn't fill it with the required oil. Once I filled it up the car is running like a top. Starts easy and runs smooth. However the car has sat for 18 years and I am on to the next issue. The clutch. I replaced the slave cylinder since I broke off the bleed screw, UGH! Now I have bleeding kit and so far it doesn't seem to be doing anything. I have filled the resavoir but the leve hasn't dropped with pumping the pedal or pumping this vaccume. Im really limited on troubleshooting I can do. What would indicate that the master cylinder is bad?
Thanks for all your help,
Jim
ANSWER: A simple test of the passage way from the reservoir to the bleeder valve is to loosen the reservoir cap and open the bleeder valve and put a jar or pan under the bleeder valve and just let it sit. It should soon start dripping fluid. Let it drip until the reservoir is about half down, then close the bleeder and then pump the clutch pedal in this manner. Push the pedal all the way to the floor and let it up very smooth and very slowly, then push it down again and let it up very slowly. If this didn't make you have a good pedal try forcing the clutch arm back with a pry bar so as to push the operating rod all the way back into the slave cylinder then push the pedal all the way down but again, only let the pedal up very slowly. Do that several times and you should have it bled by then. If not you may need to put a kit in the master cylinder or get a new cylinder.
Howard
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QUESTION: My MG ran great on jacks after changing out out all of the hard break lines I got it on the road and didn't think that I was going to make it a mile. Too much gas and couldn't seem to adjust the stromburg to reduce the flow. Bought a weber carb and pace setter exhaust. The problem that I have is that when I line up the two pieces I am unable to bolt both pieces on with the same bolts. The intake manifold sticks out farther than the exhaust manifold. When I bolt on the intake the exhaust only is held on at the ends. What am I doing wrong or do I have the wrong parts.
AnswerHi Jim, that is often a problem when you purchase an intake from one company and an exhaust from another. Rather than cut the intake down to match the exhaust, I would weld a "C" shaped shim on the flange of the exhaust to bring it up to the same thickness as the intake is. If you don't want to go to that trouble you can just cut some washers in half and shim up the exhaust flange to meet the intake. You could glue them together as they only have to be held in place until you tighten the flange nuts and they will be held in place then.
I have at times had to do some fancy machine work to correct that same problem.
Howard
