Project 1974 MGB GT - The Mustard (Mit) Mobility Scooter - After nearly 7yrs, The End (for me)

[SiC]

Ah don't worry. I'm ridiculously slow, so it was only last night that I was actually sticking the seat foam back on! I have to say, I hate reupholstering.

 

I'll look under the areas later. From underneath the handbrake area though by the gearbox, I've been under there (pic somewhere earlier in the thread) and it looks alright. Under that area though on my car is the heat reflection blanket. I don't know if its the case with mine, but I know the ones out of the factory have asbestos in them (one of the few areas that do on the MGB). So I'm a bit weary poking around there. I.e. better off not disturbed.

[busmansholiday]

The heat shields between the exhaust and carbs were also asbestos. Spent many years identifying it and teaching people what to do when they encounter it. Best was when somebody brought us a sample from one of the preserved locos to look at, off the record. It wasn't but as it was a nice day me and a colleague decided to have a walk to the sheds and pretend to be train drivers ( two blokes in their 50's FFS). We soon spotted the treads on the steps were white asbestos but it was when they opened the engine covers. Fuck Me wasn't close to what we said, the exhaust was lagged in blue (the really bad stuff) asbestos. I left my colleague to sort it out, most of his phone calls started with something like "hi, Dave, you're not had this conversation with me..."

 

Anyway, MG and rot. The bit by the handbrake is a double skin, it's above the cross member under the floor. This was mine. Note the pics seem to be inverted, something to do with being from another phone.

 

Similar at the back, there's a big joint, again this was mine.

[SiC]

Yeah I knew the heat shields would very likely be abestos. When I took the carbs off, I wore a mask, gloves and didn't touch the stuff on the back. My theory was that there is a big engine fan on the front, so any loose fibres would have blown away long ago.

 

Here is by the seat belt mount.

 

Under a bit of foam under carpet near the back seat.

 

And I found this by the front foot well.

 

Eek! First proper bit of grot I've seen on here. My magnet stuck to it so at least it's metal.

 

Got worried at this stage, so pulled more trim up to have a better look.

 

So looks like someone has been here before and done a welding job. I guess it's not too bad? Hitting it with the back end of a screwdriver seems to show it's fully solid.

[busmansholiday]

Far, far better than mine looked but needs a bit of anti rust treatment sooner than later.

 

Picture 3 & 4 are interesting with that blue bit behind the hole. Looks like been welded externally but that's quite odd. Rest is roughly what I would have expected.

[busmansholiday]

Back to pics 3 & 4, there's a rusty bit on the floor where the sound deadening material is missing. Don't want to worry you but I hope to fuck it's not like this below it.

 

[richardmorris]

Yeah I knew the heat shields would very likely be abestos. When I took the carbs off, I wore a mask, gloves and didn't touch the stuff on the back. My theory was that there is a big engine fan on the front, so any loose fibres would have blown away long ago.

Here is by the seat belt mount.

Under a bit of foam under carpet near the back seat.

And I found this by the front foot well.

Eek! First proper bit of grot I've seen on here. My magnet stuck to it so at least it's metal.

Got worried at this stage, so pulled more trim up to have a better look.

So looks like someone has been here before and done a welding job. I guess it's not too bad? Hitting it with the back end of a screwdriver seems to show it's fully solid.

 

Asbestos is fine* until you disturb it. You will make new fibres by moving stuff. So always wear a mask folks.

[SiC]

Back to pics 3 & 4, there's a rusty bit on the floor where the sound deadening material is missing. Don't want to worry you but I hope to fuck it's not like this below it.

 

WP_20170526_10_41_47_Pro.jpg

I think it's fine*. This is the view from underneath that area.

 

I gave it a good poke with a screwdriver and it didn't go through. (Thankfully!)

[SiC]

In other news I've finally finished rebuilding the seat. The one bit I skipped on was gluing the seat cover onto the foam. As it's the original covers, they are a bit fragile - especially the backing fabric. I was worried about gluing it and then tearing it when adjusting in position and as I wiggle around the seat in use. With the fabric pulled tight, it mostly pulls that centre section against the foam though.

 

I wasn't going to rebuild the other seat as it felt in decent nick. However it does feel like the diaphragm has gone on it too. So it may get a rebuild at some point soon. But short term the drive needs to be cleared ready for the 1100 and it's weldathon.

 

I need to pull the offside wing off and have a good look underneath. I know the top of the trumpet has some grot, so it'll need some welding for sure. But I can do that once I've learnt and got practice+experience on the 1100!

[busmansholiday]

Asbestos is fine* until you disturb it. You will make new fibres by moving stuff. So always wear a mask folks.

Always use the right type of mask, it must be EN149 FFP3 not some shit from B&Q. It states what it is on the mask, if there's nothing on it or 1 or 2 the protection don't bother, your handkerchief would be more useful.

Also fit it correctly, one strap above the ears one below and compress onto the face.

 

H&S hat off !

[richardmorris]

As a tangent to the above, the masks you see the Japanese wearing when there’s a flu outbreak are totally useless. Ok for 15 mins exposure before saturation.

[busmansholiday]

As a tangent to the above, the masks you see the Japanese wearing when there’s a flu outbreak are totally useless. Ok for 15 mins exposure before saturation.

TBH I doubt 15 minutes, I've seen some real shite in the 40 years I spent in the HS&E job.

[Felly Magic]

I thought being rampantly rabid was a legal requirement of the Moaners Club. Poor Pugsley. being made to look a right old aipeth

[DodgeRover]

If you are doing some asbestos type work and you have a moustache/ beard then a dollop of Vaseline where the mask meets hair will ensure your air supply is actually being filtered by the filters and not your facial hair!!

[SiC]

Seat is back in. I didn't glue the fabric down in the end. It was too fragile to risk doing so. Also it was pretty warm out so it would have stuck before I had a chance to pull it tight.

To be honest, now it's pulled tight, it doesn't look out of place. The other side has come unstuck anyway and looks similar.

 

My gosh is the seat so much more comfortable. Not only that, you must sit at least a good half foot higher too. Completely transformed the driving position.

 

So much so, I'm tempted to do the other side now. The foam feels alright, but the webbing on the bottom must be shot as that's really low. I can feel a foam pad under the webbing too - like what was bodged on the drivers side. Just replacing the webbing should be a quicker and easier job than a complete strip down like I did to the drivers side.

 

Gave it another clean as bird poop had got on it again. Naturally had to dry the brakes off, so took it for a quick cheeky spin. I'm starting to enjoy it a bit more now. Helps that it's nice weather at the moment and everything* is working as it should be now.

 

Well apart from the rattly/tappy tappet noise it makes. I think it's alright, but I can't help get rid of that nagging feeling when driving that it's going to let me down.

 

It's back on the drive for now, but will be put away in my garage again very soon.

 

Really needs to go up under cover. The elements aren't doing it any good whatsoever.

 

Paint needs a good polish thanks to the rain and sun. It also makes scabs to start to show through as water gets underneath flakey bits and washing breaks it off.

 

Boot fills with water, as replacing the tank has renewed the washers on top, so water doesn't leak off the top. The boot seal is buggered. I have a replacement, just requires the tailgate off to do it and is a two man job.

 

Fuel gauge has gone back to reading 3/4 - even after fiddling with the calibration of it. Going to stay like that. I suspect it'll still read empty ok, just not full. It's never going to be an accurate instrument. Will just have to do range roughly on mileage.

 

I intend to drive it a bit more in the evenings now it's summer. Just it has to work, as my drive will be occupied very shortly by some more BL chod! So no room for more major repairs on it just yet. Not least till I get the new acquisition on the road properly.

[Tickman]

I'm starting to enjoy it a bit more now. 

 

 

 

I intend to drive it a bit more in the evenings now it's summer.

 

 

These bits are good to hear.

[Guest Hooli]

One thing to remember about proper* engines, is a bit of rattle is good. It's when the valve clearances close up too far & go quiet that the valve seats burn out.

 

Glad to hear you're enjoying it at last though.

[busmansholiday]

Glad to hear your fuel gauge does exactly the same as mine. I think I'll leave it alone.

[SiC]

This car really does try my patience.

 

Went up to the garage to bring it down for a bit of fettling. I usually removes the coil connector if I've left it a couple of weeks to allow me to crank it over to get some oil flowing through. Pulled off the spade connector and this happened...

 

Bloody thing. I suppose at least it did it now rather than driving? I considered walking back home to pick up a crimp piece and crimpers but it was hot and I couldn't be arsed. So suitabily bodged it.

 

It left its mark again in the garage.

 

Back home I fixed it properly.

 

Anyway the reason I bought it back down was to see if I could reduce the rattling the engine has. I know these engines are never dead quiet but the 1100 engine is way, way quieter. Also I went to a local Classic Car show and the MGBs there hardly had any rattle compared to mine. Speaking of which, I really should have bought my MGB down there. They do pack them in though and I didn't want kids stick/suntan lotion fingers all over the car though. Or even worse, people picking the paint scabs!

 

Doctor Google on the MG forums say it's often the Rocker Shaft that wears down. I know captin70s triumph had a rocker that wore to a funny shape but according to the interwebs the B-series doesn't do this. It doesn't tend to wear the bushings, more the shaft.

 

So I popped down to Moss and picked a new one up. At £13.50 it's worth a shot, where as a full new shaft and rockers is around £120.

 

Haynes recommended to drain the coolant and undo all the cylinder head nuts to prevent it cracking. Some say you can get away with it but I didn't want to risk it. However I guess undoing the nuts risks a future HGF? I tried to make sure it didn't move though.

 

Rockers didn't take much to get off.

 

 

Doesn't look like huge amount of wear but there is a ever so slight ridge and some scoring.

 

I suspect when it was laid up for 15 years, the top end drained of oil and the rust/markings showed up.

 

Stripping it down was straightforward. I made sure I got everything back in the same order again. There was visible wear in the bushings however.

 

Reassembly wasn't hard either. I was very liberal with the oil on the shaft and parts to make sure it wasn't run dry on start.

 

Put the car all back together and readjusted a couple of the rockers.

 

I think this is the right colour for the plugs?

 

Cylinder 1

 

Cylinder 2

 

Cylinder 3

 

Cylinder 4

 

Started her back up and ...

[Video]

 

She's still rattly. Balls. Almost certain its the top end that is rattling as sticking a 0.08" feeler in quietens it down. Also maybe that I'm crap at setting clearences.

 

I want to get it MOT, so I'll get the garage to set the clearences again. If it's no better I'll just ignore it. Maybe longer term I might get a Peter Burgess Fast Road head with Unleaded conversion. At £470 it's a fairly expensive but should gain power. Just a basic unleaded conversion is £235 which isn't to bad either. Worse case, brand new head is £430.

[stonedagain]

Worn cam or followers?

[Mally]

Worn rocker arms on valve stem?

[DeeJay]

Worn out its welcome?

[purplebargeken]

Plug colour is ace.

[SiC]

Worn out its welcome?

A little bit yes. A smooth thrumb from a OHV is nice. A clatter that sounds like a knackered, over vegged and over boosted XUD diesel is not.

[Noel Tidybeard]

now go and listen to a ford boat anchor (kent/valencia/endura) and then tell us your B series is tappy!

 

ferfooksake it sounds ok just drive th coonting thing!

[captain_70s]

Worn rocker arms on valve stem?

 

That'd be my guess. At least your top end looks nice and lubricated, the Doloshite's looks very dry by comparison...

 

You'd be able to tell if your rockers are buggered in the same manner mine were because you'd be able to move them back and forth on the shaft!

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

If the top end was dry enough to rust then I'd be betting on the rocker arms perhaps ovalling slightly..... that'll have you resetting clearances from here to doomsday with no real effect. Did you inspect them when off?

What were the seats for them on the shaft like? Pad end also can be mullered - easy to spot though.

Rocker arms would be my vote.......

 

Not the end of the world though..... it's running well. Get her out n about!

[dozeydustman]

now go and listen to a ford boat anchor (kent/valencia/endura) Simca/Talbot/309 then tell us your B series is tappy!

 

ferfooksake it sounds ok just drive th coonting thing!

 

 

FTFY

 

Most B's with a bit of normal wear in them do rattle. Most OHV engines with wear will rattle. Some rattle more than others. It's normal. There looks nothing untoward in the wear on the rocker arms. Use rule of 9 when adjusting them though.

 

Stick the rocker cover back on and most of that noise will disappear. Then drive it.

[PhilA]

Sounds like any other B series I've ever heard tbh. It's idling well so put the lid on the engine and go for a drive.

 

Plugs look spot on for modern fuel

 

 

Phil

[busmansholiday]

Buy one of the cast aluminium rocker covers. That will ensure the noise stays inside and you'll stop worrying about it.

[SiC]

I have read that they help. Also might replace the rubber washers as if they've been over compressed that can transfer more of the rattle through. First time I put it back on I over compressed it. Didn't realise you don't keep screwing until it goes right. Just nip it up. The washers are only like a quid for 2 and I can pick them up this week when I get the touch up paint from Moss.

 

Likewise the cork gasket can be over-compressed too. I have a replacement one of those on the shelf. I did think about having both on to offer more isolation/damping? Not sure if it'll leak if I do that though.

 

Tbh I think it's the rockers that are knackered. I didn't take any pictures but on the bushes there are score marks and noticeable difference in colour between where it's worn. New rocker set is 90 quid. A bit too much to try changing on a hunch - unlike the 13quid rocker shaft.

 

When setting the valves I have noticed that the feeler gauge catches on some bits more than others under a rocker. I.e. as if its worn unevenly on the face between the valve and rocker.

 

At the moment, apart from an MOT, I don't want to spend too much more as the 1100 is the money sinkhole focus. Especially as I've spent so much on the MGB, I just want to use it now.