Project 1974 MGB GT - The Mustard (Mit) Mobility Scooter - 6yrs ownership & the end is potentially nigh!

[1970mgb]

Distributor Doctor is the only source I know of for fiber heeled points for Lucas distributors(short of NOS, which honestly isn't a bad idea for a lot of parts if you can find them).

 

Ideally, you want to use a purpose made distributor grease on the cam. The Bosch grease is the gold standard, but it only comes in a big tube that will last the average full time garage about 30 years and costs about $50. In practice, most any good quality, relatively viscous grease should work okay-the big thing is that you need to remember that the cam is spinning fairly fast(half the crankshaft speed, so probably 1500-2500 rpms in typical driving situations) and flinging grease all over the inside of the distributor can be bad news. Bear in mind that the distributor is buried down on the engine and may be at 150ºF or warmer, so it needs to hold its viscosity at that temperature. Less is also more.

 

The 200/1000 mile reset is what Jeff Schlemmer told me when he redid my distributor, but it's advice I've heard repeated from enough different sources(maybe with slightly different intervals) that I suspect it's just common knowledge. It works reasonably well in my experience.

[SiC]

I did wonder if the problems I had were me putting too much grease inside and it flinging everywhere. Didn't look too bad when I took the cap off though. It would have been some Castrol general purpose grease.

 

I'll keep a look out for some NOS points at the NEC Classic Car show when I go next month. When I get time/funds to, I'll get my dizzy sent off to DD for a refurb.

 

The CSI ignition unit is back in pieces on my bench, as I want to see if I can pull the firmware off. I'd like to properly remove out the Immobiliser functionality, as I have zero trust that it won't be a pain in the arse and cause more trouble than prevent.

[purplebargeken]

I think most of these after market parts are aimed at giffers who can't be arsed setting the points to drive to the shops twice a year and have already spent £7k restoring the car anyway. Even if they opened it up they'd have no clue what they were looking at anyway.

 

^^ This is me apart from the £7K bit obv. More like £7.50 in all honesty.

[Guest Hooli]

Talking of setting points, it's odd how car ones had so much bigger service intervals than bikes. They are exactly the same tech but my old Bonnie has a 500mile interval to recheck the points, I know from experience though that it'll do about 3k without them changing.

[richardthestag]

drop of oil on felt pad on top of dissy shaft is to ensure that the top shaft and the main shaft inside the dissy remain free thus allowing mechanical advance to work.

 

Rover v8 dissy stripped down, you can see the shaft is in two chunks with mechanical advance in between

 

 

distributor doctor points for the same include a fork into which a small felt pad (included) can be added to slow wear on the cam lobe thingy

 

my only ever ftp in the staaaaag was due to cheap shitty electronic ignition component that simply failed, without warning and after a few hundred miles.

 

Now I run an expensive ignition module but keep a spare baseplate and twin point setup in the glovebox. 

 

Stag dissy is in a most inhospitable place in the engine bay, in the back end of the v, shielded from any draft by the carbs, right next to the heater cooling pipe. After a run I cannot touch the dissy body without sharply withdrawing my hand and uttering some profanity. 

 

Mapable ignition has caught my attention for the staaaag mainly because on a hot day 25degrees+ at motorway speeds the car runs 10degrees hotter at 3k rpm than it does at 2500 or 3500! shame really because 3k rpm is about the right speed, still no where near overheating but at 2/3 on the temp gauge rather than a needle width over half way just irritates me.

 

solution is most likely to be Audi bothering at 3500 rpm or black tape over the temp gauge

 

 

[SiC]

I've done a really potentially stupid thing and booked this in for an MOT tomorrow. As I have little trust in this I moved it down this morning.

 

Grabbed a few essentials to live in the glove box.

 

Then went up to the garage to collect the temperamental mistress and bring her down.

 

I uttered a few words and told her that I don't want any temper tantrums right now. Did the usual trick of disconnecting the coil lead first and giving a bit of a turn over to start circulating oil around. Reattached, choke out and went for a start.

 

She was very reluctant to get going. 10 seconds or so of churning had no effect. Here we go I thought. Gave a short break, pulled the choke out some more and carried on spinning the engine around. After what seemed like another 5 seconds or so of starting and she coughed into life.

 

I can't really blame her too much though as hasn't been ran for a couple of months. Last time the dizzy points were out and probably left unburnt fuel inside.

 

Drove down pretty uneventfully. Ran pretty smoothly too.

 

To be honest there shouldn't really any reason why it shouldn't just work. Fuel system from the tank, pipes and pump are all new. The carbs have had all the rubbery bits replaced and I've given them a reasonable tune. Running the current cheapy distributor still at the moment. Coil is new (accuspark) and plugs not that old either. Leads I think were replaced last year by the previous owner just before I bought it (I've got some new ones that can go on anyway). Wiring isn't new but it's not in terrible shape. I've replaced a few dud crimps recently too.

 

So no reason why fuel can't get in and no reason why fuel can't be ignited. I just need to keep this all in mind when driving this and that it should just work! Gearbox/diff/engine/wheel bearing issues I'm sure will give plenty of notice before they become a bigger issue and shouldn't fail suddenly.

 

Just keeping fingers crossed now that the MOT will be uneventful!

[Noel Tidybeard]

the problem with this computer car is to be found behind the keyboard steering wheel! :mrgreen:

[purplebargeken]

Si, you really do stress yourself out about this car. Please get in it when MOT'd, put a good slop of dino juice in the tank and drive it in a spirited manner for at least 60 miles each way.

 

It will either:

 

1. Kill nuns and kittens within 10 seconds of this trip leaving you with no option but to kill it with fire.

 

2. Run pretty well, your enjoyment of the car and confidence in it will increase and you will drive it more.

 

I think many people have said just get in and drive it for reasonable amounts of time and distance. Old cars do not do well just sitting around unused.

 

Please try it. You might be happily surprised. 

[SiC]

Gave keys over about an hour ago. I think I'll get blocked from the DVLA Check MOT service for denial of service attacks if I hit refresh anymore. Quite nervous! I don't have time/funds to pay someone if it needs a lot doing.

 

I mean it should be alright, but then there maybe something I've missed. Not a garage I use usually, but supposed to be classic friendly and they're also only around the corner from home so easily got to. So also hoping they won't find work unnecessarily.

[cort16]

I’m not saying putting it in for an mot is a bad idea but it’s mot exempt isn’t it?

[captain_70s]

Given it's done about 20 miles since the last one I can't imagine it's going to rack up any major fails...

[SiC]

Woo pass!

 

Advisory list is a bit longer than last time though.

 

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):

• Nearside Front castle section corroded
• Offside Front castle section corroded
• Nearside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))
• Offside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))
• Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive floor front spring mount (5.3.6 (a) (i))
• Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive floor front spring mount (5.3.6 (a) (i))
• Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))
• Front Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively (6.1.7 © (i))

Probably not too bad considering it doesn't have any wax/underseal over those bits. Might have to splosh some paint/Dynax over the back end next time...

[MorrisItalSLX]

Excellent News! NOW DRIVE THE SODDING THING!

[SiC]

Prop shaft joint worn ... I think there is a grease nipple on them - so probably needs a good squirt of fresh grease in there.

[SiC]

Excellent News! NOW DRIVE THE SODDING THING!

139 miles since the last MOT. Parts cost + fuel (including fuel lost from leaks) + insurance = ~£10.43 a mile.

 

Probably not the best value purchases I've had!

[Tickman]

139 miles since the last MOT. Parts cost + fuel (including fuel lost from leaks) + insurance = ~£10.43 a mile.

 

Probably not the best value purchases I've had!

 

Just needs more dilution.

 

Not going to tell you what to do as you must be sick of the advice

[320touring]

Gerrit driven boyo!

 

Use it as a way to pass the time until your eyes heal

[captain_70s]

Woo pass!

 

Advisory list is a bit longer than last time though.

Bit of surface corrosion? Wire brush, Vactan, paint.

 

Is it a U/J on the prop? My 1850 had one that disintegrated one day, at anything between 1500-3000rpm it felt like it was trying to shake the car apart with a horrible clattering noise. That was a fun drive home from work...

[richardthestag]

Excellent News! NOW DRIVE THE SODDING THING LIKE YOU STOLE IT!

 

FTF SIC

[Mally]

£10 a miles not bad.

I bet xtriple can beat that with the Bentley, and the Jag given time.

[Kiltox]

Still cheaper than an LDV Maxus

[SiC]

Probably cheaper than a black cab around London too.

[SiC]

Popped to the garage to pay the bill and pick the keys up. The garage I used is the one that started me back off in wanting a classic car. Those that have been following my threads (including the month long hunt for a MGB GT) will remember the (heavily undersealed) red/orangish rubber bumper one they had for sale. Had a good little natter with the boss.

 

Firstly said about it breaking down - "Yeah MGs often do that". Then got him to check out what he thought about my 55psi oil pressure and tappet rattle.

 

Tappet rattle he said just needed them adjusting. I said I had, he then suggested possibly the cam buckets are worn. But not to worry about.

 

Said there was no nasty rattles on startup and oil pressure at 55psi or so isn't tragic. He gave it a very good rev (still cold - massive black clouds out the back!) and checked the pressures. Reckoned it probably was probably an oil pump that's worn. Said he'd be surprised if the 57.5k or so is genuine to the car (i.e. not gone around the clock once).

 

TL;DR he agreed with me that I should just drive it.

[purplebargeken]

JFDIM

 

Just fucking drive it man

[1970mgb]

If you're John Twist, U-joints are about a 5 minute job.

 

 

Also, I still wouldn't be overly concerned about the noisy tappets. If you want it to go away, tighten them up to 13 thou or so. Also, an alloy rocker cover can really cut down on the amount of tappet noise you hear.

 

I would NOT just go in and change the tappets blindly. Normally, worn tappets have an equally worn cam lobe underneath them. I'd run what you have unless/until you want to change the cam. Of course, a new cam should always be matched with new tappets, but don't change them blindly before that(I'll mention the fact that your 18V engine should already have the more desirable "bucket" tappets and long pushrods-if you had tall tappets and short pushrods, and were in the engine to do other work, that would be a good reason to change them).

[purplebargeken]

^^ I just read that as don't change a fucking thing, just drive the bloody car.

[Anglevan]

Don't drive it, sell it to me seriously though, just bite the bullet one day and take it for a long drive. If it has gone round the clock the chances of it doing it a second time are very slim indeed while its parked up. Having read your thread has made me look at a gt myself and fingers crossed im going to look at one tomorrow thats for sale...

[SiC]

Cleaned it (gets dusty in the garage)

 

 

Drove it.

 

Only a little trip as the candles on the front as spectacularly bad at night. By the time I parked it back up at the garage, the idle has dropped and lumpy again. I guess the cheap plastic points strike again. Really need to get that CSI ignition sorted (remove the immobiliser crap) and put on the car.

[busmansholiday]

FFS, I wish (well obviously as I live up north I don't) that I was much nearer to you as I'd grab those keys off you and give the old girl a thrashing (your MGB, not my wife or yours) just to get the cobwebs out of it.

 

You really do need to just get in and drive it. Ignore the rattles, bangs, noises etc. When I was in my 20's, having a FTP was part of life. As I've posted elsewhere, "Technology, how it's fuck up people's life!."

[richardthestag]

am in Devon a lot, bring it to me* and I will thrash it up lunnon and back a few times.

 

Poor old thing just needs a damned good shake down etc