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

[SiC]

These:

http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/spanners-wrenches/halfords-advanced-af-combination-spanner-set

http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/socket-sets/halfords-advanced-8-piece-deep-socket-rail-3-8

 

So AF I guess? What did BL use in that era?

[SiC]

I'm wondering if the new parts I've bought are metric

[Angrydicky]

Yes that will be AF at that age.

[captain_70s]

The brake pipes I bought for the Doloshite had Imperial fittings IIRC, although a lot of nuts/bolts that come with new stuff are Metric so it could be either...

[cort16]

I fancy one of these locking adjustable wrenches for my war on nuts and bolts.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stanley-Locking-Adj-Wrench-10In/dp/B0001IW8DI/ref=sr_1_1?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1503134321&sr=1-1&keywords=Locking+Adjustable+Wrench

[Mally]

Yes almost all A/F on the MGB.

Think the deep one I used would be metric hammered on though.

[Mally]

I fancy one of these locking adjustable wrenches for my war on nuts and bolts.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stanley-Locking-Adj-Wrench-10In/dp/B0001IW8DI/ref=sr_1_1?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1503134321&sr=1-1&keywords=Locking+Adjustable+Wrench

Thought it was a joke until I clicked the link.

Think I'll pass on that though. If it's that bad I'll split it with a chisel!

[SiC]

Apparently draper own the patent on it. Which unfortunately means it'll be crap quality, as draper and not possible to get from anyone else.

[SiC]

I went a bit mad today. Oops. My local machine mart unfortunately had run out of imperial crows feet. Coming in on Tuesday. So if it's rusted up, I'll leave the clutch for another day.

[Rusty_Rocket]

You'll find a lot of aftermarket fixings and fittings have the correct imperial threads but use a weird metric spanner size. Not sure why it's like that, probably depends where these bits tend to be made nowadays.. 

Mini CV joints/ hub nuts spring to mind - the threads are the same but the nut could be imperial or mm. 

You'll find most things fit and work as they should, just something to watch out for! 

[SiC]

You'll find a lot of aftermarket fixings and fittings have the correct imperial threads but use a weird metric spanner size. Not sure why it's like that, probably depends where these bits tend to be made nowadays..

Mini CV joints/ hub nuts spring to mind - the threads are the same but the nut could be imperial or mm.

You'll find most things fit and work as they should, just something to watch out for!

I was speaking to the chap at Moss about this. He said that almost everything they sell at Moss is original sized fixings and by default Imperial to save mixing. Certainly all the stuff I got today was.

 

I'd actually prefer it all metric as all my tools are that. Just means buying even more tools...

 

It is very useful having a Moss branch only 10 minutes or so drive from your doorstep. A bit annoying that they close at 1pm on Saturday. However it does make it as easy buying parts for the MGB as it is going into ECP and buying parts for moderns. Except you're more likely to get the correct part and have it in stock with Moss.

[Rusty_Rocket]

You are lucky living near a supplier like that! All my stuff has to be ordered in

Metric has no place on a classic!!! I agree it's a simpler system but you'll soon be lovin your 1/2" and 9/16th spanners! The tools you have look good and the Halfords spanners are spot on. 

[Mally]

Watch the tyre pressure on the eezibleed. May say 20 lbs. 

10 to 15 lbs is plenty.

[Guest Hooli]

Metric has no place on proper cars!

[3VOM]

I agree it's a simpler system but you'll soon be lovin your 1/2" and 9/16th spanners!

And your 12mm for hammering over the rounded 1/2".

[SiC]

I had a good day today. Worked at my normal rate - i.e. really slowly.

 

First thing was to get a chance to play with my new jack. Goes up very high but is still surprisingly low profile. I guess my only complaint is I wish it had a quick lift function when no load on it. I stuck it up on the ramp with axle stands at the back, just in case. It really gives me loads more confidence when jacking up the car now.

 

This was the first time I have properly been underneath. So I took a moment to have a good look around, looking for scary nasties.

 

I took these 3 pictures after I'd replace the slave, hence why it looks a bit newer than later...

 

Nearside looking down

 

Transmission tunnel

 

Offside

 

This bodging on the alternator wiring needs to be fixed. Can't have such shodiness in the wiring on my motors.

 

Nearside suspension. This brake line is date marked 1998, so not original/scarily old.

 

Offside suspension. No idea on the vintage of this pipe...

 

The donkey dick on the car (MG owners are a wierd bunch). This is the drain from the vent inlet area. It was a bit gunked up, so I had a good clean out with my fingers.

 

The rubber subframe mounts look a bit tired. I plan to drop the whole subframe at some point to rebuild the whole front suspension. Looks to only be 4 bolts, brake pipes and steering rack that is holding it all on.

 

So this is what I came under here primarily for. The slave is marked Lockheed, so almost certainly original. Pipe is proper cracked up and the slave under the seal is filthy. The clevis pin and rod are really worn. I'll take a picture of them another day.

 

This is the fixing that everyone has been warning about. First problem was that I didn't have a spanner for the top nut or pipe fixing.

 

The big black rubber thing is the cover over the starter motor. I decided access to that nut would be a lot better if I removed it. The rubber boot could be pulled all the way back, but there isn't quite enough room to get it off though. Enough though to be able to undo the wires to the starter.

 

After a lot of wrestling the big chunk of iron, I realised it wasn't going to come out from the bottom. So it had to come out top. Unfortunately the distributor was in the way. Removing this meant I had to time it again later.

 

Starter and distributor out. I took this moment to give the electrical contacts a good clean up.

 

This, as hoped, created loads more room around that fixing. Unfortunately due to the lack of suitably sized spanners, I had to use mole grips on the top and an adjustable spanner on the bottom.

 

Luckily this worked and didn't require too much force to get undone.

 

Now to experience crap repro parts. The clevis pin didn't fit all the way through due to some crap machining on it.

 

Luckily a 8mm bit is a perfect fit.

 

Lidl power tools ftw. Having the proper tools makes jobs like this so much easier.

 

This is how it should be!

 

Replacement is the reverse of removal. I decided to zip tie the slave in as this would hopefully mean less air that needs to be bled out. Seemed to work, as bleeding with the Gunson Eezi Bleed got all the air out quick enough.

 

I then retimed the engine. Again, due to lack of tools I had to turn the crank pulley by hand, which is pretty hard! Ended up removing the sparking plugs to remove some of the compression. I statically timed it to be in the middle of the markings, which apparently is 10 degrees and correct.

 

I also changed to a NOS aux belt and tightened it up. The old was pretty tired and squealed a lot. I could turn the fan and make it slip on the belt it was so loose.

 

Underneath I did spot this bolt that attaches the engine mount to the engine very loose! I don't think it was too far before it would have came out. The other side was tighter, but still could have a good few turns of the ratchet.

 

After all that, I started her up. Oh my. She really didn't want to run. Had to coax her with a fair amount of throttle before she'd run and even then, it was shaking violently. Hmm crap. Must have got the timing wrong. My wife was calling me in for dinner, so I had to call it quits there...

 

... Then when I was packing up after dinner I realised something. I put the leads back in the order that they were out of the distributor. I.e. 1, 2, 3, 4. Of course that's all wrong as engines don't fire like that. D'oh.

 

I also realised that the last owner helpful stuck bits of insulating tape on the leads with Roman numerals numbering saying which lead goes to which plug. I pulled them all off and reconnected them correctly. Jumped back in and turned the key.

 

And she purred to life! Didn't even need the choke to get her running. Before I'd need a squirt of the throttle to get her to fire when turning over and the choke did nothing but make it run worse. Now she settled down to an idle very happily.

 

Not sure if this was because I redid the timing, cleaned up the starter motor screw terminals or that I increased fast idle screw on the front carb that wasn't actually hitting the cam. I still need to tune those carbs properly, but for that I need to buy a carb balancer and I've spent too much this month already!

 

Ran out of time to get the brake pipes done, but they look a fair bit easier and quicker to do. Especially with the Eezi bleed.

[SiC]

Watch the tyre pressure on the eezibleed. May say 20 lbs.

10 to 15 lbs is plenty.

Yeah I had read that you need to watch the pressure. I guess a lot of bad reviews are people hooking it up without checking it held pressure and straight to a 30psi (or even 60psi spare). I used the old tyres and my Civic air compressor with a handy accurate gauge and deflator function.

 

It worked really great and the caps fitted and sealed great. I didn't tighten it all too hard, as again, I've read that can make it fail and leak.

 

Pretty useful and good value for £18.50. Still would really like to get that Sealey unit that Moog suggested. Rather clumbersome attaching and detaching a spare tyre. Also need to remember to disconnect the tyre before the caps!

 

Took nearly a litre of fluid to fully flush it through. Came out reasonably clear, so I reckon it possibly has been bled recently already.

[SiC]

Jobs I planned to do today:

• Change clutch slave and pipe
• Change all 3 rubber brake pipes
• Change diff oil
• Replace all the bulbs to brighten them

What I actually got done today:

• Change clutch slave and pipe
• Spend lots of money on parts and tools...

Oh well, I enjoyed myself working on it which is the whole aim of buying it! I won't deny, I enjoy fiddling with it than I do driving it. I guess like most MGB owners?

 

I'll probably enjoy driving it more once I get that seat foam on the back fixed, do I don't get the metal bits into my spine. Also fully refurbing the suspension should make it rattle less. A new steering wheel will make it more comfortable. Modern, working auto-locking seatbelts will give more reassurance. Finally new brake pipes should give less to worry about when driving.

[SiC]

Use a length of tube and listen to each carb. You can balance them by getting the same noise from each.

 

Ben

The engineer (or OCD) in me will not be convinced they're the same until I've seen some gauge that gives the same number for both!

 

 

 

Plus my hearing isn't great either.

[Guest Hooli]

Use a length of tube and listen to each carb. You can balance them by getting the same noise from each.

 

Ben

 

That's all I ever did with mine. The trick is hold the pipe the same distance from both.

 

ETA. I've got a bit of industrial deafness & it's still a doddle to do.

 

I've got a four carb balancer off ebay, it was about £20 - will work when you get a bike later too

[Noel Tidybeard]

Oh another thing. The seat belt moves in and out fine. However if you tug it, it doesn't lock like modern cars do. Is this normal?

 

I know in the handbook it mentions braking hard at 5mph to test. I wondered if there was something in there that locked the belt when the car de-accelerated quickly?

 

If not and the locking mechanism is fubar, new seat belts will be an extra thing to the list! Luckily not terribly expensive at around 50quid each side for Securions.

 

the early inertia reel seat belts were designed properly and work nice and smooth with no locking up whilst just putting them on but if you bang on the brakes there they are locked as you would wish- best ones i ever remember 1976 allegro 1500 super

[Felly Magic]

Check the state of the reflectors on the inside of the lights as well, if the silver has dulled, this won't help performance of them at all even with fresh bulbs

[tooSavvy]

Thanks for posting all the piccies... Looking at a 'hard to get/octopus only' fitting with a "see how I managed" description is so satisfying.

 

You are definitely not talking 'donkey cock', m8

 

 

TS

[cobblers]

the early inertia reel seat belts were designed properly and work nice and smooth with no locking up whilst just putting them on but if you bang on the brakes there they are locked as you would wish- best ones i ever remember 1976 allegro 1500 super

Aye, the early belts locked up solely with the inertia of the vehicle, a bearing would roll forwards as the vehicle decelerated, which is why the reel has to be mounted in the correct orientation.

 

Newer belts (80s onwards) have added "belt and braces" locking via a centrifugal mechanism on the reel, so the belt will also lock if it's pulled out quickly, and it's this feature that we notice most in use.

[Guest Hooli]

Now I didn't know that ^^^

 

Mind you my only car that age had fixed belts.

[bigstraight6]

Really enjoying this thread, keep up the good work...

[Mally]

You did well there with the jobs.

It looks quite good underneath, soon be sorted to your satisfaction.

[DeeJay]

It's quite well looked after underneath, as they say "Well Bought".

Keep posting tinkering/fixing pics.

[richardthestag]

also enjoying this thread.

 

 

 

even though I would rather push my Triumph etc etc

[SiC]

Oh my. What a bad day today has been.

 

Decided to get on and change the rubber brake pipes. First thing was to jack the car up.

This led to fluids running onto the floor.

 

Looking up it was coming from here ... the fuel tank. Feck. Cue me trying to use one of those cheap hand fuel pumps to get fuel out before it's contents ended all out. Being a cheap piece of crap, it wouldn't suck at all. I decided to bite the bullet, grab a piece of hose and suck. Luckily it's not leaded fuel in the tank.

 

I drained off a good 25l and it stopped. It does mean something else on the to-do list. Tanks aren't cheap either. Looks a bit of a bastard of a job with plenty of rusted fittings and pipes, along with the hazards of fuel vapours. I think I'll farm this out to my local garage. This fuel incident was the first problem of several to come.

 

Here is the rear rubber pipe. The hard lines are in reasonable shape, but this looks very past it.

 

The axle end came off easily with a spanner, but the chassis side required a bit of a fight with mole grips and a socket. Which reminds me. I dislike having to buy another set of tools to deal with metric, however I do like that most of the fixings use the same sizes and not many at that.

 

With that off, the new one went on without too much fuss.

 

The old pipe was getting to the end of it's useful life. It's the main reason I was changing all the lines.

 

I took a moment to check the brake linings. Still a reasonable amount of meat on them. Handily someone has left a yellow mark to remind which way it needed to go back on to balance properly.

 

Next up was the fronts.

 

The discs look a bit rubbish.

 

This was much less of a hassle than the rears and even quicker. I have to say, apart from the suspension parts facing the ground on the rear and front, there isn't too many rusted up fittings on this car.

 

The other side had a pipe date coded as 1998, so didn't really need doing. However as I had bought all 3, I might as well change it too.

 

The caliper end had a fair amount of rust and required taps on the spanner with a mallet. The pipes fittings were metric, but the rest were imperial sizes. Again, no real issue getting it changed.

 

I decided to change the front bleed nipples, as they were pretty rusted and cruddy looking. Especially when removed.

 

Now this is where the real fun* began. I bled the whole system and I got what I thought all the air out using my Gunson Eezi Bleed. The rear nipples were smaller than the fronts and irritatingly, 7mm. Fronts fitted my normal imperial spanners fine.

 

However when trying the pedal, it didn't feel anywhere near as hard as it was previously. Soft at the top and then slightly harder as you went down but still possible to get to the floor. Pump the pedal a few times and it was a bit harder for a bit, but still not as good as it was. At this point I was called in for dinner, so had to pack up quickly.

 

I went out again after for another attempt, to be greeted by this mark.

 

That's brake fluid that I must have got on the paint and it dribbled down. Fuck.

 

I washed it down as best as I could and rubbed off the white mark it left to leave with the above. Really upset about this. The only saving grace is that the light area has been touched up with the wrong colour and so the wing could do with a spray. Also the side with the rust hole on the trumpet bit. Going to have to ring around for quotes.

 

I've scrapped off the paint that was bubbled/melting and there is still another layer underneath. I'm assuming that it shouldn't rust through or anything now I've given it a good wash and wipe down?

 

Anyway I then enlisted the assistance of my better half to try bleeding this the old fashioned way, instead of using the Eezi bleed. This seemed to flow clear still. A quick Google found a suggestion to keep pumping the pedal to clear it through. Gave that a go and a fair amount of air came out. Result!

 

Then I heard a sucking noise from the master cylinder. It had run out. I had also run out of brake fluid too. So now will have to bleed the whole system over again.

 

Tempted to try the reverse bleeding idea with that Sealey pressure bleeder. I have also heard that leaving the system for a day or two can help as the bubbles can then float to the top a bit more. Not sure how true that is.

 

That concluded today's failed activities! I'm currently left with a car with no brakes. Also a ticking noise has appeared, I think it's coming from the distributor or near area? Not sure if something in that I messed up when fiddling with the timing yesterday.

 

Bugger. Can't win them all I guess.