Mrs Sparts MG diary.

[wesacosa]

sounds like you are almost there, @Mally. fingers crossed its a simple fix

[Grumblespeed]

  On 10/06/2021 at 21:23, Mrs Spart said:

  I do feel so sorry for @Mally... Once again @Mallykindly drove over here, with hopes of getting the MGB GT going...

And it did go...

  Momentarily before living up to it's old name of c#@t... One day I may take pity on it and call it Tim 😒🤣😂

 

Thank you again @Mallyfor popping over, honestly I am ever so grateful... 🤞🏽for the rotor motor🤞🏽😬

 

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Blocked idle jet? 😁(worked for me last time🤞) Nice to see it progressing for you anyway and looks like @Mally has the required magic MG hands - good man!

[bub2006]

I'll have to pop up soon ish and I'll strip and clean carbs out. My van will be hopefully fixed for tomorrow so maybe some point next week. 

[Mally]

I fitted new condenser and points, cleaned the float bowls, and it started first go, revved and ticked over.

Then when we were going for the test run, it wouldn't start again. Sometimes not firing, sometimes half running but like a bag of spanners.

Fitted a second condenser as I bought 2 just in case, suspected the clip on bit maybe shorting on the backplate, so bent it a bit, still the same. Prefer the nut fastening myself.

Then it hit me Rotor arm.

My theory is it starts fine when cold, you run it a while and switch off. The rotor arm warms up and starts sparking anywhere and every where. I've had it before, but it has DD stamped on and looked* fine, I meant to buy one but didn't.

There is play in the dizzy shaft which won't help.

Tried to buy a rotor arm locally, but met with blank stares apart from 1 guy who definitely had one but couldn't find it.

So retired defeated.

Have ordered a rotor arm from simonbbc, delivered to @Mrs Spart, with clear* instructions on how to fit it.

This should arrive Monday.

Theory is, if it works, she has mended it, if it fails it saves me a 3-1/2 hour round trip just o fit a rotor arm.

In the event of failure my next suggestion is a new dizzy, probably electronic.

Is this any good? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112777317927?epid=5010156908&hash=item1a420d4e27:g:P5YAAOSwZW5aEYpk

Of course then I'd need to find my multimeter and timing light.

Neither of which I've seen since we stopped racing Pintos many years ago.

It's been stood 7 years, I suspect it may have been abandoned because it failed to start. Rotor arms make you feel like that.

 

[SiC]

  On 11/06/2021 at 11:47, Mally said:

Is this any good? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112777317927?epid=5010156908&hash=item1a420d4e27:g:P5YAAOSwZW5aEYpk

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See below:

  On 07/06/2021 at 13:28, SiC said:

If repro (Indian / Chinese made) then the experience of many is that they start out ok but they start to loose timing. My cheap 45d started loosing it badly after only 800 miles. 

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[Mally]

800 miles would be a godsend at the moment😀

[Mrs Spart]

So new part arrived. Thank you again @Mally

Battery fully charged and popped back in 👍🏽

[Mrs Spart]

  Seems to work so far... 🤞🏽🤞🏽

  Just turned "Tim" (still think C#@t a better name 🤣) off whilst I pop out and post Giles' memorial ash key rings off to his old friends in Dorset (he likes to keep me busy 😉👍🏽)

  Will return home in a moment and see if the MG will start again... If so, off for a Service 👍🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽

[Tickman]

Excellent result.

[Mrs Spart]

So...

Got home....

And....

It works still! *phew!* 

Nice one @Mallylooks like it was the motor arm 👍🏽😊👍🏽

Drove it around the Village, seems to be over revving and the dashboard counter a tad hit and miss... 

But plan is im going to hopefully take it 10miles down the road for a Service this Wednes plus get the brake pads done 👍🏽

Thank you again @Mally🥰👍🏽😊

 

[Mrs Spart]

So the guy doing the service and front brakes called up... "Bring it over" he says!😀

 

  It started again, first time @Mally🥲!!!

  So happy, yet saddening to know that @spartacusisn't here to witness this.

  10 (very cautious!) miles later I drove it to the garage... For a Service and new front brakes.

 

  Thank you @Mally! I am so so SO over the f#cking moon with this... To know that C@#t (aka "Tim") is home AND working is unbelievable, I only wish that @spartacuswas here to witness this. 

(BTW Doug was dead impressed it was all down to the motor arm... Well spotted @Mally👌🏽👍🏽)

[chadders]

  On 14/06/2021 at 12:18, Mrs Spart said:

So...

Got home....

And....

It works still! *phew!* 

Nice one @Mallylooks like it was the motor arm 👍🏽😊👍🏽

Drove it around the Village, seems to be over revving and the dashboard counter a tad hit and miss... 

But plan is im going to hopefully take it 10miles down the road for a Service this Wednes plus get the brake pads done 👍🏽

Thank you again @Mally🥰👍🏽😊

 

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My revcounter does that at times and has done for decades.

A tap on the glass gets it working again.

[Mally]

Rotor arms are a common fault on these, but it had a 'Distributer Doctor' rotor arm already  fitted.

These are supposedly fool proof, and fooled this fool at first.

Eagle eyed amongst you will notice the black tape I stuck on a battery clamp.

The car has 2 + ve battery leads, a left over from x2,  6v battery conversion.  A little disconcerting until you follow the lead back.

Get your mechanic to put a -ve terminal on. Also needs a bit of tape round the wire near the blue connector  in the first photo.

I did it the first time, but obviously not later.

 Well done in fitting the battery and rotor arm.

[wesacosa]

brilliant work @Mally.  So pleased this is running ok for @Mrs Spart

[timolloyd]

Amazing work @Mally you’re a legend. 

[The_Equalizer]

  On 14/06/2021 at 16:21, Mally said:

Rotor arms are a common fault on these, but it had a 'Distributer Doctor' rotor arm already  fitted.

These are supposedly fool proof, and fooled this fool at first.

Eagle eyed amongst you will notice the black tape I stuck on a battery clamp.

The car has 2 + ve battery leads, a left over from x2,  6v battery conversion.  A little disconcerting until you follow the lead back.

Get your mechanic to put a -ve terminal on. Also needs a bit of tape round the wire near the blue connector  in the first photo.

I did it the first time, but obviously not later.

 Well done in fitting the battery and rotor arm.

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Yes, for quite a number of years there was a large number of cheaply produced rotor arms floating about. It was the period when plenty cheapness Chinese parts flooded the spares market. My Dad still bangs on about these crap rotor arms as they left him at the side of the road on a couple of occasions. So shite were they that he had a small collection of new rotor arms in the glovebox of his B roadster as he knew they would fail. From memory I think they developed hairline cracks which where very hard to spot. Anyway, after enough time demand for something decent and not just cheap that failed quickly enabled the production of rotor arms that lasted longer than about 800 miles. 

[Mrs Spart]

We made it!

  First Classic Car meet... Ever!

Thank you again @Mally 👍🏽

[SiC]

I was just wondering how you were getting on with this! How is she running (and braking)?

[Mally]

Well done. I'm just back from Spain, and was going to ask how things were going.

[wesacosa]

great news. looks a lovely day for it too.   Really pleased you are able to enjoy it now @Mrs Spart.   And great work @Mally

Enjoy

[Mrs Spart]

  On 16/07/2021 at 16:48, SiC said:

I was just wondering how you were getting on with this! How is she running (and braking)?

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Running ok...

Had to work out where reverse was 😣🤣 but got there in the end.

Brakes have been fixed, although still give her lots of time to stop... Lol, I'm sure she'd stop in an emergency but don't quite trust them yet 👍🏽

[SiC]

  On 16/07/2021 at 18:42, Mrs Spart said:

Running ok...

Had to work out where reverse was 😣🤣 but got there in the end.

Brakes have been fixed, although still give her lots of time to stop... Lol, I'm sure she'd stop in an emergency but don't quite trust them yet 👍🏽

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Ha yes, try not going from 1st to reverse! Easily done as it's right at the wrong place compared to modern boxes. Sometimes reverse can be hard to engage. I found selecting second and then trying reverse again. My box loosened up and became much easier to use the more miles I put on it.

Brakes, providing they lock the wheels then you have enough! I think you have a servo on yours like mine and that does make a difference to how hard you push. Yeah they won't feel as confidence to push as modern brakes. However if they lock the wheels, you have all the braking power you need. I've found MGB brakes actually pretty effective, especially for an old car. 

Have fun driving! I love mine to bits still. 

[Mally]

I seem to think no servo?

I had one with and one without.

Many say it makes no difference. It did to me, so retro fitted one.

[Mrs Spart]

  On 16/07/2021 at 20:34, Mally said:

I seem to think no servo?

I had one with and one without.

Many say it makes no difference. It did to me, so retro fitted one.

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  Definitely had to think about stopping distance in plenty of time... I'm sure she would stop in a shorter distance but just don't trust her at the moment 😬

 

  Also managed to go bouldering 👍🏽💪🏽👍🏽

[Mally]

@Mrs SpartLift the bonnet and as you look at it from the front,  take a photo RH top corner far back just below where the bonnet hinges.

If its pretty empty no servo. If big round black lump, it's got one..

[wesacosa]

from the pictures @spartacus posted earlier in the thread

[Mally]

No servo where my aftermarket one was.

Can't quite make out the brake master cylinder on the photo. But from other photos I'd say its a non servo car.

 

[Mrs Spart]

  On 16/07/2021 at 21:04, Mally said:

No servo where my aftermarket one was.

Can't quite make out the brake master cylinder on the photo. But from other photos I'd say its a non servo car.

 

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It stops....

  Eventually 😬🤣👍🏽

[Mally]

@Mrs SpartAnother test. Sit in car keys in but don't start.

Press the brake pedal on and off several times.

Press the brake on hard, keep pressing and start the engine,

With a servo the pedal will drop slightly as you push.

I'm 99% sure it hasn't got one. I seem to remember mentioning it.

You do get used to the brakes, but it's well worth putting a servo on.

Gives you instant piece of mind.

Did you have new discs fitted, or just new pads?

[Mrs Spart]

  On 16/07/2021 at 21:18, Mally said:

@Mrs SpartAnother test. Sit in car keys in but don't start.

Press the brake pedal on and off several times.

Press the brake on hard, keep pressing and start the engine,

With a servo the pedal will drop slightly as you push.

I'm 99% sure it hasn't got one. I seem to remember mentioning it.

You do get used to the brakes, but it's well worth putting a servo on.

Gives you instant piece of mind.

Did you have new discs fitted, or just new pads?

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Ok kewl, will try tomorrow.

 

Discs and pads...

  As soon as the MGB GT was up and running I booked it in for a full service and got them done. 👍🏽😊