1971 MGB GT - Got it back, almost without any problems - see page 26

[Peter C]

David from AutoRevive called me this afternoon with an update on the MGB.

Current status is:

Clutch has been replaced.

Whilst the engine was out, a stripped thread on one exhaust manifold bolt has been recut and new bolt has been fitted.

The ignition timing and the carburettors have been adjusted.

The brakes have been checked over.

David's investigations revealed that the MGB has had a new replacement cylinder head. This means the engine is definitely unleaded friendly. The test drive revealed a very strong engine, good gearbox and excellent brakes - for an MGB.  Apparently my MGB is a good 'un.

The non-working overdrive is due to a defective solenoid, which is to be replaced. 

I will, hopefully, get the MGB back before the end of the week, ready to be enjoyed. After I've given it a wash.

More soon.

[Peter C]

I'm picking up the MGB this afternoon. The weather is glorious, apparently it's the warmest day of the year and the roads are dry, which bodes well.

I got the invoice through yesterday. 

Not cheap but not extortionate either. Hopefully worth every penny.

 

Including VAT, £1,360.90. If the engine now pulls well, the clutch bites right, the exhaust doesn't blow and the brakes work well, I will be a happy man.

More soon.

[Peter C]

Absolute fucking disaster.

The engine is nearly cutting out if left to idle for more than ten seconds, the (brand new) clutch has a horrendous judder, the clutch pedal feels like it has no pressure and the clutch is dragging, causing the gearbox to crunch into 1st and reverse. Piss fucking poor.

I’m now waiting for my wife to pick me up and take me home.

Bollocks.

[N Dentressangle]

WTF has happened?

[juular]

8 minutes ago, Peter C said:

Absolute fucking disaster.

The engine is nearly cutting out if left to idle for more than ten seconds, the (brand new) clutch has a horrendous judder, the clutch pedal feels like it has no pressure and the clutch is dragging, causing the gearbox to crunch into 1st and reverse. Piss fucking poor.

I’m now waiting for my wife to pick me up and take me home.

Bollocks.

Raging.

Please tell me you left it there for them to sort their mess out?

[Peter C]

3 minutes ago, N Dentressangle said:

WTF has happened?

Fuck knows.

The guy builds racing cars for living so why he made my shitbox run worse and fuck up the clutch is beyond me.

[N Dentressangle]

Just now, Peter C said:

Fuck knows.

The guy builds racing cars for living so why he made my shitbox run worse and fuck up the clutch is beyond me.

Is he going to sort it out properly?

[Peter C]

Just now, juular said:

Raging.

Please tell me you left it there for them to sort their mess out?

Fuck yeah!!!

I’m not taking it back until he confirms 100% that he’s fixed it properly.

[Peter C]

Just now, N Dentressangle said:

Is he going to sort it out properly?

I hope so.

Regarding the badly juddering clutch take up, he suggested that maybe a prop UJ has failed. Don’t think so. The clutch take up was perfect before, the biting point was just a little too high for me. And UJs don’t just fail overnight.

[juular]

2 minutes ago, Peter C said:

And UJs don’t just fail overnight.

Yep. Sounds like the clutch slave may be loose.

[Peter C]

7 minutes ago, juular said:

Yep. Sounds like the clutch slave may be loose.

The clutch pedal is VERY light and it’s very hard to judge where the biting point is.

As the clutch pedal is being slowly released, the car slowly edges forward, then all of a sudden shoots forward much faster.

[N Dentressangle]

12 minutes ago, Peter C said:

I hope so.

Regarding the badly juddering clutch take up, he suggested that maybe a prop UJ has failed. Don’t think so. The clutch take up was perfect before, the biting point was just a little too high for me. And UJs don’t just fail overnight.

So how did he explain this fuckery?

[Peter C]

I’m now in the back of my wife’s warm car, heading home.

[Peter C]

3 minutes ago, N Dentressangle said:

So how did he explain this fuckery?

He said that the replacement clutch might be defective. He will remove the engine and gearbox again to find out what is wrong and, hopefully, fix it.

The clutch hydraulics need a good bleed.

Sorting out the idle should hopefully be a matter of tweaking the carbs.

Fingers crossed everything will be fixed next week.

[sierraman]

Could be a genuine mistake, we all make cock ups from time to time, well I do anyway… I’d give them the opportunity to resolve it first then see what’s what. 

[HillmanImp]

I mean, did he not check it before he handed it over to you? 

Thats what seems odd to me. 

[SiC]

I didn't like to say this earlier on and didn't want to say it (as I knew it would cause others to thoroughly debate and disagree), but every time I sent my classics into a specialist, they ended up worse than when I gave them. From servicing to sorting cutting out issues. 

This is the fundamental reason why I ended up doing the work on my cars myself. Yes I enjoy it to some degree but I also at times would prefer just to outsource stuff. 

There are only two places I trust to work on my cars. A garage in Bristol with a curmudgeonous older guy (who, despite being a curmudgeon, is a really decent guy) that did an excellent job tuning my BGT and better than anyone else. Then also @panhard65 - unfortunately a bit longer journey for me so tends more for moderns. 

Also something else you're learning, that everyone else running older cars have learnt, modern repro parts are garbage. 

It's why on my Midget I'm not touching the clutch while the engine is out. While it would make a excellent time to just change it, I don't have much faith in any replacement clutch sets will last any longer than what's in there.  

[SiC]

30 minutes ago, HillmanImp said:

I mean, did he not check it before he handed it over to you? 

Thats what seems odd to me. 

He absolutely could have done. However I've seen so often on Facebook groups where repro clutches have failed after less than a hundred miles. Rivets breaking off, springs disintegrating, etc. 

 

[captain_70s]

33 minutes ago, HillmanImp said:

I mean, did he not check it before he handed it over to you? 

Thats what seems odd to me. 

@davidfowler2000 got his 740 back from a specialist engine rebuilder apparently "driving really well" to find it'd barely move itself.

I, a random idiot with a passing interest in cars, stuck a timing light on it. Ignition timing was miles out. Still wasn't great though, as they'd also managed to get the timing belt a tooth out. Then the oil started falling out of it...

Most of these places probably have no idea what the car should drive like in the first place,so they'll not know if they've fucked it.

If the fella has been doing race engines that's a different kettle of fish. A race clutch and high lift cam is going to lead to a car that's not easy to drive at low rpm and won't manage a stock idle. How familiar is he with driving and setting up a road car?

Also, low stakes car with no money in it. Farmed out to the apprentice?

[SiC]

Note the "worn carb spindles" on the invoice. Common SU carb issue especially with the HS carbs. Carb rebuild is the proper cure. However tbh just raising the idle helps too. 

Not sure what the book figure on these are (as it changed between years) but I know on my '74 the idle was supposed to be set at 650rpm. Imo that's far too low especially on these older worn vehicles. 

Personally I like setting it at 1k rpm. Firstly when you get the idle wandering like on any old carb (especially one with worn SU and with poppet valves in the flaps), it gives more headroom from stalling it. Likewise on these vehicles with graphite bearings, dipping the clutch causes the revs to dip. So again 1k rpm gives more headroom when you're coming to a set of lights and taking it out of gear. Normally the last place you want it to stall too. 

On the poor Clutch feel, the Clutch master might have failed - especially if bled by pumping it and using the full travel. I wouldn't even be surprised if the repro clutch plates have a warp in them and giving a judder. 

[Dobloseven]

See also the erstwhile Bfgs fun and games with sports car "specialists",where he ended up doing it again himself properly!

[Peter C]

Thank you, I completely agree with all comments.

@sierraman We all make mistakes, this is true. But the specialist test drove the car after doing the work and told me that it's ready for collection. The car is now in significantly worse mechanical condition than it was before I handed over the keys.

@SiC Remember the near dry power steering reservoir that was missed by the Porsche specialist who serviced my / your Boxster twice?

Thing is, this man / garage has great reviews and the calibre of cars that he deals with on a daily basis is way above my lowly MGB. Surely he should have realised that his workmanship / parts used have resulted in a sub-standard repair? 

 

 

[Mally]

I thought the cost was as I expected.

I also expected the clutch to work as expected.

I wasn't sure about the carb issue, I've had things fixed* by specialists.

I knew a rolling road specialist who often left the dizzy clamp loose in error.

One day his racing car fell off the trailer because he forgot the straps!

[HMC]

Shame, as you dont mind paying if  the end result is as expected.

Hopefully the opportunity is there still for them to rectify it and leave you with a positive impression and the MGB on song. 

How/ what lead to the situation is open to speculation, but how they deal with it IMHO is the proper test to judge by.

[sierraman]

Best things is probably just to go and see them face to face tomorrow and explain the outcome you are looking for. 

[Peter C]

9 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Best things is probably just to go and see them face to face tomorrow and explain the outcome you are looking for. 

I did that today.

[danthecapriman]

7 minutes ago, HMC said:

Shame, as you dont mind paying if  the end result is as expected.

Hopefully the opportunity is there still for them to rectify it and leave you with a positive impression and the MGB on song. 

How/ what lead to the situation is open to speculation, but how they deal with it IMHO is the proper test to judge by.

This.

We all drop the ball and fuck up from time to time, so benefit of doubt etc, let them put it right then judge them on it. 
It could have been a simple oversight or something, or faulty parts. Or a combination of those things and bad luck it was your car. 
If the issue that things aren’t right has now been brought up then give them the opportunity to correct it. If it’s still not right take it further.

[sierraman]

23 minutes ago, Peter C said:

I did that today.

What was the response? 

[Peter C]

6 minutes ago, sierraman said:

What was the response? 

[lisbon_road]

Sorry to hear about this Peter after you have put so much effort in.  Hopefully it will all be resolved.

I do wonder if he might have put some sort of sports clutch in, perhaps one they had left over?  This is speculation.  I had a lot of work done on one of mine involving LPG conversion, which in fairness was done very well indeed.  I found out afterwards that they'd used some high flow injectors, presumably as they had them around and wanted to use them up.  Hardly needed on an 8 valve 1.4 Astra.  Didn't do any harm mind.