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Author Topic: 1973 MG B  (Read 160240 times)

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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #825 on: April 06, 2014, 06:38:20 PM »
I can't wait to get this car back on the road so I can concentrate on the Ford.  Driving to Columbia and back eats up 2-3 hours of my day.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #826 on: April 12, 2014, 08:26:06 PM »
Got the new master cylinder installed.  There's a cover on the firewall that sits right behind it... take the panel out and you have access from behind (under the dash) to remove the 17mm bolt holding the pipe to the cylinder body.  I tried the standard bleeding method and can't seem to get any pressure to build up.  I'm going to try reverse bleeding tomorrow.

Bad news, the lower retaining bolt on the passenger side rebound strap was broken off.  I'm going to have to take it to someone to weld on a new nut.  Hopefully I should have it back in town by tomorrow evening.

edit: going to try reverse bleeding with a plastic syringe although I hear gravity bleeding works well on the MG.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2014, 11:36:11 PM by Chris_ »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #827 on: April 13, 2014, 08:44:07 PM »
Still no luck.  I never did replace the old slave cylinder, so that may be a problem.  I tried Mr. Hand's instructions but I hear a glug-glug sound like there is air getting in somewhere.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uj1dMdYgRK4[/youtube]

I will try this method.  If it doesn't work, I'm taking to the garage down the street and letting them do it.

I found where the leak was coming from on the new master cylinder.  If you put too much pressure in the line, it seeps out from the base of the plastic reservoir.  It's okay as long as you don't put more than 10 kg/h of pressure.
« Last Edit: April 14, 2014, 07:25:40 PM by Chris_ »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #828 on: April 18, 2014, 08:08:02 PM »
Think I got it.  We'll see if it holds pressure overnight. :yahoo:

Replaced the old slave cylinder, let it gravity bleed for an hour or so, and closed off the bleeder screw on the slave.  Pumped the pedal about a dozen times with the master cylinder cover installed, pushed in the pushrod on the slave a couple times.  Rinse and repeat. 

I forgot how heavy the MG clutch pedal feels. :p
« Last Edit: April 18, 2014, 08:17:12 PM by Chris_ »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #829 on: April 19, 2014, 04:09:13 PM »
Argh.  Now it won't start.

I don't get it.  It fired up fine yesterday.  It turned over this morning but didn't start after a couple seconds, so I stopped turning the key.  Now I get nothing.  Everything else works, just no starter.  I replaced the starter relay but I still get nothing.  Battery is 12.4v but I did not check the ground cable.

Nothing was changed from yesterday.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #830 on: April 19, 2014, 04:24:29 PM »
Quote from: Chris_ on April 19, 2014, 04:09:13 PM
Argh.  Now it won't start.

I don't get it.  It fired up fine yesterday.  It turned over this morning but didn't start after a couple seconds, so I stopped turning the key.  Now I get nothing.  Everything else works, just no starter.  I replaced the starter relay but I still get nothing.  Battery is 12.4v but I did not check the ground cable.

Nothing was changed from yesterday.

Jump the relay with a screwdriver, and see if it starts.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #831 on: April 19, 2014, 09:09:57 PM »
I was at a graveyard & church way out in the boonies yesterday, miles out on dirt roads.  I was there for about five hours, and after I left, I heard this tremendous racket and clatter coming from under the car.  I stopped the car, with my first thought being "Shit, there is NO ONE out here, and I have NO cell signal."

After looking under the car, it turned out to be nothing.  It just sits so low that I was scraping the crap out of the exhaust pipe and under-body, almost to the point of being in danger of high centering.  That would have been an interesting predicament. 

I don't know how I got in there without high centering or scraping anything, but I will be more mindful if I go out there again. 
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #832 on: April 19, 2014, 09:17:49 PM »
I was driving through Ft. Campbell a while back and blindly following my GPS back to the highway.  Damn thing ran me into a dead end.  I slammed on my brakes and nearly ended up in a ditch.

I didn't slide very far and was able to back out.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #833 on: April 19, 2014, 10:04:37 PM »
Quote from: Chris_ on April 19, 2014, 09:17:49 PM
I was driving through Ft. Campbell a while back and blindly following my GPS back to the highway. 

That reminds me of something I saw today out in the sticks:



There is absolutely nothing around this area- nothing.  I thought it was funny enough that I snapped a photo. 
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #834 on: April 20, 2014, 04:24:11 PM »
Got it.  I had a fun drive around dead-ass Columbia hoping to find kids washing cars.

I'm not sure if it was the starter relay or something else.  I reconnected everything this way:

Quote
Starter relay:

W1 = white/red
W2 = black
C1 = brown
C2 = brown/white

85 = W1
86 = W2
30 = C1
87 = C2

The clutch still has air in it.  It works but it's not the best.

Kids seem to like the MG.  It's the adults that go nuts over the Ford. :rofl:
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Offline zeitgeist

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #835 on: April 20, 2014, 05:50:59 PM »
Quote from: Chris_ on April 19, 2014, 09:17:49 PM
I was driving through Ft. Campbell a while back and blindly following my GPS back to the highway.  Damn thing ran me into a dead end.  I slammed on my brakes and nearly ended up in a ditch.

I didn't slide very far and was able to back out.

At the top of the fly-over ... 'yes dear' goes 'ding' ... down below the exit not taken falls away ...  ahead ...  no exit for a dozen miles. :lmao:
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #836 on: April 20, 2014, 07:04:21 PM »
Supposed to bring it home on Sunday.  I'm definitely looking for a closer garage next.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #837 on: May 24, 2014, 11:59:18 PM »
This is irritating.  I reset the carburetors to factory settings and replaced the distributor cap/rotor and it still won't fire.  The button and cap only fit one way (there is a tab/slot arrangement on one side of the cap) so it's either another bad starter relay or my firing order is off.  I need to pull a plug and see if I'm getting spark.

I did a little sanding on the dash so I can fit the new dash cap.
« Last Edit: May 25, 2014, 12:10:55 AM by Chris_ »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #838 on: June 02, 2014, 10:09:23 PM »
The condenser wire and coil ground wire are both toast. 

Time to order replacements.
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Offline obumazombie

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #839 on: June 07, 2014, 02:19:21 PM »
Quote from: Chris_ on June 02, 2014, 10:09:23 PM
The condenser wire and coil ground wire are both toast. 

Time to order replacements.
They didn't have legs.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #840 on: June 08, 2014, 10:42:06 PM »
Did you ever figure out if your firing order was right? 


I can take a picture of the side of my engine if it helps. 
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #841 on: June 08, 2014, 10:45:24 PM »
Not yet.  I got a replacement condenser and ground wire but haven't put it back together yet.

I was using this as a reference: http://mydesultoryblog.com/2011/09/mgb-idling-problemsposting-to-british-car-forum/
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #842 on: June 08, 2014, 10:48:24 PM »
Yeah, I can do better.  Give me a second, and I'll go snap one right now. 
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #843 on: June 08, 2014, 10:58:45 PM »
Here you go:

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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #844 on: June 14, 2014, 08:05:50 PM »
I've checked and re-checked the spark plug wires.  After replacing the condenser and coil ground wire it runs, but it runs badly.  The points are not stuck together but it's almost like one of the two aren't working.  I was able to pull them away from the cam.

I put the throttle shaft in upside-down (no gas pedal).  Had to take the carbs off to fix it.  Might as well re-check them again.

Rebuilt the carburettors again.  I might have made a mistake setting the fuel mixture (too lean).
« Last Edit: June 15, 2014, 09:42:18 PM by Chris_ »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #845 on: June 15, 2014, 08:30:01 PM »
It's alive.   

One new distributor cap, rotor, condenser, and coil ground wire later, everything seems to be running well.  Still needs a little work, but it's driveable and fires right up.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #846 on: June 16, 2014, 11:09:47 PM »
I sure would like an AccuSpark, but they're friggin $75 (£45) and that doesn't include international shipping.

I'll have to see if one of the expats or a family member can ship one to me. 


edit: found one for £35 ($60) including shipping.
« Last Edit: June 16, 2014, 11:31:44 PM by Chris_ »
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #847 on: June 16, 2014, 11:54:14 PM »
Have you considered a Pertronix?
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #848 on: June 17, 2014, 10:02:24 AM »
Absolutely.  Just as soon as I feel like spending the money for one (some time this year).
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #849 on: June 17, 2014, 10:16:56 AM »
Quote from: Chris_ on June 17, 2014, 10:02:24 AM
Absolutely.  Just as soon as I feel like spending the money for one (some time this year).

I have on in my B, and I have been very happy with it.  Its on a recurved and rebuilt distributor, though. 

Aren't you running an aftermarket distributor anyways?
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