Author Topic: 1973 MG B  (Read 157870 times)

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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #850 on: June 17, 2014, 10:18:27 AM »
Yeah, some Mallory dual-point unit with mechanical advance.  I'm not even sure what model it is because there's no markings on it.  Ordering parts consisted of comparing pictures online with what I had on hand.  The condenser I ordered ended up being larger than the one I replaced.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #851 on: June 17, 2014, 01:01:07 PM »
Well, that was interesting.

I'm driving the MG today and had to make a trip to the customer care site 12 miles up the road.  I guess I wasn't paying attention to my fuel gauge and ran low on gas and the fuel pump overheated.  I gave it a couple of thumps just to be sure but after refilling the tank and letting the car sit for half an hour, everything seems to be okay.

Lesson learned.
If you want to worship an orange pile of garbage with a reckless disregard for everything, get on down to Arbys & try our loaded curly fries.

Offline Wineslob

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #852 on: June 17, 2014, 01:11:04 PM »











 :whistling:
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #853 on: June 17, 2014, 01:36:55 PM »
How do you know it overheated?  Do you have a points or submersible pump?

Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #854 on: June 17, 2014, 01:55:08 PM »
External point pump.
If you want to worship an orange pile of garbage with a reckless disregard for everything, get on down to Arbys & try our loaded curly fries.

Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #855 on: June 17, 2014, 04:19:04 PM »
Did it just stop pumping fuel?  I don't think those externals can overheat due to low fuel.  I could be wrong, though.

Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #856 on: June 17, 2014, 04:23:20 PM »
I couldn't hear it click on when I turned the key.  It ran long enough to suck the fuel bowl dry a couple times, until it stopped running at all.  That's when I noticed the low fuel level.

I thought the fuel was supposed to flow through the pump to keep it cooled.  I could only fit 6-1/2 gallons in the tank, so it wasn't entirely empty.  After refilling the tank and letting it sit, I was able to drive the 12 miles back to my office.
If you want to worship an orange pile of garbage with a reckless disregard for everything, get on down to Arbys & try our loaded curly fries.

Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #857 on: June 17, 2014, 08:13:46 PM »
Pretty sure I ****ed up the carburetors again.  Sputtering, backfiring, near-stalling.  This is frustrating.  I'm still not hearing the fuel pump tick over on startup (the usual tick-tick, glug-glug sound isn't there).  I've got a replacement in the garage.

My ColorTune shipped this morning. 
If you want to worship an orange pile of garbage with a reckless disregard for everything, get on down to Arbys & try our loaded curly fries.

Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #858 on: June 17, 2014, 08:49:09 PM »
Pretty sure I ****ed up the carburetors again.  Sputtering, backfiring, near-stalling.  This is frustrating.  I'm still not hearing the fuel pump tick over on startup (the usual tick-tick, glug-glug sound isn't there).  I've got a replacement in the garage.

My ColorTune shipped this morning.

Low pressure maybe causing the bowls to hold an improper amount of fuel.  Will it idle? 

I'd lean towards a bad pump.  How old is it? 

Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #859 on: June 17, 2014, 08:55:42 PM »
It's the pump that came with the car.  I don't have the old invoices anymore but the previous owner had the car for five years, so I'm guessing the pump is at least seven years old.

It will idle but with the carbs out of whack, it's a little difficult to say what the cause is.  Sitting at a light, the idle drops down low enough to almost cut out.  Give it gas and the idle goes back to "normal".  Drive it around for a bit, and the idle stays higher than normal. 

I reset the carbs to the factory settings over the weekend but never tuned them for the new exhaust.  I think that might have something to do with it since it's no longer stock.  The Moss TT exhaust is a lot smoother than the old factory pipes.
If you want to worship an orange pile of garbage with a reckless disregard for everything, get on down to Arbys & try our loaded curly fries.

Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #860 on: June 17, 2014, 09:09:32 PM »
I think I would swap in the other pump just to be sure.  Is it the same style, or is it solid state? 

I switched mine to a little solid state job, and I'll never go back.  I'm not about to sit at the side of the road trying to convince my fuel pump that it needs to do its job with a stick or rock.

Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #861 on: June 17, 2014, 09:18:56 PM »
My spare is the electric fuel pump (#3-084) that Victoria British sells.  I bought it before driving the car to Texas.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #862 on: June 17, 2014, 09:29:57 PM »
Yeah, I think I'd swap over.


Since I'm not familiar with the original pumps, I had to read up.  It looks like the only way you'll overheat that pump is if you run it dry on gas (and it will tick continuously then), or if you get a piece of debris stuck in it with the current in the "on" position of the points.  If it is the pump, it will slowly start to die on you, until one day it just decides that it's had enough, and lets you sit.   


Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #863 on: June 17, 2014, 09:34:24 PM »
Oh well.  I had fun for a couple of hours.  Hopefully my ColorTune will be here by the weekend.  Until then I can get by using the tuning procedure I used last time (the Bentley/John Twist method).
If you want to worship an orange pile of garbage with a reckless disregard for everything, get on down to Arbys & try our loaded curly fries.

Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #864 on: June 17, 2014, 09:36:56 PM »
Just for clarification, it did actually let you sit, correct?

Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #865 on: June 17, 2014, 09:40:16 PM »
:???:
If you want to worship an orange pile of garbage with a reckless disregard for everything, get on down to Arbys & try our loaded curly fries.

Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #866 on: June 17, 2014, 09:41:48 PM »
I'm driving the MG today and had to make a trip to the customer care site 12 miles up the road.  I guess I wasn't paying attention to my fuel gauge and ran low on gas and the fuel pump overheated.  I gave it a couple of thumps just to be sure but after refilling the tank and letting the car sit for half an hour, everything seems to be okay.

^^^This time.  Sorry, I should have been more specific.  :p

Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #867 on: June 17, 2014, 09:45:11 PM »
Still not sure what you're asking.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #868 on: June 17, 2014, 09:50:15 PM »
Did the car stall out?  Die? 

Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #869 on: June 17, 2014, 09:55:32 PM »
After filling it up with gas around noon and letting it sit, it started up and ran fine back to the office.  On my way home from work is when I had the sputtering and backfiring.  I wasn't sure if it would restart and ended up cutting through the parts store parking lot to avoid the right turn at the intersection.  It seems to have gotten worse.

The previous tank of 10% ethanol gasoline was left over from last year and had sat all summer with no fuel additive.  I've been buying non-ethanol premium since then.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2014, 10:07:51 PM by Chris_ »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #870 on: June 19, 2014, 10:13:45 PM »
I don't believe it.  The rubber catch that holds the sun visor in place fell off and the damn thing is riveted to the window frame.  I'm going to have to drill out the rivet to replace it.

In the interim, I'm just going to take the sun visors off and store them.
If you want to worship an orange pile of garbage with a reckless disregard for everything, get on down to Arbys & try our loaded curly fries.

Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #871 on: June 19, 2014, 11:28:18 PM »
On my way home from work is when I had the sputtering and backfiring... ended up cutting through the parts store parking lot to avoid the right turn at the intersection.

Just imagine the amount of fuel you added to the MG stereotype to anyone inside the auto parts store by doing this^^^.    :lmao:

Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #872 on: June 19, 2014, 11:30:07 PM »
I don't believe it.  The rubber catch that holds the sun visor in place fell off and the damn thing is riveted to the window frame.  I'm going to have to drill out the rivet to replace it.

In the interim, I'm just going to take the sun visors off and store them.

I'd be careful drilling anything around the windscreen frame.  REALLY careful.  If you break your glass, you're going to have a bad time.

Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #873 on: June 19, 2014, 11:34:39 PM »
Just imagine the amount of fuel you added to the MG stereotype to anyone inside the auto parts store by doing this^^^.    :lmao:
I managed to coast through the parking lot without running anyone over or stalling.  The trouble doesn't start until you step on the gas. 

I felt bad because someone complimented me on the car as I was passing through.
If you want to worship an orange pile of garbage with a reckless disregard for everything, get on down to Arbys & try our loaded curly fries.

Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #874 on: June 20, 2014, 12:22:10 AM »
I managed to coast through the parking lot without running anyone over or stalling.  The trouble doesn't start until you step on the gas. 

I felt bad because someone complimented me on the car as I was passing through.

 :rotf: :rotf: