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Author Topic: 1973 MG B  (Read 160265 times)

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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #325 on: September 08, 2012, 10:06:46 PM »
Can you dremel the head of that screw down?

I wouldn't worry about how your harness looks.  The important thing is that it is not on fire, and stays not on fire.  

I'm sort of curious as to what the two bullet connectors are that aren't connected to anything.  The closest I can match them up to mine is the purple/pink wire runs into another purple/pink, while the blue wire runs into a gray wire.  
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #326 on: September 08, 2012, 10:09:42 PM »
I looked it up earlier... one of them goes to an anti-run-on valve and the other goes to a ballast resistor, neither of which were used on a '72 or '73 model.  Weird.

You can buy bolts with smooth heads, like a carriage bolt.  I'm going to try to find one tomorrow.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #327 on: September 08, 2012, 10:21:33 PM »
Quote from: Chris_ on September 08, 2012, 10:09:42 PM
I looked it up earlier... one of them goes to an anti-run-on valve and the other goes to a ballast resistor, neither of which were used on a '72 or '73 model.  Weird.

Well, that doesn't really surprise me.  They wired all the cars for overdrive, too.  The o/d was toggled on or off on our cars by pushing in on the end of the wiper stalk.  I guess if you ever wanted to install an oil slick device like James Bond, you could use that as the toggle button. 

Did you get the instruction manual with the tach/dwell/volts/ohms/amps/toaster/copier/can opener tester?
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #328 on: September 08, 2012, 10:26:05 PM »
Yes.  It even has the original warranty registration card.

I looked for a new dwell/idle/tach meter... the cheapest one was fifty dollars.  I bought mine for twenty bucks.
« Last Edit: September 09, 2012, 11:08:59 PM by Chris_ »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #329 on: September 09, 2012, 04:03:16 PM »
Good news, my distributor shaft bushing is in good shape.  Bad news, I bought the wrong cap and rotor. :argh:

Current rotor is on the right.  "New" cap and rotor are on the left.  Big difference... neither of the new parts fit on the old distributor.  I took the old cap/rotor off and cleaned them, routed the condenser and spark plug wires away from the coil and radiator hoses, and everything seems to be running just fine now.




Slightly crispy.


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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #330 on: September 09, 2012, 04:06:17 PM »
:ha:
Quote from: Chris_ on September 09, 2012, 04:03:16 PM
Good news, my distributor shaft bushing is in good shape.  Bad news, I bought the wrong cap and rotor. :argh:
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #331 on: September 09, 2012, 04:08:06 PM »
Actually, I tried to do the same thing the first time I tried to order a cap and dizzy for my distributor. 

I bought them from the Bhive, and Gordon called me to let me know he was changing my order to the correct parts for my car. 
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #332 on: September 09, 2012, 04:09:13 PM »
I ordered mine from Moss.  I asked him three times if that was the right part.  The guy tried to sell me on an electronic ignition kit.

Gonna try out my new dwell meter next.
« Last Edit: September 09, 2012, 04:11:22 PM by Chris_ »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #333 on: September 09, 2012, 06:19:33 PM »
Fuh. :mad:

The fuel mixture screw on my rear carb is either stuck or the head is stripped.  I can't get it to move and it's running lean. I was idling @ 1200 RPM and turned both carbs down to 900 after connecting the tachometer to it.  Took it for a drive and it did everything except idle correctly.   If I match the airflow and idle on both carburetors, the rear one cuts out and causes the engine to die, so I turned the rear one up to about 1000 RPM and left the front at 850.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #334 on: September 09, 2012, 06:46:05 PM »
I'm trying to remember if both carbs are used for idling on the HIF models, or if it's only the front one.  It's been about two years since I fiddled with one with duals. 

Or, maybe it's the flattop Hitachis on some of the Datsuns I'm thinking of that were set that way.   
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #335 on: September 09, 2012, 06:48:07 PM »
I have the Pertronix setup on my B.  I like it, and it really helped nail down the timing to avoid detonation problems with the supercharger.  I certainly wouldn't say it's necessary on a normally aspirated car, though.  I only added it to mine after the supercharger.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #336 on: September 09, 2012, 06:48:59 PM »
I'm pretty sure each carb "contributes" to idle.  I can cover the intake on either of them and the engine stops running (the Unisyn does this somewhat... you can only hold it in place for a short period until it causes the engine to sputter or to quit completely in my case).  Each carb has an idle screw and an air/fuel mixture screw.  When I lift the air piston on the rear carb, the engine stumbles and dies.  I'm seriously giving thought to pulling the rear carb and replacing that screw.  I may leave it as is until October if I can get away with it -- I really don't feel like opening that can of worms right now.

I should probably check my fuel filter as well.  The one on that BMW was in awful condition.

[youtube=640,480]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nvGLgO6pj0[/youtube]

Look how shiny those carbs are.  Mine look like they've been to Somalia.
« Last Edit: September 09, 2012, 11:00:33 PM by Chris_ »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #337 on: September 10, 2012, 12:46:01 AM »
Crap.  My light switch on the steering column is starting to get flaky.  Every time I hit the turn signal, the headlights would switch off until I pulled the stalk back into place.

In other news, it's about 65° outside right now and the heater feels lovely with the top down.
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Offline obumazombie

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #338 on: September 10, 2012, 10:20:42 AM »
Quote from: Chris_ on September 10, 2012, 12:46:01 AM
Crap.  My light switch on the steering column is starting to get flaky.  Every time I hit the turn signal, the headlights would switch off until I pulled the stalk back into place.

In other news, it's about 65° outside right now and the heater feels lovely with the top down.
You're going topless, again ?
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #339 on: September 10, 2012, 10:59:05 PM »
$70 for a new headlight/turn signal switch.  Yikes.
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Offline Wineslob

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #340 on: September 11, 2012, 02:28:29 PM »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #341 on: September 11, 2012, 02:31:43 PM »
I'm saving that for a DU thread. :rotf:
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #342 on: September 12, 2012, 09:18:09 AM »
I got my tachometer to work for a short while yesterday.  I took one of the electrical connections off and tried to clean it with the gauge still in the car.  It worked for about 30 seconds before getting stuck again.  I'm going to take the entire gauge out this weekend and clean it.

The guy I bought the dwell meter from was working on a three-cylinder engine for his Geo Metro coupe.  I told him to put a turbocharger on it. :lmao:
« Last Edit: September 12, 2012, 09:25:10 AM by Chris_ »
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #343 on: September 12, 2012, 04:47:14 PM »
Quote from: Chris_ on September 12, 2012, 09:18:09 AM

The guy I bought the dwell meter from was working on a three-cylinder engine for his Geo Metro coupe.  I told him to put a turbocharger on it. :lmao:

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJJSrdVct-4[/youtube]

 :naughty: :naughty:
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #344 on: September 17, 2012, 12:28:07 PM »
Just curious, did anyone swap the stock flywheel for a lighter one?  I'm looking at ways to make this car a little more comfortable on the interstate.
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Offline zeitgeist

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #345 on: September 17, 2012, 01:05:20 PM »
Quote from: Chris_ on September 17, 2012, 12:28:07 PM
Just curious, did anyone swap the stock flywheel for a lighter one?  I'm looking at ways to make this car a little more comfortable on the interstate.

You would have liked the Mercedes 320SL Roadster better for that.  It had a great six way heated leather seat that would make any contortionist jealous.  That said, the B is a British Sports Car.  Comfort is not an option, Sport.  I actually use to enjoy working on my B (except the time I had to change a U joint in the yard in sub zero temperature ) but that is another story.  I always figured two hours was the max I could drive it before I had to get out and stretch.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #346 on: September 17, 2012, 01:10:27 PM »
I'm okay for a couple of hours.  I've never been behind the wheel of this car longer than that. 

I wouldn't mind a nice late-model Lincoln Town Car or maybe a 2-door Crown Vic from the 80's.  I wonder if the newer TC's seats will fit in an old Crown Vic.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #347 on: September 17, 2012, 05:30:14 PM »
Quote from: Chris_ on September 17, 2012, 12:28:07 PM
Just curious, did anyone swap the stock flywheel for a lighter one?  I'm looking at ways to make this car a little more comfortable on the interstate.

I run a 9lb. Fidanza flywheel on mine right now.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #348 on: September 18, 2012, 11:10:57 AM »
Okay?  How is it compared to stock?

I'm looking at spare fuel pumps and the ones I see all have 5/16 fittings on them and I think my car still has the banjo bolts.  Am I stuck paying $150 for an SU?


edit: I went with the plastic-bodied ECCO as an emergency spare.  Victoria British has it for $30 less than Moss. ----> http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=109230&SortOrder=1
« Last Edit: September 18, 2012, 11:55:50 AM by Chris_ »
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #349 on: September 18, 2012, 04:32:00 PM »
Quote from: Chris_ on September 18, 2012, 11:10:57 AM
Okay?  How is it compared to stock?

Haha!  I knew I forgot to add something to that message. :rofl:

-Much better hole shot- not that your car suffers much from that much anyways, since first gear is so short.

-Zippier revving in neutral (almost sounds like a motorcycle).

-I have noticed no discernible difference in coasting abilities on the highway (less flywheel inertia), or any added difficulty in slipping the clutch when accelerating from a dead stop, or when shifting gears.

All that being said, the best bang for the buck I got out of the car was having the distributor rebuilt, and in particular, having the vacuum advance springs recurved.  It made the engine really come to life, and feel new.       

Quote
I'm looking at spare fuel pumps and the ones I see all have 5/16 fittings on them and I think my car still has the banjo bolts.  Am I stuck paying $150 for an SU?

edit: I went with the plastic-bodied ECCO as an emergency spare.  Victoria British has it for $30 less than Moss. ----> http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=109230&SortOrder=1

If you want to hack off the banjo fittings, you can run whatever sort of low pressure (3-5 PSI) fuel pump you want under there.  Mine had a dodgy pump (someone had cut the lines on my car and put in a solid state pump before I bought the car), and I replaced it with a Mr. Gasket pump from O'reillys.  It's been under there for five years, no problems. 
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