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Author Topic: 1973 MG B  (Read 159173 times)

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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #450 on: January 29, 2013, 03:54:13 PM »
I haven't yet.  There's are a few trim pieces on the door that need to be replaced.  I'll take everything off before I bring the car in to be repaired.

I think the cold weather may have made the crack worse. 
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Offline zeitgeist

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #451 on: January 29, 2013, 03:59:38 PM »
Quote from: Chris_ on January 29, 2013, 03:54:13 PM
I haven't yet.  There's are a few trim pieces on the door that need to be replaced.  I'll take everything off before I bring the car in to be repaired.

I think the cold weather may have made the crack worse. 

I don't think I ever saw one go like that, wonder if the mirror mount was loose and caused a flexing action?  Rust is one think but a crack? 
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #452 on: January 29, 2013, 04:02:49 PM »
I'm not sure.

I need to call Victoria British ASAP before their half-off sale ends.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #453 on: January 29, 2013, 04:47:20 PM »
  
Quote from: zeitgeist on January 29, 2013, 03:59:38 PM
I don't think I ever saw one go like that, wonder if the mirror mount was loose and caused a flexing action?  Rust is one think but a crack?  

The crack gets there because people would sometimes use the window vent trim to pull the door shut, instead of using the door handle.  

The trick is to pull the door shut with your right hand, instead of trying to use your left hand.  I'm not a big person, and it's tight for me to try to use my left hand to close the door.  

At the very least, drill the bottom of the crack to stop it from traveling.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #454 on: January 29, 2013, 04:51:58 PM »
I usually pull the handle or the top of the door to close it... I never, ever grabbed the mirror or window to do that.  It looks like someone was using the mirror as a pull handle.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #455 on: January 29, 2013, 05:00:47 PM »
Quote from: Chris_ on January 29, 2013, 04:51:58 PM
I usually pull the handle or the top of the door to close it... I never, ever grabbed the mirror or window to do that.  It looks like someone was using the mirror as a pull handle.

Yeah, hope you didn't think I was implying you shut it like that.  It probably takes years for a crack like that to develop.  Mine has the crack of doom, too.  It's been drilled, so I can wiggle the window frame and make the crack 'flex' without worry of it spreading.

When I finally get around to rubbing off all the old paint with polish, I'll fix it right.   
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #456 on: January 29, 2013, 05:43:06 PM »
Battlehymn's garage, three minutes ago:


Carnage!!!  Doesn't this look like fun?  :naughty:  Any volunteers to help?   :-)

That bottom radiator hose is the worst one I've ever had to fight with to try to remove.  It's easier to take out the whole radiator than it is to fight with that b*stard.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #457 on: January 29, 2013, 05:46:59 PM »
Whatcha doin'? :popcorn:

Is that a new pulley set?  It doesn't look stock.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #458 on: January 29, 2013, 06:06:31 PM »
I'm trying to get the front pulley off, to take a look at the seal. 

I'm also going to try to pull the oil pan with the engine in the car.  Man, there is just no room between the crossmember and the oil pan bolts.  I might loosen the motor mounts to give myself some more room.

The pulley set is the one that ships with the supercharger kit.  It uses a serpentine belt that I believe is the same as a Miata, so all the pulleys had to be changed. 

Does your B have the area on the inner fender well beat out like mine (just left of the alternator)?  Every B I've ever seen has that area beat out.  I have no idea why. 
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #459 on: January 29, 2013, 06:16:32 PM »
Not that I could tell... looks fine to me.

I forgot you had the supercharger.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #460 on: January 29, 2013, 06:20:55 PM »
Quote from: BattleHymn on January 29, 2013, 06:06:31 PM
I'm also going to try to pull the oil pan with the engine in the car.  Man, there is just no room between the crossmember and the oil pan bolts.  I might loosen the motor mounts to give myself some more room.
I was going to suggest jacking up the engine while it's still in the car.  It's SOP on changing the timing belt/camshaft on the Datsun's motor.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #461 on: January 29, 2013, 06:26:48 PM »
Nuts.  I got as far as needing a 1 1/2" (or thereabouts) socket to remove the pulley bolt.  Citing the 'close enough' rule, I tried using a 36MM socket I had sitting around and two blocks of wood and the 'bump the starter' trick.  I ended up flinging the socket and 1/2" ratchet into the workl light I had been using.  The bolt is still fast on there, mocking me and my broken work light.      
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #462 on: January 29, 2013, 06:30:06 PM »
Quote from: Chris_ on January 29, 2013, 06:20:55 PM
I was going to suggest jacking up the engine while it's still in the car.  It's SOP on changing the timing belt/camshaft on the Datsun's motor.

Yeah, and I think you're right there, because I don't know if I've got enough room to take this pulley off the nose of the crankshaft with the engine where it sits normally.  I need more 'forward' area to pull it away from the crankshaft, and the stupid steering rack is in the way. 


Sometimes this thing reminds me of putting together or taking apart an intricate erector set model in the dark with a pair of needle nose pliers.  Everything is in front of everything else, on top of everything else, or in the way of everything else.   
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #463 on: January 29, 2013, 07:04:02 PM »
Quote from: BattleHymn on January 29, 2013, 06:26:48 PM
Nuts.  I got as far as needing a 1 1/2" (or thereabouts) socket to remove the pulley bolt.  Citing the 'close enough' rule, I tried using a 36MM socket I had sitting around and two blocks of wood and the 'bump the starter' trick.  I ended up flinging the socket and 1/2" ratchet into the workl light I had been using.  The bolt is still fast on there, mocking me and my broken work light.      
Oh no! :rotf:

BTDT.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #464 on: January 29, 2013, 07:05:01 PM »
Quote from: BattleHymn on January 29, 2013, 06:30:06 PM
Yeah, and I think you're right there, because I don't know if I've got enough room to take this pulley off the nose of the crankshaft with the engine where it sits normally.  I need more 'forward' area to pull it away from the crankshaft, and the stupid steering rack is in the way.
I think the Ford Crown Vic (the last model) is the same way.  I recall someone bitching about a frame crossmember being in the way of the oil pan bolts.

I have yet to change out my oil separator material... I can't fit my hand (or a wrench) up from the bottom far enough to unbolt the cover, and I can't see the damn thing from the top.  I tried to find some really long wrenches for sale, but they all seem to be the same size.
« Last Edit: January 29, 2013, 08:18:50 PM by Chris_ »
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #465 on: January 29, 2013, 09:56:06 PM »
Quote from: Chris_ on January 29, 2013, 07:05:01 PM
I think the Ford Crown Vic (the last model) is the same way.  I recall someone bitching about a frame crossmember being in the way of the oil pan bolts.

I have yet to change out my oil separator material... I can't fit my hand (or a wrench) up from the bottom far enough to unbolt the cover, and I can't see the damn thing from the top.  I tried to find some really long wrenches for sale, but they all seem to be the same size.

I know it doesn't help, but I don't have any problem getting the front tappet cover off.  I don't know how long your arm is, though, but I really have to bend mine at a squirrely angle to get it undone.  I also have a Peco header (was on the car when I bought it), so I don't know if I have more or less clearance than you do at that spot. 

I'll be posting some pictures shortly here of my progress tonight, once I degrease my hands.  I've got a few minor issues to deal with. 
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #466 on: January 29, 2013, 10:00:16 PM »
Also, I went out and looked at where that bolt is you're trying to get off.  There appears to be three angles of attack:

-From above and in front of the engine, which requires you to be a double-jointed chimpanzee with six elbows on your arm.

-From below, which, depending on how your exhaust manifold runs and how big around your forearm is, you may or may not be able to do (this looks like the easiest to do, though).

-From the side, using a socket-wobbler-extension-ratchet.  Again, I don't have the stock carbs on mine, but it is possible for me, at least, with the aforementioned tools.   

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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #467 on: January 29, 2013, 10:01:59 PM »
1: can't see it

2: can't reach it

3: haven't tried it
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #468 on: January 29, 2013, 10:31:27 PM »
Here you can see how much room I didn't have between the crank pulley and the steering rack:


The back of the crankshaft pulley.  It looks like maybe a smallish leak, but not for the amount of oil I was losing:


The real culprit turned out to be the bottom of the timing chain cover gasket.  It was just oil-soaked.  I'll replace the front crank seal gasket, while I'm in here.  You'll also notice the supercharger tensioner bracket is prominent in this photo.  This is absolutely the weakest link on the whole car.  If you look closely, you'll notice the allen-head bolts are loose (again).  Tighten them too much, and they break off.  Tighten them too little, and they loosen up. 

The bottom bolt should be an allen-head bolt, but I made my own contraption down there once, when Moss couldn't get me a replacement bolt fast enough over a weekend.  It is the only one of the two that held tight:


Everything off, and ready to have the gasket scraped off tomorrow.  If you look at the top bolt hole where the cover bolts onto the block, you'll see one of those Moss 4mm bolts broken off flush with the block.  I used Loctite on them once, and ended up having it break off flush with the block, so no more Loctite on these:


Finally, a connecting rod, from my spare MGB short block:




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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #469 on: January 29, 2013, 10:43:04 PM »
Holy cow, that thing is huge.
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Offline Eupher

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #470 on: January 30, 2013, 10:45:43 AM »
Damn. It looks like a thighbone from a Brontosaurus.
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Offline Bad Dog

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #471 on: January 30, 2013, 10:54:07 AM »
Quote from: BattleHymn on January 29, 2013, 06:06:31 PM
Does your B have the area on the inner fender well beat out like mine (just left of the alternator)?  Every B I've ever seen has that area beat out.  I have no idea why. 

Probably done during manufacturing process.  Typical British procedure.  There was a picture in a book I had about Sunbeam Tigers (which were V-8 equipped Alpines) showing a burly chap standing in the empty engine compartment beating on the firewall with a big sledge hammer. I could see the "modifications" on both of the Tigers I owned a 1965 & 68 so they used this throughout the life of the Tiger.
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Offline zeitgeist

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #472 on: January 30, 2013, 11:19:42 AM »
Over many years I have come to the conclusion that a good engine hoist and transmission jack are probably worth keeping on hand.  You could hold a ballroom dance under the hood of my slant six Cuda but barely stuff a piece of twine under the PT Cruiser.  I never worked on the Cruiser except maybe to put in oil and wiper fluid but darn it was cramped under there.

Of course a nice lift and heated garage would always be handy to have too. 
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #473 on: January 30, 2013, 05:20:28 PM »
Quote from: zeitgeist on January 30, 2013, 11:19:42 AM
Over many years I have come to the conclusion that a good engine hoist and transmission jack are probably worth keeping on hand.  You could hold a ballroom dance under the hood of my slant six Cuda but barely stuff a piece of twine under the PT Cruiser.  I never worked on the Cruiser except maybe to put in oil and wiper fluid but darn it was cramped under there.

Of course a nice lift and heated garage would always be handy to have too. 

Add an Oberg Tilt-Lift to your list, too. 

I plan on heating the garage next year.  I always try to put projects off until the weather gets nice, but then find myself wanting to do other things in the summer, rather than hang around in the garage all day. 

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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1973 MG B
« Reply #474 on: January 30, 2013, 05:21:53 PM »
Quote from: Chris_ on January 29, 2013, 10:01:59 PM
1: can't see it

2: can't reach it

3: haven't tried it

That doesn't mean much on these cars.  Half my work is done by feel. :-)

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