That awful colour MGB GT

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SiC
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Re: That awful colour MGB GT

Post by SiC »

Did a couple of little jobs tonight.

First was to top the diff up. It's always dripped and I've never checked it since I've owned it. Last owner did get it topped up, but that was 2 years ago. So a bit anxious on its level.
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Bought this Laser set in the end.
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Used the 11mm bit. Bit on the small side but it bit enough to get it undone.
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I didn't jack the car up as all my stands are in use on the 1100 and I wanted it level. So it was a bit of a fight to get it undone with me reaching underneath at arms length. Ended up putting the small breaker bar you get in Halfords Pro toolsets and bashed it with a mallet.

Got it undone and topped it up till it leaked out. There is a very slight incline on our drive, so it possibly had a bit more than needed in there. Sure it's fine - it'll leak out anyway.
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This is the plug fitting
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Used this oil. Moss recommended it as correct for the diff.
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I did want to do a full drain, but that'll be easier to get a garage to do on a lift. At the same time I'll get them to replace the gasket and hopefully stop/reduce the leak.

Next up was the plug leads. Nothing inherently wrong with the ones on there. However they've been reconnected so many times that they're a bit looser on the plugs that I like. I have tried squidging the connectors to get a better grip and it seems to have worked. Anyway I bought a new set a while back on a spur of the moment when a Moss offer was on. Old set can go in the boot as spares.
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New shiny set. After this picture I did get my label maker out and mark where every lead goes. I kinda remember the firing order now but I find it useful still, especially if I ever have to remove them in earnest.
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Naturally I did the obligatory pull of the plugs as I seem to love doing.

Plug 1
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Plug 2
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Plug 3
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Plug 4
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They look spot on to me, except plug 4. I'm hoping it's because that plug lead is the one that always had been the most loose and needed squishing the most often.

I have no intention of touching the mixture now, as they look as good as I'll ever get them. Idle is a tad on the high side with the new distributor (around 1k to 1.1k) but I cba to touch that as it all works just fine.

Then when for a lovely even blast around the back lanes just north of here. Just because...

Absolutely running top notch at the moment now and it feels it. Slight whiff of petrol on occasions, so I might have a quick look over the fuel lines and double check nothing has come loose. Especially those darn fibre gaskets at the pump end.

Last edited by SiC on Thu Jul 04, 2019 10:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: That awful colour MGB GT

Post by SiC »

Before I forget, this is what happened to the distributor cap of the cheapy Chinese distributor.
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No wonder it started to run crap.
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Re: That awful colour MGB GT

Post by BenHar »

SiC wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 10:20 pm
Naturally I did the obligatory pull of the plugs as I seem to love doing.

Plug 1
Image

Plug 2
Image

Plug 3
Image
Image

Plug 4
Image
Image

They look spot on to me, except plug 4. I'm hoping it's because that plug lead is the one that always had been the most loose and needed squishing the most often.

I have no intention of touching the mixture now, as they look as good as I'll ever get them. Idle is a tad on the high side with the new distributor (around 1k to 1.1k) but I cba to touch that as it all works just fine.

They look as though it's slightly rich to me.
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Re: That awful colour MGB GT

Post by SiC »

Should they be a lighter brown then?
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Re: That awful colour MGB GT

Post by fried onions »

It isn't that critical for the scale of adjustments we're talking here. It's actually better to be slightly on the rich side. I would be more concerned about compressing the washers and compromising the gas-tight seal. That is the correct oil for the differential but beware, it's smelly stuff as you will already be aware... quite a handy drain plug set too, I bought one myself and it's worth its weight in gold.
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Re: That awful colour MGB GT

Post by SiC »


fried onions wrote: I would be more concerned about compressing the washers and compromising the gas-tight seal. That is the correct oil for the differential but beware, it's smelly stuff as you will already be aware... quite a handy drain plug set too, I bought one myself and it's worth its weight in gold.
In that I've had the plugs on and off so many times that the sealing washer probably isn't doing its job as well anymore??

I did remember reading it is stinky stuff but it honestly wasn't as bad as I expected.
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Re: That awful colour MGB GT

Post by BenHar »

SiC wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 10:57 pm Should they be a lighter brown then?
Yes.

I suspect that the timing may be slightly retarded too. Get a strobe light to check it.

But, as Squire says, the plug seal is important too.

Also make sure that you have been on a hard run with wide open throttle immediately before checking the plugs.

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Re: That awful colour MGB GT

Post by Hooli »

BenHar wrote: Fri Jul 05, 2019 10:46 pm
Also make sure that you have been on a hard run with wide open throttle immediately before checking the plugs.
Now that depends on what you're checking.

Full throttle, drop the clutch & switch off to check the main jets.
Half throttle, drop the clutch & switch off to check the cut-away.
Light throttle (less than 1/4), drop the clutch & switch off to check the idle mixture.

I think that's right from memory anyway, there might be a few more steps. I'm pretty sure that the Amals on my Bonnie have five different things to check at different throttle/rev combinations. Amals are like a more basic SU, no oil damper & no butterfly as the cable lifts the slide so it should be similar.

Oh & another final one. Changing the oil in the damper changes the accelerator pump effect. The lighter the oil the quicker the side rises causing the mixture to richen faster as you put your foot down.
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Re: That awful colour MGB GT

Post by BenHar »

Hooli wrote: Sat Jul 06, 2019 9:45 am
BenHar wrote: Fri Jul 05, 2019 10:46 pm
Also make sure that you have been on a hard run with wide open throttle immediately before checking the plugs.
The lighter the oil the quicker the side rises causing the mixture to richen faster as you put your foot down.
T'other way round, I think.

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Re: That awful colour MGB GT

Post by cros »

If I might make so bold them plugs say you're a bit rich. The jets and needles wear on the later bias type SUs, on earlier type it only happens if the jet hasn't been centred properly. Apologies if you've already covered this.
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