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You are here: Experts > Home/Garden > Auto Repair > MG Car Repair > 1980 MGB
Expert: Howard M. Fitzcharles III - 11/6/2009
Question
Hi, I have a 1980 MGB. After warming up and driving it around. The engine doesn't run smoothly.I don't drive it everyday, now that it has gotten colder (50 degrees) out. Also, between gears it lacks full power. Any suggestion what I can do to get it running smoothly?
Answer
Hi Debbie,
Your symptoms do not pinpoint the problem so testing is required. If you have tools and have some mechanical abilities I can walk you through the tests to find and correct the problem. The tools required are not expensive and the work testing is not difficult. If you want to try it, let me know and I will list the tools and how to run the tests.
If you prefer to take it to a shop let me know and I will give you the info to ask for and what their result parameter should be. This way you will know if they know what they are talking about. Many shops are straight but there are some that will try to take advantage of a woman because they think that most women don't know enough about cars to know if they are getting ripped off. Sometimes terminology and communication is the problem. Here is a true example of that.
I was a service manager of an MG dealership and a lady went to our parts counter and asked the parts manager for a can of compression. The parts manager gave a laugh and said "That's a good one. So what can I help you with?" The lady got mad and said "Well, give it to me in what ever it comes in if not a can!" I overheard this conversation and realized she was serious so I asked if I could help and why she thought she needed compression. She had taken her car to a mechanic close to her house and asked to have it checked as it was not running right and the mechanic said it was low on compression and it would probably cost several hundred dollars to fix. She figured that he was just going to go to the MG dealer and buy "compression" and put it in the engine. So she figured it would be much cheaper for her to go buy the "compression" and put it in herself. She didn't know the engine had to produce the "compression" and was not a commodity.
In this case the lady thought the mechanic was trying to overcharge her as he didn't explain his diagnosis. We did get the job and we explained why her engine was low on compression.
This is not a women only problem as I have had many men who did not understand how an engine operated. Having some basic knowledge of engines and cars will in many cases keep a person for getting ripped off or purchasing some part or service they don't really need.
Let me know,
Howard
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