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| Subject | Date Asked |
| MG Midget | 2/3/2012 |
| Q: Gentlemen, I inherited a1977 Midget that I am sorting out so that my wife can have some fun ... A: Larry, I was not doubting your reading of the number. I needed to see what the engine looked like as ... | |
| Fuel Tank | 1/29/2012 |
| Q: I am redoing a 64B and after having the fuel tank redone/painted I can't get it mounted. I can't ... A: Sometimes when using new rubber strip packing it will be tighter so just put a longer bolt in or you ... | |
| fuel gauge stays at half full | 1/28/2012 |
| Q: When I start my MGB [1976], the gas gauge needle registers half. It never moves to show gas ... A: First test is to turn on the ignition key and have someone watch the fuel gauge. You go back to the ... | |
| 1976 MGB Gauges | 1/27/2012 |
| Q: When charging my battery, the battery charge connector accidentally touched a bare wire on the car's ... A: When you have several failed circuits in an electrical system it is a waste of time to try to ... | |
| Sending Unit | 12/30/2011 |
| Q: I am grateful that you are generous with your time. I have a 1970 MGB completely restored, but both ... A: The fuel gauge is powered by a wire from the voltage stabilizer (10v) and if it looses power from ... | |
| 77 MG Midget No Oil To Head | 12/19/2011 |
| Q: my midget starts and runs fine but I have no oil coming up to the head. the PSI reaches almost 80 ... A: It does not hurt to spin the engine with the head off to look for oil at the oil galley hole. If you ... | |
| 77 MG Midget No Oil To Head | 12/12/2011 |
| Q: my midget starts and runs fine but I have no oil coming up to the head. the PSI reaches almost 80 ... A: First remove the rocker stands and pull all of the spark plugs and spin the engine with the starter ... | |
| Coolant Leak into #2 cylinder on 1275 MG midget | 12/6/2011 |
| Q: A while ago, you were advising someone on how to find and fix a coolant leak on their MGB. Youa ... A: I would lay your head gasket on the head and note if the metal ring around the cylinder is close to ... | |
| MGB starter issues | 11/21/2011 |
| Q: I am working on a 1978 MGB. The ignition was changed to an Ignitor from the original. The wires to ... A: The original system used a low voltage coil (aprox 6v) The 12v system can not operate a 6v coil for ... | |
| Continuation of MGB Fuel Regulator | 11/19/2011 |
| Q: Howard, I could not ask a follow up question as we had reached the limit, so this is a continuation ... A: You sure have had a long road to travel with repairs. I can tell you how I check a car (an MG) that ... | |
| MGB Fuel Pressure Regulator | 11/18/2011 |
| Q: Can you recommend a make/model of a fuel pressure regulator suitable for my 1980 MGB? I thought ... A: It is unlikely a fuel supply problem. As for smoke, you need to look to see where it is coming from. ... | |
| MGB Fuel Pressure Regulator | 11/17/2011 |
| Q: Can you recommend a make/model of a fuel pressure regulator suitable for my 1980 MGB? I thought ... A: The SU pump normally pumps 1.5 to 3 PSI unless someone modified it. It operates by an electromagnet ... | |
| MGB Shift Linkage | 11/14/2011 |
| Q: We just bought a 76 MGB. First off, (no offense to all the women out there), but I am a woman and I ... A: Shift linkage is not just one component, but is a series of pieces and it is unlikely that all of ... | |
| 77 MG midget brake pressure switch | 11/12/2011 |
| Q: Howard, I read you prior advise and it helped. Now I'm wondering...what would be the issue if I ... A: The brake warning switch just warns you that there is a different pressure on the front verses the ... | |
| Rocker Assembly Installation | 11/6/2011 |
| Q: I am in the middle of replacing the head gasket on my 1980 MGB. I had the head checked and they say ... A: The new one needs a screen on it so it don't pick up trash and put it in the fuel pump and cause a ... | |
| Rocker Assembly Installation | 11/5/2011 |
| Q: I am in the middle of replacing the head gasket on my 1980 MGB. I had the head checked and they say ... A: It is standard procedure to loosen all of the valve adjusting screws when installing the rocker arm ... | |
| 1979 MGB | 10/24/2011 |
| Q: I have just got a 79 MGB and had the weber carb rebuilt now The car will not start unless I hold ... A: First you must run a test. With a can of starter fluid spray into the intake and see if you can keep ... | |
| 75 mg midget trans | 10/24/2011 |
| Q: I have had an oil leak since i purchased this 75 Midget, towards the back of the engine. I just ... A: You are right the Spitfire don't have a seal there. The TR-6 does. The Spitfire depends on an oil ... | |
| 75 mg midget trans | 10/20/2011 |
| Q: I have had an oil leak since i purchased this 75 Midget, towards the back of the engine. I just ... A: There are no seals between the engine and transmission on a 75 MG Midget. There is a seal on the ... | |
| Clutch hydraulics 74 MGB | 10/16/2011 |
| Q: Q: how can I access these, I heard it can be done without getting under the car? Is there a web site ... A: I have worked in several MG dealerships when they were in the US and I started in 1960 and still ... | |
| "Grounded Fuel Pump' | 10/13/2011 |
| Q: I have a 71' MGB. Bought last August as a fixer/upper. It did run and drive, but ran very rich. Put ... A: You need to leave the pump disconnected and spin the engine to see if you now have good ignition. If ... | |
| MGA tramsmission | 10/10/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1958 MGA 1500 roadster, that has been sitting for quite some time (almost two years). I had ... A: It is not uncommon for the clutch plate to stick to the flywheel and pressure plate when left for a ... | |
| 1976 MGB | 9/26/2011 |
| Q: MGB----2 door convertible------1.8l OHV 8v------Sept 1976 The SU fuel pump has been replaced with a ... A: I learned early when working in MG dealerships that symptoms may lead you to a section but for the ... | |
| fuel pump voltage | 9/23/2011 |
| Q: Have A 1980 MGB it was running for awhile and it got real hot, due to a stuck thermostat. I shut it ... A: When you know that you have a low voltage at any load you need to lay out your wiring diagram and ... | |
| clutch problem? | 9/14/2011 |
| Q: 72 midget all stock setup. Basically, due to the gear box setup, I shift from neutral to second, ... A: It sounds like you have a clutch release problem with the hydraulics. Do this test, push the ... | |
| Stuck Distributor | 9/13/2011 |
| Q: Howard You've helped several times and I hope there is still some water left in the well. I'm ... A: The distributor clamp is a separate piece and it is held to a third piece that is in the block. ... | |
| no oil pressure | 9/8/2011 |
| Q: Just had the above happen to me. At start up it ran at fast idle (approximately 3500 rpm) for ... A: Yes, I have seen a mechanic in one of the shops I worked in build an engine and he lubed all the ... | |
| Poor running | 9/5/2011 |
| Q: Next question on this bucket of bolts. My '80 MGB seems to be running on 2 or 3 cylinders. It ... A: In the dealerships we learned early to not bother checking items when an engine fails in any manor. ... | |
| No running lights | 9/5/2011 |
| Q: My 1980 MGB which previously had a problem with no instruments/signals/brake lights - solved by ... A: You shouldn't disrespect Lucas by referring to him as a "little Imp" He commands respect as the ... | |
| No running lights | 9/5/2011 |
| Q: My 1980 MGB which previously had a problem with no instruments/signals/brake lights - solved by ... A: The running lights (parking lights) and the side marker lights are on the same circuit so if your ... | |
| ignition lock | 9/5/2011 |
| Q: With the assistance of this site, I am in the process of replacing my ignition lock & key. The ... A: The Ignition switch should only have five wires to the harness and only one of the five wires in the ... | |
| Battery problems | 9/4/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1966 MGB. It has been converted to neg ground and has a 12 volt battery. I have ... A: There is a procedure to go through to test for that. First you must test the voltage across the ... | |
| no oil pressure | 8/31/2011 |
| Q: Just had the above happen to me. At start up it ran at fast idle (approximately 3500 rpm) for ... A: Even though you have not told me what kind of car this is. It does not matter as all engines operate ... | |
| MGB Starter problem | 8/30/2011 |
| Q: I saw your answer dated 10/1/2007 to Mike re a clicking starter motor. I have exactly the same ... A: The tests for a negative ground and positive ground car for the starter are the same when using a ... | |
| 1978 MGB Distributor cap | 8/5/2011 |
| Q: David with the dieseling issue. First thank you for the recommendation’s, I will follow them and let ... A: The cap should fit correctly with a "tooth" that locates it in the correct direction and at that ... | |
| Clutch and battery | 8/5/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1965 mgb. I just changed the mastercylinder for the clutch and now I hear a metallic rattle ... A: I worked in MG dealerships for most of the life span of the MGB and clutch release bearing jobs were ... | |
| 1978 MGB Dieseling on shut off and losing power | 8/4/2011 |
| Q: I have a 78 MGB that runs fine for about an hour. I then shut it off for about 15 minutes and when I ... A: When an engine diesels after turning off the ignition it is a sign that the combustion chamber is ... | |
| Valve adjustment | 8/4/2011 |
| Q: Howard, I am familiar with adjusting valves but am a little uncertain about the spec requirements ... A: The 59 to 61 MGA was .015" hot intake and exhaust but the 62 MKII was .017" hot intake and exhaust. ... | |
| fuse panel on a 1979 mg | 8/3/2011 |
| Q: I am trying to located the fuse panel on my wifes 1979 mg. i have lost gas gauge, tach, and turn ... A: The fuse panel is under the hood (bonnet) on the right hand fender (wing) inner wall under a plastic ... | |
| Clutch and battery | 8/2/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1965 mgb. I just changed the mastercylinder for the clutch and now I hear a metallic rattle ... A: The MG has a carbon type clutch release bearing and that may be worn all or most of the way down. Or ... | |
| Hazard turn signals | 8/1/2011 |
| Q: Howard, I have a 77 MGB which was reassembled by the PO from boxes, therefore the wiring is really ... A: You can use 14 gauge wire for all of the turn signal wiring. You only need one flasher unit (not ... | |
| Idle problem | 7/31/2011 |
| Q: I tried using propane around the intake manifold and carburetors,I removed and capped all vacuum ... A: Al, there are some basic facts and one is that no engine can run at 1000 to 1200 RPM without ... | |
| Idle problem | 7/28/2011 |
| Q: With engine idle hunting from 1100 rpm to 1600 rpm restricting the carburetor inlets had the same ... A: Something is wrong with your gauge since you know air is entering the carbs. You need to set the ... | |
| Idle problem | 7/27/2011 |
| Q: Howard thanks for your fast response, There are only two connections near the intake manifold. One ... A: Al, I don't know what you are doing wrong with the uni-syn unit because if you run the center disk ... | |
| Sputtering 75 MG Midget | 7/27/2011 |
| Q: My 1975 Midget (with a Weber carburetor and manifold)runs great much of the time. However, when it ... A: Vapor lock is caused by heat from the engine but it is usually when the line going TO a fuel pump ... | |
| Oil Pan Gasket Replacement | 7/26/2011 |
| Q: I am about to replace the oil pan gasket on my 1980 MGB LE. It seems like it is a pretty ... A: The front bolts are a little difficult to get to and on some "B"s I have had to loosen the motor ... | |
| 78 mgb starts for 2 sec. then dies | 7/23/2011 |
| Q: I have a 78 mgb, the fuel pump is new, the flow to carb is steady. the carb is weber, engine is ... A: If the engine is flooding with excess gas you can see black smoke out of the exhaust and if you ... | |
| Sticking Choke Cable | 7/23/2011 |
| Q: I have a 71' MGB, the choke was not connected when I purchased the car, but from pictures and ... A: The choke linkage at the carburetors is difficult to move even when it is working ok. First ... | |
| brake bleeding | 7/23/2011 |
| Q: I have an early 1974 MGB. I just replaced the right rear slave cylinder, and am having a terrible ... A: I am not convinced you have air in the system. When there is a lot of travel in any of the cylinders ... | |
| idle problem | 7/20/2011 |
| Q: my 1965 Sprite has an idle problem. The rpm hunts from a set(as best as possible)1000 rpm up to 1200 ... A: "Hunting" at idle or surging when driving as a steady speed is a symptom of a lean condition (among ... | |
| Sputtering 75 MG Midget | 7/19/2011 |
| Q: My 1975 Midget (with a Weber carburetor and manifold)runs great much of the time. However, when it ... A: The carburetor has no control to stop a pump (mechanical or electric) from pumping. If you did the ... | |
| 1977 mgb no power in ignition circuit | 7/17/2011 |
| Q: I have traced the circuit. The battery is good. the relays test out. there is no power anywhere ... A: John, "Tracing a circuit" is done with a 12v test light. You need a wiring diagram and a test light ... | |
| Rough engine...sometimes | 7/17/2011 |
| Q: If I use the manual choke for the first start in the morning on my 74 MGB with twin carbs, or if I ... A: Your symptom does not pin point what is wrong. It only tells you that you must run some tests to ... | |
| MGB stalling issues | 7/16/2011 |
| Q: I've had my 1977 MGB for 11 years since my mom gave it to me. She bought it brand new and it has ... A: Your symptom does not pinpoint the problem so some tests and some work is required to find the ... | |
| 1980 MGB headlight problem | 7/15/2011 |
| Q: The headlights work perfectly well, until the fill beam switch is put on the on position then the ... A: There is only one wire going forward to operate the high beam and one for the low beam so when one ... | |
| MGB Starter circuit | 7/15/2011 |
| Q: I have a "78 B. I have recently had difficulty with starter switch and solenoid. It all started ... A: BLM and/or Lucas Made a monkey puzzle out of the starter circuit on the late MGBs. At this point it ... | |
| 1980 (and 1971) Fuel Gauge Problem | 7/14/2011 |
| Q: Howard You've helped me in the past so I hope you can again. I recently woke up a 1980 MGB that ... A: Glad you got it fixed. I found my sending unit and measured it and got 22 ohms in full position and ... | |
| Removal of 1977 MGB Turn Signal Switch | 7/13/2011 |
| Q: How do you remove the turn signal switch from a 1977 MGB. Do you have to remove the steering wheel? ... A: When I needed to pull a steering wheel I never had a wheel puller. The difficult ones I sat in the ... | |
| 1980 (and 1971) Fuel Gauge Problem | 7/12/2011 |
| Q: Howard You've helped me in the past so I hope you can again. I recently woke up a 1980 MGB that ... A: The Lucas bullet connectors are noted for poor connections after aging and I have had to take many ... | |
| 1980 (and 1971) Fuel Gauge Problem | 7/11/2011 |
| Q: Howard You've helped me in the past so I hope you can again. I recently woke up a 1980 MGB that ... A: It sounds like you are doing everything we did in the dealerships and I have done in the last 48 ... | |
| Removal of 1977 MGB Turn Signal Switch | 7/11/2011 |
| Q: How do you remove the turn signal switch from a 1977 MGB. Do you have to remove the steering wheel? ... A: No, you do not need to remove the steering wheel. Just remove the plastic covers over the turn ... | |
| MGB loses power / no response to gas pedal | 7/10/2011 |
| Q: Howard, my new 1980 MGB, which I've had a little over a week, has driven beautifully until a few ... A: If it were brought to me in a dealership I would first connect a "T" in the fuel line close to the ... | |
| replacement keys needed | 7/9/2011 |
| Q: We have a 1972 MGB that doesn't have keys. How do we get new ones? A: When the car was new the dealer use to log the key numbers and put them in with the owner's manual ... | |
| Speedometer | 7/5/2011 |
| Q: Just bought a 74 MGB. When I drove it home the speedometer worked. Took it for a drive yesterday ... A: If the odometer is working and the speedometer is not, it means the cable is driving the unit and ... | |
| Fuel sending unit | 7/5/2011 |
| Q: Just bought a 74 MGB. The fuel gauge doesn't work properly. Reads full until it gets to about a ... A: Frank, both need a ground so add a ground wire to the sending unit before any thing else. If it ... | |
| Replacing Speedometer cable in 1973 MGB | 7/3/2011 |
| Q: How do you replace the speedometer cable in a 1973 MGB. I find it very difficult to reach the cable ... A: Robert, you need to push the grommet out of the firewall with a screwdriver and if the new cable ... | |
| distributor oiling felt | 6/27/2011 |
| Q: on the 45D4 what lubricant is used on the cam oiling felt inside the distributor. ... A: I don't think I ever seen any official statement on what to use and I have seen a lot of different ... | |
| MG B HIF SU Carb | 6/23/2011 |
| Q: You have any idea where I can get a picture/drawing/schematic of this item? I've been looking all ... A: Any auto parts store that handles Haynes manuals should be able to order the SU book for you. Or ... | |
| MG B 76 | 6/23/2011 |
| Q: I took the hose off the canister that leads to the carb and turned on the ignition - raw fuel poured ... A: The float is in the base of the carburetor but you should not attempt to go into the carb until you ... | |
| 76 MG B | 6/23/2011 |
| Q: Don't remember if I told you what kind of car I was trying to drive. Sorry...a 1976 MG B - just ... A: Wayne, the e-mail address is correct as I use it every day. You need to check what you typed in the ... | |
| 76 MG B | 6/23/2011 |
| Q: Don't remember if I told you what kind of car I was trying to drive. Sorry...a 1976 MG B - just ... A: Wayne, you need to do exactly what I say do to find your problem. Did you remove the vent hose from ... | |
| 76 MG B | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: Don't remember if I told you what kind of car I was trying to drive. Sorry...a 1976 MG B - just ... A: Wow! that is a Type HIF SU carburetor. Not normal on a 76 "B". I like SU much more then Stromberg. ... | |
| 76 MG B | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: Don't remember if I told you what kind of car I was trying to drive. Sorry...a 1976 MG B - just ... A: You can send me the pictures to my e-mail address but please use this program to converse on the ... | |
| 76 MG B | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: Don't remember if I told you what kind of car I was trying to drive. Sorry...a 1976 MG B - just ... A: Wayne, quit tossing parts at the problem until you find out what the problem is. The canister ... | |
| 76 MG B | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: Don't remember if I told you what kind of car I was trying to drive. Sorry...a 1976 MG B - just ... A: The "Anti Run-On Valve or anti dieseling valve as they are called. stops run on by applying manifold ... | |
| 1980 mgb usa version loss of power | 6/21/2011 |
| Q: Howard my 1980 mgb loses power and then stops when driving for approx 1-2 miles. if i wait 60 ... A: You need to run two tests. Both need to be run until the failure. One is a intake manifold vacuum ... | |
| mgb electrical | 6/21/2011 |
| Q: but stays on when car is turned off - also the headlights and sidelights do not work although the ... A: The "IGN" light is a charge light not an ignition light. Normally when the engine is not running the ... | |
| 1979 MG midget | 6/20/2011 |
| Q: Howard. I have a 1979 MG Midget, I don't have a clue as to what this valve is and what it does (as ... A: If the build up of carbon on the intake valves is excessive the only good way to remove the carbon ... | |
| 1979 MG midget | 6/18/2011 |
| Q: Howard. I have a 1979 MG Midget, I don't have a clue as to what this valve is and what it does (as ... A: That is a fuel vapor trap and should be mounted vertical. It is not a valve. It is usually used to ... | |
| MGA 1960 Wiper motor problem? | 6/17/2011 |
| Q: Wiper motor is coming on all by itself. Checking all wires as we speak ,but all seems well ,but I ... A: First remove the black w/green tracer wire off of the wiper switch when you turn it off to see if ... | |
| MGA 1600 1960 | 6/14/2011 |
| Q: It is leaking oil thru the pipe crank case breather what would that be A: Excess oil from a breather pipe can be several things. First check that the oil level is not too ... | |
| Pushrod coming out from underneath rocker arm | 6/10/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1979 MG Midget 1500 that has been rebuilt aproximately 25,000 miles ago. The car has been ... A: You need to do several tests right away. First with the engine cold remove the radiator cap and look ... | |
| MG Midget Fuel leak | 6/9/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1970 MG Midget with 60,000 miles on the original motor which runs great. I only run it ... A: First put a fuel filter in line just before the carburetors and test the fuel pressure. It should be ... | |
| Transmission | 6/4/2011 |
| Q: I recently had my car serviced by a top notch MG shop. The mechanic said he felt something in the ... A: To give the clutch a rough test as we use to do in the dealerships. First push the clutch pedal in ... | |
| MG Midget Rear Brake cyl clip | 6/1/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1976 MG Midget and am trying to install the clip to the back of the rear brake cylinder. ... A: I do remember them being a pain. As I remember I would just force it in enough to get it started and ... | |
| MGB Quits on hills | 5/30/2011 |
| Q: My 1978 MGB has been breaking down on hills. The last time it died on a large hill and would not ... A: The hardest fault to find is an intermittent problem, however to find a problem you must do the ... | |
| mg midget 1975 | 5/29/2011 |
| Q: hey i have a 1975 mg midget the clutch has no commpression what should i do ? A: First look in the master cylinder reservoir (next to the brake reservoir) Add fluid (only DOT 4 ... | |
| 1977 MGB | 5/26/2011 |
| Q: I purchased a 1977 Mgb with low miles, and was in storeaged for 15 years. Now that I have brought it ... A: Any time you have an intermittent electrical problem with several items at once, you should try ... | |
| gears grinding on my mg midget | 5/26/2011 |
| Q: i have a 1977 mg midget, the problem I'm having is it grinds alot when i shift it into about every ... A: A rough way to test the clutch hydraulic system is to push the clutch pedal down with your hand. It ... | |
| voltage stabilizer | 5/23/2011 |
| Q: Voltage stabilizer doesn't read anything near 10 volts; in fact it jumps like a turkey fleeing the ... A: Pete, I told you you need a analog volt meter (one with a needle) to test it, not a test light and ... | |
| voltage stabilizer | 5/23/2011 |
| Q: Voltage stabilizer doesn't read anything near 10 volts; in fact it jumps like a turkey fleeing the ... A: Not necessarily, depending on how and what kind of volt meter you used. You should have it connected ... | |
| 76 MBG wont start | 5/19/2011 |
| Q: I just bought this car today and drove about ten miles,it ran great. stopped for about 30 min. and ... A: First listen under the hood while someone tries to start the engine. Do you hear a "Click" from the ... | |
| Speedometer & others! | 5/19/2011 |
| Q: My 1970 MGB's speedometer is not stable at speeds below 40miles p.h.-can anything be done about it? ... A: Most of the MG parts suppliers have them but don't purchase one until you confirm that is what is ... | |
| sending unit poping out | 5/18/2011 |
| Q: I have owned my 1979 MGB since 2002, love the car, the water pump went out several weeks ago, ... A: If it were mine, I would first pressure test the radiator cap and put a lower pressure cap on if it ... | |
| 1976 MGB | 5/18/2011 |
| Q: I had just had a lot work done on my MG last year. I got it out of the garage this year and it ... A: Wait until it is cold and check the coolant level and fill it up and leave the cap off and start the ... | |
| 1976 midget will not start | 5/17/2011 |
| Q: I have 1976 Midget that will turn over, but will not start. It was running recently and then set for ... A: When someone brings me a car that will not start I have to first check the compression to see that ... | |
| Speedometer & others! | 5/17/2011 |
| Q: My 1970 MGB's speedometer is not stable at speeds below 40miles p.h.-can anything be done about it? ... A: You are talking about three different problems. If the speedometer needle is jumping at a steady ... | |
| 76 MBG wont start | 5/17/2011 |
| Q: I just bought this car today and drove about ten miles,it ran great. stopped for about 30 min. and ... A: You need to approach this from scratch and first check to see that the engine is free turning. This ... | |
| Problem | 5/16/2011 |
| Q: I have a mg midget 1977 and sometime my mg turn and turn and don't start, and sometime just a clic ... A: Don't replace any more parts until you do some tests and find out what is wrong. You must have the ... | |
| fuel gauge & electrical problem | 5/16/2011 |
| Q: 1) Fuel gauge on my 77 MGB had never worked correctly. From past info on your web site I tried to ... A: All I can tell you is what the car was suppose to have as far as ignition. Many people changed from ... | |
| 1979 MG Midget wiring | 5/11/2011 |
| Q: Oh what fun, lost the whole harness, replaced as best I could as it does not match exactly just ... A: I learned a long time ago not to attempt to work on an electrical system without a wiring diagram in ... | |
| 1979 MGB start problem | 5/9/2011 |
| Q: We powerwashed the engine to clean off oil to see where a leak is and when we went to start the car ... A: Water has very little effect on any part of the electrical system of the car except the secondary of ... | |
| 1977 mgb | 5/2/2011 |
| Q: car was running fine then died. will try to start by holding key in start position but dies when the ... A: Your symptom narrows the problem down to only a hundred possible causes. You need to run some tests ... | |
| My classic mini vibrate | 4/28/2011 |
| Q: I have 1973(MINI) Austin clubman, the front wheel vibrate at gear 1 or when i reverse. I have change ... A: I worked on quite a few minis back it the dealerships I worked in and the only things I remember ... | |
| 1977 MK 4 midget gearox | 4/24/2011 |
| Q: I've dismantled gear box everything is out except laygear & main shaft. I can't seem to move main ... A: The only way I know is to search the Internet as there are many more parts suppliers then Moss out ... | |
| new fuel pump not pulling fuel | 4/24/2011 |
| Q: i have a 79 mg midget had bad fuel pump replaced with new one and it won't pull fuel from tank ... A: First confirm that the pump has some vacuum on the suction side then if it will not pull any fuel ... | |
| 1972 mg midget electrical problems | 4/23/2011 |
| Q: I recently was able to purchase a '72 midget as a project car for my grandaughter and her father to ... A: How did you test the points and condenser? You scare me when you say "appear to be good and assume". ... | |
| MGA ride height | 4/20/2011 |
| Q: a simple question. What is the ride height, or ground clearance, of a 1957 MGA? Thank you in ... A: Sorry Dan, I worked in several MG dealerships over the years of the MG, but never seen the ride ... | |
| MGB transmission | 4/18/2011 |
| Q: the car is a 1968 MGB. I am unable to speed shift into fourth gear. When you try it grinds, and ... A: Most likely it is a worn syncro ring on 4th gear. The syncro rings are small cone shaped clutches ... | |
| 1977 MK 4 midget gearox | 4/18/2011 |
| Q: I've dismantled gear box everything is out except laygear & main shaft. I can't seem to move main ... A: Steve, if you removed the rear main shaft bearing, the front of the main shaft with all the gears on ... | |
| '73 Midget jumping out of 3rd gear | 4/16/2011 |
| Q: How do I stop my '73 Midget 1275 from jumping out of 3rd gear? A: There are several things that can cause that. It can be a bent shifter fork or a worn shifter fork. ... | |
| losing spark | 4/15/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1977 Midget that runs fine but stalls after getting up to operating temp. loses spark let ... A: When you loose spark after warm-up, you need to run a few small tests. All tests MUST be run in ... | |
| intake bolts | 4/10/2011 |
| Q: Howard, I have a 1979 MG midget, I just replace the intake manifold gasket. I had no problem ... A: Many engines have the same problem of access to the lower intake and exhaust manifold nuts. I have ... | |
| MGB squeaking in left front area | 4/6/2011 |
| Q: I just had 4 new tires put on my 1980 MGB. Now the car uis squeaking loudly. New tires are same size ... A: John, I can't help you unless you answer my questions. 1. Is the car disk or wire wheel? 2. Is the ... | |
| 1966 mgb | 4/4/2011 |
| Q: my 66mgb just went dead one day in my garage , iput in a new battery and relaced the starter still ... A: Jacky, You're not reading what I am writing. IF YOU HAVE AN ALTERNATOR, YOU MUST HAVE NEGATIVE ... | |
| 1966 mgb | 4/4/2011 |
| Q: my 66mgb just went dead one day in my garage , iput in a new battery and relaced the starter still ... A: The 66 MGB has the remote mounted solenoid and if the large battery cable melts the insulation as ... | |
| Pumping oil through the exhaust | 3/28/2011 |
| Q: I have a 66 MG midget in my shop that I am repairing for a retired friend. He told me that it ... A: If it is blowing blue smoke out the exhaust and has condensed oil in the tail pipe You need to first ... | |
| 1974 MGB | 3/22/2011 |
| Q: I just received a MGB that has been sitting for about 4 years in good shape. I have changed the ... A: You are going to have to explain a little before I can even guess what may be wrong. what do you ... | |
| 1975 MGB battery hookup | 3/19/2011 |
| Q: I took the battery out of my 1975 MGB roadster over the winter. I am new to British cars and I am ... A: The color of the cables does not mean anything. The cables most likely have been changed more then ... | |
| Rear Hub | 3/11/2011 |
| Q: I apparently have a leaking rear axle seal on my 1970 MGB (everything inside the drum is coated with ... A: As I remember you first need to check the thickness of the "C" clip in the groove to see that you ... | |
| Dashboard removal | 3/9/2011 |
| Q: My next project on my 1974 MG Midget is replacing the throttle cable, choke cable, and the ... A: The removal of the dash is a large job as compared to taking out a choke cable and a oil/temp gauge. ... | |
| MG Wiring mess | 3/9/2011 |
| Q: Hey Howard. My uncle just picked up an older MG...don't have specifics on it (early '80's) but he is ... A: No, nothing odd about the wiring. In fact it is one of the best as the color coding is very uniform ... | |
| mga wiper motor | 3/6/2011 |
| Q: I have replaced the brushes in my MGA wiper motor (DR2?) but on reassembly, I do not have the ... A: I have had many of those wiper motors apart because back in the days of the MGA we did not always ... | |
| 1979 MGB Tourer / Electrical problem | 3/5/2011 |
| Q: The windshield wipers ,turn signals,horn,will not work.The car starts and runs great. The radio ... A: That could be anything of a hundred things but I can tell you a 100% fail proof method to fix it. ... | |
| Rear Hub | 3/5/2011 |
| Q: I apparently have a leaking rear axle seal on my 1970 MGB (everything inside the drum is coated with ... A: No, the hub is splined and can be tight in some cases so you may need a puller. There is a small ... | |
| 1979 Mg carb. running lean | 2/21/2011 |
| Q: Howard, What else do I need to do for my engine to run smooth? I had mention to you before that my ... A: If you get the smooth running and faster idle by restricting the air intake, that is a sign you have ... | |
| Vacume advance on carb 1979 MGB-LS | 2/21/2011 |
| Q: Just noticed today that the vacuum advance hose to my distributor is not on and the port on the ... A: Yes, a advance system not connected can change idle speed but first you need to ID the distributor ... | |
| 1979 Mg carb. running lean | 2/21/2011 |
| Q: Howard, What else do I need to do for my engine to run smooth? I had mention to you before that my ... A: A hunting RPM going up and down by itself is normally an indication of a intake air leak somewhere. ... | |
| 1977 MG Midget | 2/18/2011 |
| Q: i have a 1977 MG Midget that seems to be running rich. i have rebuilt the carb and i can have the ... A: If the needle is all the way down and it is still running rich (black smoke out the tail pipe and ... | |
| vac on the carb. | 2/15/2011 |
| Q: Rebuild my 1976 midget carb. running good but a little rough, do I need to set the vacuum , I have a ... A: Steve, there is only one big plastic cap on top of the carburetor. remove it and it will have a long ... | |
| 1978 MG MIdget Hood | 2/15/2011 |
| Q: Can you tell me where the hood release is on a 1978 MG Midget? My guess is that it is in the center ... A: The hood release cable pull is on the left under the dash. If the cable is broken or missing and the ... | |
| vac on the carb. | 2/15/2011 |
| Q: Rebuild my 1976 midget carb. running good but a little rough, do I need to set the vacuum , I have a ... A: I like to see from 135 to 150 PSI and only a little difference between cylinders (5 PSI) If it is ... | |
| vac on the carb. | 2/14/2011 |
| Q: Rebuild my 1976 midget carb. running good but a little rough, do I need to set the vacuum , I have a ... A: Over the years I have seen people try to set adjustments by reading a vacuum gauge. After studying ... | |
| 1979 mg midget rpm fluctuates | 2/12/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1979 mg midget, I have a hard time starting it in the mornings, however, when it idles the ... A: The top of the pot is a thumb screw cap and you need to unscrew it to put the Allen wrench down into ... | |
| 1979 mg midget rpm fluctuates | 2/12/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1979 mg midget, I have a hard time starting it in the mornings, however, when it idles the ... A: Knowing the choke is bad makes it necessary to correct that before looking any further. The choke on ... | |
| pinon gear | 2/9/2011 |
| Q: i have a 1953 mgtd . total restoration done 5 yrs ago i think i may have a problem with my pinion ... A: How did you decide that the pinion gear was bad? Either way, if someone needs to replace a pinion ... | |
| follow up on carb rebuild | 2/1/2011 |
| Q: Got my rebuild kit for my 1976 mg and things seem to be going well so far, want to ask how to adjust ... A: You adjust the float level by adding or removing shims from under the float needle and seat. As I ... | |
| 1976 MG Midget | 1/29/2011 |
| Q: Sir, My starter continues to run after the engine has started. Also the fuel pump sometimes ... A: You need to test the car at the time of failure. Put a test light on the white w/red tracer wire on ... | |
| 1979 MG Midget - clutch | 1/28/2011 |
| Q: The car goes in gear when engine is off but won't go in gear when engine is on. I have been told to ... A: How did you decide that the clutch was at fault? What tests did you run to decide that? Just because ... | |
| MG oil pump stud stuck in block | 1/23/2011 |
| Q: '74 MGB - I have removed two of the three studs from the block but the 3rd one was stuck. I tried ... A: Sorry to hear it is broke off flush. Not much you can do now except drill it out. Not an easy job ... | |
| carb. problem | 1/20/2011 |
| Q: Have a 1976 mg midget, been having carb problems for a few month's, it will idle perfect but when I ... A: A rebuild kit should include the diaphragm but ask your supplier before ordering if the contents are ... | |
| carb. problem | 1/20/2011 |
| Q: Have a 1976 mg midget, been having carb problems for a few month's, it will idle perfect but when I ... A: The Stromberg carburetor is good and it don't take much to rebuild one. I have to question it not ... | |
| 77 mgb | 1/19/2011 |
| Q: When I turn the ignition it starts up no problem. When I let go it dies. Just to see if it would ... A: To separate the starter motor running the engine and the engine doing the running, put a timing ... | |
| 77 mgb | 1/19/2011 |
| Q: When I turn the ignition it starts up no problem. When I let go it dies. Just to see if it would ... A: Even though it can one of a hundred possible causes to make an engine die at low RPM. Most likely it ... | |
| where is the Frame VIN number on a 78 MG midget | 1/19/2011 |
| Q: I am looking for the Frame VIN number on a 78 MG midget. I found the one behind the windsheild and ... A: I looked through all my books and could not find a 3rd marking. In fact I don't remember more than ... | |
| 73 MGB-GT stalling when warm | 1/15/2011 |
| Q: My MG starts fine when cold. Choke on. After running a few miles and slowly pushing in the choke, ... A: It does sound like a fuel problem but the only way to be sure is to test. If it came to me with that ... | |
| Intake manifold | 1/9/2011 |
| Q: I added shims under the intake side of the washers to give better contact on the gasket. No change ... A: Allen, an intake DON'T leak with a surfaced manifold and proper bolt down pressure unless there is a ... | |
| Intake manifold | 1/8/2011 |
| Q: I discovered a leak at the intake manifold between N01 & No2 cylinder. I removed the manifold and ... A: Allen, While working is several Dealerships over the years I would often get symptoms from ... | |
| 1275 cam timming and piston/valve clearance | 1/7/2011 |
| Q: I am rebuilding my 1275 and would like to know; i had a valve hit a piston after the last rebuild ... A: Any time you modify an engine with high lift cams, high compression pistons, block decking and ... | |
| Intake manifold | 1/7/2011 |
| Q: I discovered a leak at the intake manifold between N01 & No2 cylinder. I removed the manifold and ... A: That car is notorious for running lean as they were still trying to meet emission standards but if ... | |
| Blowing fuse on green wire | 1/6/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1977 MGB I had a problem with everything on the green wires, fuel gauge,temp. gauge, brake ... A: There is no way I can tell you what wire is shorted but I can tell you how most mechanics work on a ... | |
| clutch lost pressure. | 1/1/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1979 mg midget I took the car out newyearseve.every thing was fine but when I went to leave ... A: The clutch hydraulic release system is nothing but a single piston pump (master cylinder) and a ... | |
| 79 Midget towing capabilities? | 12/30/2010 |
| Q: I have a 79 Calif Midget. I would like to add a tow hitch/receiver. How/Where is this best ... A: The sheet metal of the body is not sufficient to handle trailer loads so if it were mine I would run ... | |
| 1979 mg midget rpm fluctuates | 12/28/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1979 mg midget, I have a hard time starting it in the mornings, however, when it idles the ... A: Even though it is a constant velocity carburetor, the restricting of air does richen the mixture and ... | |
| 1974 mg midget 1275 trans. hangs up in reverse when it does shifter wont go in 1st,2nd,rev, but goes in 3rd,4th and in rev and 3rd. or rev and4th can back up if shifter is in neautral. ca get out off rev by going though drain plug hole by prying gear. cou | 12/19/2010 |
| Q: trans hangs up in rev. can shift i 3rd 4tr while in rev.then in rev and 3rd or rev and 4th.put in ... A: You have no access to any gear through the drain plug except the lay gear which has nothing to do ... | |
| 1972 mg midget oil pan gasket | 12/18/2010 |
| Q: After spending a considerable amount of time under the car and looking for the source, I've come to ... A: I worked mainly in dealerships and we rarely tried to replace a pan gasket on an engine in the car ... | |
| 72 MGB conv | 12/8/2010 |
| Q: My dad sold tds, b"s and a"s. I really screwed up! I put my MGB away in my garage in good running ... A: You mean what to do to get it back on the road? Drain ALL fluids including brake and clutch. Drain ... | |
| 1958 MGA convertable | 12/6/2010 |
| Q: I purchased a 1958 MGA and was wondering which book(s) is considered the best to use as a guide for ... A: Here is an ISBN number of a restoration book for the MGA (ISBN-1-870-979-31-1) and you should ... | |
| Crack in bell housing in 74 Midget | 12/4/2010 |
| Q: I really appreciate that. I have another issue. While separating the gearbox from the engine, I ... A: The bell housing is under a lot of strain and vibration so epoxy is not an option. A good aluminum ... | |
| 1976 MG MIDGET 1500 | 11/30/2010 |
| Q: FRONT BRAKES LOCK UP NEW MASTER CALIBERS DISASSEMBLED, CLEANED AND REASSEMBLED WORKING FIND ... A: The hydraulic system should have a free flow from any caliper or wheel cylinder to the master ... | |
| Driveshaft to rear differential union | 11/29/2010 |
| Q: I'm in the process of changing the clutch in my 1974 Midget. I successfully removed the engine and ... A: Yes, it is a mild form of "Brute Force" time. If you have removed the four bolts and nuts from the ... | |
| 1966 austin healey sprite | 11/24/2010 |
| Q: I just acquired this car. With clutch applied and in gear, the car will start to move and it is ... A: It does sound like a hydraulic clutch release problem (Slave and/or clutch master cylinder) First ... | |
| 1979 mg midget rpm fluctuates | 11/23/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1979 mg midget, I have a hard time starting it in the mornings, however, when it idles the ... A: The car did have an auto choke and the CAT (catalytic converter) is on the exhaust pipe up close to ... | |
| transmission (ribcase) pops out of second | 11/14/2010 |
| Q: My Midget gearbox is a rebuilt ribcase on a 1275 Midget engine, in a Minor PU. I reused the shifter ... A: Many things can cause one to jump out of gear. The things to look for are, first look to see that ... | |
| 1973 mg midget | 11/14/2010 |
| Q: I installed a weber carb. on my 1973 mg midget. It starts up and runs fine but when I take my foot ... A: Most mechanics will tell you that the easiest car in the world to fix is one that won't start. A ... | |
| 1973 mg midget | 11/12/2010 |
| Q: I installed a weber carb. on my 1973 mg midget. It starts up and runs fine but when I take my foot ... A: Weber carburetors have a throttle stop screw to set idle speed and they have idle mixture adjustment ... | |
| Elec problems on 1979 mgb | 11/10/2010 |
| Q: I don't have brake lights,turn signals,backup lights,and the horn doesn't work. All the instruments ... A: I don't know of anyone who made the "Easy to Read" diagrams for the MGs like Jaguar and VW did. But ... | |
| Elec problems on 1979 mgb | 11/9/2010 |
| Q: I don't have brake lights,turn signals,backup lights,and the horn doesn't work. All the instruments ... A: Your best plan of action at this point is to take some tape and mark each wire on the fuse box where ... | |
| Oil in carb | 11/9/2010 |
| Q: i have a 1975 MG Midget "Special" (thats what it says on the sides of the car). Is it bad to run ... A: The method of filling the carb is to fill it so that the level is about 3/8 inch below the inner ... | |
| MG B 1976 Stops Running | 11/8/2010 |
| Q: While driving, up/down hill, straight, no matter, it just dies. I wait about 4 or 5 minutes, try it ... A: Your symptoms do not tell what is wrong and tossing money at the problem will just cost more money. ... | |
| ignition key | 11/7/2010 |
| Q: I HAVE A 1970 MGB (US STEERING COLUMN MOUNTED SWITCH) WITH NO KEY. CAN I REPLACE JUST THE TUMBLER? ... A: As I remember there was a certain position a hole needed to be drilled after you remove the lock ... | |
| My Sprite only idles w/manual choke engaged | 11/6/2010 |
| Q: Mr Fitzcharles, According to your profile one of your areas of expertise is USA Midgets. Although I ... A: To start with no engine can run at 2000 RPM without a lot of air going into the intake. If you have ... | |
| 1978 mg midget | 11/3/2010 |
| Q: i have a 1978 mg midget that ive been driving every day till about a mounth ago.someone tried ... A: Did steal it or tried to steal it? If they got it running, first thing to do is run a compression ... | |
| brakes | 10/30/2010 |
| Q: wheel making squeal when going forward, brake pedal will not go down at all and feels as though ... A: Yes, the brakes are on. This is usually caused by either the rod between the brake pedal and the ... | |
| mgb engine block # need unleaded? | 10/29/2010 |
| Q: I need to know if i should use lead additive in my replacement engine. 18v884aelxxxxxx thanks, ... A: Lead was added to cheap low octane gas to do two main things. One was to boost the octane rating ... | |
| 1975 MGB | 10/28/2010 |
| Q: It has some mechanical problems, therefore, is not road worthy for a drive back to Texas. My son ... A: All I can do is give you advice. If your son wants the car you need to check the value to your son ... | |
| weber carb and distributor problem | 10/23/2010 |
| Q: I have a 69mgb, bought it from a auction few years ago. The car runs pretty good but smokes like a ... A: Smokes? meaning black smoke? I have no info on a 38 DGEV Weber carb. However, the number is usually ... | |
| SU AUD404 MG carbs | 10/17/2010 |
| Q: I bought dashpot oil from Moss. Haynes manual not clear as to how much to put in damper hole. Can ... A: You can fill it to about a half inch of the top of the inner tube as you look in it. A standard ... | |
| 1971 MGB GT Fuel Pump | 10/15/2010 |
| Q: Howard Thanks for your help in the past. You've been spot on so I'm going back to the well one ... A: I think your concerns are correct. Either the stroke is too short or you have a pump valve leaking. ... | |
| 1974 1/2 Mgb overheating slow leaking radiator.. | 10/13/2010 |
| Q: I own a 1974 1/2 Mgb that has recently started overheating... When I first noticed that the tac was ... A: First start it up cold and feel the upper radiator hose and as it warms up note the temp of the ... | |
| 1970 MG Midget Clutch | 10/10/2010 |
| Q: I restored a 1970 MG Midget from the floor. It had been abandoned for years and years. I repaired ... A: That is a good explanation and I see what you are having trouble with. When you push the pedal to ... | |
| 1970 MG Midget Clutch | 10/10/2010 |
| Q: I restored a 1970 MG Midget from the floor. It had been abandoned for years and years. I repaired ... A: You are going to have to explain what you mean by "the clutch isn't working". Do you mean it does ... | |
| 1975 MG Midget | 10/9/2010 |
| Q: my husband is restoring my 1975 MG Midget, it sat for the last 10 years. It runs great when driving ... A: When a car was brought to me in the dealership with a complaint like that there is a procedure I ... | |
| Temp Gauge | 10/8/2010 |
| Q: When I crank the my 73 MGB the temp gauge goes all the way to hot with in a couple minutes. I ... A: You need to do several things first and most importen do a preliminary test. Feel the upper radiator ... | |
| rod bearings | 10/4/2010 |
| Q: Howard; On cold start-ups my 1970 mgb has noisy rod bearings for the first few seconds. Will a ... A: First look at the oil pressure after driving for a while and the oil is hot. It takes a little ... | |
| Air in coolingwater 1969 1800 MGB | 9/28/2010 |
| Q: I have been at a garage where they measured for CO,but nothingh found, suddenly while there,with cap ... A: Yes, air is taken into the radiator every time the engine cools down after running. The radiator ... | |
| wiring harness 1960 mga | 9/27/2010 |
| Q: I'm restoring a 1960 MGA 1600.I didn't take the car apart but got it in boxes and have no clue as ... A: Sorry Miller, I don't have a harness lay out but you should be able to just look at the connections ... | |
| Fuse holder wiring | 9/24/2010 |
| Q: I had to remove the fuse holder and it was some time before I got back to it. I neatly marked down ... A: I'm not sure what you are referring to but I do have a 76 Midget wiring diagram on my web site. Take ... | |
| MG Midget 1966 | 9/22/2010 |
| Q: The problem the car is having is that when i start it, it will run really roughly and then just ... A: Your symptoms narrow the problem down to only a thousand things so you need to do some testing to ... | |
| 1976 mg midget horn won't work | 9/20/2010 |
| Q: I have studied the wiring chart and every thing is as it should be. Yet the horn will not blow using ... A: Looking at the diagram and the wires does not test anything. You need to use the diagram to ID a ... | |
| 1976 MGB No Reverse | 9/19/2010 |
| Q: I've been working on this MGB for the last week. It's been sitting for the last, probably 5 years or ... A: There is a detent that prevents you from entering the reverse pattern by accident and it may be ... | |
| glove box lock | 9/15/2010 |
| Q: Howard - do you know how to remove the glove box lock cylinder on a '77 MGB? I cannot figure out ... A: Sorry Hugh, I don't think I ever took a lock cylinder out of a glove box lock. We had some lock ... | |
| spare fuel pump | 9/13/2010 |
| Q: Howard,I have a 1965 Sprite with the original fuel pump installed and working well. Because of its ... A: That depends on if the Facet pump has one way valves or not. If it does, all you need to do is to ... | |
| wiring problems | 9/11/2010 |
| Q: please could you help me with my 1978 mgbgt rubber bumper with overdrive as non of the haynes ... A: I don't recognize any of the wire colors you have. The OD is operated by a manual switch that ... | |
| 78MGB Roadster First gear will not engage, others do | 9/11/2010 |
| Q: The First gear of my 78MBG Roadster will not engage, the others gears are OK (icl. Reverse), so I ... A: It totally depends on what is wrong. There are several things that could be wrong that can destroy ... | |
| mg midget 1972 | 9/9/2010 |
| Q: I was attempting to clean up the wiring harness in my mg when I accidently pulled a wire connection ... A: My name is not Barrie but I will try to answer your question. I have never seen a Purple and white ... | |
| Ignition not turning over the starter | 9/7/2010 |
| Q: Howard, I will try to be brief. I have a 76 MGB, weber carb. I just traded for it. The PO had it ... A: W-1 should have the white w/red tracer wire on it and that should not have 12v until you turn the ... | |
| 1971 MG Midget | 9/3/2010 |
| Q: I have not used my '71 Midget in about five years. I removed the old battery, and (I thought) took ... A: All 71 Midgets were negative earth. However, the cars with generators could be changed, but I can't ... | |
| mga windshield wiper motor adjustment | 9/2/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1960 mga I have taken the windshield motor and cables out,cleaned and painted them and put ... A: Gary, You need to read what I said, You can't change the travel of any Lucas wiper motor except by ... | |
| mga windshield wiper motor adjustment | 9/1/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1960 mga I have taken the windshield motor and cables out,cleaned and painted them and put ... A: You can not change the range of motion on a Lucas wiper system unless you change the large gear in ... | |
| Gearbox | 9/1/2010 |
| Q: I am the lucky owner of a 1965 MGB, which have provide me much joy since 1991. However...when I ... A: Your English is better than mine. And you qualify as a true MG enthusiast having a gearbox apart on ... | |
| Help near by | 8/29/2010 |
| Q: I read another post where you said you had a wiring diagram for a 79 I would kill for a copy. Also ... A: No Heather, I sometimes rescue the complicated. Note that I said "sometimes". Sometimes they don't ... | |
| Fast Idle | 8/28/2010 |
| Q: Out of the blue my 1977 MGB started idling fast, like 2,000 RPMs. I tried to tap the gas pedal and ... A: Hugh, it is the SLOW progression of covering the intake not just "cover the intake" that gives you ... | |
| Fast Idle | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: Out of the blue my 1977 MGB started idling fast, like 2,000 RPMs. I tried to tap the gas pedal and ... A: First confirm that the throttle cable has a little slack at the carburetor. Then check the choke ... | |
| Help near by | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: I read another post where you said you had a wiring diagram for a 79 I would kill for a copy. Also ... A: A friend just showed me a head light relay system today that he just bought for a "B" and he didn't ... | |
| exhaust replacement 1979 roadster | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: This is most likely a question that you may not answer. I have a 1979 MGb. It has a Weber carb. I ... A: You are correct that I can't answer your question but that is a logical question for the supplier of ... | |
| 79 wiring diagram | 8/24/2010 |
| Q: I read another post where you said you had a wiring diagram for a 79 I would kill for a copy. Also ... A: What kind of MG is it? a Midget or a MGB? If it is a MGB go to ... | |
| 75 mg midget oil pressure | 8/23/2010 |
| Q: oil pressure drops from 55lbs to below 10 lbs after car runs for 10 to 15 min. As water temp rises ... A: Oil pressure is the direct result of the resistance of the oil being forced through the bearings. ... | |
| Ignition timing | 8/19/2010 |
| Q: My competition MGB requires a very high 18 degree BTDC as it has a highly modified cylinder head ... A: If you have a vacuum and a centrifugal advance, all you need to do is to remove the vacuum and plug ... | |
| 1978 mg | 8/18/2010 |
| Q: im taking apart my master cylinder to rebuild it ive already got the two clips off that are on the ... A: William, There would have to be groves in the shaft for any clip to fit into and there are no MGs ... | |
| 69 MGB Fuel Pump in the Trunk - Help | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: Good Afternoon, I saw some discussion threads where you provided guidance on troubleshooting a fuel ... A: All MGBs came with SU fuel pumps and some of the MG parts suppliers have parts for them. The parts ... | |
| Wire Harness | 8/15/2010 |
| Q: I just bought a 1976 MG Midget which I should have checked a little closer. I have to replace the ... A: Any parts supplier will need the VIN number to ID the Car. But there is not a part of the VIN no. ... | |
| Electrical issues | 8/13/2010 |
| Q: I recently purchased a 71 mgb. All light were working. Last night I replaced the bezel around the ... A: While it is quite possible that your work did something to cause the other problems the ... | |
| MGB | 8/10/2010 |
| Q: I have a 79 mgb that quit running on highway. Since than i have replaced fuel pump, new ignition, ... A: You first need to stop purchasing parts and start testing. All piston engines only require 3 items ... | |
| Headlights | 8/9/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1979 MGB which will not pass inspection because the high beams will not work. Could you ... A: Go to my web site and copy the wiring diagram and start at the head light with the high beams turned ... | |
| Panel light | 8/7/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1979 MG Midget and recently the red warning light came on. I can't find anywhere what that ... A: If you are talking about the red light just to the right and above the blue light, that is called ... | |
| 77 mg roadster | 8/6/2010 |
| Q: I've had a 77 mg in the shop for a little over 2 weeks and and it has a real loud rattle coming out ... A: To narrow the noise down to a small area I found that first look at oil pressure. If you have 30 to ... | |
| clutch adj. 1975 mg midget | 8/6/2010 |
| Q: i seem to have more than three inches of free play in the clutch pedal. system is fully bled. can ... A: With that much free play you must have a hydraulic problem (unless you did not get all of the air ... | |
| New Clutch Slave Cylinder | 8/5/2010 |
| Q: I purchased a new clutch slave cylinder for my 79 MGB. I connected the hose and mounted it on the ... A: The slave cylinder has a large piston and even if the system is correct and the opening is clear all ... | |
| 1973 MG Midget electrical problem | 8/4/2010 |
| Q: Just picked up a quality 73 Midget. Car runs pretty well. However, there is now power to the ... A: Most unleaded fuel today has additives in them to cut down on valve seat recession and the octane of ... | |
| 1978 MGB | 8/2/2010 |
| Q: I had to change out a bad battery. after I installed a new battery the starter will not kick in. ... A: You most likely have a bad connection so you need to do "Voltage Drop" tests on the (+) and (-) ... | |
| '74 MGB OD slipping - follow up | 8/1/2010 |
| Q: I will do the suggested troubleshooting. You recently recommended using 20W50 oil for the gear box. ... A: Even though BLM recommends gear oil we got a lot better performance from using engine oil in the ... | |
| metallic knocking | 7/24/2010 |
| Q: Most people complain about a clunking noise from the rear end. I have that too and have replaced the ... A: Allen, I have worked in several MG dealerships and never had a car that made a noise that could not ... | |
| metallic knocking | 7/23/2010 |
| Q: Most people complain about a clunking noise from the rear end. I have that too and have replaced the ... A: Allen, at this point I have no clue what your noise is but I can tell you a few facts. Backlash in ... | |
| metallic knocking | 7/20/2010 |
| Q: Most people complain about a clunking noise from the rear end. I have that too and have replaced the ... A: If you mean the spider gears on the short shaft in the differential, they are not moving when going ... | |
| Tune up? | 7/18/2010 |
| Q: Howard - 1977 MGB w/electronic ignition: I changed the oil/filter and now the oil pressure seems to ... A: If you think a Miata is always going to run you have a sad newscast coming to you sooner or later. ... | |
| 69 MG Midget transmission | 7/15/2010 |
| Q: I had to pull the transmission out to replace the throw out bearing & clutch. The grandson was ... A: The hole closest to the engine gets a plunger, a spring and the short screw. The plug more to the ... | |
| Clutch slipping MGB | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: The clutch has shown intermittant slipping - that is, starting out cold and driving immediately up ... A: It could be a clutch hydraulic problem not releasing the clutch but it sounds more like an overdrive ... | |
| MGB Wiring | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: Howard I'm working through almost 40years of cobbled up wiring and neglect in my 71 MGB GT. I've ... A: The only devices I ever seen in MGs like that are either flasher units or warning buzzers. It is ... | |
| oil blow by | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: The last three drives I have taken over 3000rpm with my 78 mgb have ended with oil blowing back ... A: Blow-by has nothing to do with oil pressure. It has to do with the piston rings. Run a compression ... | |
| oil cooler | 7/11/2010 |
| Q: Howard, I recently bought a 1970 mgb. After repairing a number of minor things to make it road ... A: Part of the cooling of any engine is done by the oil itself, so keeping the oil cooler is necessary ... | |
| MGA loses power and runs rough as I raise RPM's | 7/10/2010 |
| Q: I was riding in my MGA and it was running great when it lost power and started to run rough. I reset ... A: Set the RPM to a speed that it is missing and hold it steady and short each spark plug out with a ... | |
| 1976 MGB Encine in a 1968 | 7/10/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1976 MGBGT with a good engine and a bad body. I have a 1968 with a good body and bad ... A: Yes, you may have to do a little modifying to use the round 76 mount but it should be an easy fix as ... | |
| 79 b starting issue | 7/10/2010 |
| Q: i found a question that you answered a while back from a guy with a 75 mg that would not start. i ... A: If you have read some of my past answers you will see that I advise not to replace any part until ... | |
| 1976 MGB Encine in a 1968 | 7/10/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1976 MGBGT with a good engine and a bad body. I have a 1968 with a good body and bad ... A: If you change the engine backing plate you can put any MGB in any other MGB or if you change the ... | |
| 1978 MG Midget | 7/8/2010 |
| Q: This Midget is a California car I bought 4 months ago and had shipped to Philadelphia. It ran fine ... A: Tony, I can not advise you to remove any emission control item off of your car. But for a test you ... | |
| 1978 MG Midget | 7/8/2010 |
| Q: This Midget is a California car I bought 4 months ago and had shipped to Philadelphia. It ran fine ... A: A stopped up vent system is a good possibility. The simple test is to drive the car until it quits ... | |
| Key Switch on Steering Post | 7/8/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1979 MG Midget. The back of the key switch fell apart and the wiring harness just fell ... A: The electrical part of the switch assembly comes out of the switch assembly and is held in by a ... | |
| 72 MGB turn signals not working | 7/3/2010 |
| Q: I've gone through the schematic; new fuses, clean contacts, new flasher unit; new turn signal ... A: It is no use replacing any parts until you know what is wrong. If you look at your schematic you ... | |
| clogged fuel vent system? | 7/2/2010 |
| Q: sorry to keep bugging you with this. How can I test to "see if the vent system is clogged thus not ... A: Hugh, run the car until it quits and then loosen the gas cap and see if it will then continue to ... | |
| MG Midget | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1979 midget, and can not open the engine hood. I pull the hood lever, but nothing ... A: This is not uncommon and you first need to have someone push down hard on the leading edge of the ... | |
| Car just stops running | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: I just bought a 1977 MGB. Test drive was great, bought and was taking it home. The car was running ... A: The fuel line and pickup have nothing to do with the gauge sending unit. They are two separate ... | |
| Car just stops running | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: I just bought a 1977 MGB. Test drive was great, bought and was taking it home. The car was running ... A: Hugh, if the temp gauge is working then the power supply from the stabilizer is ok. If the wire test ... | |
| Car just stops running | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: I just bought a 1977 MGB. Test drive was great, bought and was taking it home. The car was running ... A: You are talking about two problems, car not starting and wrong gauge readings. You need to test only ... | |
| 1973 MGB Clutch Spin | 6/28/2010 |
| Q: I removed the clutch assembly and was surprised to find that the driven plate assembly spins on the ... A: I think there is a good break down picture of the engine restraint rod on the early and later "B" on ... | |
| 1973 MGB Clutch Spin Problem | 6/28/2010 |
| Q: The car was partially overhauled 2 years ago and included a new clutch. The clutch at that time did ... A: If you are sure you have all of the air out of the clutch hydraulic system and you still have a ... | |
| MGA 1600 | 6/27/2010 |
| Q: I am preparing to restart the engine (a MGB 3 bearing) after 20 years. I manually turned each year ... A: Yes, the front cylinder is #1. No, I don't remember which hole gets what. Lay everything out ... | |
| MGA 1600 | 6/27/2010 |
| Q: I am preparing to restart the engine (a MGB 3 bearing) after 20 years. I manually turned each year ... A: It sounds like you did everything right but I don't understand why you removed the distributor. ... | |
| electrical/lights | 6/24/2010 |
| Q: Howard! I bought a 1979 MGB and just put it on the road a couple of days ago. I'm thrilled that as ... A: Don't buy anything until you know what is wrong with the car. I learned a long time ago that ... | |
| noisy fan clutch | 6/20/2010 |
| Q: my 76 mg fan is making a grabbing noise at idol but not noticable going down the road? A: You should have the two electric fan system so feel for any free play in each fan blade, then take a ... | |
| 72 midget | 6/17/2010 |
| Q: my 72 midget 1275 was in storage for 16 yrs and after draining fuel tank and a major tune up it did ... A: Blue smoke is oil burning. If the rear plug is flat black it is too much fuel (unlikely because rear ... | |
| MGA | 6/14/2010 |
| Q: how do the two six volt batteries in a MGA hook together? i have one possitive one negative and ... A: I can tell you how it was originally, but you need to be careful because many "MGAs" Had their ... | |
| No Spark on my 1971 MGB | 6/9/2010 |
| Q: I'm not getting spark on my 71 MG. Did the basic spark check (Pull coil wire) Got nothing. ... A: It could be bad but so can a dozen other things be wrong too. You are not making the correct tests ... | |
| 1972 mg midget | 6/5/2010 |
| Q: Ok so I've typed in starter relay in google and here is what I have. attached is a picture, showing ... A: Clint, First we need to get the terminology so I know what you are talking about. Even though the ... | |
| '79mgb voltage regulator | 6/4/2010 |
| Q: Where can I find it on my '79MGB. I found the voltage stabilizer behind the dashboard, in hopes of ... A: The voltage regulator for the alternator is inside the alternator and can be easily checked by just ... | |
| brake pressure switch | 6/3/2010 |
| Q: my brake pressure switch is pushing brake fluid out around the threads what do i need to do to fix A: It would have helped if you told me what kind of car this is. But you did say "pressure switch" ... | |
| 1972 mg midget | 6/3/2010 |
| Q: Ok so I've typed in starter relay in google and here is what I have. attached is a picture, showing ... A: No, there are no safety switches on the 72 MG. The diagram shows two small connectors but the 72 ... | |
| How to identify engine. | 6/2/2010 |
| Q: Howard, I have a 1973 MGB, GHN5UD310054. The engine tag 18V884AEL005532, which I believe ... A: Generally, a 10% to 15% raise in a compression test is an indication of a ring problem. However the ... | |
| wiring fuel gauge | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: can i take a live feed of my flasher unit to my gauge as there is no power supply to the fuel gauge ... A: David, all you need is a wiring diagram. But that brings up a question, where is the factory wiring ... | |
| How to identify engine. | 5/31/2010 |
| Q: Howard, I have a 1973 MGB, GHN5UD310054. The engine tag 18V884AEL005532, which I believe ... A: Moss Motors info agrees with your year of car # and engine # Except neither the car nor the engine ... | |
| Oil Cooler Removal | 5/29/2010 |
| Q: I have an oil leak from my oil cooler on a 74 MGB roadster and have problems undoing the pipe ... A: That is a problem on many of the British cars with an aluminum oil coolers. The manufacture failed ... | |
| My 1972 MG midget 1275cc stock | 5/26/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1972 MG Midget and my question is this. I have what I thought to be everything hooked up, ... A: Clint, There are no ground wires on a starter, starter solenoid nor coil. They are all grounded ... | |
| MGB Fuel Pump | 5/24/2010 |
| Q: Howard I have an mgb 73. When I bought it, it had a generic fuel pump mounted under the hood which ... A: Not necessarily, the diaphragm may just be out of adjustment. Remove the pump and it's plastic ... | |
| MGB Alternator issues | 5/24/2010 |
| Q: Howard First, thanks again for the help on the MGB starter. You were spot on.So now, I seem to ... A: IF YOU HAVE YOUR BATTERY CONNECTED UP CORRECTLY (Neg ground) You must not have any connection to ... | |
| My 1972 MG midget 1275cc stock | 5/24/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1972 MG Midget and my question is this. I have what I thought to be everything hooked up, ... A: First thing I learned was that you can't diagnose an electrical problem by symptoms. The ONLY way to ... | |
| Oil leak with Weber DVG | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: I recently purchased a 1978 MG Midget. When I took it for a test drive, the car started leaking oil ... A: A dry and then a wet compression test is needed to determine the ring condition. Or if you have ... | |
| Fuel system purge | 5/20/2010 |
| Q: I recently purchased a '79 Midget. The price was cheap on account of a suspected bad rod bearing ... A: If there is not much gas in the tank that would work but if there is a lot of gas I would remove the ... | |
| MG Midget spluttes and stops | 5/17/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1972 MG Midget 1275cc. Its starts relatively easily when cold but after running for about ... A: An ignition coil can be bad after 30 years or after 2 minutes so how old or how many miles on it is ... | |
| 1978 MGB starts, but barely | 5/16/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1978 MGB with everything original except that the catalytic converter has been removed. ... A: It only requires 3 items to run, Compression, Fire and Fuel. Compression usually will not come and ... | |
| 1968 Turn Signal failures | 5/15/2010 |
| Q: I saw you response to a prior 68 turn signal issue. Honestly speaking, I am not the most ... A: If you plan to keep the car (unknown 68 car), you need to purchase a service manual for the car. ... | |
| 741/2 MGB Brakes | 5/12/2010 |
| Q: On my last run prior to winter my front brakes were sticking badly. When I opened my car this ... A: I agree, I believe it is a master cylinder problem. Also, use DOT 4 and flush the system completely. ... | |
| MGB pinking at high revs | 5/11/2010 |
| Q: My MGB engine was completely rebuild some years ago and has not covered a great mileage since. When ... A: Engine pinging is an indication of Detonation (abnormal combustion) and that is very destructive to ... | |
| MG Midget Clutch | 5/10/2010 |
| Q: My question concerns a 1976 MG Midget, which I bought as a non-runner 4 months ago, knowing it had ... A: It is difficult to get all of the air out of a clutch system but there is a test. First push the ... | |
| MG Slow to turn over | 5/10/2010 |
| Q: I've a 73 MGB which I have been restoring for (a while). When I bought it I did get the engine going ... A: That's good on the cables. You still need to take the low or bad battery out of the picture. Then ... | |
| MG Slow to turn over | 5/9/2010 |
| Q: I've a 73 MGB which I have been restoring for (a while). When I bought it I did get the engine going ... A: You have several issues to work on. None of you voltage readings are acceptable. First you need to ... | |
| MG Slow to turn over | 5/9/2010 |
| Q: I've a 73 MGB which I have been restoring for (a while). When I bought it I did get the engine going ... A: Even though the engine turned over easily by hand it can still be a starter problem. But first you ... | |
| 69 m g transmission leak | 5/8/2010 |
| Q: I have oil dripping from the rear of the drive shaft tunnel. Am guessing it is a rear transmission ... A: If you confirm that the rear seal is what is leaking it can be changed without removing the engine ... | |
| 1973 MGB Half Shaft | 5/7/2010 |
| Q: Howard, I have a 1973 MGB which I'm in the process of replacing the differential thrust ... A: OK john, I see what you are referring to now. The wheel bearing does not go all the way in flush in ... | |
| 1973 MGB Half Shaft | 5/6/2010 |
| Q: Howard, I have a 1973 MGB which I'm in the process of replacing the differential thrust ... A: We need to get the terminology of the parts down so I know what you are talking about. If you are ... | |
| 1980 MGB Loss of Power under Load | 5/5/2010 |
| Q: My 1980 MGB runs well except for every once in a while if I am pushing it - gas pedal floored going ... A: Symptoms can lead you to an area but tests must be run to find a real problem. If your car was ... | |
| proceedure for replacing the cluth M/C | 5/4/2010 |
| Q: I am going to replace the clutch M/C on my 1979 MGB. My question is the plunger on the M/C connects ... A: The only ways to get the clutch to engage sooner (closer to the floor) is to remove the clutch ... | |
| 77 MGB engine (4 cyl) low rpm's | 5/2/2010 |
| Q: Howard, Before I invest in another test tool (vacuum), there is no CAT and I have a Weber ... A: Scott, the timing must be set accurately and must never be adjusted away from specs to make an ... | |
| wont start | 4/30/2010 |
| Q: Backed out the MG for state inspection today, parked it for 15 min. and now wont start!! 1963 MGB - ... A: The 63 MGB has points in the distributor and is the most likely problem. Remove the cap and rotor ... | |
| 1975 MGB Won't Start or even turn over | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: Have a 1975 MGB that I have driven 5-10 times a month for the past 2 years...most recently every day ... A: You need a wiring diagram and an 12v test light to do any electrical work. Go to the starter relay ... | |
| Clutch problem | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: I bought a 1979 MG Midget two months ago, did oil change, transmission fluid, etc and have driven it ... A: You are correct in that a clutch problem does not come and go normally. A soft feel to the pedal is ... | |
| alternator/electrical | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: Just bought a 1972 MGB and realized the alternator was failing. All other electronics except for ... A: The "Voltage Drop" test is simple. You are testing how much voltage loss is in the cable itself ... | |
| 1977 MGB Carburetor Problem | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: I have a problem with my 1977 MGB Carburetor where the engine's RPM's are so fast that I have to ... A: No engine can run fast without a lot of air and fuel meaning that the throttle plate is open either ... | |
| 77 MGB engine (4 cyl) low rpm's | 4/27/2010 |
| Q: Howard, Before I invest in another test tool (vacuum), there is no CAT and I have a Weber ... A: If the front spring and rear spring feel the same as the springs on the center two cylinders and you ... | |
| alternator/electrical | 4/27/2010 |
| Q: Just bought a 1972 MGB and realized the alternator was failing. All other electronics except for ... A: Your symptoms don't pin-point the cause of your problems. If your car came to me in a shop I would ... | |
| 1979 MGB electrical problem | 4/24/2010 |
| Q: I am working on my father-in-law's 79 mgb that has been sitting for a couple of years due to the ... A: Your symptoms do not tell me anything. I found from working in dealerships that any time I had an ... | |
| 1978 mgb | 4/23/2010 |
| Q: While driving on the highway the temp guage slowly gets hotter as I drive. I already replaced the ... A: It is no use replacing parts until you know what is wrong. There are several tests for overheating. ... | |
| Valve Gap | 4/22/2010 |
| Q: Howard, I have a 1976 B, weber carb, iron head. The car runs great no issues. This is more of a ... A: 13 is ok as it is hard to tell the difference because each mechanic has a different feel of the ... | |
| Valve Gap | 4/22/2010 |
| Q: Howard, I have a 1976 B, weber carb, iron head. The car runs great no issues. This is more of a ... A: NO, NO, No, don't set it at .015" hot or cold. At the dealership that drove us to set all MGBs to ... | |
| MG midget 1972 | 4/22/2010 |
| Q: Once again thanks for all the help. To refresh your memory, I have 1972 midget and the suspension is ... A: I have never removed one from a Midget but have from a MGB and I needed to do exactly what you are ... | |
| Torque for rear axle cover bolts | 4/21/2010 |
| Q: Can you tell me the correct torque settings for the rear axle cover bolts for a 1980 MGB? A: Sorry Wayne, the manual does not quote a torque setting for those bolts. And I never met anyone who ... | |
| MG Midget oil quantity | 4/19/2010 |
| Q: We have almost finished with all mechanics restoring an MG Midget 72, unfortunately, my cd regarding ... A: The pick-up in the pan must have an oil level up enough to pick up oil and I have seen some 1275cc ... | |
| 77 MGB engine (4 cyl) low rpm's | 4/19/2010 |
| Q: Howard, Before I invest in another test tool (vacuum), there is no CAT and I have a Weber ... A: Over heating an engine does several things like take the temper out of the rings so they can not ... | |
| 77 MGB engine (4 cyl) low rpm's | 4/17/2010 |
| Q: Heater valve leaked out coolant and overheated engine. Water went into old distributor with ... A: Since you can run at low RPM put a vacuum gauge on the intake manifold and watch the vacuum as you ... | |
| 77 MGB engine (4 cyl) low rpm's | 4/14/2010 |
| Q: Heater valve leaked out coolant and overheated engine. Water went into old distributor with ... A: To determine if it is electrical or fuel you need to test. A simple test is to connect a timing ... | |
| Rear brake sticking on, (not handbrake) | 4/11/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1972 MGB roadster, the rear brake shoes are sticking on after footbrake is released, ... A: You didn't say only one side or both sides. If it is one side it is possible that a wheel cylinder ... | |
| gas pedal | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: Yesterday my gas pedal literally broke off. like all the way off in the middle of the shaft. I have ... A: The MGB throttle pedal is a steel bar bent to fit the car so if it broke all you need to do is ... | |
| slave cylinder | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: Having removed the slave cylinder from my 1979 MGb and cleaning out 30 years of junk my question is. ... A: If you want to test a master cylinder just remove the line from the master cylinder and put a dead ... | |
| carb adjustment | 4/6/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1960 mga with dual su carbs. they were rebuilt 1 1/2 years ago. I ran the car for a couple ... A: You need to back up a little and confirm that the throttle plates are in sync. If you don't have a ... | |
| 1970 MG Midget | 4/5/2010 |
| Q: I just bought a 1970 Mg Midget and I'm restoring it. I'm missing the tachometer and the switch ... A: I thought I answered this one once. I don't have any part numbers but you can get the parts form any ... | |
| 73 Midget Differential Problem? | 4/5/2010 |
| Q: I have a question regarding my 73 Midget. Today it did something I was not expecting (and haven't ... A: You need to put the car on a lift or on jack stands and get under it and look at the differential ... | |
| 1970 MG Midget | 4/5/2010 |
| Q: I just bought a 1970 Mg Midget and I'm restoring it. I'm missing the tachometer and the switch ... A: The switch that is missing is the heater blower switch. I don't have part numbers but you can order ... | |
| Clutch wont disengage | 4/2/2010 |
| Q: 1970 MG Midget (1275) I bought about 1 month ago. Clutch would not disengage. I have replaced and ... A: Most mechanics just pull the engine and trans as a unit but some just pull the engine alone. I have ... | |
| Clutch wont disengage | 4/2/2010 |
| Q: 1970 MG Midget (1275) I bought about 1 month ago. Clutch would not disengage. I have replaced and ... A: You have to first separate the problem into either a hydraulic problem or a clutch problem. A quick ... | |
| gearbox noise | 3/29/2010 |
| Q: after an engine rebuild and gearbox we ran the car on blocks and at an idle while in gear there was ... A: If you have the rear wheels off the ground and in gear at idle you will hear a lot of noise in the ... | |
| Turn signal | 3/26/2010 |
| Q: My turn signals work fine when the parking lights and head lights are turn off. When the parking ... A: First you need to test the grounds at all parking lights front and back. If they are good go to the ... | |
| car will not start | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: I have a 78 mgb that won't start. It turns over with no hesitation but will not start. What I have ... A: All gasoline engines only require 3 items to run with conditions on each. Compression --- 125 to ... | |
| transmission | 3/22/2010 |
| Q: i was just given a 1972 mgb hardtop. it has been non-operational for the last 2-3 years. i was able ... A: You need to use your hand on the clutch pedal and note that there is only about one inch of free ... | |
| Prime Carburetter 79 midget | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: My midget doesn't run because of fuel issues. I've diagnosed? and would like to prime the ... A: Prime the carburetor? I have no clue what you are talking about. If you mean fill it with fuel ... | |
| 1968 midget 1275cc | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: lose power in fourth gear. all of the other gears expecially the third gear run up great A: Unless you have a gearbox freezing up the engine don't know what gear you are in. So you need to put ... | |
| Gearbox oil seal removal | 3/20/2010 |
| Q: My '76 B had a propshaft assembled 90 degrees out of phase; the U-joints were trashed, and the ... A: Do you mean that you removed the spline assembly and turned it 90 degrees and assembled it? The two ... | |
| 1964 MGB | 3/17/2010 |
| Q: I have a leaking rear wheel brake cylinder. How do I replace it? Thanks, A: The hard part is the springs on the brake shoes so you would be wise to purchase a service manual ... | |
| 1980 MGB idle | 3/13/2010 |
| Q: Idles good for 1 minute or so then wants to stall. Happens most of the time but not all. Engine runs ... A: Your symptoms narrow the problem down to only one thousand possible things. So testing is the ONLY ... | |
| CLutch problem 1973 MG Midget | 3/12/2010 |
| Q: I went to start up my Midget after the winter and it started up but the clutch will not engage and I ... A: First with your hand, push the clutch pedal down and note that it has about one inch of free travel ... | |
| mgb gt wiring diagram | 3/9/2010 |
| Q: my 1974 mgb gt has a problem where the white wire green stripe has no power at coil when key switch ... A: If you have a white w/light green wire on your coil you have a resistor wire that powers it from a ... | |
| brake warning lite valve | 3/6/2010 |
| Q: Is it necessary to keep the warning valve in the system A: The differential pressure warning light and valve are there to warn you that one circuit is less ... | |
| MG Midget Brakes | 3/2/2010 |
| Q: I found two posts regarding "soft" brakes on a 1974 MG Midget and we will try your recommended ... A: You must remove the cylinder and at least clean it out. That is not normal especially if the gray ... | |
| drivengear and inner gear for speedo | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1972 MGBGT. The gears in the transmission for the speedo,(I have determined visually) are ... A: You might try, Engel Imports, Moss Motors, The Roadster Factory, Victoria British or British Parts ... | |
| 77 mgb clutch | 2/26/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1977 mgb that has been sitting for5 years. I have the car running and can shift it into 1st ... A: First gear has a syncro as does 2nd, 3rd %26 4th. Reverse does not have a syncro. If you can shift ... | |
| owner lost keys | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: how can i remove switch and unlock steering coloumn 1974 mg midget thanks ANSWER: Hi Bobby, You ... A: If you mean that the lever is stuck in 1st gear and will not move. It can be in the shift linkage ... | |
| MG Midget hub | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: Howard I have a 78 mg midget with disc brakes. When jacked up you can shake the tire (drivers side). ... A: You need to look closely when moving the wheel to see where the free play is. Is this car wire wheel ... | |
| key & ignition | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1978 MG Midget. The car will start, however, I have to hold the key down to keep the ... A: You should never replace any part until you know what is wrong and what part failed. The ONLY way to ... | |
| Question 1979 MG Midget Brake Pressure Switch | 2/15/2010 |
| Q: the brake pressure switch is plastic and has a slot in the threads. it leaks out the switch. is ... A: The differential pressure warning switch is not suppose to have fluid available to it. The operating ... | |
| 1976 MG MIDGET | 2/13/2010 |
| Q: WE JUST RECENTLY PURCHASED OUR FIRST MG. THERE IS NOT A GOD AWFUL AMOUNT OF THINGS TO FIX ON IT, IT ... A: The oil capacity is 9.6 US pints and as to what oil to use, that is up to you. Some of the new ... | |
| pinging | 2/12/2010 |
| Q: Howard,I have a 1965 sprite that has what appears to be a ping when the gas pedal is applied. ... A: Pinging under acceleration is a sign of detonation which is destructive to the engine. It can be ... | |
| MG Midget negative sump pressure | 2/11/2010 |
| Q: I have a 72 Midget that I have been working on for years. Had to put in a new trans and since has ... A: The 72 MG Midget does not have a rear main seal, rope or otherwise. Oil that leaks out from the rear ... | |
| electrics | 2/11/2010 |
| Q: I recently fitted anew dual gauge as the temp gauge was not working. While upside down under the ... A: You evidently were not careful enough when plugging wires back together as it sounds like you have ... | |
| Midget valve seats | 2/10/2010 |
| Q: We are rebuilding a Midget 1275, so I ordered the new valves, seats, etc. for using the new gas ... A: I don't know about the gas in Mexico but our unleaded gas has other additives that cut down on valve ... | |
| Fuel Pump Versus Fuel Sending Unit | 2/8/2010 |
| Q: I just bought a 1970 MGB to restore that had been stored since 2005 and the first step is to get it ... A: The fuel sending unit is an electrical device that tells the fuel gauge how much fuel is in the tank ... | |
| Electrical Problem | 2/6/2010 |
| Q: I just picked up a 1976 MGB last spring. I drove it for the summer but from the day I purchased it, ... A: The brake system is a dual circuit system but not complicated and everything is still available to ... | |
| Electrical Problem | 2/6/2010 |
| Q: I just picked up a 1976 MGB last spring. I drove it for the summer but from the day I purchased it, ... A: The red Ign. light is a charge light and the first test is to disconnect the small wire/s on the ... | |
| dash pad cover | 2/2/2010 |
| Q: I have purchased an injection molded dash pad cover replacement for 1975 MG Midget. There are no ... A: That's not what I said. The original dash is all one piece and the "repair" pieces were just a thin ... | |
| stock carbs for 69 midget | 2/2/2010 |
| Q: Howard have another ? for you. i have a 69 mg midget has not ran for 12 years iv made sure all is ok ... A: The SUs are not difficult as there are not many parts to them but to install kits you should ... | |
| dash pad cover | 2/1/2010 |
| Q: I have purchased an injection molded dash pad cover replacement for 1975 MG Midget. There are no ... A: If you are talking about the top part of the dash pad, all the ones I installed just glued on over ... | |
| Seat Belts | 1/29/2010 |
| Q: I have a 73 MGB. I'd like to replace the 3 point seatbelt/harness with just a seatbelt. I don't ... A: They had a three point and you would be very foolish to replace them with a two point. I worked in ... | |
| 74 MG midget with shifting issues | 1/23/2010 |
| Q: Howard, Sorry about that I didn't realize i didn't tell you what I had. Anyway it is a 74 midget ... A: This only affects reverse and not any other gear. But if that is all you are having trouble with now ... | |
| 74 MG midget with shifting issues | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: Howard, Sorry about that I didn't realize i didn't tell you what I had. Anyway it is a 74 midget ... A: You can access the shift tower by removing the cover from the transmission tunnel. As per the ... | |
| Shifting trouble | 1/21/2010 |
| Q: I pulled the engine and trans from my 74 and the transmission sat vertical for about a month on the ... A: Ryan, yes, "box" or gearbox or transmission. And yes, "Open Up" is remove the engine and ... | |
| Shifting trouble | 1/20/2010 |
| Q: I pulled the engine and trans from my 74 and the transmission sat vertical for about a month on the ... A: A 74 MG "B" or "Midget"? Doesn't matter too much because if you have a hard time shifting into gear ... | |
| 1972 mg midget odor | 1/13/2010 |
| Q: once again thank you for all the help. My mg midget is now on jacks and I was looking towards the ... A: I don't remember what years had the PCV valve but the only PCV valve used on the Midgets was a large ... | |
| 1972 MG | 1/12/2010 |
| Q: I have 2 questions . First, I bought my 1972 MG midget that had been stored for 23 years in dry ... A: The only way you will know if you did any damage at all is to start it up and test the alternator. ... | |
| distributors | 1/10/2010 |
| Q: I have been working on a stumble issue that you have been helping with. In the course of this I have ... A: If a distributor has a vacuum advance unit on it, then it will have a moveable points plate. Get a ... | |
| stumble | 12/29/2009 |
| Q: Good Morning and a question to start the day ! Have 79 Midget that runs very well except it has a ... A: Are you judging a "stumble" by the exhaust note? If so you need to put ear plugs in and ear muffs on ... | |
| stumble | 12/28/2009 |
| Q: Good Morning and a question to start the day ! Have 79 Midget that runs very well except it has a ... A: Look at the vacuum unit and if it is a retard unit you need to put manifold vacuum to it and if it ... | |
| stumble | 12/27/2009 |
| Q: Good Morning and a question to start the day ! Have 79 Midget that runs very well except it has a ... A: 79 was a second tough year for BLM trying to meet US emission standards so it has been even tougher ... | |
| Shooting oil from breather hose | 12/24/2009 |
| Q: Ive got a 78 MGB with a downdraft weber. The breather from the side of the engine tappet cover into ... A: The crankcase vent from the tappet cover has a can inside as part of the cover and inside that can ... | |
| 71 Midget | 12/21/2009 |
| Q: Working on restoration. No parking lights/taillights with headlights on. Brakes, turn signals all ... A: Any time you have an electrical problem you need to look at your wiring diagram (which is a road ... | |
| Clutch | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: I have just bought a MG Midget 1977, and have no experience on these cars. The problem is that can ... A: Yes, it could be air in the clutch hydraulics. This is usually noted by a soft feeling in the clutch ... | |
| Midget chain timing | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: We are rebuilding a 1275 Midget 72 engine, but we want to be sure of the correct position of the ... A: The timing marks are on the face of each sprocket and they are usually dots. If you draw a line from ... | |
| 76 mgb electrical problem | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: I just purchased a 76 MGB and it has a relay of some sort that has been removed from somewhere under ... A: Your description of the relay is of no use to me. The best way to diagnose your car is to try to ... | |
| MG Midget brake lines | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: Howard, I have a 72 midget that has been in storage for 20 years and I am slowly restoring the ... A: If your lines are badly rusted you should consider replacement lines. I can't comment on the lines ... | |
| mg midget tires | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: Once again 1972 midget with 155/70/r13 tires (canada). I would like to increase the ride height of ... A: Sorry Rico, I have not personally tried larger tires on a midget so I can't tell you how large you ... | |
| mg midget tires | 12/13/2009 |
| Q: Once again 1972 midget with 155/70/r13 tires (canada). I would like to increase the ride height of ... A: Many owners of Midgets here in the US have run larger tires then what came on the car. The side ... | |
| engine | 12/13/2009 |
| Q: I've just finished re-building an old A-Series engine fitted to the MG1100. The engine runs when ... A: Compression gauges are not very expensive and can be used on any gas engine. I don't know what ... | |
| engine | 12/12/2009 |
| Q: I've just finished re-building an old A-Series engine fitted to the MG1100. The engine runs when ... A: If you are talking about the MG 1100 sedan, that engine was factory balanced and you should have put ... | |
| 1977 MG Midget Engine | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1977 MG Midget and looking at rebuilding the engine. How can I find out what the size of ... A: The only way to know what size pistons are in the engine is to remove the head and measure the bore. ... | |
| adjusting zs carbs | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: I am trying to adjust the zenith carbs on my Triumph tr6 (1975)and everything I read says to check ... A: If you are adjusting the mixture screw (3mm Allen) down in the top of the carburetor turn the screw ... | |
| Hydraulic Clutch | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1979 MGB that we replaced Slave, Master cylinder and Hose. Is Dot 3 brake fluid okay to ... A: The aftermarket books say you can, but I worked for several dealerships for many years and I was ... | |
| 1967 MG valve cover | 12/1/2009 |
| Q: Was going to buy a 76 midget, but found that ones on the enternet had oil fill on valve cover at the ... A: That is a MGB not a Midget and it is an 1800cc Austin engine which is a good design. The aftermarket ... | |
| 1967 MG valve cover | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: Was going to buy a 76 midget, but found that ones on the enternet had oil fill on valve cover at the ... A: Looking at what I can see in the picture that is not the engine that goes in a 76 midget and not ... | |
| Oil Leak | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: First THANK You for all the answers you have given everyone !! My experience , so far, and my ... A: It is possible that that breather vent is in line with a gear and is receiving a stream of oil off ... | |
| Oil Leak | 11/27/2009 |
| Q: First THANK You for all the answers you have given everyone !! My experience , so far, and my ... A: I would suspect the valve cover gasket first as that would closer match your leak. No external oil ... | |
| MGB Fuel Sending Unit | 11/27/2009 |
| Q: 1964 MGB installed new fuel tank and sending unit. Last 3 new sending units have leaked. Some ... A: I had many sending unites out over the years and I didn't have any leak but most were back when the ... | |
| MG Midget Brake Adjuster Frozen` | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: I am reworking rear brakes on a 1974 MG Midget. The adjuster on one side appears frozen. Any ... A: I have seen a few that seemed to be rusted solid and I am sure if enough pressure was applied it ... | |
| MG midget 1972 | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: It is that time of the year in Canada where we are blessed or cursed with a few months of cold and ... A: It sounds like you have covered everything except you didn't say anything about a "battery tender" ... | |
| MG midget 1500 | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could help me out. I bought a Midget that had been sitting around for 4 ... A: Your symptoms do not indicate what is wrong so tests need to be run to find the problem. All piston ... | |
| 1977 MG MIDGET | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: I just replaced the starter and solenoid on my 1977 MG Midget and it was running fine for about a ... A: Did you check the connections electrically or just visually? If not put a test light on the ... | |
| 1970 Midget clutch or gear box problem | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1970 Midget that grinds terribly when I try to put it into 1st or reverse. It will shift ... A: The clutch kit (3-in-1) is the clutch disk, pressure plate and release bearing so that is ok. The ... | |
| 1970 Midget clutch or gear box problem | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1970 Midget that grinds terribly when I try to put it into 1st or reverse. It will shift ... A: You shouldn't replace anything until you find what is wrong. It is obvious that the first motion ... | |
| 1500 mg midget | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: my mg push rod has jumped out of tappets why A: A pushrod can't jump out of a tappet (lifter) but it can jump out of a rocker arm. Is that what you ... | |
| starter/solonoid-79 midget | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: Got the power back to the ignition system. Now occationally when I turn the key, on single loud ... A: The "click" is most likely the click of the solenoid. But that don't mean that the electrical ... | |
| 77 midget cooling system overflow | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: I have a 77 midget that after running for 15 minutes and gets warm, the cooling/radiator fluid ... A: The small hole in the bottom front of the waterpump is called a "weep hole" and is designed to expel ... | |
| Brake Bleeding | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: Howard. This is a follow up to a recent question. 1970 MG Midget. Still unable to get hard pedal. ... A: Andy, air can not enter the system when it is closed except in one place only and that is the master ... | |
| MGB Starter Engagement | 11/16/2009 |
| Q: Howard Thanks for your help in the past. I thought I'd go to the well one more time. I have a 72 ... A: Dave, the engine stops in the SAME few places every time so it is impossible to ware out all the ... | |
| MGB Starter Engagement | 11/16/2009 |
| Q: Howard Thanks for your help in the past. I thought I'd go to the well one more time. I have a 72 ... A: The engine stops in only a few places each time you shut the engine down and the teeth of the ring ... | |
| MG 1973 Midget | 11/16/2009 |
| Q: My MG wouldn't start after I replaced a plate that was under the distributor (due to rust). I need ... A: The ignition timing marks are on the crankshaft front pulley (a notch in the edge of the pulley)with ... | |
| MG 1973 Midget | 11/15/2009 |
| Q: My MG wouldn't start after I replaced a plate that was under the distributor (due to rust). I need ... A: First set the front pulley timing mark at TDC and with all of the plugs out put the gear lever in ... | |
| 79 Midget Zenith carb problems | 11/15/2009 |
| Q: Howard - my problem is my idle is at 2000 rpm and I cannot get it lower. I think the problem is ... A: First the "Choke" on a Stromberg Carburetor is not really a choke. It just adds extra fuel for cold ... | |
| 1979 MG Midget | 11/11/2009 |
| Q: I have a 79 Midget that started leaking coolant from a machined hole in the side of the fan housing ... A: It sounds like you have a bad waterpump. No amount of grease will correct it. You use to be able to ... | |
| brake bleeding | 11/10/2009 |
| Q: Howard, follow up on previous question. 1970 MG Midget. I have done everything you have told me to ... A: Andy, If you remove the pads and step on the brakes and the pistons don't come out of there bore ... | |
| 1980 MGB | 11/10/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1980 MGB. After warming up and driving it around. The engine doesn't run smoothly.I don't ... A: Your welcome Debbie, Glad you found the problem. If you plan to keep cars you will get to use the ... | |
| 1977 MG MIDGET STARTER PROBLEMS | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: I have spent the last month or so attempting to bring a 1977 MG Midget back from the grave. ... A: The first thing to do is charge the battery and check the battery voltage when finished (12.5+ ... | |
| valve adjustment | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: I just learned about the procedure of, subtracting the valve number that is fully depressed from ... A: Either system works on a 4 cylinder inline MG engine, So you can use what ever method you like of ... | |
| Brake Bleeding | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: Recently replaced all brake components. Unable to get a pedal. Tried vacuum bleeding, pressure ... A: if you bled in the order I advised and were not getting any more air from the bleeders than it most ... | |
| Brake Bleeding | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: Recently replaced all brake components. Unable to get a pedal. Tried vacuum bleeding, pressure ... A: On a dual circuit system I found that if you get two bleeder valves that match the line fittings in ... | |
| retainer for fuel tamnk float device on gas tank | 11/6/2009 |
| Q: I am n the process of rebuilding my fathers 78 MGB. I have cleaned out the tank and ordered a new ... A: First put the thick rubber gasket into the recess and then the sending unit which is keyed so as to ... | |
| 1980 MGB | 11/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1980 MGB. After warming up and driving it around. The engine doesn't run smoothly.I don't ... A: Other than a standard wrench set and a few screwdrivers the only thing else you will need is a ... | |
| 1980 MGB | 11/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1980 MGB. After warming up and driving it around. The engine doesn't run smoothly.I don't ... A: Your symptoms do not pinpoint the problem so testing is required. If you have tools and have some ... | |
| Gear Noise | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: I have a 78 MGB that at speeds above 60 kph, when I let up on the gas there is a loud rattling noise ... A: That free play does not seem excessive, but having it different on the right side from the left side ... | |
| 1976 mg midget ignition | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1976 mg midget 1500 that had a 45DE4 Distributor with the Lucas/Opus electronic ignition ... A: The ignition system determines what coil you use. If your new Pertronix ignitor was for your car ... | |
| Gear Noise | 10/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a 78 MGB that at speeds above 60 kph, when I let up on the gas there is a loud rattling noise ... A: I can tell you a few things to do to try to pinpoint the noise but not being able to hear the noise ... | |
| Preheat connection | 10/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a simple question but can't find the simple answer on my own. Doing a engine/tranny removal ... A: The job for professional mechanics takes 7.1 hr at what ever their shop rates are. Many times on ... | |
| Preheat connection | 10/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a simple question but can't find the simple answer on my own. Doing a engine/tranny removal ... A: The only tabs that I know of are on the preheat duct pipe which is just forward of the lower part of ... | |
| mgb 68 rebuild | 10/24/2009 |
| Q: Howard, you gave me some advise previously to my questions on low oil pressure. I have been working ... A: If you have good compression you have one of the only three items necessary for an engine to run so ... | |
| MG Midget gearbox rear oil seal replacement | 10/24/2009 |
| Q: My 1970 Midget is leaking excessive gear oil after a motor change. I must have somehow damaged the ... A: The seal has a metal cup around it and is a press fit on the tailshaft housing. I never tried to ... | |
| 76 MG Midget runs great then dies | 10/21/2009 |
| Q: My 76 Midget will run fine for about the first 2 miles (my commute to work) and it will suddenly die ... A: All Gas piston engines only require three items to run, compression, fire and fuel. (with conditions ... | |
| MGB 72 6 volts batteries | 10/21/2009 |
| Q: my batteries do noy seem to hold power for more than a couple of days. on top when i drive the car i ... A: Most auto parts stores have a battery load tester to test the condition of a battery before you buy ... | |
| electrical | 10/20/2009 |
| Q: i have a 1973 mgb gt i put the heater on and it started smoking on the fan connections under the ... A: A wiring diagram is what you need to trace out all that. Go to my web site and I have put two ... | |
| 66 MGB Brake Light Switch | 10/20/2009 |
| Q: Noticed my brake lights weren't working, since it was both, thought switch as first check. Located ... A: You can change the switch without getting air in the system if you unscrew the switch and put the ... | |
| 1979 mg midget 1500 | 10/20/2009 |
| Q: I recently purchased a 76 mg midget in Florida and had it shipped to my home state of Illinois. It ... A: You definitely need a wiring diagram to unscramble all of that. I have put a diagram up on my web ... | |
| MGB engine missing, at speed | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1968 MGB with the GF motor, with the HS4 carburetors, now with 3,000 miles on a rebuild. I ... A: Any tests must be run while a problem is present or in the failed mode. So to test a fuel pump at ... | |
| MG Midget Front Brake | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: Where can I get a replacement bolt that bolts the brake hose onto the front brake caliper on a Mg ... A: That is called a "Banjo bolt" and you should call Moss Motors, Engel Imports, The Roadster Factory, ... | |
| My 1972 Mg midget carbs | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1972 MG Midget, and I am putting the carbs back together. I was wondering if there would ... A: Here is a break down of the linkage from Moss Motors ... | |
| 1973 MGB Horn | 10/15/2009 |
| Q: Howard, My MGB has an aftermarket steering wheel. The previous owner purchased the wheel from ... A: Your car had the horn push button on the column lever not on the steering wheel so you don't have ... | |
| 76 Midget stopped running | 10/15/2009 |
| Q: The car was running great then one day it was idling a little funny spitting and sputtering then the ... A: All gas piston engines require only three items to run, compression, fire and fuel with conditions ... | |
| MGB speedometer trouble | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: The speedometer on my 1979 MGB stoped working... What should I do? A: First step is to remove the cable from the back of the speedo and either jack up the back of the car ... | |
| starter problem | 10/11/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1972 MGB, it has been starting fine, last time I started it ran and for some reason the ... A: There are several things that can cause the starter to spin without spinning the engine. A 72 MGB ... | |
| oil pan gasket | 10/9/2009 |
| Q: As usual, thank you for the great advise on my previous question. It seems as though the oil spot ... A: No, nothing else needs to be removed to get the pan off of a 1275cc Midget. You should check to see ... | |
| Re: 1979 MGB Electrical Problems Follow-Up | 10/4/2009 |
| Q: Mr. Fitzcharles, Thank you for your prompt reply. I followed your directions on the voltage drop ... A: Travis, think about what you are doing with the volt meter. If you have a strand of cable and ... | |
| Re: 1979 MGB Electrical Problems Follow-Up | 10/4/2009 |
| Q: Mr. Fitzcharles, Thank you for your prompt reply. I followed your directions on the voltage drop ... A: Travis, you are doing something wrong on your voltage test. It is impossible to read 13v with a volt ... | |
| Rear Brakes Won't Bleed on 1976 MG Midget | 10/3/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1976 MG Midget (US). My rear brakes will not bleed. The procedure I am following as per ... A: First bleed at each line fitting on the master cylinder to confirm that fluid is coming out under ... | |
| 1978 MGB won't start | 10/3/2009 |
| Q: When it started it would run great for a 10 minute drive or so then loose power and literally not be ... A: An easy test for a stopped up exhaust is first the symptoms are that it may run at idle or low RPM ... | |
| 1979 MGB Electrical Problems | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: Mr. Fitzcharles, I need help. I recently purchased a 1979 MGB and it has suddenly developed ... A: Your symptoms only narrow the problem to only one thousand things. The ONLY way I was ever able to ... | |
| 1978 MGB won't start | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: When it started it would run great for a 10 minute drive or so then loose power and literally not be ... A: It sounds like you put the points in wrong. The points came with an insulator in two halves ... | |
| 78 MG | 9/24/2009 |
| Q: I was driving my midget on the highway and lost about 1/2 the oil. Then the oil pressure light came ... A: If your car was brought in to me in a dealership I would first check the oil level and then try to ... | |
| 1970 MGB Roadster Electrical Problem | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: My 1970 MGB Roadster has an electrical problem that I cannot figure out. When I use the brakes and ... A: The diagram is at the address shown but you have to leave a space between 70 and MGB but the address ... | |
| MGB Starting problem | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: I have been having some recent issues starting my 72 mgb converted to one 12V. I hear the fuel pump ... A: When you have a charged battery and you get no "spin over" with the starter motor. You need to check ... | |
| 1970 MGB Roadster Electrical Problem | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: My 1970 MGB Roadster has an electrical problem that I cannot figure out. When I use the brakes and ... A: The only way to correct the problem is to get the car in it's failed mode and test with a test light ... | |
| head rest | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: I want to recover my seat on a 75 MGB, but I can't get the head rest out. A: I was a line mechanic for many years but never did upholstery work, however I have seen a loose ... | |
| Headlights | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: My head lights do not work anymore after driving through a bad rain storm 2 weeks ago. The car is a ... A: You need a wiring diagram of the car to trace wiring. However, it sounds like you have a bad ... | |
| 1974 1275cc Midget Clutch Hose | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: My 14 year old son is trying to help repair my MG as he hopes to get it when he starts driving. We ... A: The 74 Midget is a Austin engine MG as all MGs prior to 75 had. The prefix of "12V" is an ID that it ... | |
| turn signal | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: Whenever I have my left turn signal on and i hit my brake pedal the turn signal stays solid and ... A: The diagram is up on my web site at http://mg-tri-jag.net/76MGB1x1.jpg for the diagram and ... | |
| turn signal | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: Whenever I have my left turn signal on and i hit my brake pedal the turn signal stays solid and ... A: Since the turnsignal has nothing to do with the brake lights other than sharing a ground wire of the ... | |
| battery group | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: what group size batteries for 74 mgb A: The 74 MGB had two 6v batteries connected in series. As for the group number you will have to give ... | |
| 71 MGB GT Gear Grinding? | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: Howard Thanks for the help so far. Got the jumping speedometer fixed with some white lithium ... A: 2nd to 3rd is normally the slowest shift time and not a normal "first to go" syncro. In the ... | |
| '72 MGB starting problem | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: My '72 MGM (inherited from my son) has not been used for about 5 years-stored in my garage. Prior ... A: That should be an easy fix. First remove the cap and hold the coil wire about an eighth of an inch ... | |
| 1979 MG Midget distributor/coil | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1979 MG Midget and I know the engine is a 1500 because the number on the block begins with ... A: Paul, If you have a pointed distributor you must have a Triumph distributor not an MG Midget because ... | |
| 1979 MG Midget distributor/coil | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1979 MG Midget and I know the engine is a 1500 because the number on the block begins with ... A: The electronic ignition on the Midgets was so unreliable that many owners replaced the distributors ... | |
| MG midget fuel pump tick | 9/9/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1972 Mg midget that I recently purchased. I was driving it around for the first month with ... A: When an SU fuel pump first clicks it is pumping fuel and when it stopped it meant that the float ... | |
| Mg Midget Mk111 1976 | 9/8/2009 |
| Q: I have just bought the MG for restoration and also bought a workshop manual, but it does not cover ... A: I have a US and a UK wiring diagram but neither show much about which pin is which. The UK version ... | |
| 65 mgb transmission upgrade | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1965 MGB Roadster that has the standard 4 speed transmission. I am rebuilding this car for ... A: I have no experience with the Ford gearbox but I know why you are wanting to upgrade the MGB ... | |
| midget transmission | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: my midget project is comming along nicely, thanks to your many helpful tips. I an able to drive the ... A: If the noise is a rhythmic click it may be a chipped tooth on low gear. The only way to know for ... | |
| MGB Speedometer | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: Howard I recently installed an overdrive transmission in my 71 MGB GT. All went well. I had done ... A: I found it a good policy to put a short piece of old cable into the drive and rotate the driveshaft ... | |
| mgb 1979 | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: how to replace broken chrome handle on quarter light A: As I remember there is a roll pin in the handle itself that needs to be driven out to replace the ... | |
| floor pan replacement 1975 mg midget | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: you have helped me many times in the past, hope you can work your magic again. I would like to know ... A: If you are talking about an MGB you need to either sand blast the edges of the floor pan or wire ... | |
| 1977 MGB ignition problem | 8/28/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1977 MGB that I just acquired. The previous owner just rebuilt the motor and added a ... A: The coil should not get so hot that you can't touch it, which is an indication either the coil is ... | |
| flooding engine | 8/25/2009 |
| Q: we have a 1978 mg midget and we cant keep the engine running. it keeps flooding out and wont stay ... A: First thing to do is remove the top of the carburetor and inspect the diaphragm for any cuts. Then ... | |
| 1976 mg midget neg earth | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: i hooked up car wrong pos earth for a few sec.altenator started smoking so i changed back to neg. i ... A: You can't fry a fuse by connecting a battery up backwards. A fuse don't care which way current is ... | |
| 1976 mg midget neg earth | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: i hooked up car wrong pos earth for a few sec.altenator started smoking so i changed back to neg. i ... A: It sounds to me like you fried the alternator or at least the regulator in the alt. The "Ign" light ... | |
| 1969 MGB GT Ignitiom System | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: Just finished major overhaul on engine.Also replaced coil,condenser,points,rotor button,cap and all ... A: If the points are closed at the time you measured .22v then you have either a bad ground of the ... | |
| 77 mgb ignition prob? | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a 77 MGB over a year now and am a first time owner and am quite a newbie. I have a dilemma ... A: If you have no power at the coil with the key on, that has nothing to do with the ignition system as ... | |
| mg midget engine id. | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: I recently purchased an mg midget, manufacture date 12/1977. It has a distributor with points, but ... A: Many MG owners switched back to a pointed distributor because the electronic ignition had such a ... | |
| Mg fuel | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1970 Mk III midget which runs on after I switch off. Should I use a hugher octaine gas, ... A: If you have a lot of carbon build up it can be removed with water but you must be careful. Remove ... | |
| Mg fuel | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1970 Mk III midget which runs on after I switch off. Should I use a hugher octaine gas, ... A: Several things need to be looked at before you can decide what to do about it. The following are ... | |
| 77 MG Midget High oil pressure | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: Howard, Thank you for your previous help with my brake problem. Turned out the piston in the new ... A: First I would get a known good hydraulic oil pressure gauge, even if you had to purchase a new gauge ... | |
| Engine Miss | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: I just read your procedure on how to diagnose a engine miss on a '66 MGB. One of the steps you ... A: Yes, while working in MG dealerships we noted that many times we had customer complaints of valve ... | |
| 1979 mg | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: i sir,i asked you about get fuel from the pump to the carb.im getting gas to my filter,but not ... A: You need to put a "T" in the fuel line close to the carburetor and attach a long hose to a fuel ... | |
| MGA 1600 Wiring Harness | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: Mr. Howard: I have a MGA 1600 roadster that has an original wiring harness in which the wires have ... A: Sorry Todd, there is no way for me to even guess how long it will take you to put a wiring harness ... | |
| Towing | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: I am hoping to tow my 1970 MG Midget from Michigan to Florida. I am hoping to tow it flat with a ... A: You can't tow any MG that far without removing the driveshaft because the mainshaft in the gearbox ... | |
| 1970 MGB proper cable connection to 12v battery | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: Put new battery in I believe I reversed the connection The red cable is going to the pos pole and ... A: Your car originally came with two 6 volt batteries connected in series as such, One battery was ... | |
| MG | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: my mg made a bang and the oil and water indicator went to over heat, there was smoke and a grinding ... A: Sorry, but that sounds serious enough that you need to have a mechanic look at it as any attempt to ... | |
| mg | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: my 1979 mg will not start.the fuel pump clicks with key on,but no gas goes to the fuel filter.with ... A: The method to test a fuel pump is to get fuel pressure gauge and a "T" fitting, Install the "T" in ... | |
| Horn and head lights | 8/7/2009 |
| Q: Have a 71 mgb. Just recently the horn will only work if the headlight switch is on. I cleaned the ... A: You don't have to do a lot of testing for the horn circuit because it is a "Stand Alone" circuit and ... | |
| RPM guage | 8/6/2009 |
| Q: So many questions I don't know where to start. I have a 1971 MGB. my guess is the block has wither ... A: The tach is powered by a green wire plugged into the back of the tach. You need to confirm that the ... | |
| carb question | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: I am currently looking at buying a 1977 MG. I went and test drove it and noticed a couple of things. ... A: First you didn't tell me what kind of MG it was, but it does not matter as the cost to repair ... | |
| non smog head | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: I had a crack head on my 79 mgb so i found a early non smog head had the valve done. The problem is ... A: Did the engine ever run right with the Weber on it? The fact that you used a non smog head has ... | |
| 75 MG Midget - Won't start | 8/2/2009 |
| Q: My father-in-law bought a 75 MG Midget on 7/29/2009. This car had not been registered since 2005, so ... A: The fact that you were able to get it to fire off with starting fluid means it is a fuel problem. It ... | |
| 58 MGA Transmission | 8/2/2009 |
| Q: I drove the car about 40 miles and parked it. I now seem to have a problem when shifting from 1st to ... A: When the gears clash shifting into one gear and not into others, it is an indication of a worn ... | |
| 77' Midget only revs to 2500 rpms and spits and sputters | 7/29/2009 |
| Q: Now the car will only rev up to 2500 rpms no matter how much gas I give it. The car starts fine ... A: The terminology may have gotten lost in the transfer from one person to another. There is a resistor ... | |
| Timing markers 1965 MKII midget | 7/29/2009 |
| Q: I expected to see the timimg markers/pointers on the bottom of the timing cover when viewed from the ... A: You should look at the engine number to see if the engine has been changed. Your engine should be a ... | |
| Car runs fine for about 10 minutes then dies | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1979 MG Midget. The car starts well, battery is fine, seems idle well. When I drive it for ... A: An engine only needs 3 things to run, compression, fire and fuel with conditions on each so when an ... | |
| 77' Midget only revs to 2500 rpms and spits and sputters | 7/27/2009 |
| Q: Now the car will only rev up to 2500 rpms no matter how much gas I give it. The car starts fine ... A: It sounds like a partial stopped up exhaust system. On some cars the exhaust is easy to undo a ... | |
| 1971 MG Midget Woes | 7/27/2009 |
| Q: My Midget is having some troubles. It starts up fine, but i can only step on the accelerator about ... A: my name is not Charles but I will try to answer your question. First I would check the fuel pressure ... | |
| 79 MG Midget | 7/26/2009 |
| Q: Starts by spraying with starting fluid but will not stay running. Seems to be a fuel filter problem ... A: I would recommend that you replace NOTHING until you test to find out what is wrong, then only ... | |
| fire to spark plugs. | 7/25/2009 |
| Q: My 73 MG Midget, recently was rescued from a long stay in a garage, was able to be started after ... A: I am not familiar with the "Flame thrower" ignition. All I can tell you about is the factory system ... | |
| elec. 1973 MG Migit | 7/23/2009 |
| Q: I am in the process of putting this car back together and have the wire harness 90% back in and ... A: If you have the car up to # "GHN5-138800" and a button on the solenoid to start the car with, then ... | |
| elec. 1973 MG Migit | 7/23/2009 |
| Q: I am in the process of putting this car back together and have the wire harness 90% back in and ... A: First you need to check to see if you have ignition at the plug wires since you are working with the ... | |
| cleaning fuel tank | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: i have heard that it is opssible to remove the rust in an old fuel tank using white vinegar. what ... A: I don't know but I doubt vinegar has any effect on rust. It may take the varnish the gas leaves. In ... | |
| MGA computer | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: I have a new pc that my old programs loaded in a folder "archives".I can pull up photos from that ... A: Other readers will get the wrong idea when they read this thinking that BMC made MGA cars and ... | |
| Carburetor | 7/21/2009 |
| Q: In order to adjust the twin carburetors on my 1970 MGB to a LEANER setting, do I turn the head of ... A: The adjustment is a nut not a bolt and turning it up (Clockwise as viewed from the bottom or counter ... | |
| CHOKE? AND SWITCH? | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: YOU MENTIONED YOUR LAST ANSWER THAT THE "INERTIA SWITCH" WAS PARK OF THE HOT WIRE TO THE FUEL PUMP, ... A: Charles, there is a kit to replace the coolant operated choke on that B with a manual choke but if ... | |
| fuel pump issue | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: ok, i did check the white wire and it is hot, checked the ground,it is ok, had the pump running for ... A: It will run with no lines attached and run fast. (If it is the SU type pump) It will also self prime ... | |
| Clutch difficulties 74 Midget | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: I'm in the middle of a complete restoration of a 1974 Midget. I got the engine running quite ... A: That depends on how the clutch pedal feels. If you only have about an inch free play or less and the ... | |
| MGB 1972 Heater | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: I am getting significant heat from the heat vents/floor area and defroster even though the temp and ... A: The heater control valve totally controls the amount of heat that the heater core can have but even ... | |
| narrowing it down | 7/19/2009 |
| Q: still no gas to my 1977 mgb, when the key is in the 2nd position no noise or clicking like the fuel ... A: (that was quick) The fuel pump does not have a relay. The power comes directly from an inertia ... | |
| seat wiring related to starting?? | 7/18/2009 |
| Q: i just bought an mgb 1977 and took out the seats and seatbelts to give a good scrubbing. my daughter ... A: The seat belt switch operates a seat belt warning buzzer but not the ignition system so if it does ... | |
| mg midget 1500 | 7/18/2009 |
| Q: Installed a rebuilt 1500 in my 76 midget. Oil pressure is good (40-60) but not getting any oil to ... A: If you have at least 25 to 35 PSI oil pressure spinning the engine with the starter with the rocker ... | |
| TURN SIGAL POWER RELATED TO HAZARD | 7/17/2009 |
| Q: i have a 77 mgb that i just bought, i see by reading a previous questions here that, my turn signal ... A: Check for power into the hazard switch (green wire on pin #8) with the key on. Then check for power ... | |
| turn signals | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: and the flashers for either side dont work .sure would like a hunt please !! thank you mike whalen ... A: If you replaced the ignition system, then you need to check with the manufacture or supplier of that ... | |
| hard shifting when hot | 7/12/2009 |
| Q: my 76 mg midget seems to shift ok when every thing is cold but after driving and getting oils up to ... A: The clutch hydraulic system is non adjustable so if you have a lot of free play in the pedal, you ... | |
| MG Midget brake bleeding and seizing | 7/12/2009 |
| Q: I’ve had my 77 Midget for 16 years, most of that time it was a daily driver and have done most of ... A: Conrad, I learned a long time ago to NOT try to figure out what all the problems could be because of ... | |
| MG Midget brake bleeding and seizing | 7/11/2009 |
| Q: I’ve had my 77 Midget for 16 years, most of that time it was a daily driver and have done most of ... A: When the both front calipers were locking up, you should have done a test. All you had to do was ... | |
| Mg Midget starter | 7/11/2009 |
| Q: ok i recently bought a 1972 mg midget, and it started and ran ok, but once i got it hone it will not ... A: Have someone hold the key to the "Start" position and test the white w/red tracer wire on the ... | |
| lifters | 7/11/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1979 mgb with emissions off the problem is that one of my rocker arms cant be adjusted ... A: First thing to do is lay a straight edge across the top of all the valves to be sure it is not a ... | |
| MG engines | 7/11/2009 |
| Q: Howard: Would you be so kind as to tell me if it is possible to use an alternate modern small 4 ... A: There are many conversions done on MGs, both MGB and Midgets. However, if you are talking about a ... | |
| 74 Mg Miget Headlights / Taillights | 7/11/2009 |
| Q: My headlights and tailights will not come on. Break lights work, They were working earlier tonight, ... A: Don't try to figure out by symptoms what is wrong. Take a 12v test light and ONLY ONE of the failed ... | |
| clutch | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: i think my clutch is starting to go,only noticed it the last week or so,any idea how long it will ... A: There is no way anyone can tell you how long your clutch is going to last. First you need to find a ... | |
| '68 mg midget | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: My stop lights will not work when I push on brake pedal. I checked the 2 fuses in fuse panel, they ... A: When you say "and checked the holders, they look ok, no corrosion" is not sufficient for a test of ... | |
| turn signals | 7/9/2009 |
| Q: and the flashers for either side dont work .sure would like a hunt please !! thank you mike whalen ... A: when testing grounds with a 12v test light you put the clip on a known good power supply and use the ... | |
| 1965 sprite window | 7/9/2009 |
| Q: Drivers window is hard to roll up or down, more so up. Lubed window crank mech with no help. Problem ... A: The in/out of the top of the window is controlled by the "A" post of the windshield. It sounds more ... | |
| turn signals | 7/9/2009 |
| Q: and the flashers for either side dont work .sure would like a hunt please !! thank you mike whalen ... A: I worked on MGs for many years in dealerships and I found it to be useless to try to figure out what ... | |
| Alternator Connections | 7/8/2009 |
| Q: I have replaced the alternator on my 76' MG Midget but I have no clue as to which prong is which. It ... A: I have seen a Midget in FL with AC installed but I never looked at all the details of how he did it. ... | |
| Reverse | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: My husband died and left me his MGA (1956 I think). It was at the repair garage and I drove it home. ... A: The MG gearbox has a strong detent to prevent shifting into reverse by accident. The standard method ... | |
| timing | 7/6/2009 |
| Q: My 1954 TF 1500 continues to run for a few seconds after switch is turned off. I know this as ... A: The 1500 TF MG timing is set at TDC and points are .015" and rotor rotation is counter clockwise. ... | |
| '78 MG Midget Turn Signals and Head Lamp Problem | 7/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1978 MG Midget and she runs wonderfully, except when I went out tonight (the first time ... A: The first test is to unplug what you did and test the head lights. The headlight do not normally ... | |
| Clunking noise when changing gear | 7/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1970m MG and there is a Clunking noise when changing gears coming from the rear end of the ... A: If it is a wire wheel car you need to first try to tighten the spinners and if that does not help ... | |
| Gasoline dripping | 7/4/2009 |
| Q: 1968 MGB with the GF engine and HS4 SU carburetors. Today I was installing seat belts, and I ... A: You do have a float chamber problem, It can be as little as trash in a needle and seat or worn ... | |
| fuel filter | 7/3/2009 |
| Q: i own a mgb gt which has been running fine until a week ago she has started chugging and is now of ... A: If someone has installed a fuel filter it will probably be just before the carburetors in the fuel ... | |
| brake cylinder | 7/3/2009 |
| Q: it's Jon with the 76 midget (1275 in it). Last year I had a leaking brake cylinder so I bought a ... A: Castrol brake fluid is not brown and you can usually rub it between two fingers and feel the ... | |
| 66 MGB - Missing and metallic noise | 7/2/2009 |
| Q: Have a Mk1 MGB that recently started missing badly at idle. Sounds like it's running on 2 ... A: You may or may not have two different issues with the miss and the noise. There is a standard ... | |
| 1967 mg-b | 7/2/2009 |
| Q: i installed a weber carb. conversion kit,i cannot get the engine to idle smooth the rpm is 750 motor ... A: If it idled good with the SUs and don't now. you may have a vacuum leak or something is wrong with ... | |
| brake cylinder | 7/1/2009 |
| Q: it's Jon with the 76 midget (1275 in it). Last year I had a leaking brake cylinder so I bought a ... A: You said brown fluid. Was it brake fluid or differential oil? The only pressure in the brake system ... | |
| 1973 MGB-GT Cylinder Head | 7/1/2009 |
| Q: I recently bought a 73 GT. The pressure test showed 130 lbs across all 4 cylinders. However, the ... A: 130 PSI across all cylinders is very rare. Most all engines have some variation between cylinders. ... | |
| 77 Midget 1500 Running Very Rich | 7/1/2009 |
| Q: I'll try to be as brief as possible. I've owned and maintained MGBs for for 26 years so I have a ... A: Dave, The choke must be positioned in the Lean position, then see where all the air is entering the ... | |
| 77 Midget 1500 Running Very Rich | 6/30/2009 |
| Q: I'll try to be as brief as possible. I've owned and maintained MGBs for for 26 years so I have a ... A: It sounds like you have most of the bases covered. Black smoke out the tail pipe is only one thing ... | |
| 1979 MGB | 6/30/2009 |
| Q: I have a 79 MGB which I just put on the road after being storied 17 years.I re-did the fuel tank, ... A: A back fire out the carb can be a lot of things but the most common is a lean condition not a rich ... | |
| horn | 6/30/2009 |
| Q: I have a 77 Midget. The horns do not work. I read your previous posts about horns. I have power the ... A: Horns should be easy to make work as there are only two connections on horns. Power and ground, so ... | |
| mgb starter motor | 6/28/2009 |
| Q: My question is related to the thread below. I have a 1967 MGB with negative earth ground and an ... A: Dan, your test results don't sound right. First the 67 B was a positive ground car and had two 6v ... | |
| Rattle in Transmission | 6/27/2009 |
| Q: Howard, I recently bought a 1975 Midget that had set up for 7 years. I have gotten it running, but ... A: A rattle in the transmission is a symptom of only one hundred things. So you need to either let an ... | |
| 1968 MGB (GHN4) seat belts | 6/25/2009 |
| Q: you display rare patience with me... My car (as above) has a black interior with red piping. It ... A: All MGBs came with belts but I don't have anything in writing that tells if the 68 had just a lap ... | |
| 1959 MGA Roadster transmission problem | 6/24/2009 |
| Q: i have inherited a beautiful 1959 MGA Roadster from my uncle. he had payed for all fluids to be ... A: Hmmmm! that's bad news. You need to fine an experienced MG mechanic and have him check it out as the ... | |
| 1959 MGA Roadster transmission problem | 6/24/2009 |
| Q: i have inherited a beautiful 1959 MGA Roadster from my uncle. he had payed for all fluids to be ... A: Before we can make that determination you need to clarify that for me. Do you mean that the shift ... | |
| Clutch and Rear brakes | 6/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a 75 midget and want to bleed and adjust the clutch please explain how. I also would like to ... A: There is no adjustment on the clutch. To bleed the clutch you need to pump up the pedal in slow long ... | |
| MG Midget starting in 1st gear | 6/22/2009 |
| Q: my husband just bought me a 1968 MG Midget and I when I took it out for a test drive - I wasn't able ... A: You need to clarify your statement "Made a noise" do you mean it made a noise when you tried to put ... | |
| 1968 MGB speedometer | 6/21/2009 |
| Q: as a follow up: I checked the axle nuts, and they were torqued to 150 ft-lbs. I tightened the rear ... A: I found that some aftermarket speedometer cables were a little long and they applied pressure inward ... | |
| Electrical - short or something | 6/21/2009 |
| Q: Left rear light, blinker, flasher and side ligth all work, right rear light, license light and ... A: The test you read somewhere of removing a battery cable and putting a test light between the cable ... | |
| Electrical - short or something | 6/21/2009 |
| Q: Left rear light, blinker, flasher and side ligth all work, right rear light, license light and ... A: The only tools you need is a wiring diagram and a 12v test light. The diagram tells you the color ... | |
| MG Midget stall-out | 6/19/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1979 MG Midget,I have rebuilt it and added the aftermarket weber carb and intake. Recently ... A: That depends on if the pump pressure drops to 1 PSI then the engine stalls shortly afterward or does ... | |
| 1978 MG Midget not starting | 6/18/2009 |
| Q: My midget won't show any signs of life except the clock working. It has a fairly new battery which ... A: You obviously have a major disconnect somewhere in the system so you need to do a voltage drop test ... | |
| overheating 1500 mg midget | 6/18/2009 |
| Q: Im having an overheating problem with my 77 mg midget. so far replaced bad fan clutch, thermostat, ... A: First step is to go to any auto parts store and get the dye that is put in the radiator to test for ... | |
| Midget headlight/heater switches | 6/18/2009 |
| Q: Sir, I have a 73 midget which I took out of a 3 yr. storage lately. At first everything worked just ... A: When I worked at the dealerships I found that when I had a car with several electrical problems, I ... | |
| Fuel pump | 6/16/2009 |
| Q: Sometimes when I turn on my ignition, fuel continues to pump into the carburetors and spills ... A: That means the float needle and seat are not closing off the fuel for what ever reason. Trash ... | |
| 1971 MG Midget | 6/16/2009 |
| Q: My 71 Midget will start up, run anywhere between 20 seconds to 5 minutes, then stalls out. Even when ... A: When an engine stops running it has lost either compression, fire or fuel so it is your job to ... | |
| 79 MG Midget won't start | 6/15/2009 |
| Q: My 1979 MG Midget had run fine until a few weeks ago when I turned it off. Now when I try and start ... A: If you don't hear anything when you go to the start position then the first place to check is the ... | |
| 1980 MGB Horrendous Noise Under the Hood | 6/15/2009 |
| Q: I own a 1980 MGB which has only 52,000 miles on it. I had it idling in the drive Saturday when all ... A: A noise can be anything, so you are going to have to raise the hood and start the engine. In this ... | |
| MGB mystery clunk | 6/13/2009 |
| Q: welcome back from your vacation. :-) 1968 MGB, with spoke wheels. With acceleration or ... A: I rebuilt a lot of differentials in the dealerships I worked in and have seen worn thrust washers on ... | |
| 1978 MGB | 6/11/2009 |
| Q: My drivers side front directional doesn't work. I've switched bulbs w/the opposite side & still ... A: First thing you need is a 12v test light and a wiring diagram. Starting at the bulb socket, start ... | |
| Engine 1976 Midget | 6/10/2009 |
| Q: I have 76 MG Midget. About 8 years ago I had the engine re-furbed but the engine was never started ... A: First remove the spark plugs and put about two teaspoons of a light oil or something like WD-40 in ... | |
| 1978 mgb idle problem | 6/10/2009 |
| Q: I own a 78 mgb, and have a problem with the idle. When the car is cold car idles good with a slight ... A: All those symptoms don't tell anything other than the car needs to be tested. First test the ... | |
| '74 MGB will not turn over | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: Was out on a drive and it just stopped running. The engine cranks, is getting gas but just will not ... A: There is a step by step procedure to test an engine for why it will not start. If you suspect ... | |
| 1973 B | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: I saw this a few times on All Experts.Will this help me tune my B, i currently have Champion RN9YC. ... A: I found that you are asking for trouble when you use a resistor plug on resistor wire so I don't ... | |
| problem following oil filter change | 6/8/2009 |
| Q: Today I was getting my '71 MGB ready for the summer. I did an oil change and filter change. Once ... A: You need to look carefully at the filter base to see if an old gasket has stuck to the filter ... | |
| 73 B | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: I have run through the tank of gas that i parked it with and put some super in it today, could the ... A: If you are talking about "Pinging" sound, that is detonation not valves and it is very destructive ... | |
| mgb starter motor | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: My question is related to the thread below. I have a 1967 MGB with negative earth ground and an ... A: Dan, you will not find out what is wrong unless you do the tests I gave you. When the voltage drops ... | |
| 76 mg carb | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: I have just rebuilt my carb,starts fine at idle but will not accelerate,if i raise the piston by ... A: When you raise the piston you do not do anything except change the fuel mixture. If you raise the ... | |
| mga wont start | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: husband just installed new starter and new batteries but 1961 mga is unresponsive - any tips (he has ... A: You will have to be more specific, What do you mean "Unresponsive"? It spins the engine but it will ... | |
| oil pan gasket ? | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1979 MG Midget. The oil pan gasket was replaced by a previous owner, but still leaks. I ... A: You just need to clean the pan and the block and check the pan to see that someone has not over ... | |
| zenith carb 1980 mgb | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: I purchased a rebuild kit, new needles and have rebuilt the carb, but now the car will ideal but ... A: First thing to look at is to see if the throttle cable is connected up and opening the throttle. ... | |
| transmission 76 midget | 6/5/2009 |
| Q: i recently got a 76 midget i can not find the fill for the transmission. were is it located? what is ... A: The gearbox filler/level plug is on the side of the gearbox and the factory states to use from 75w ... | |
| vacum line from dist. where to put it after new webber install | 6/4/2009 |
| Q: 78 mgb..trying to restore this thing.lol..anyhow i replaced carb with a webber side mount and it has ... A: Vacuum advance distributors connect to "Ported Vacuum" (Vacuum on a carburetor that only has vacuum ... | |
| Engine sputturing when running | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: I'm a new owner of a 72 MGB. I did a recent tune-up and and when I take it out for a run of about 10 ... A: When a car came to me with that kind of problem I did a normal test sequence first. Compression test ... | |
| Uneven brake pressure | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: Are you well? I have a 1977 MG Midget 1500 which is due for a complete service. However, in order to ... A: The two halves of the caliper just come apart when you remove the bolts that hold them together and ... | |
| Uneven brake pressure | 5/12/2009 |
| Q: Are you well? I have a 1977 MG Midget 1500 which is due for a complete service. However, in order to ... A: When one of the two brake pads is worn out and the other is like new the piston on the new side is ... | |
| speedo pinion on mg midget 1500 | 5/11/2009 |
| Q: I have just bought an mg midget 1500 the speedo was not working so replaced the cable still not ... A: The speedo head or the cable is in a bind and destroying pinions as you put them in. You need to ... | |
| coil connections | 5/11/2009 |
| Q: Howard, first thanks for your patience. This is what I see. I have a Lucas 25D distributor--and a ... A: You say you have compression but how much compression? It needs to be from 125 to 180 PSI with ... | |
| 1976 MG Midget won't start | 5/11/2009 |
| Q: I recently took my 76 midget out for the summer and it started right up. Drove to the gas station ... A: Shawn, Most of the original Lucas/Opus electronic ignition systems failed under warranty and very ... | |
| coil connections | 5/10/2009 |
| Q: Howard, first thanks for your patience. This is what I see. I have a Lucas 25D distributor--and a ... A: Jon, You need to confirm what each wire does since all have been put in by some previous owner. ... | |
| Won't start again. | 5/10/2009 |
| Q: Howard, Jon here with the 76 Midget (1275 in it). I have been, for 2 weeks banging my head over a ... A: Jon, If you have a pointed distributor now, you should have just one wire from the dist to the ... | |
| Mgb not starting | 5/8/2009 |
| Q: i have a 1975 Mgb, back last september, i had an issuse where there was fuel flowing out from an ... A: Dermot, An engine that does not start narrows the problem to only one thousand possible causes so ... | |
| Resistor on MG Midget | 5/8/2009 |
| Q: I bought a 1975 Midget on which the ignition has been changed to electronic instead of points. Is ... A: Yes a blue spark is an indication of a strong spark (checked inside or in the shade) A hair thin ... | |
| 1976 mg midget electrical | 5/7/2009 |
| Q: Howard , this is a related two parter. right turn signal is on all the time. thought it was the ... A: If the right turn signal is on all the time even with the switch removed it is obvious that you have ... | |
| 1970 Mg B Oil Pressure | 5/7/2009 |
| Q: My father and I are in the process of restoring a 1970 Mg model B. After carburetor work we started ... A: You must connect a known good oil pressure gauge to the block and test oil pressure right away ... | |
| 77 Midget 1500 stumbles at higher rpm | 5/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a 77 Midget 1500 that stumbles and dies unless I let off the throttle and baby it at about ... A: To test if it is fuel related get a can of starting fluid and when opening the throttle and it would ... | |
| 71 MG Midget, No Spark | 5/6/2009 |
| Q: Ok, So I will try to explain this as clearly as possible. I have a 71 MG Midget with the original ... A: Dennis, when you see 12v on the negative side of the coil with the points closed it means the points ... | |
| 71 MG Midget, No Spark | 5/5/2009 |
| Q: Ok, So I will try to explain this as clearly as possible. I have a 71 MG Midget with the original ... A: Do this, turn the engine by hand until you see the points closed and turn the key on and test the ... | |
| 1965 mg midget tach | 5/5/2009 |
| Q: the tach on my 1965 midget does not work. Can i bench test it. I do not Know if it is conected ... A: Glen, the white wire does not make contact with the tach. It only loops around a "U" shaped clip and ... | |
| Removing temp sending unit from head | 5/5/2009 |
| Q: 1098 engine/head. Temperature gauge (dual guage with oil pressure and temperature) suddenly stopped ... A: The bulb part of the temp gauge is just stuck as it is just held in by the large nut. If the gauge ... | |
| 77 Midget Clutch Problem | 5/5/2009 |
| Q: My 77 Midget shifts fine when cold but about 10-15 minutes into a run, it starts getting difficult ... A: You didn't say weather the pedal gets soft or feels the same after it starts to fail. That is ... | |
| Car learches | 5/5/2009 |
| Q: I have a 78 mg midget seems to be running very nice how ever after i drive it for a little bit ie it ... A: Lurching at light throttle settings just tells you you need to run some tests. Compression test ... | |
| 1965 mg midget tach | 5/3/2009 |
| Q: the tach on my 1965 midget does not work. Can i bench test it. I do not Know if it is conected ... A: I don't know of any way to bench test an electric tach. The car is the best bench test. If the tach ... | |
| no spark | 5/3/2009 |
| Q: I have no spark comming out of my mallory coil I have 12 volts in and out of the coil but no spark I ... A: Next question, what kind of ignition system do you have in the distributor? Since you already said ... | |
| Locking brakes 79 midget | 5/3/2009 |
| Q: We have a 1979 Midget. The brake master cylinder is new, After driving the vehicle a short ... A: There are several reasons that brakes can lock up and you must run a couple of simple tests to ... | |
| 1972 Midget- No Clutch pedal | 5/1/2009 |
| Q: I have been amazed and used your comments to others to assist me with getting my midget on the road. ... A: The master cylinder is nothing more than a pump with just a piston in it. For it to pump fluid the ... | |
| 79 MGB running rough | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a 79 MGB that I just replaced plugs, wires, cap and rotor on about a month ago. I drive it ... A: All your symptoms are useless to determine what is wrong other then to tell you something is wrong. ... | |
| fuel pump | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a 78 B that has a Carter Solenoid pump that seems to loose its prime. I can drive it 3 to 5 ... A: The end result of a fuel pump is to supply from 1.5 to 3 PSI fuel pressure so to test it to see if ... | |
| Electrical Outage | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: Yesterday, while driving, I lost the Tach, Fuel, Temp, directional signals and brake lights. Where ... A: Robert, it is not common for the same fuse to blow unless you put in a low amp fuse and that line ... | |
| Lost the taillights | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: 1968 MGB, GHN4 model. My taillights just quit. Brake lights work fine. I inspected both the ... A: I have found that many of the MGs were altered and there is no telling what changes have been made ... | |
| Lost the taillights | 4/28/2009 |
| Q: 1968 MGB, GHN4 model. My taillights just quit. Brake lights work fine. I inspected both the ... A: If the front parking lights are working then the power from the light switch is good and it has to ... | |
| Fule | 4/28/2009 |
| Q: I noticed you had said to use a mettle fuel filter not a plastic one why? Also i have a 78mg midget ... A: The plastic fuel filter should be self evident. How much damage or heat do you think plastic can ... | |
| Electrical Outage | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: Yesterday, while driving, I lost the Tach, Fuel, Temp, directional signals and brake lights. Where ... A: Most of those items are powered off of the green wires on the #6 pin in the fuse panel so that is a ... | |
| 1977 mgb | 4/26/2009 |
| Q: My 77 b will start and run but you can not turn it off with the ig switch. ANSWER: Hi Bill, First ... A: The diode was something we had to do to several MGBs of that area. The diagram is on my site under ... | |
| 1979 midget stops running | 4/26/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1979 midget 1500 with the single Stromberg carb. After I have been driving for 30 minutes ... A: Your symptoms do not tell you what is wrong so you need to do some testing and the tests must be ... | |
| 1977 mgb | 4/25/2009 |
| Q: My 77 b will start and run but you can not turn it off with the ig switch. A: First does the engine run normally with the key off or does it die if you try to rev the engine or ... | |
| Zenith Stromberg Carb | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1976 MG Midget which is running rich at idle. I can see black smoke from tail pipe, ... A: David, run the adjusting screw back in all the way and find a drift or punch about the size of the ... | |
| Won't start again. | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: Howard, Jon here with the 76 Midget (1275 in it). I have been, for 2 weeks banging my head over a ... A: Jon, the spark must be thick and colored blue (not in bright sun light) so if you see a thread size ... | |
| 1973 Midget engine number | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a 73 midget that I am rebuilding. It is supposedly a one owner, one mechanic car, being my ... A: I don't have the starting and ending engine numbers but the prefix of 12v indicates it is a 1275cc ... | |
| Won't start again. | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: Howard, Jon here with the 76 Midget (1275 in it). I have been, for 2 weeks banging my head over a ... A: You have been testing a lot but I didn't see where you tested the end result on each. Pull #1 plug ... | |
| 1978 1500 EGR | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: Howard - I inherited my father's 1978 1500 Midget several yrs ago. Last year just before putting ... A: Ted, I don't have anything that tells me what thread size that is but I do think that you could ... | |
| my 1975 MGB broke down .. help! | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: so after a few days of glorious sunshine in sausalito, tonight we had this damp fog rip through.. I ... A: Your symptoms narrow the problem down to only one million possibles so you need to run a few tests ... | |
| Ignition coil overheating | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: A few weeks ago, I left the ignition key on in my '76 MGB, burning out the ignition coil, points, ... A: To start with the 76 "B" came with a 6 volt coil (as they called it) so if you ran the full 12v to ... | |
| 1978 MGB non-vented gas cap question | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: me again! thanks for the info on the gas tank venting pipe. i need a gas cap, called the parts ... A: As far as the car is concerned you can just run a hose down to vent the tank depending on your local ... | |
| 1978MGB fuel tank | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: i purchased a new gas tank. the old gas tank has a little elbow type (vent?) by the fill pipe at the ... A: You will need to get an older style tank filler neck to get the vented cap to fit. If it has ... | |
| 1978MGB fuel tank | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: i purchased a new gas tank. the old gas tank has a little elbow type (vent?) by the fill pipe at the ... A: The newer MGs had a vent pipe because they no longer had vented caps. Your car should have a vent ... | |
| mgb no power | 4/21/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1977 mgb that i recently got from my grandfather it only has 15k original miles, it sat for ... A: If you checked all wiring it would work. Wiring just conducts current from the battery to the lights ... | |
| Zenith Stromberg Carb | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1976 MG Midget which is running rich at idle. I can see black smoke from tail pipe, ... A: You need to remove the vent hose off of the carburetor float chamber, check the carburetor diaphragm ... | |
| Engine start after rebuild | 4/19/2009 |
| Q: I rebuilt mgb engine 18v673z completely. The crankshaft was reground, pistons are new and liners ... A: All engines require the same three items to run with conditions on each. Compression, Fire and Fuel. ... | |
| Mg Midget 1500 turn signals | 4/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1500 Mg Midget with a turn signal switch that doesn't lock into position. Its as if the ... A: The hazard switch supplies power to the flasher unit so it is possible for the hazard switch to ... | |
| 75 MG Midget shifter | 4/13/2009 |
| Q: My father was putting the car into reverse, which as you know you have to pull it up then push it up ... A: Remove the shift tower cover and it will be evident how it is held in. Two pegs fit into the two ... | |
| Stripped oil sump bolt hole | 4/13/2009 |
| Q: My oil sump pan was leaking at the front edge. Removed all the bolts to put on a new gasket, but ... A: Since you have not told me what kind of car this is I will have to guess. Since you say the front ... | |
| starter run-on | 4/12/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1980 MGB, and the starter motor won’t disengage in about five percent of my starts. When ... A: One of the most difficult problems to solve is an intermittent fault because testing must be done in ... | |
| brake pressure switch | 4/11/2009 |
| Q: I'm losing all my brake fluid out the end of what I've determined to be the brake pressure switch. ... A: If the brake differential pressure switch is leaking you either need to rebuild it or purchase a new ... | |
| gapping points | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: Howard, Jon with the 76 Midget (1275 in it). The other day, it was cold, i had my midget ... A: Jon, It does not matter what is wrong with your plate as there are NO replacement parts available ... | |
| 78 MGB over heating | 4/9/2009 |
| Q: I finally got the gauge to work by replacing the sensor. The fan does not come on and after a few ... A: You need to get the fans running first to see if that is your overheating problem, although at ... | |
| windscreen replacement | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: i am replacing windscreen and seals in a 1973 MG Midget. can you tell me the best way to do it? ... A: Tim, there are no step by step instructions nor are they necessary to remove and disassemble the ... | |
| 1979 mg midget 1500 throttle linkage | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: Howard - The diagram you sent was not helpful. I have a Zenith-Stromberg 150 CD-4T carburetor. It ... A: OK Jeff I see your problem now and I have some 150 Stromberg carbs and a small Brit car library so I ... | |
| fuel gauge | 4/6/2009 |
| Q: Still trying to get my fuel gauge to register correctly.Full tank it reads between half and three ... A: If it reads correctly with the sending unit out of the tank then it should read the same installed. ... | |
| throttle linkages and springs | 4/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1979 MG Midget 1500. The springs in the throttle linkages are broken. I was able to order ... A: Jeff, What was wrong with the picture I sent? Was it not your carb? When an engine revs to 2500 to ... | |
| gapping points | 4/5/2009 |
| Q: Howard, Jon with the 76 Midget (1275 in it). The other day, it was cold, i had my midget ... A: Jon, the screw you are talking about is the hold down lock screw, it is not an adjustment screw. You ... | |
| 1965 Sprite door ploblems | 4/4/2009 |
| Q: I have three questions. How can the door lock be removed from the door? I can see the retaining lock ... A: As I remember there is a stop for the window at the bottom with a pad on it and you may just remove ... | |
| throttle linkages and springs | 4/3/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1979 MG Midget 1500. The springs in the throttle linkages are broken. I was able to order ... A: The Victoria British diagram shows the sequence of parts but I agree it is not clear plus there were ... | |
| locked up | 4/1/2009 |
| Q: i have a 1975 mg midget. it turned over perfectly fine since i got it but never started.i went to ... A: It is very unusual for an engine to lock up just turning it over manually. Take it out of gear and ... | |
| Hylomar HPF Gasket sealer | 4/1/2009 |
| Q: Howard, I am replacing the fuel tank and sending unit on my 72 MG Midget. Moss recommends using ... A: At the dealership when we changed out a sending unit or removed one for diagnosis, we did not use ... | |
| 78 MG midget hard to start cold | 3/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a 78 engine 1500 cc and about 95% restored, engine, carburator, starter, battery, etc. It is ... A: When it does not want to start spray starter fluid into the intake and see if it starts right up. If ... | |
| 1970 Midget gauges | 3/24/2009 |
| Q: Speedometer needle fluctuates widely back and forth at speed. Sometimes it just goes to 0 mph then ... A: Two possible causes for needle fluctuations. Remove the cable housing from the speedo and remove the ... | |
| Side marker lamp circuit | 3/22/2009 |
| Q: Howard, Jon with the 1976 Midget (1275 in it). I was wiring the lights, the car had just been ... A: If you have no power (out)on either red w/green tracer wires with the lights on and thus no side ... | |
| Mg Midget | 3/22/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1976 Midget that is having problems starting. It fires up when starting then dies, we have ... A: I take it that this is not a US Midget or it has had the Stromberg carb replaced with SUs? If you ... | |
| Side marker lamp circuit | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: Howard, Jon with the 1976 Midget (1275 in it). I was wiring the lights, the car had just been ... A: All that is useless information. Any time you have an electrical problem you need to pick ONLY one ... | |
| starter motor keeps going | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: I have a triumph tr3a recently the starter motor would not disengage unless I used the battery kill ... A: If the push button switch is ok as you say then the starter solenoid is bad or wired wrong. ... | |
| 77 Midget brake circuit failure assem. leaking | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: On my 77 Midget, brake fluid is leaking around the failure switch and draining the master cylinder. ... A: Sometimes when the system is opened you may need to bleed the master cylinder itself at the lines ... | |
| 1975 midget carb .strongberg' | 3/19/2009 |
| Q: when trying to start the car. the carb is geting to much gas flooding plugs ,and going every where ... A: If the carburetor is flooding and fuel is running out of the float vent tube you need to remove the ... | |
| 1971 MG Midget (reverse) | 3/19/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1971 MG Midget. It will not engage into reverse, all other gears work. Where do i start? ... A: First thing to do is with the engine not running, find neutral and move the lever over all the way ... | |
| MGB- 68 | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: Have a low oil pressure problem. Purchased car recently and never ran well,with SU's set to run ... A: You can examine the valve for ware and it is very noticeable when it is badly worn. Also check it ... | |
| 77 Midget brake circuit failure assem. leaking | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: On my 77 Midget, brake fluid is leaking around the failure switch and draining the master cylinder. ... A: As I remember they are just "O" rings and they are usually available from most of the British car ... | |
| MGB- 68 | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: Have a low oil pressure problem. Purchased car recently and never ran well,with SU's set to run ... A: No! you can not rule out head gasket with coolant in the oil. The only combustion chamber test I ... | |
| 1977 Midget | 3/14/2009 |
| Q: I am working on this car and all the wires have been taken off and the distributor has no marks on ... A: Remove all of the spark plugs and put the car in 4th gear with the hand brake off and role the car ... | |
| Mg Midget gearbox problem | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1969 MG Midget that jumps out of 2nd gear on a trailing throttle. All other ratios are good ... A: There are several possible causes for this. The easiest and cheapest to repair is a shift lever can ... | |
| mgb fuel pump | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: Is there a mounting bracket for the fuel pump for a 78 MBG. I am replacing an after market with an ... A: The original SU pump was mounted under the car in the front of the right hand side of the trunk and ... | |
| Alternator Connections | 3/10/2009 |
| Q: I have replaced the alternator on my 76' MG Midget but I have no clue as to which prong is which. It ... A: Matthew, I have no specs of the ohm readings on the pins of a Lucas nor a Bosch, the back cover is ... | |
| engine smoke | 3/10/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1974 MG midget that smokes a puff when i start or when i start off from a light. I ... A: Ryan, you are not making yourself clear. You said "The dip stick is reading half way with no great ... | |
| engine smoke | 3/10/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1974 MG midget that smokes a puff when i start or when i start off from a light. I ... A: Blue smoke when accelerating is a sign of a ring problem. However, other causes need to be ... | |
| Alternator Connections | 3/9/2009 |
| Q: I have replaced the alternator on my 76' MG Midget but I have no clue as to which prong is which. It ... A: Sorry Matthew, I have no idea what Bosch configuration was used, as Bosch was never installed on ... | |
| engine smoke | 3/8/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1974 MG midget that smokes a puff when i start or when i start off from a light. I ... A: I am guessing you mean it smokes from the tail pipe? The color of the smoke tells what it is. A ... | |
| Alternator Connections | 3/8/2009 |
| Q: I have replaced the alternator on my 76' MG Midget but I have no clue as to which prong is which. It ... A: Your car should have had a single three prong plastic plug on your harness and the plastic cover on ... | |
| midget 1500 1st gear tranny noises | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: My 76 midget makes rattling noises in 1st gear while moving with the clutch engaged or disengaged. I ... A: Noise in 1st gear is not going to be cured by any kind of oil. The noise (if abnormal) is either ... | |
| 1978 Midget Hard To Start | 3/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a 78 midget that is hard to start. It seems like it might loose the fuel prime. If it has ... A: Tim, you may run out of money replacing parts until you hit what is making it hard to start so you ... | |
| mgb electrical ground points | 3/3/2009 |
| Q: I have a 77B which I recently installed a new clutch and other parts while I had the engine out. Now ... A: It does sound like a ground problem or a battery terminal problem and since you had the engine out ... | |
| Clutch Bleed Valve | 3/2/2009 |
| Q: I have a 68 Austin Healey Sprite. I havent been able to locate it yet, but I seem to have a leak in ... A: The bleeder is next to where the line connects to the slave cylinder. Some people just take the two ... | |
| Freeze plugs | 3/1/2009 |
| Q: My 1965 1098c.c. engine has some coolant seepage coming out of the three plugs on the distributor ... A: It has been since the mid 70s since I had an 1100 engine out so I don't remember if there is one on ... | |
| 72 MG Midget-won't start | 2/26/2009 |
| Q: Howard, This is a follow up question from last week. The fuel line going into the fuel tank has a ... A: Yes that is possible. I have never opened up a Midget tank but if you can only detect fuel at a ... | |
| 72 MG Midget-won't start | 2/26/2009 |
| Q: Howard, This is a follow up question from last week. The fuel line going into the fuel tank has a ... A: You can not assume or guess at anything when an engine will not start. Starting fluid will ignite ... | |
| MGB hasn't been driven for 10 years | 2/25/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1977 MGB that has been idled for about ten years now. Nothing was done to prepare it for ... A: Any car that has been in storage for 10 years needs about the same things. Drain all of the gas ... | |
| 1974 mgbgt | 2/24/2009 |
| Q: haveing thuble car idels fine put it in first gear i give it gas i geta sound like a pinking only ... A: Your description narrows the problem down to only one million things. So you need to narrow it down ... | |
| clutch master cylinder | 2/20/2009 |
| Q: I'm rebuilding the clutch slave and master cylinder on a 73 Midget. I had a slow leak at the slave ... A: David, what do you mean "NO LUCK"??? No fluid ran out of the bleeder??? or what? When the master ... | |
| clutch master cylinder | 2/18/2009 |
| Q: I'm rebuilding the clutch slave and master cylinder on a 73 Midget. I had a slow leak at the slave ... A: Fluid does not compress so if you can push the pedal down and there is no air in the system and the ... | |
| 72' MG-Midget-engine will not start | 2/17/2009 |
| Q: Howard, First I want to thank you for answering several questions last week regarding installation ... A: To make a quick test as to it being a fuel problem just spray a little starter fluid into the intake ... | |
| Oil Cap substance | 2/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1976 MGB, engine runs smooth and steady, no visible issues. Replace SU carb with a weber. ... A: I have Murphy and his law following me around so I can never toss a coin and guess at what is wrong ... | |
| Oil Cap substance | 2/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1976 MGB, engine runs smooth and steady, no visible issues. Replace SU carb with a weber. ... A: Mike, in my opinion you have a water leak into the oil. This can be tested by draining the oil (dark ... | |
| 75 MGB FUEL PUMP | 2/12/2009 |
| Q: MY 75 MGB HAS THE CLICKING NOISE OF THE FUEL PUMP WHEN STARTING AND THEN GETS UGLY, LOUD AND FAST ... A: No you do not have to remove the fuel tank to remove the pump. But first you must know what the fast ... | |
| Fuel gauge | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: My fuel gauge does not register full. I replaced the push on connector at the gas tank, the sending ... A: When you had the sending unit out, did you connect up the wires and try to hand operate the float ... | |
| Dashboard, 1968 MGB | 2/7/2009 |
| Q: I am contemplating pulling the dashboard off of my car, for a myriad of reasons; electrical, gauge, ... A: First get a wiring diagram of the car and be sure to disconnect the battery as there are some ... | |
| 75 Midget Fuel Leak at Carburator | 2/6/2009 |
| Q: I am restoring a 75 midget. Last owner added a separate electric fuel pump switch and it was ... A: The float needle and seat was not designed to have constant fuel pressure on it over night. You do ... | |
| 78 MG Midget | 2/6/2009 |
| Q: My son and I are rebuilding a 1978 MG Midget 1500 engine and we were told that you have to mark the ... A: Sorry Dewayne, I never seen a slave cylinder with any more than ONE seal on a piston. All of the ... | |
| steering rack lubing | 2/6/2009 |
| Q: The manual states; apply the grease gun filled with oil(S.A.E 90 gear oil) to the nipple on the ... A: Yes, it is wrong as chassis grease is too thick, especially in cold weather. It is suppose to be 90w ... | |
| engine | 2/5/2009 |
| Q: i have been doing work to restore my 1975 mg midget. i was confused when i was timing it nd timed it ... A: If it is a US version car it is suppose to be 2deg. ATDC at 800 RPM unless the sticker under the ... | |
| clutch master cylinder | 2/4/2009 |
| Q: I'm rebuilding the clutch slave and master cylinder on a 73 Midget. I had a slow leak at the slave ... A: Sometimes it is difficult to get all of the air out of the clutch system. First have the master ... | |
| fuel gauge | 2/2/2009 |
| Q: Filled up the car yesterday and fuel gauge shows the tank only half full. Is the gauge or the ... A: If all the other gauges operate correctly, I would either drain the tank or run the car until it is ... | |
| 78 MG Midget | 1/30/2009 |
| Q: My son and I are rebuilding a 1978 MG Midget 1500 engine and we were told that you have to mark the ... A: That is a good thing to do on any engine you tear down and intend to reuse the lifters and cam. Most ... | |
| '79 MGB fuel pump/electrical problems | 1/30/2009 |
| Q: I recently purchased a new SU fuel pump to replace the original that died. After installing the ... A: Sometimes the SU pumps stick and you need to connect up a ground to the case and the hot wire and if ... | |
| More ignition problems... | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: I had wrote a question a few months ago about my 1976 MG Midget having a wiring problem. I figured ... A: The color of the loose wires you tell me about are the normal wires for the ignition system. I ... | |
| 1971 mgb | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: so its been about two weeks since i started my mgb, and its been about 28 degrees at night but when ... A: Everything is against you when it is very cold. Liquid gasoline does not burn, it is the fumes that ... | |
| '76 MGB | 1/27/2009 |
| Q: Hey Howard, First of all I would like to thank you for help in the past. Your advice has been rigth ... A: You need to remove the gas cap and use compressed air to blow into the line. If 125 to 150 PSI don't ... | |
| Midget mastercylinder. | 1/26/2009 |
| Q: I'm nearing the completion of my midget restoration and have started to bleed the brakes only to ... A: Mark, that is why when you push down the pedal with the bleeder open, you are suppose to close the ... | |
| Midget mastercylinder. | 1/26/2009 |
| Q: I'm nearing the completion of my midget restoration and have started to bleed the brakes only to ... A: I don't understand your statement, "the piston won't retract unless it's allowed to draw air or ... | |
| Mikuni (Solex) Hard Start when hot | 1/25/2009 |
| Q: Howard, Stumbled onto this site but am glad I did. Hope you can help. My '70 B has had a Mikuni ... A: The Bentley manual should cover the trans rebuild. Just be careful not to unload the sliding hub ... | |
| Mikuni (Solex) Hard Start when hot | 1/25/2009 |
| Q: Howard, Stumbled onto this site but am glad I did. Hope you can help. My '70 B has had a Mikuni ... A: I don't know anything about the Solex but an engine that don't start hot is either too rich or too ... | |
| 1979 MG Midget electronic ignition. No spark, | 1/24/2009 |
| Q: I have recently been asked to fix a 1979 MG Midget with approx. 60k original miles on it the car ... A: Your welcome Brad, the 79 Midget engine is a Triumph Spitfire engine and uses a mechanical fuel pump ... | |
| MG Midget | 1/24/2009 |
| Q: I am replacing the head gasket on my 1972 MG Midget 1275.I have followed the instructions in the ... A: Yes, the head does stick to the block sometimes. Various methods are used by mechanics but don't ... | |
| 1979 MG Midget electronic ignition. No spark, | 1/23/2009 |
| Q: I have recently been asked to fix a 1979 MG Midget with approx. 60k original miles on it the car ... A: If you have the same voltage at the (+) and (-) side of the coil no matter where the reluctor is ... | |
| 73 MGB | 1/16/2009 |
| Q: I'm going to look at a 73 MGB Saturday that has supposedly been sitting ina shed for 25 years, "ran ... A: That price is about normal for a restorable MGB and the 73 is usually prized over the 75 on cars for ... | |
| 79 MGB distributer | 1/14/2009 |
| Q: First, I would like to thank you for such a helpful website! Thanks a lot! Recently bought 79 MGB ... A: You can't expect two different brands of distributors to be oriented the same, it just will not ... | |
| 1978 MG Midget Gearbox Overhaul | 1/11/2009 |
| Q: I have figured out most of the disassembly sequesnce for this gearbox but in order to remove the ... A: It is easier to first remove the clip at the center main bearing and remove the bearing spacer and ... | |
| v8 roadster | 1/9/2009 |
| Q: was the MGB roadster ever built with a V8 from factory ? A: There were some MGBs produced with the 215 Rover/Buick/Olds engines. A man named Ken Costello made ... | |
| 1973 MGB purchase | 1/5/2009 |
| Q: I have the chance to purchase a 1973 MGB convertible in very good condition, asking price $4500. I ... A: Keep in mind that you are considering purchasing a 36 year old car in "good condition" as you call ... | |
| wiper motor | 1/3/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1974 MG Midget. It has a 2-speed & all its functions work fine but it runs very slowly. ... A: If the wipers run too slow first make sure you are not operating them on a dry windshield as even ... | |
| 1977 Midget Center Console Removal | 1/2/2009 |
| Q: Happy New Year Howard. I have asked you about this before,but I don't think I phrased my question ... A: Wow! Bill, I'm impressed, that is show car class. They didn't look that good when they were new. I ... | |
| carburetor | 1/1/2009 |
| Q: 1970 Midget, I took one carburetor off, turned it upside down and the needle fell out hit the floor ... A: You mean you dropped the piston out of the top pot and bent the needle? You can purchase needles ... | |
| Midget 1500 rough running & starting when cold | 12/31/2008 |
| Q: Howard, I have been driving a 76 Midget 1500 with no problems. Recently she has had trouble ... A: Your symptoms only narrow the problem down to several hundred possible things so you must do some ... | |
| fuel gauge | 12/31/2008 |
| Q: MGB GT 1969 new sender fitted but gauge still not reading. Seem to remember touching sender wire to ... A: A rough preliminary test is to remove the power wire (Green w/black stripe)off of the sending unit ... | |
| alternator problems | 12/30/2008 |
| Q: I had requested help on my ignition light backfeeding the coil preventing the car from turning off ... A: 14.8 is a little high but it may be ok as long as it does not boil all the water out of the battery ... | |
| engine not turning | 12/29/2008 |
| Q: i am restoring a 1975 mg midget. i fixed the ignition so that the engine would turn over with the ... A: You need to confirm that the engine is not locked up by turning it over manually. If it turns over ... | |
| alternator problems | 12/27/2008 |
| Q: I had requested help on my ignition light backfeeding the coil preventing the car from turning off ... A: No, Lucas made the changes in the number of wires and they are exchangeable and work just fine. You ... | |
| 74 midget rear brakes | 12/24/2008 |
| Q: I rebuilt the rear brakes on my car but the right rear locks up violently when the hand brake is ... A: You must have done something different on that side so to see just take the drums off both sides and ... | |
| MGB No Spark | 12/23/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1977MGB for my Son and I cant get any Sparks. The Coil is good, The last owner replaced the ... A: Marcello, Most electric ignition systems tell you to use a non metallic feeler gauge. If you have ... | |
| Running rough & backfiring | 12/22/2008 |
| Q: Working on 1977 MGB (car A), all original I think?? Backfiring & spitting back in carb. & running ... A: That all sounds good except it is responding backwards. A rich conditions usually gives you a ... | |
| Running rough & backfiring | 12/22/2008 |
| Q: Working on 1977 MGB (car A), all original I think?? Backfiring & spitting back in carb. & running ... A: You need to start from scratch and even though valves were set and head rebuilt you need to do the ... | |
| My 76 Midget's Ignition problem...It's killing me! | 12/21/2008 |
| Q: There was a lot of loose wires running around under the hood of my 1976 MG Midget, so I decided to ... A: The "Amp plug" is most likely the "Amplifier plug" (three wire) that connected the wiring to the ... | |
| mgb transmission | 12/19/2008 |
| Q: what changes do i have to make to install 1980 mgb trans. into 1967 mgb ANSWER: Hi Ray, I put a ... A: All my info shows that the early style starter and body style (floor area and tunnel) were up to and ... | |
| IGNITION / RUNNING LIGHTS | 12/18/2008 |
| Q: I HAVE A 78-B. WHEN I TURN THE KEY THE DASH AND RUNNING LIGHTS TURN ON. WHEN I TURN THE KEY OFF, THE ... A: That's good as it is easier to find when the problem is consistent. Since the lights are on when ... | |
| IGNITION / RUNNING LIGHTS | 12/18/2008 |
| Q: I HAVE A 78-B. WHEN I TURN THE KEY THE DASH AND RUNNING LIGHTS TURN ON. WHEN I TURN THE KEY OFF, THE ... A: Your symptoms are useless information other than you have an electrical problem so you need a few ... | |
| MGB No Spark | 12/16/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1977MGB for my Son and I cant get any Sparks. The Coil is good, The last owner replaced the ... A: If the coil is powered and the electronic ignition is powered and grounded and the air gap is about ... | |
| New engine | 12/16/2008 |
| Q: i have a 1975 mg midget. the bodys in good shape as well as the ignition and emmisions. the only ... A: Do you mean that the starter doesn't work or the engine is locked up? Put it in 4th gear, brake off, ... | |
| New engine | 12/15/2008 |
| Q: i have a 1975 mg midget. the bodys in good shape as well as the ignition and emmisions. the only ... A: What is wrong with your engine that it can't be rebuilt? All of the parts are available and most any ... | |
| hot coil | 12/14/2008 |
| Q: I saw your comment about a hot coil and the need for a ballast resistor. I'm trying to track down ... A: If you have a capacitor it was put on the car either by a previous owner or a dealer, probably as a ... | |
| wont start | 12/10/2008 |
| Q: Have 1275 mg engine it wont start have just put in a electronic DISTRIBUTOR I lost the timming so ... A: The 1275 Austin engine can have either the front cylinder called #1 but I always call the front ... | |
| Ignition | 12/7/2008 |
| Q: The engine won't turn off when the ignition key is turned off. Just replaced my alternator in my ... A: However, you had said that the charge rate was at 14.5 v which is correct. Something is wrong if it ... | |
| Ignition | 12/6/2008 |
| Q: The engine won't turn off when the ignition key is turned off. Just replaced my alternator in my ... A: Great, you fixed it. No need to remove the bulb now, that was just a test to see if the exciter wire ... | |
| Ignition | 12/5/2008 |
| Q: The engine won't turn off when the ignition key is turned off. Just replaced my alternator in my ... A: It could be that the wiring is backwards or even the problem could be in the alternator itself. I ... | |
| MG Problem | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: I accidentally jumped my MG TD (positive ground) with the jumper cables backwards. I got the car ... A: That is possible or you just damaged some wiring. You can test the generator to see if it was ... | |
| firing order | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1977 MG Midget. Can you tell me the firing order and is there a picture that shows the ... A: The firing order is 1342 as it is on all inline four cylinder car engines. As far as where #1 is in ... | |
| slave cylinder and hydraulic lines | 12/1/2008 |
| Q: I finally got the engine on my 74 Midget to run and run well. My wife admitted that she doubted ... A: It does sound like it is time to purchase a slave cylinder. As for the flex line stuck in the old ... | |
| Lucas C40 generator | 11/28/2008 |
| Q: Howard, I recently removed a Lucas C40 generator from a 1961 Metropolitan. It was making a ... A: It would pay you to have the armature tested on a growler at a generator / alternator repair shop ... | |
| 1976 mgb speedometer cable noise | 11/27/2008 |
| Q: Is it advisable to grease the speedometer cable? It sounds like the cable is dry when I start ... A: Remove the thumb nut at the back of the speedometer and you can just pull the inner cable out all ... | |
| MGB GT Power Loss & interior steam | 11/26/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1969 B and am very new to the British car world. Car ran flawlessly for 6 months then I ... A: The steam out of the defroster vents is coming from a leaking heater core. The heater core is in the ... | |
| pcv system | 11/26/2008 |
| Q: I own a 79MG Midget that I have put a Webber downdraft carb on and I was wanting to put a pcv system ... A: I could not even guess at what PCV valve to use as that is dependent on the amount of crankcase ... | |
| Spark plug gap theory questions | 11/26/2008 |
| Q: in a couple of MGB books I own I read conflicting values on what my spark plug gap should be. I ... A: Some of what you say is true. As the gap becomes wider and wider it is, it does take more voltage to ... | |
| carbs or timing? | 11/25/2008 |
| Q: i have a problem with my mg midget 1974 1275 no emission control,the car will not tick over under ... A: Mike, if the jets are only two flats down I would say there is a problem either with the jets or ... | |
| heater assembly | 11/25/2008 |
| Q: My 77 midget, the heater assembly has been taken apart. I cant figure out how it goes back together. ... A: I know what you are up against, however it has been 30 years since I worked on the 1500 Midget and ... | |
| 1976 mgb speedometer cable noise | 11/25/2008 |
| Q: Is it advisable to grease the speedometer cable? It sounds like the cable is dry when I start ... A: Yes, it is advisable to lube the inner cable. That is the most cause I seen for cable failure. The ... | |
| 78 MGB wiring for od switch | 11/25/2008 |
| Q: the switch and wiring were removed from car when purchased. Seller claims OD works. Cannot find any ... A: The manual on/off switch got it's power from the fuel pump circuit but you can power it from any ... | |
| mgb dash wiring | 11/24/2008 |
| Q: I am looking to replace main harness, wondering if I suld do the dash harness at same time, do they ... A: If you are going as far as to replace a main harness it would pay you to put a dash harness in too ... | |
| 1971 Turn Signal - Head Light Problem | 11/21/2008 |
| Q: I replaced my broken handled turn signal switch assembly with another one. Unplugged the old one, ... A: John, there is a turn signal flasher and a 4 way flasher too. But not two turn signal flashers. The ... | |
| Positive side of the coil | 11/20/2008 |
| Q: My renovation of the 74 Midget continues. First, thanks for all the help so far. You are a ... A: Corey, you are wasting your time trying to ID wires by their voltage. It takes only a minute to ... | |
| Wiper motor | 11/20/2008 |
| Q: I have just completed re-wiring the wiper on my MGB. My problem now is to get the wiper arms to park ... A: There are 5 wires from the car to the wiper assembly so I would guess you are inside the wiper ... | |
| 1972 MG | 11/19/2008 |
| Q: We have a Mg that starts and shuts off if you move around the coil and wires it will lose spark then ... A: If you have the original Opus/Lucas igniter it is a wonder it still works as they were sometimes ... | |
| MG Midget 1500 intermittent spark at low revs | 11/19/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1978 MG midget 1500 which will not spark consistently at low revs. The engine has been ... A: I learned the hard way working in dealerships that you can not assume anything. So if your car had ... | |
| FLASHERS, turn signals and break lights kaput | 11/19/2008 |
| Q: Please let me know where to start- at the tail lights first and follow with meter or start at the ... A: You can start from either end but first you need a wiring diagram. Most Lucas turn signals operate ... | |
| 1971 Turn Signal - Head Light Problem | 11/19/2008 |
| Q: I replaced my broken handled turn signal switch assembly with another one. Unplugged the old one, ... A: You have some major problems with you wiring and should not connect your new switch up as it is in ... | |
| solenoid | 11/18/2008 |
| Q: my 1975 mg midget wouldnt spark so i brought out a test lamp and i found out that on the solenoid ... A: David, different solenoids place the spades in different locations so "Top, Bottom, Right or left" ... | |
| 1974 mg | 11/18/2008 |
| Q: how much time would it take to swap the engines from two 1974 mg midgets from one to the other? also ... A: That is a humorous question. I was able to put an engine and trans on the floor in 30 min in a ... | |
| 73 MGB dies at idle | 11/18/2008 |
| Q: My 73 MGB is dying at idle speed. It only stays running when choke is pulled or when accelerator is ... A: Each time an MG came to me in the dealership with a running problem I had to not assume anything so ... | |
| solenoid | 11/17/2008 |
| Q: my 1975 mg midget wouldnt spark so i brought out a test lamp and i found out that on the solenoid ... A: There are two large threaded posts on the solenoid and two small flat spade connectors or two small ... | |
| Master Cylindre repair | 11/17/2008 |
| Q: I recently purchased a 1979 MG Midget and I am restoring it. I purchased a Brake Master Cylinder ... A: If you are referring to a white plastic ring just under the retaining clip that will not come out ... | |
| timing. | 11/16/2008 |
| Q: hey howard, i recently got my car to spark, next is timing the engine. i know NOTHING about timing ... A: You need either a timing light or you can set the timing static using a 12v test light. First look ... | |
| 1979 MG Midget | 11/16/2008 |
| Q: My 1979 MG Midget will not start. Car shut down while driving and would not start. Checked fuel, it ... A: Leo, the ign. light in the car has nothing to do with ignition, it is a charge light. The coil will ... | |
| 1979 MG Midget | 11/15/2008 |
| Q: My 1979 MG Midget will not start. Car shut down while driving and would not start. Checked fuel, it ... A: I take it that you have replaced the electronic ignition with a pointed ignition? since the 79 ... | |
| Clutch | 11/14/2008 |
| Q: I had a mechanic replace my clutch with a Borg & Beck kit and also replaced the clutch cylinders ... A: Unlikely installed wrong as if it were installed wrong it would not have went 400 miles, but ... | |
| brake bleeding | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: i am restoring a 75 mg midget. im almost done i am just working on the brakes. when i took the ... A: You don't want to buy anything until you find out what is wrong. I take it that the brake pedal goes ... | |
| Where can I find a repair shop? | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: I don't know if this question is appropriate for this forum or not...My father just gave me his 1974 ... A: I don't know anyone in the CT area but you should be able to locate a shop in your area by first ... | |
| carbs or timing? | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: i have a problem with my mg midget 1974 1275 no emission control,the car will not tick over under ... A: Very good Mike, you are sharp. To put a final finish on the carbs if you are sure the butterflies ... | |
| wiring/ no spark | 11/11/2008 |
| Q: i have a 1975 mg midget. it was stored under a tarp in the woods for a while. the engine turns over, ... A: Not at this point as you don't have enough info to condemn the wiring yet. The minimum tools you ... | |
| 1975 Midget fuel pump | 11/11/2008 |
| Q: '75 Midget won't start. I removed fuel line from carb. and noted no fuel going to carb. Replaced ... A: David, think of this as you are in the Army and I am your drill instructor. When installing any cam ... | |
| Flaky MGB ignition | 11/11/2008 |
| Q: My '76 MGB is having an ignition problem. When I start it, it runs for a few minutes and dies. ... A: The coil or condenser are the most suspect with your symptoms. First test the coil to see that it is ... | |
| 65 MGB Clutch | 11/10/2008 |
| Q: Howard, thanks for taking the time to answer a question. I have a 65 MGB that has sat for 20 years. ... A: When you say the clutch does not work, I am guessing you mean it will not release. The pedal should ... | |
| 1975 Midget fuel pump | 11/10/2008 |
| Q: '75 Midget won't start. I removed fuel line from carb. and noted no fuel going to carb. Replaced ... A: Two things you need to look at. One is you have to be careful when installing the pump to slide the ... | |
| mgb transmission | 11/9/2008 |
| Q: what changes do i have to make to install 1980 mgb trans. into 1967 mgb A: I put a late model trans in a 66 once (same as a 67) and I would never try another as I had to cut ... | |
| How to manually turn motor on 1976 MG Midget 1500cc | 11/9/2008 |
| Q: How do you manually turn the motor of a 1976 MG Midget 1500cc? I have read that I should use a ... A: Another method of turning the engine over manually is to put the car in 4th gear with the brake off ... | |
| 1973 MG Midget-1275 | 11/9/2008 |
| Q: We have put a lot of money into this car that we purchased 1 year ago. New clutch,head ... A: That puzzles me too. I have not run into that before but I can tell you how I would go about ... | |
| MG Midget Transmission | 11/6/2008 |
| Q: I own a 1971 MG Midget, I have properly bled out the slave cylinder (which is new) the car is still ... A: The clutch master cylinder pumps the fluid and pressure to make the slave cylinder move the clutch ... | |
| Co emission | 11/6/2008 |
| Q: can a bad oxygen sensor cause the engine to run to rich there fore making my car have to much Co? A: Yes, it is possible but there has to be an over rich mixture to start with because the 0 2 sensor is ... | |
| carbs or timing? | 11/6/2008 |
| Q: i have a problem with my mg midget 1974 1275 no emission control,the car will not tick over under ... A: I found from working in MG dealerships that when you have a problem with the way an engine runs you ... | |
| Removing Bonnet | 11/4/2008 |
| Q: I am going to remove the Bonnet on my MG Midget to install some heat material that needs to be glued ... A: It is best to mark around the washers with a fine point marking pen, this way you don't have so much ... | |
| headlights 69 mgb | 11/3/2008 |
| Q: Headlight low and high beams will not turn on, Parking light do work, switch works, everything else ... A: Use your test light to check for output power with the lights turned on at the blue w/white and the ... | |
| How to manually turn motor on 1976 MG Midget 1500cc | 11/3/2008 |
| Q: How do you manually turn the motor of a 1976 MG Midget 1500cc? I have read that I should use a ... A: With the plugs out, the crank should be easy to rotate. Just put a socket on the crankshaft bolt and ... | |
| 1972 MGB | 11/3/2008 |
| Q: Greetings, I have a 1972 MGB with an overdrive transmission. Recently the speedometer quit working. ... A: Check the the angle drive on the overdrive to see if it is rotating. This is a common failed item. ... | |
| gear reduction starter | 11/3/2008 |
| Q: I have installed a new gear reduction starter in a 75 mgb. It starts and as soon as I let the key ... A: Your car is wired as a 76 not a 75 and the extra wire is a bypass of a resistor that powers the 6v ... | |
| 1973 MG Midget | 11/2/2008 |
| Q: I do not like the carbs on this car. I would like to use something else that would be easier to ... A: There are other carbs and shock systems available from some of the parts distributors like Moss ... | |
| 1974 MGB GT Fuel/AIr Mixture at Higher RPM | 11/1/2008 |
| Q: I took my 74 MGB GT out for a "longer" run today. It was rebuilt, and a pair of HS6 were installed ... A: If the butterflies are in sync at idle, they are in sync at all RPM. If you adjusted the jets like ... | |
| vacum hose- power brake booster | 11/1/2008 |
| Q: I took my 1976 MGB apart about 10 years ago. I am now trying to remember how to put it back ... A: The one-way valve is usually screwed into the back of the booster and has about a half inch hose on ... | |
| ever running fuel pump | 11/1/2008 |
| Q: thanx for advice on my electrics in the summer , all sorted now, major restoration of my 68 tourer ... A: If it were flooding it would be running very rough at low RPM and blowing a lot of black smoke out ... | |
| ever running fuel pump | 10/31/2008 |
| Q: thanx for advice on my electrics in the summer , all sorted now, major restoration of my 68 tourer ... A: If it is an SU pump and it is built correctly it will click fast until the carbs are full, then it ... | |
| 1973 mg midget | 10/27/2008 |
| Q: i purchased the carb. second hand so i do not have the intstructions. here is a link to the carb. ... A: David, that may get the engine started but that is NOT going to solve all of the problems that will ... | |
| 1973 mg midget | 10/27/2008 |
| Q: I have all the lights working on my car except the brake lights don't work. Where do i begin? ... A: I always start at the load (light bulb) on a light failure, but on a brake light failure you can ... | |
| carb | 10/27/2008 |
| Q: i would like to replace my original carb with a weber.....how do i start? 1973 mg midget what is the ... A: That depends on what the function of any ports on the Weber. You need to know what each port on the ... | |
| rough running mg midget at high speeds | 10/23/2008 |
| Q: I am in the process of restoring a 1979 mg midget, Have added the following, weber carb, ... A: Running rough at high speeds narrows the problem down to only a thousand possible things. You will ... | |
| the diagram you sent me | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: hey thank you, but it was REALLY blurrey i cant make it out. ANSWER: Go to my web site and copy the ... A: Not at all if you wire it correctly. All you need on a pointed system (Kettering System) is a power ... | |
| Ignition | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: Mr.Fitzcharles, I am in the process of replacing ignition wires on a 77 Midget. I am replacing an ... A: Tom, I told you to look on the net for this aftermarket system. I looked and the first one that ... | |
| Ignition | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: Mr.Fitzcharles, I am in the process of replacing ignition wires on a 77 Midget. I am replacing an ... A: I can give you the Opus/Lucas wiring but I have never seen a CEI wiring diagram.Your best bet would ... | |
| Key will not turn engine over | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: Have purchased 1974 MGB that has been stored for 11 years. Engine will turn over by hand, but cannot ... A: On the starter relay is a yellow w/pink tracer wire on "W-1" pin. This is the trigger for the relay ... | |
| 1976 mgb directional | 10/21/2008 |
| Q: Good morning Howard, I bought my wife a 1976 mgb and the right directional works until you step on ... A: Even though they do not share anything on the power side, they do share a ground and that makes it ... | |
| 1975 mg midget | 10/20/2008 |
| Q: hey there howard, i am cureently restoring a 75 mg midget. the distributor was in bad shape so i ... A: If the key was on and you had no power to the coil on the (+) post, it has nothing to do with the ... | |
| clutch | 10/20/2008 |
| Q: Howard, Thank you for your help on other issues. Sometimes I can find my answer by reading your past ... A: A clutch arm will not bend itself over night so I would look at the clutch hydraulic system ... | |
| 1975 mg midget | 10/20/2008 |
| Q: hey there howard, i am cureently restoring a 75 mg midget. the distributor was in bad shape so i ... A: It sounds like you got the wires correct but you need to do a couple of tests. First disconnect the ... | |
| 1977 midget 1500 oil Filter | 10/19/2008 |
| Q: Getting ready to do my first oil change on my 1500 1977 Midget ..quick question the oil filter by ... A: The filter is a spin on filter and use the recommended filter in the store's application data. But ... | |
| MGB Engine | 10/17/2008 |
| Q: I have asked a question on here before about my MGB. I have a 1974 MGB, and when we looked up the ... A: Sorry, I don't know anyone in AR. Your symptoms do not in any way indicate what is wrong. There is ... | |
| 1979 mg | 10/16/2008 |
| Q: Changed plugs cap but still wont start.need help. A: All piston engines only require three items to run with conditions on each of the three. The three ... | |
| coil | 10/16/2008 |
| Q: Howard, i recently got an old 1975 mg midget. i have replaced the coil, condencer, spark plugs, ... A: Turn the engine by hand until the points are open and check the gap. Should be .015", then turn the ... | |
| bleeding clutch slave cylinder | 10/16/2008 |
| Q: 1971 MG midget. How is the best way to bleed the clutch slave cylinder. Difficult to get to, can't ... A: Place a pan under the slave cylinder and open the bleeder. You don't need a hose if it is difficult ... | |
| MGB Patrs Availability | 10/15/2008 |
| Q: I've acquired a 1976 MGB which hasn't been run for several years that I'd like to restore. Are parts ... A: There are many available parts including a whole body. The ones I have dealt with and can recommend ... | |
| coil | 10/15/2008 |
| Q: Howard, i recently got an old 1975 mg midget. i have replaced the coil, condencer, spark plugs, ... A: Jullion, the 75 Midget with the 1500 Spitfire engine had electronic ignition so what condenser did ... | |
| carb | 10/15/2008 |
| Q: i would like to replace my original carb with a weber.....how do i start? 1973 mg midget what is the ... A: The vacuum hose should come from the base of the carburetor not the manifold. That should be ... | |
| Evaporative Loss - Liquid Loss | 10/14/2008 |
| Q: I have a 72 MGB with the original Su Carbs still in place, recently I went to take her for a spin ... A: Fuel in the canister can only come from two places, the vent for the fuel tank and the vent from the ... | |
| 1979 mg midget carb problem | 10/14/2008 |
| Q: The carb was recently rebuilt , runs good down the road, but does not hold idol,, any ideas A: An engine that does not idle well can have hundreds of possible problems. When I get a car brought ... | |
| MGBGT Kickdown cable replacement | 10/13/2008 |
| Q: I have a '71 MGBGT Auto (quite rare in the UK) which has a frayed kickdown cable. I have the new ... A: The "B" with an automatic was rare here in the US too. I worked in several MG dealerships back then ... | |
| Steering Shaking | 10/13/2008 |
| Q: Howard, I own a 1965 MGB Roadster. I get quite a severe shaking through the steering wheel at about ... A: Generally, if the wheel shakes in a circle motion, it is an out of balance front wheel/s, Unless it ... | |
| New alternator | 10/13/2008 |
| Q: I have decided that I might go for a new alternator, a very reputable parts dealer in British Parts ... A: The higher amp alternator will not hurt at all. Amperage is 100% dependent on load meaning that the ... | |
| Brake lights | 10/12/2008 |
| Q: I have a 77 MGB, (just bought it). The brake lights, hazard lights, and radio have quit working. I ... A: It is not enough to check a fuse. You need to test the wires on each end of a fuse. The fuse with ... | |
| carbon release baring probs | 10/12/2008 |
| Q: I recent finnished rubilding my 74 mgb, and after 1500 i still have one last problem, it has since ... A: I have installed so many clutch packs and carbon bearings that I have lost count when working in ... | |
| need to know | 10/10/2008 |
| Q: I am going to look at a 1975 MG Midget, I am looking for a car thats sheep on gas and can travel up ... A: While a Midget is good on fuel mileage, it is not a highway cruiser meaning it would not be a car ... | |
| 72 midget negative tire camber | 10/10/2008 |
| Q: Howard, I notice my front tires are wearing on the inside of the rim. How do I change the angle of ... A: Did you actually measure negative camber? Or are you basing the tire ware on negative camber? There ... | |
| Red Charge light | 10/9/2008 |
| Q: When running the Midget and driving around all is charging well until the engine warms up to normal ... A: When the light is on put a volt meter across the battery posts and read the voltage with the idle ... | |
| brake pressure switch | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: I'm losing all my brake fluid out the end of what I've determined to be the brake pressure switch. ... A: You are probably talking about a pressure differential switch which is just a switch that tells you ... | |
| Brake fluid. | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: howard, i have a '75 mg midget and i got it CHEAP! its not in REAL bad shape. i went to bleed the ... A: Instead of opening the bleeder valve at the caliper try opening the line fitting at the master ... | |
| NO SPARK! | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: i am the one who got a 1975 mg midget for 200 dollars and i had a spitfire distributor. i fixed the ... A: Put the blade of the screwdriver in contact with both contacts of the points. That "shorts" out the ... | |
| Missing timing marks | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: I am trying to set the timing on my 1975 Midget (1500) and can not locate any timing marks on the ... A: There is just a notch in both edges of the pulley. The timing marks are the pointers on the timing ... | |
| NO SPARK! | 10/6/2008 |
| Q: i am the one who got a 1975 mg midget for 200 dollars and i had a spitfire distributor. i fixed the ... A: Wesley, guessing which part may be bad is a waste of time, you need to test to find the problem. ... | |
| Strange clutch issue | 10/6/2008 |
| Q: I'm having a clutch problem different than any descriptions I've read, and hope you have some ideas. ... A: You need to look at several things. Confirm that the pedal itself is not sticking, then the master ... | |
| 1979 MGB | 10/5/2008 |
| Q: Howard-I have a 79 MGB that I am having a problem with-it has a Weber 34 DGEC carb -it starts easy ... A: I think you need to test exhaust back pressure. No more than 1.5 PSI is allowable. If you have a ... | |
| 78 MGB GT | 10/5/2008 |
| Q: I have 78 MGB GT, everything works, except there is drain on the battery. Ignition light goes out ... A: If you are getting 14.5 v at the battery at a fast idle then the charging system is working. We had ... | |
| MG MIDGET 1973 | 10/5/2008 |
| Q: Can you give me any tips on the best way to fit a new quarter glass window, I'm struggling to make ... A: Mark, if you installed the new rubber seal in the outer frame so that it sits in place into its ... | |
| spark | 10/4/2008 |
| Q: 79 mg midget 1500 eng i got no fire, coil is new and its a elec dist what do i need to check ... A: If you have some kind of aftermarket ignition system that has an external amplifier then you need to ... | |
| 1976 MGB | 10/4/2008 |
| Q: What should we use for transmission fluid in our 1976 MGB ? Please help we are lost. A: For a long time we used engine oil in the earlier MGBs and it worked well, When BLM took over MG ... | |
| MGB valve spring questions | 10/4/2008 |
| Q: I own a 1968 MGB with the GF engine. The #7 valve had one broken valve cotter, one damaged valve ... A: To see which is wrong do this, Install the valve in the head and the two cotters in the collar on ... | |
| spark | 10/4/2008 |
| Q: 79 mg midget 1500 eng i got no fire, coil is new and its a elec dist what do i need to check A: The electronic ignition either works or it doesn't. When it fails even the man who designed it can't ... | |
| 1980 mgb no turn signals or flashers | 10/3/2008 |
| Q: Fitzcharles I have a 1980 MGB, all the lights work, however neither my flashers or turn signals ... A: You need a wiring diagram to diagnose an electrical problem when any item does not work. With the ... | |
| proper hookup of allison 700xr and what wires connect to which terminal on the coil | 10/3/2008 |
| Q: i was given a mg midget. it is not running, but we are getting close. the wiring is a mass of ... A: I can tell you about MGs but I have no experience with Allison so you would need to contact Allison ... | |
| distributor | 9/30/2008 |
| Q: i have a 1975 mg midget. i got it for 200 dollars and it sat under a tarp for 2 years. it has a 1974 ... A: The 75 Midget has a Spitfire engine so yes, a Spitfire distributor should work. If you don't have ... | |
| HIF44 SU mess | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: I'm attempting to fault find a starting issue with my 79 B and I thought I would balance and tune ... A: If you still have the car set up as it was originally the vacuum is not operative until the car is ... | |
| 70MBG Acceleration Issue | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: Have a serious bog down when acceleration off of idle. Original SU and Distributor. Replaced with ... A: Yes, 22 deg just from centrifugal at 2200 RPM. Float level should be checked and run a test of the ... | |
| 70MBG Acceleration Issue | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: Have a serious bog down when acceleration off of idle. Original SU and Distributor. Replaced with ... A: When I had a car that was not right no matter what the symptoms were, the first thing necessary was ... | |
| MGB | 9/28/2008 |
| Q: Can I safely tow a 77 MGB with the 4 wheels touching the ground [from an RV} thanx A: If you tow any MG very far you either need to overfill the transmission with oil or remove the ... | |
| HIF44 SU mess | 9/28/2008 |
| Q: I'm attempting to fault find a starting issue with my 79 B and I thought I would balance and tune ... A: Flat black soot on either the front two or rear two plugs is an indication you did not adjust that ... | |
| HIF44 SU mess | 9/27/2008 |
| Q: I'm attempting to fault find a starting issue with my 79 B and I thought I would balance and tune ... A: While in MG dealerships in the 60's and 70's I found it was 100% necessary to be sure everything ... | |
| 1976 MGB Electrical | 9/26/2008 |
| Q: On my 76 MGB with the ignition on, when I pull up on the emergency brake the starter engages the ... A: I don't remember ever changing one of the diodes out, but looking at the diagram you should be able ... | |
| 1962 Midget Starter Problem | 9/25/2008 |
| Q: When ignition turned on and starter pulled only response is slight dimming of ignition warning light ... A: A dragging starter is one that draws a lot of current but just barely turns the engine. It needs a ... | |
| 1962 Midget Starter Problem | 9/25/2008 |
| Q: When ignition turned on and starter pulled only response is slight dimming of ignition warning light ... A: When the cables get warm, that is an indication of an excess amp draw. meaning something is using ... | |
| fuel coming out of the char. canister | 9/24/2008 |
| Q: I have a problem that recently arose while driving my 71 mgb. I noticed the smell of gas and when I ... A: Yes, it is possible so you need to check fuel pressure. You should not see any over 3 PSI. I found ... | |
| MG Midget wiring | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: Just fixed my horn, added a second one and found that the reason it was not working was a bad ... A: The horn circuit is a purple wire that has nothing to do with the ignition circuit unless it is ... | |
| 1975 MGB Hard Starting Problems | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1975 MGB with SU carburetors. The car just will not start when it has been setting for a ... A: It depends on which SU carbs you have. If the float chamber is mounted on the side of the carbs ... | |
| 76 Midget backfire | 9/22/2008 |
| Q: I have a '76 Midget that has a backfire whenever I shift between 2nd & 3rd and 3rd & 4th. This only ... A: Many things can cause a backfire between shifts. First and most likely is a leak in the exhaust ... | |
| 1975 MGB Won't start | 9/22/2008 |
| Q: After charging the battery it started but with many attempts that smelt like flooding. I drove it ... A: When you say "it just would not turn over like fuel is not getting to where it needs to go" You will ... | |
| 1977 MGB electrical ignition problem | 9/22/2008 |
| Q: I'm having a great time with my 77 MGB that I recently purchased, however, I have an inconsistent ... A: You need to do some testing and it must be done in the failed mode. Take a 12v test light or volt ... | |
| clutch pedal has no tension | 9/21/2008 |
| Q: Howard, I backed my car out yesterday and once I took it out of reverse, I couldn't get the shift ... A: John, when you have a clutch hydraulic problem you need to rebuild both the master cylinder and the ... | |
| 1980 mgb roadster | 9/21/2008 |
| Q: My electric fans aren't working. I have checked the fuses and they are good. How do I check to make ... A: Check the temp switch in the radiator for power with the key on and if you have power put a jumper ... | |
| Car kills after first start | 9/20/2008 |
| Q: After my 1972 midget has been sitting for a few days it is hard to start and after it starts the car ... A: Your symptoms narrow the problem down to about a thousand things so you need to run tests to narrow ... | |
| 1975 MGB Hard Starting Problems | 9/20/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1975 MGB with SU carburetors. The car just will not start when it has been setting for a ... A: First is this a Euro car or a US car that has been converted back to SUs? If it runs good warm but ... | |
| Brake Fluid | 9/19/2008 |
| Q: In several of your answers, you have been emphatic about no DOT 3 fluid, and to only use DOT 4. ... A: Many aftermarket shop manuals claim you can use DOT 3 but I know from experience that DOT 3 fluid ... | |
| 1979 Midget | 9/19/2008 |
| Q: I have a first gear synchronizer failure. The other gears work as they should and I want to repair ... A: The hub assembly is not usually damaged when a syncro goes out. The only reason a hub assembly would ... | |
| 77 mg midget | 9/19/2008 |
| Q: 77 midget will not shift into reverse. All other gears work fine. When you lift the shifter up and ... A: Joe, you might try removing the shift tower cover and the shift lever to see if there is a problem ... | |
| 77 mg midget | 9/19/2008 |
| Q: 77 midget will not shift into reverse. All other gears work fine. When you lift the shifter up and ... A: Are you lifting and then move to the right before you push forward? Move all the way to the right in ... | |
| 1970 MG Midget........Electrical | 9/18/2008 |
| Q: The running lights are not all working. The right rear does work, and the other three bulbs have ... A: I thought I answered this one once but maybe it didn't go through, If the rear works then the power ... | |
| MGB 77 Dash illummination lamps are too dim | 9/18/2008 |
| Q: My dash lights are very dim even I adjust the dimmer controller to maximum. Is this normal for 1977 ... A: Unless the dimmer switch is bad, the only thing you can do is get higher wattage bulbs. There is no ... | |
| stuck between gears? | 9/18/2008 |
| Q: i have a 66 midget (actually an A-H Sprite) that i think might be stuck between gears ... engine ... A: To test it, try to shift into gear when the engine is off. If you can, and it grinds when the engine ... | |
| Ignition coils | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1977 MGB with a Petronicx Ignitor electronic ignition system.I'm currently using the Lucas ... A: I don't know what Petronics is talking about. The car used a 1.5 ohm coil because there is a ... | |
| 1970 MG Midget........Electrical | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: The running lights are not all working. The right rear does work, and the other three bulbs have ... A: You need a 12v test light and a wiring diagram to test circuits. If one is on and the others have ... | |
| MG Midget M III 1968 engine no GSE1106 120872 (AD)- what type ? | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: I’m the proud owner of an 1968 MG Midget M III - i have a challenge identifying the engine ... A: According to my info the 68 Midget MK III should have a "12CD" prefix on the engine number and is a ... | |
| Do I actually own a 75 MG Midget? | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: I recently bought a Midget and the title indicates that it is a 1975, but the bumpers are chrome and ... A: Chassis number should tell, 72 = GAN-5-105501 to 123730 73 = GAN-5-123731 to 138800 74 = ... | |
| MGA 1500 firing order diagram | 9/16/2008 |
| Q: I am looking for a diagram of the firing order for a MGA 1500 that i am restoring Thanks Demo ... A: Demo, if you mean the position in the cap, that depends on how it was set up the last time it had ... | |
| 1977 MGB Fuel Issue? | 9/15/2008 |
| Q: Just bought a 77 B that had been secured in a storage building since 1991. The usually nickel and ... A: You need to see which has been lost, fuel or fire at the time of failure. Compression will not come ... | |
| Do I actually own a 75 MG Midget? | 9/15/2008 |
| Q: I recently bought a Midget and the title indicates that it is a 1975, but the bumpers are chrome and ... A: The 75 Midget had a 1500 Spitfire engine and the prefix of the engine number is "FP" and the prefix ... | |
| Spark yellow | 9/15/2008 |
| Q: My 1977 MGB idle ok, rev up ok when park. But when I shift to first and second gear, it wants to ... A: The information is useful to readers that may experience the same problem. Even though we were able ... | |
| new carborator | 9/14/2008 |
| Q: I have a "76 MGB that has been sitting for about 15 yrs. I have flushed the old oil out an couple ... A: that is often a problem when you purchase an intake from one company and an exhaust from another. ... | |
| Dead Battery | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: How would you solve a problem with the battery (new battery) in my 1980 'B' going dead overnight? A: If a new battery is going dead over night you need to do a simple test. Charge the battery back up ... | |
| 78 Midget-Both Front Wheel Brakes Frozen | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: Just completed replacing the Clutch Master and Slave cylinders took the car for a ride (5 miles) and ... A: If you have the master cylinder off of the car and the two front wheels are still locked up you need ... | |
| engine uprades | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: I'm looking to rebuild my 1980 B engine and was wondering what upgrades can be done to increase ... A: The "B" gearbox with an overdrive unit is a very good unit and as long as it is installed correctly, ... | |
| fuel pump on 76 Midget | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: In following up to the fuel pump question and response...I was asking abut replacing the coil ... A: Mike, you have a misconception about a fuel pump and choke. They have nothing to do with each other. ... | |
| Spark yellow | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: My 1977 MGB idle ok, rev up ok when park. But when I shift to first and second gear, it wants to ... A: Yung, if the engine revs ok and idles ok and the plugs are black, you need to address the fuel ... | |
| fuel pump, 76 Midget | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: I was not getting any power to a new fuel pump..traced the wire to the coil where I cleaned up the ... A: Michael, why do you want to replace the coil when the engine dies? There are hundreds of parts that ... | |
| No power to fuel pump | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: Ok, heres the situation. 1977 MGB, I totaled it back in 1994 and it sat in storage rusting away ... A: If you are not getting power to the inertia switch you just need to use a test light and trace the ... | |
| 1979 MGB, engine overheating | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: I just bought a 1979 MGB. The engine is overheating after driving 30 min in traffic. The fan works ... A: I thought I answered this but it must not have went through so here it is. Whenever a car came to ... | |
| Ignition coil problem? | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: I am working on a 1977 MGB. I have had problem with the starter. Then I found I have a bad battery ... A: Your test of Yellow spark is an indication of a weak spark (unless it was looked at in bright ... | |
| MGB 1979 fuel pump orientation | 9/10/2008 |
| Q: I replaced a tired fuel pump with a new SU after-market type. I have replaced the rubber feeder ... A: I would look at the travel of the rear end because even the lowest quality hose you could find ... | |
| Stuck oil pump and distributor | 9/9/2008 |
| Q: I own a 1968 MGB. The engine is currently pulled, and is at the machine shop. It is an 18 GF, high ... A: It is not uncommon for the distributor to corrode to the sleeve it is in and for the sleeve to rust ... | |
| MGB 1979 modification timing issues | 9/9/2008 |
| Q: I have 1979 MGB that a previous owner removed pollution controls and installed new cams, valves and ... A: I never seen any formula to take a cam degrees and come up with an ignition timing. I don't think ... | |
| key stuck in the ignition | 9/9/2008 |
| Q: 77 MGB--How do I get a key stuck in the ignition out? -It won't move forward or backward and and ... A: You may try removing the whole unit from the steering column by using a small chisel and hammer to ... | |
| 78 MGBT: Directional Indicator Lights | 9/9/2008 |
| Q: In the last year it has developed a fault with the lighting. On main light beam (flashed or ... A: I tried for a long time working in shops to diagnosis by logic. As with most mechanics back then I ... | |
| Ignition coil problem? | 9/9/2008 |
| Q: I am working on a 1977 MGB. I have had problem with the starter. Then I found I have a bad battery ... A: I would have to write a book on all your questions so I can only cover one at a time. First warm ... | |
| 76 MGB Seat back adjustments | 9/8/2008 |
| Q: The seatback adjustment levers on the "inboard" side of the seats do not allow the seat back to be ... A: This is the long flat lever? The only thing you can do is take the seat back out of the car as I ... | |
| 1976 Midget 1500 starting issues | 9/7/2008 |
| Q: I have a 76 Midget 1500 that has started and run fine for the last year. Recently it took a few ... A: Other than melt your wrench and make the nut ugly that you were trying to tighten, you may not have ... | |
| L-joint for speedometer cable | 9/7/2008 |
| Q: I'm not sure what exactly to call this part, but the L-Joint for my speedometer cable that comes out ... A: That angle drive does not come apart for repairs and even if you got it apart no one has any parts ... | |
| 68 MGB w/ Weber | 9/7/2008 |
| Q: Howard, Bought a "B" on Ebay and lo and behold low oil pressure. Car is solid and is my 7th ... A: If you smelled gas in the oil and noted the oil was thin, the oil and filter change should have ... | |
| 74 mg midget brake bleeding | 9/6/2008 |
| Q: I am all but done but can not get this thing off the jacks until I get this brake issue solved. I ... A: When you replace everything and have a soft pedal. You need to try this, Remove the new front pads ... | |
| engine cut out | 9/5/2008 |
| Q: Back again with another problem that just started. Reguarding my 1977 MGB Roadster. Driving down the ... A: The box was a plastic box about 6 in x 4 x 2 and the LEDs were 12v and I used 3 Red LEDs and 4 green ... | |
| engine cut out | 9/5/2008 |
| Q: Back again with another problem that just started. Reguarding my 1977 MGB Roadster. Driving down the ... A: Even though you have checked and done several things there are a thousand possible things that can ... | |
| 1976 Midget | 9/4/2008 |
| Q: We recently purchased a 1976 Midget. We had the carb rebuilt and replaced the starter. We were ... A: The US version 1975 1500 ran on Regular fuel but the 1976 1500 was designed to use Premium fuel. The ... | |
| 1976 MGB dies under load | 9/3/2008 |
| Q: My 1976 MGB starts fine, idles fine, revs fine. It has progressed to the point where when I drive ... A: It is expensive to find a problem by replacing parts until you happened to hit what is wrong. The ... | |
| MGB starting | 9/3/2008 |
| Q: When I did start my MGB 1980 for the last 8 years I would turn the key and there was a ticking sound ... A: The ticking sound was probably the fuel pump and when you don't hear it then it is not running. Do ... | |
| Dead batteries | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: Every other year I have to replace both 6 volt batteries on my MGB. They seem to drain themselves ... A: If the batteries are running down you need to do two simple tests. First put a volt meter across the ... | |
| Carb Tuning | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: It's Jon with the 1976 Midget (1275 in it). I took the car on an extended trip today--about 30kms. ... A: What lever are you talking about pushing in? A miss fire under load narrows the problem down to a ... | |
| battery issues | 9/1/2008 |
| Q: My 1978 MGB keeps killing batteries. I have replaced the battery three times in the past six months ... A: You can check the car easy enough. Just put a volt meter across the posts of the battery after it is ... | |
| 1975 Midget Ignition Switch, Starter Solenoid and Oil Pressure | 8/31/2008 |
| Q: Howard, Thank you for replying to my question 8/18/08. I have finally had a chance to try your ... A: Keith, 1. Yes 2. Probably means the two small wires were reversed. 3. The small harness from the ... | |
| Fuel | 8/31/2008 |
| Q: its Jon with the 1976 Midget (1275 in it). I replaced the jets--they now can be adjusted. I just ... A: Jon, Three flats, not three turns. six flats = one turn. Yes, if you had the carbs so far out of ... | |
| Fuel | 8/31/2008 |
| Q: its Jon with the 1976 Midget (1275 in it). I replaced the jets--they now can be adjusted. I just ... A: The pin is on the side of the carb and you lift the pin ALL the way up. This lifts the piston inside ... | |
| Fuel | 8/31/2008 |
| Q: its Jon with the 1976 Midget (1275 in it). I replaced the jets--they now can be adjusted. I just ... A: Rich can not cause a backfire. When you say "backfire" do you mean a backfire out the exhaust or are ... | |
| Speedometer Stopped working | 8/30/2008 |
| Q: Howard, it has been a while. This is the 1975 MGB we were working on trying to figure out why the ... A: The angle drive on the trans is a common failed item and just unscrew it from the trans and check to ... | |
| MG Midget Electrical | 8/29/2008 |
| Q: My brake check light on the dash doesn't come on. Is there a quick way to test if it's the bulb? or ... A: Yes, take it out and test it on a battery. If the bulb is good you need to look at your wiring ... | |
| Continuous blown fuse 1970 MGB | 8/27/2008 |
| Q: Just replaced theclutch and hydraulics im my B.Now am blowing fuse controlling directionals ,backup ... A: When you have several items failed and they all are powered by one fuse, you need to remove all of ... | |
| Vacuum advance | 8/27/2008 |
| Q: Good morning, I suspect the vacuum advance is not working on a '80 MGB with a Weber conversion. The ... A: You need a hand operated vacuum pump called a MityVac or any vacuum pump with a gauge on it. Just ... | |
| '76 ignition problem | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: a friend has an 76 mg u.s. version. someone installed a Mallory duel point ign. system. we are ... A: The US version MG with a 110 (1.8 liter) engine is the MGB. which is a four cylinder engine. As all ... | |
| headlight | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1976 MGB. Sitting in the car, the right low beam head light is out, but the high beam ... A: You need to pull the bulb out to test it or replace it. The chrome rim is snapped on at the bottom ... | |
| MGB Fuse line | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1980 MGB and all electrical operations serviced by the the number 5 fuse line (turn ... A: The power for that fuse should be from the ignition switch. (it may also have a ignition relay) ... | |
| 1977 MGB temperature gauge | 8/25/2008 |
| Q: I have a recently purchased 1977 MGB. The Temperature gauge does not work. The alternator was ... A: The temp gauge is powered by a voltage stabilizer to drop the 12v down to about 10v but the method ... | |
| checking for oil pressure | 8/25/2008 |
| Q: i have a spitfire 1500 engine in a 1975 mg midget. i have had the head work done, valves and ... A: Jim, Even though you should loose oil pressure with the head off it should pump oil all over the ... | |
| 1974 Mg Midget | 8/25/2008 |
| Q: How to remove a camshaft locator plate on a 1974 MG Midget ANSWER: Hi Roger, You have to remove the ... A: Roger, The MG Midget cam does not have a spline on it. The only splined item is a small drive for ... | |
| fuel filter | 8/25/2008 |
| Q: how do I replace the fuel filter on an 80B? Is it as simple as crimping the lines, or do I have to ... A: If you have a full tank of fuel you can get a flex fuel "line clamp off tool" from any tool truck, ... | |
| MGB adjusting fuel mixture | 8/24/2008 |
| Q: my question concerns adjusting the fuel mixture on a 1968 MGB with the dual HS4 SU carburetors. In ... A: I know that most books tell you to adjust the carburetor that you lift the pin on. But I was taught ... | |
| checking for oil pressure | 8/24/2008 |
| Q: i have a spitfire 1500 engine in a 1975 mg midget. i have had the head work done, valves and ... A: All 75 midgets had Triumph Spitfire engines in them. It is very important that you see oil pressure ... | |
| carb | 8/24/2008 |
| Q: We bought a 77 mg midget with a 150cd carb 91 cid it sat for 10 years so we put a new float in it ... A: When any engine sits for 10 years you need to do several things. Change all fluids and adjust the ... | |
| 1974 Mg Midget | 8/24/2008 |
| Q: How to remove a camshaft locator plate on a 1974 MG Midget A: You have to remove the timing cover, both sprockets and the chain. The plate is held to the block by ... | |
| Fuel Gauge | 8/23/2008 |
| Q: My fuel gauge has worked all along until I filled my tank up the other day. Also at the same time, ... A: I am guessing you have some kind of MG and of an unknown year model. When all those items go out you ... | |
| vapor,fuel,water hoses | 8/22/2008 |
| Q: How long are unused rubber hoses are still good? A: If you mean new hoses that have never been on a car they can last a lot longer then the ones on a ... | |
| Clutch Bleeding | 8/21/2008 |
| Q: Have replaced M/C, S/C and line, but cannot bleed the system on my 68 Midget (72 engine). I have ... A: Glad to hear you got it fixed. As for the starter, check for power on the White w/red tracer wire ... | |
| 74 MGB emission tuning | 8/21/2008 |
| Q: I’m trying to get my 74 MGB to pass Boise’s emission testing… need to be < 6% CO and < 900 PPM Hydro ... A: Sounds like you have a good handle on this. Sometimes there is a difference between the carbs due to ... | |
| 1976 MGB Brake Lights | 8/20/2008 |
| Q: Brake lights stopped functioning last Sat.- removed switch, cleaned thoroughly and reinstalled. ... A: Connect either an ohm meter or a power wire and a test light so you can see when the switch opens ... | |
| no spark | 8/20/2008 |
| Q: was running perfectly,but had no brake lights...turned key on and found problem with brakes and ... A: The 74 MGB should not have a resistor so any 12v coil should work ok. There may be some 12v coils ... | |
| 74 MGB emission tuning | 8/20/2008 |
| Q: I’m trying to get my 74 MGB to pass Boise’s emission testing… need to be < 6% CO and < 900 PPM Hydro ... A: Jim, you are adjusting it backwards. When you lift the front carb pin, you are adjusting the rear ... | |
| no spark | 8/20/2008 |
| Q: was running perfectly,but had no brake lights...turned key on and found problem with brakes and ... A: Yes, you could have damaged the coil if the points were closed when you left the key on. It would ... | |
| turn signal problem | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1979 MG Midget with turn signals that are slow to respond. When they do begin to blink, as ... A: I would first check the ground on the tail light assembly. Then if that is not the problem you need ... | |
| 1979 MGB Ignition Light | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: About a week ago after a 30 minute drive when I turned off my 1979 MGB the Ignition Light on the ... A: The Ign. light is not anything to do with the ignition system, it is a charge light. To test the ... | |
| 74 MGB emission tuning | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: I’m trying to get my 74 MGB to pass Boise’s emission testing… need to be < 6% CO and < 900 PPM Hydro ... A: Keep in mind that CO is mainly fuel mixture and HC is either mechanical or electrical but can raise ... | |
| EGR light | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: I have a 75 Midget 1500 the EGR light came on and my rear tail and break lights are out. How do I ... A: The EGR light is set by a counter under the hood on the speedometer cable at every 12,500 miles and ... | |
| Seized Engine From Sitting!! Options? | 8/18/2008 |
| Q: Howard - I have a 68 MGB that I fear has a locked up seized engine from sitting, we can't get it to ... A: Usually that is rust on the cylinder walls. If it is minor you may be able to just put a table spoon ... | |
| 1975 mg midget 1500 clutch | 8/18/2008 |
| Q: When we put car in gear it seems to grind. Is there an adjustment or what should I do??? Thank-you ... A: Yes you can bleed like a brake system. Be sure you do not have any more than about a inch free play ... | |
| Solenoid Problem? | 8/18/2008 |
| Q: I have a 69 B that I recently did some minor surgery on. I had a meltdown on the brown wires ... A: A solenoid does not know if you are supplying the voltage from a jumper battery or your battery so ... | |
| MGB carburator | 8/18/2008 |
| Q: I have had some carburator work done on my 77 mgb and it was runnning. The car had sat for several ... A: There is not much in a Stromberg carburetor so you can remove it and open it up. Under the top cover ... | |
| mgb ignition coil | 8/17/2008 |
| Q: I want to change the coil in my 1976 mgb. I am a little confused by my repair manual showing that a ... A: All 6v coils must be used with a resistor wire (like installed on the car) or use a ballast ... | |
| MGB carburator | 8/17/2008 |
| Q: I have had some carburator work done on my 77 mgb and it was runnning. The car had sat for several ... A: There is no reason to replace a carburetor unless you have hit it with a hammer. Mechanics had a ... | |
| Starter will not turn when key is turned to on position. | 8/17/2008 |
| Q: I am just finishing up a ground up resort on a 1975 Midget. I have put power to the system and have ... A: The starter solenoid has two large posts and two small flat spade connectors. The two small flat ... | |
| 1975 mg midget 1500 clutch | 8/16/2008 |
| Q: When we put car in gear it seems to grind. Is there an adjustment or what should I do??? Thank-you ... A: First confirm that the idle is below 1000 RPM and second depress the clutch pedal all the way to the ... | |
| battery hooked up wrong | 8/16/2008 |
| Q: I recently purchased a 1979 MG Midget. The wiring was bad (someone used household electrical cords ... A: There is no way I can tell you how far you can drive the car as is. I can say that a car with an ... | |
| 68 MGB Starting and Slave Cylinder Issues | 8/16/2008 |
| Q: Howard - Hello, once again! Questions below are regarding my 1968 MGB. Thanks for you answer on how ... A: I don't remember ever measuring the distance traveled by slave cylinder piston but I do believe it ... | |
| MG Midget Valve adjustment | 8/15/2008 |
| Q: I´ve just adjusted the valves on my MG Midget. I used a .012 feeler gauge like described in the ... A: Thomas, there should be a port on the right side of the engine close to the back where they put the ... | |
| MG Midget Valve adjustment | 8/14/2008 |
| Q: I´ve just adjusted the valves on my MG Midget. I used a .012 feeler gauge like described in the ... A: As I remember it was an oil differential pressure light that lit up when there was too much ... | |
| 77 Midget Steering wheel removal | 8/14/2008 |
| Q: I am trying to remove the stock wheel and hub on my 77 midget, I have the nut removed, using a 4" ... A: The steering wheel hub is splined with a small tapered seat at the bottom. Sometimes the spline is ... | |
| wiring problems | 8/12/2008 |
| Q: undergoing total restoration of 1968 mgb tourer, i'm at wiring stage with new loom , i've connected ... A: You have all the tools (test light and wiring diagram) all you need to do is pick ONLY one of the ... | |
| MGB Starting and restarting Battery issues | 8/12/2008 |
| Q: Please excuse if these problems are not connected -I just wanted to give you as much info as ... A: Lance, you will drive yourself crazy trying to track down all those issues at once and throwing ... | |
| that new mg | 8/11/2008 |
| Q: Now I seem to have an ignition issue on my early 1978 mgb. The distributor is an electronic, ... A: Not much you can do with most aftermarket electric ignition systems. If you test the coil and check ... | |
| MGB differential noise | 8/11/2008 |
| Q: I have a huming noise in the rear of my 74 MGB and I can't tell where it is coming from. I raised ... A: A noise from the rear end is sometimes hard to ID as the unit body construction of the MGB can ... | |
| 1975 miget | 8/11/2008 |
| Q: I have changed the coil & plug wireing and still get a wimpy red arc out of the coil wire, barely ... A: It is unlikely you still have the Lucas/Opus ignition system in the car as most failed while still ... | |
| MGB Starting | 8/10/2008 |
| Q: Battery is topped off. Red idiot light "on." Ignition switch to start - no starter, loud clunk in ... A: Joe, yes, you need to raise the car to change the starter and to first check the cable connections ... | |
| MGB side window | 8/10/2008 |
| Q: the left window on my 68 MGB is very difficult to raise/lower, particularly when the window is near ... A: You need to also lube the window channels front and back. Also if that does not correct it you will ... | |
| 75 mgb hard to start when engine hot | 8/10/2008 |
| Q: followed your suggestions and found: compression normal and uniform, fire is strong, fuel pressure ... A: Steve, the float chamber vent pipe is suppose to go to the charcoal canister to vent fuel vapor to ... | |
| MGB Starting | 8/9/2008 |
| Q: Battery is topped off. Red idiot light "on." Ignition switch to start - no starter, loud clunk in ... A: It sounds like you have a bad cable connection either on the positive side or the ground side so ... | |
| Rover won't start when engine is hot. | 8/9/2008 |
| Q: Howard. I'd be very grateful for some advice. Several years ago, I bought from a UK garage a Rover ... A: Sorry to hear you are having so much trouble finding the starting problem. I have been a mechanic ... | |
| newly purchased MGB | 8/8/2008 |
| Q: I recently purchased my first MG. Wanted one for ever. 73 roadster. As far as I can tell everything ... A: As with any newly purchased car you should change all oils and fluids so you know what you have and ... | |
| 1979 mgb wiper switch assembly | 8/8/2008 |
| Q: 1979 MGB wiper switch has four contacts and an internal spring. How does the spring fit into the ... A: Sorry Ron, I did try to repair those switches when we were out of them but that was so many years ... | |
| newly purchased MG | 8/8/2008 |
| Q: I recently purchased my first MG. Wanted one for ever. 73 roadster. As far as I can tell everything ... A: Yes, it is a very broad question. Especially when you didn't tell me if it was a "B" or a "Midget". ... | |
| Dot 3 or Dot 4 | 8/8/2008 |
| Q: On a previous question you said to use only Dot 4. You helped me with my clutch problem and when I ... A: The DOT 3 vs DOT 4 came from when England owned 90% of the natural rubber and used natural rubber in ... | |
| mgb oil pressure | 8/7/2008 |
| Q: just finished complete new rebuild on mgb started right up, sounded great, no oil pressure zero ... A: If you run an MGB for more than several seconds with no oil pressure you will destroy the mains and ... | |
| Carb tuning | 8/7/2008 |
| Q: Howard, I am beginning to feel I know you after all these questions! Jon with the 76 Midget (1275 ... A: With the lever detached the jet should move up and down freely. It must move freely because the ... | |
| Buying Midget in storage | 8/7/2008 |
| Q: We are looking at buying a 76 MG Midget that has been sitting in a garage for about four years, and ... A: The 76 Midget has a 1500cc Triumph spitfire engine with one Stromberg carburetor. Yes the oil in the ... | |
| Clutch Bleeding | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: Have replaced M/C, S/C and line, but cannot bleed the system on my 68 Midget (72 engine). I have ... A: Try this, with the master cylinder reservoir only half full use a pry bar and pry the lever on the ... | |
| Carb tuning | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: it's Jon with the 76 Midget (1275 motor in it). I adjusted the timing, also did a valve lash on the ... A: There should be a flat plate rod attached to the plastic part of the jet and it is supposed to be ... | |
| 79 MGB Stromberg carb | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: How hot should this carb be to the touch after engine warm up and 1/2 hour ride or so in 90 degree ... A: Mark, I've never measured the temperature of a carburetor but I would guess they get almost as hot ... | |
| gas tank | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: i have a mg midget that's been sitting for 22 years....do i drop the gas tank and clean it out or is ... A: If you have rust and sediment in the tank you can try to clean it yourself or send it out to a ... | |
| Carb tuning | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: it's Jon with the 76 Midget (1275 motor in it). I adjusted the timing, also did a valve lash on the ... A: Jon, The jet is the center brass tube that the needle goes into and when you adjust the 5/8" NUT on ... | |
| 79 MGB Stromberg carb | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: How hot should this carb be to the touch after engine warm up and 1/2 hour ride or so in 90 degree ... A: A vacuum leak makes an engine lean on mixture and a lean mixture causes an engine to over heat the ... | |
| 79 midget loses power in left turns | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: Weird things happen! When I'm under 3/8's tank of gas my engine loses power in left turns. Is this a ... A: You have found your problem but just need to isolate it a little closer. If I had this problem come ... | |
| Carb tuning | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: it's Jon with the 76 Midget (1275 motor in it). I adjusted the timing, also did a valve lash on the ... A: The timing and the valve clearance must be set first because the adjustment of the jets is done by ... | |
| bad fuel | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: My sister has a 1979 MGB that she has restored. She became ill and hasn't drive it at all in the ... A: Even though she put an additive in the gas, a year and a half is too old for gas and it should be ... | |
| 1976 MGB Timing | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1976 MGB that seems to miss fire @ > 2500 RPM. When I bought the car, it did not have a ... A: Any time an engine is changed in any way the original timing advance curve is no longer correct for ... | |
| Clutch Bleeding | 8/4/2008 |
| Q: Have replaced M/C, S/C and line, but cannot bleed the system on my 68 Midget (72 engine). I have ... A: If the master cylinder is not moving the slave piston, the master is not doing anything and you can ... | |
| MG Midget Valve adjustment | 8/4/2008 |
| Q: I´ve just adjusted the valves on my MG Midget. I used a .012 feeler gauge like described in the ... A: That is possible but since you used the starter to rotate the engine it is a good chance you set the ... | |
| Clutch problems | 8/4/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1974 MGB and I have replaced the clutch master and slave cylinders. I have bled the lines ... A: Good answer Wayne. I didn't want to say that but you can say it. The reason for the wait is that the ... | |
| MGB Needle Guide Position | 8/3/2008 |
| Q: I have a 74 MG B and am rebuilding the carburetor (AUD 550's)... and have a couple of questions: 1 ... A: The needle shoulder is suppose to be flush with the bottom of what ever surface there is that the ... | |
| 1979 MGB | 8/3/2008 |
| Q: I just got my MGB back from University Motors after 3 years in storage and some new rear brakes and ... A: Oil pressure is the amount of pressure built up because the oil pump can't push all of the oil ... | |
| 78 MGB Electrical Problem | 8/3/2008 |
| Q: I am fixing a 78 MGB for my friend. The car starts fine and runs fine....the lights work, courtesy ... A: You need to trace the circuit of just one of the items that does not work. Start at the source ... | |
| 1972 MGB water pump | 8/3/2008 |
| Q: When I first started the cold car, a small amount of coolant came from around the water pump, when ... A: First try to snug down the Water pump bolts than take a small mirror in the morning and look closely ... | |
| Clutch problems | 8/2/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1974 MGB and I have replaced the clutch master and slave cylinders. I have bled the lines ... A: If the free play is not excessive in the pedal and the pedal feels firm as soon as the free play is ... | |
| TIming question | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: it's Jon with the 76 Midget (1275 motor in it). I have ordered a timing wheel to assist me--, to ... A: Jon, if you are losing coolant it could be coolant so you need to have a combustion chamber pressure ... | |
| Problem Getting Metal Cup Out Of Slave Cylinder | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: and want to rebuild slave cylinder. The metal cup that pushes the rod on the slave cylinder is ... A: I have had many stuck and the best way I have found is to put a little WD-40 in the line hole and in ... | |
| mg midget | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: But now I have an oil leak either from the plate behind the timing cover or from the oil pan.How ... A: The front plate on the Austin engine and the Triumph engine (both used in the Midget) use the front ... | |
| Speedometer | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: 1973 MGB. Tachomter works fine but the speedometer needle bounces between 50 and 75 mph when I know ... A: No, other than in spelling, it is kind of easy. Most of the time a jumping needle is just either a ... | |
| TIming question | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: it's Jon with the 76 Midget (1275 motor in it). I have ordered a timing wheel to assist me--, to ... A: Jon, I think all of the specs are quoted with vacuum disconnected. There probably is no quote with ... | |
| 1968 MGB follow up | 7/29/2008 |
| Q: to answer your questions, I used the cylinder head nut tightening sequence given in my Haynes MGB ... A: Dan, it sounds like you did everything correctly. No, you could not warp the head with the procedure ... | |
| 1968 MGB leaking head gasket | 7/29/2008 |
| Q: thinking I had a valve stem seal problem (light blue exhaust smoke)I pulled the head, and installed ... A: Good Question Dan, what did you torque the head to and what sequence did you use? Did you inspect ... | |
| 1961 mga | 7/29/2008 |
| Q: i have a 1961 mga i got about 3 weeks ago.the car has been running great except for rough idle.a few ... A: I have not seen the Moss rebuild book but Moss has a lot of experience and I would not be afraid to ... | |
| Pops out of fourth gear | 7/28/2008 |
| Q: I just read a question you answered about an mg slipping out of third gear. My 1972 mg midget is ... A: You are putting extra ware on the shift fork. First confirm that the shift lever is not making ... | |
| 1966 Midget Fuel Pump | 7/28/2008 |
| Q: I have replaced the mechanical fuel pump on my '66 Midget with a solid state electronic fuel pump. ... A: You need to get a different brand pump or a better warranty. I converted hundreds of MGs to negative ... | |
| 74 MG Midget | 7/28/2008 |
| Q: I am restoring this car for my father in law it is 95% complete but I have a major issue. When the ... A: First you need to measure what the fuel pressure is. The float and needle can only hold back just so ... | |
| 1968 MGB leaking head gasket | 7/28/2008 |
| Q: thinking I had a valve stem seal problem (light blue exhaust smoke)I pulled the head, and installed ... A: Dan, in the dealerships we always considered a wet/dry compression test a good 95% accurate test of ... | |
| 1968 MGB leaking head gasket | 7/27/2008 |
| Q: thinking I had a valve stem seal problem (light blue exhaust smoke)I pulled the head, and installed ... A: It sounds like you used the correct procedure down the line. You said coolant leak, but didn't say ... | |
| Courtesy light switch | 7/27/2008 |
| Q: I purchased a 72 MG Midget. The courtesy light switch on the driver side door is broken, the ... A: All Midgets had one wire to the switch and it was a purple w/white stripe. The switch was a ... | |
| MGB ignition fault? | 7/27/2008 |
| Q: I have a '74 MGB GT that i haven't started for a few months so i expected to have to jump start it ... A: You need to test with a test light the circuits when it is in the failed mode. First try plugging ... | |
| Help with timing. | 7/27/2008 |
| Q: Its Jon with the 76 Midget (1275 motor in it). So, the degree pointers are non-existent on this ... A: Jon, you should set the timing statically, then the advances are not in play. If you have set marks ... | |
| MGB solenoids | 7/27/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1967 MGB 3 synchro. It has sometime ago been converted to an Alternator. For a good time ... A: If you are saying that you only have 4 to 7 v on the battery cable post on the solenoid then I would ... | |
| '75 mgb | 7/25/2008 |
| Q: car starts no prob when cold. after running till it's warmed up and turning off, very hard to start. ... A: Hard starting and misfires at high RPM may or may not have anything to do with each other so you ... | |
| 1961 starter | 7/25/2008 |
| Q: Starter on 1961 MGA is not working properly at all times. Need some direction/instructions for ... A: Tell me exactly what you mean "is not working properly at all times" It makes a noise but won't ... | |
| white smoke | 7/25/2008 |
| Q: i am fixing up a 68 B and on occasion it will blow out fumes of white smoke when reved up...but not ... A: It depends on weather it is white or pail blue smoke. Blue smoke is oil burning and white smoke is ... | |
| Battery connection '78 MGB | 7/25/2008 |
| Q: My Grandson ripped the old battery out before I had a chance to looked to see how the post line up. ... A: If the alternator was already fried before you replaced the battery then putting in the new battery ... | |
| Baffled | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: you helped me a couple weeks ago with problems getting my '76 B, just stored for 10 years, through ... A: Installing a new CAT can not cause it to run bad. You can have a misfire on a cylinder first that ... | |
| Battery connection '78 MGB | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: My Grandson ripped the old battery out before I had a chance to looked to see how the post line up. ... A: All MGs that have an alternator are negative ground. Older MGs with a DC generator can have it ... | |
| 1967 MGB GT oil cooler | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: brakes, etc.) and it is blowing some oil through the exhaust - smell of burning oil, bluish white ... A: Blue white smoke is oil burning. Oil pressure has nothing to do with oil burning. Oil is getting ... | |
| 1961 mga | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: i have a 1961 mga i got about 3 weeks ago.the car has been running great except for rough idle.a few ... A: All of your symptoms don't clearly tell what is wrong. You need to do some testing. The tach on that ... | |
| 77 mg midget alt. problem and oil pressure problem | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1977 mg midget w/ 1500 eng. and webber carb. also, an aftermarket electronic ignition kit. ... A: You can check the wiring easy enough, there should be just two wires going to the alternator. A ... | |
| fuel problem>? | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: it's Jon with the 76 Midget (1275 motor in it). So, the car is running, however--I have a problem to ... A: Jon, I never seen an aftermarket crankshaft pulley. The crankshaft pulley should have a notch in the ... | |
| fuel problem>? | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: it's Jon with the 76 Midget (1275 motor in it). So, the car is running, however--I have a problem to ... A: The compression sounds good and you do need to test the pump pressure as when it is too high it over ... | |
| 1972 Midget | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: Howard, I'm doing a complete restoration on a 1972 Midget and am currently combining the best parts ... A: There is a special tool to reload the balls and springs but we didn't have one even at the ... | |
| Proper vacuum hose hookup | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: Again, I have a 1978 MBG with a Stromberg 175CD Carburetor and a CEI 45DM Ignition system. When I ... A: It sounds like the connections are correct, but it also sounds like either the EGR or Gulp valve has ... | |
| Proper voltage at the positive coil terminal | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: The car wouldn't start after warming up. Finally determined that the voltage at the positive coil ... A: Something is still wrong because the solenoid is suppose to supply full voltage in the start ... | |
| !979 MG Midget Speedometer | 7/20/2008 |
| Q: The speedometer bounces around, not able to give an accurate reading. Will replacing the ... A: Only if the cable is what is at fault. A dry or kinked cable can do this but so can a bad ... | |
| fuel problem>? | 7/20/2008 |
| Q: it's Jon with the 76 Midget (1275 motor in it). So, the car is running, however--I have a problem to ... A: The timing marks on a 1275 are on the bottom of the timing cover only can be viewed from under the ... | |
| Low Beams Quit Working | 7/19/2008 |
| Q: I purchased a 1972 MGB for my wife last year and have been slowly working out all of the little ... A: The dimmer switch needs to be tested for power to the low beams when the dimmer switch is flipped to ... | |
| zenith stromberg 150cd manual choke | 7/19/2008 |
| Q: the the large plunger that is activated by the diaphragm in the top of the carb is stuck fast. how ... A: Remove the top cap and fill it with penetrating oil and let it set for a few days, then try twisting ... | |
| 1961 mga | 7/18/2008 |
| Q: hope you are fine. i have a 1961 mga 1600. should i use a lead substitute in the gas. thanks gary A: No, you don't need any lead substitute. Just use high test unleaded gas. Lead was put in a less than ... | |
| 74 MGB GT Clutch | 7/17/2008 |
| Q: I have a 74 BGT, and have pulled the engine, put in a complete clutch kit(Victoria British).I have ... A: Yes, Teflon tape may help stop your trans drain plug leak. Yes, any excess free play will lesson ... | |
| MG Midget clutch problem | 7/17/2008 |
| Q: Howard - I've been reading your suggestions regarding bleeding a clutch but I'm just a wannabe ... A: It is sometimes difficult to get a clutch bled. You must have a major problem or you would not have ... | |
| MG temp gauge | 7/17/2008 |
| Q: Howard, A friend bought a MG and asked me about the temp gauge-- it goes straight to hot when ... A: Yes, they share the same voltage stabilizer as a power source (about 10v). If you checked to see ... | |
| 1978 MG Midget | 7/16/2008 |
| Q: I recently bought a 1978 Midget with 64k original miles, and it drove great for awhile. Suddenly, ... A: You need to remove the small tower cover and look at the shift lever collar to see if the set screws ... | |
| 74 MGB GT Clutch | 7/16/2008 |
| Q: I have a 74 BGT, and have pulled the engine, put in a complete clutch kit(Victoria British).I have ... A: Jim, it sounds like you covered all the bases. In the dealerships I worked in we would get a ... | |
| brake lights | 7/16/2008 |
| Q: niether the brake lights nor the revesrse lights work. All others do (tail lamps, blinkers etc.) ... A: Those are powered up by a green wire from the fuse box. When you check the fuses, don't just look at ... | |
| 1977 MGB will not start | 7/15/2008 |
| Q: I have 1977 MGB I bought new in 1977. It has been sitting in the garage since 1999 when it was ... A: Jim, disconnect the throttle linkage to see if that is holding the throttle open any. Then check to ... | |
| 74 MGB GT Clutch | 7/15/2008 |
| Q: I have a 74 BGT, and have pulled the engine, put in a complete clutch kit(Victoria British).I have ... A: First, how does the pedal feel. You should not have much free play, then the pedal should feel firm ... | |
| Emissions | 7/15/2008 |
| Q: If the hose from the charcoal canister is blocked what affeect, if any, will it have on the ... A: If your canister still has the valve cover vent hose than it is venting the crank case and you ... | |
| 1977 MGB will not start | 7/14/2008 |
| Q: I have 1977 MGB I bought new in 1977. It has been sitting in the garage since 1999 when it was ... A: I found that when I had multi electrical problems like you have I had to pick one and only one ... | |
| 1972 mg midget | 7/14/2008 |
| Q: My temp&oil gauge are not working, where sould i start to fix.It has the smith gauges. Thank you ... A: Dewayne, I can't tell you what to buy, that is your decision. As for a sticking throttle you need ... | |
| Emissions | 7/13/2008 |
| Q: If the hose from the charcoal canister is blocked what affeect, if any, will it have on the ... A: Doug, that will only have an effect if the vent pipe still runs from the carburetor float chamber ... | |
| 1977 mgb | 7/13/2008 |
| Q: my 1977 mgb after running for a short while and then shut off, sometimes will not start. it acts ... A: Easy one, when it is in it's failed mode just take a test light or volt meter and check for power to ... | |
| 78 MGB fuel pump | 7/13/2008 |
| Q: My 78 MGB was running fine until the other day. Now when I put the key into the on position, I can ... A: Larry, you need to find what is wrong before you need to do much. First confirm that you have fuel ... | |
| 77 midget electrical diagram | 7/13/2008 |
| Q: I'm in serious need of an electrical diagram for a 77 midget. If you have access to one, please ... A: The diagram and index is on it's way. All I can say is follow the yellow brick road (diagram) with ... | |
| no power on acceleration | 7/13/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1978 MGB with a weber carb and electronic distributor I have gas coming into the carb no ... A: That narrows the problem down to only a thousand possible things. You need to do some testing to ... | |
| 1972 mg midget | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: My temp&oil gauge are not working, where sould i start to fix.It has the smith gauges. Thank you ... A: The oil pressure gauge is hydraulic and a pipe goes to the engine block to monitor oil pressure. You ... | |
| pops out of gear | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: why does my 67 midget pops out of 3rd gear under hard acceleration A: Popping out of gear can be caused by several things. First pull up the shift boot and put it in 3rd ... | |
| 1976 MG Midget, engine problems | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: and it seems to misfire and try to sputter out, it only does this after its been running for a few ... A: Jeffrey, your symptoms narrow the problem to about a thousand possible things so you need to do some ... | |
| Carburetor | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: I have a Zenith Stromberg 150C on a 1979 MG Midget. I cannot get this car to run. I bought a carb ... A: When an engine will not run, one or more of the three is missing. Physics tells you that if an ... | |
| Emissions | 7/11/2008 |
| Q: the '76 MGB I've been reviving from long storage is up and running. Thanks for your help in getting ... A: You have some clear facts like, flat black plugs comes ONLY from a overly rich mixture which is ... | |
| Emissions | 7/10/2008 |
| Q: the '76 MGB I've been reviving from long storage is up and running. Thanks for your help in getting ... A: There were two types of auto chokes used on the Stromberg carbs. One had a wax filled bulb with a ... | |
| Ignition Problem | 7/10/2008 |
| Q: My 1979 Midget periodically stops running. It normally happens as I am slowing down. The starter ... A: It is no use throwing money at the problem until you know what is wrong. All testing must be done ... | |
| Emissions | 7/10/2008 |
| Q: the '76 MGB I've been reviving from long storage is up and running. Thanks for your help in getting ... A: When HC is high it is usually a mechanical and/or an electrical problem dumping raw fuel into the ... | |
| gas leak at ELC on '73B | 7/10/2008 |
| Q: ..just read your comments on Lisa's '72 Midget leaking gas on bottom of ELC to have a stuck carb ... A: What is an ELC? Sorry, I have only been working on MGBs for 40 years so I don't know what an ELC is. ... | |
| 1979 MGB | 7/9/2008 |
| Q: Replaced temp sending unit in head, and now temp gauge reads hot. Put in new 165 thermostat, and ... A: Roger, why do you want to put in a hotter thermostat when you say it is too hot now??? You said it ... | |
| 1973 MGB-GT starter problem | 7/8/2008 |
| Q: Ignition switch will not operate starter motor. I can only get car to run by connecting a jumper ... A: Kevin, that is why it is important to test the circuit from the ignition switch to the relay and ... | |
| '78 MG Midget Smoking | 7/8/2008 |
| Q: I'm back again but this time with more information on the smoke that I thought was originally ... A: Brandan, look at the pipe and follow it to where ever it goes and tell me where it goes to. It is ... | |
| 1979 MGB | 7/8/2008 |
| Q: Replaced temp sending unit in head, and now temp gauge reads hot. Put in new 165 thermostat, and ... A: The temp gauge is not powered by 12v. It is powered by a voltage stabilizer mounted on the fire wall ... | |
| No Spark | 7/8/2008 |
| Q: I have a 67 midget that has been sitting for 12 years. After changing the coil, points (gap at ... A: Turn the engine over until the points are open and turn the key on and remove the coil wire from the ... | |
| 78 MGB fuel pump | 7/6/2008 |
| Q: My 78 MGB was running fine until the other day. Now when I put the key into the on position, I can ... A: When an electric fuel pump on an MG runs a little and then is silent except for an occasional click ... | |
| brake lights | 7/6/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1978 MGB. All of my lights work (Blinkers, headlights, reverse etc.) with the exception of ... A: Since your reverse lights work then it is not the fuse, so you need to first test for power on the ... | |
| 74 MGB Brake Master Cylinder Bebuild | 7/6/2008 |
| Q: I'm having difficulty removing the piston after the spring and C-clip are out. The only thing ... A: If you are talking about the white plastic ring under the washer and clip, You need to take a small ... | |
| How do I correctly wire in a replacement solenoid? | 7/5/2008 |
| Q: I have a just installed a new solenoid for my 78 B. I have identified the correct terminals for the ... A: Ted, the failure switch is activated when a difference in pressure between the two sections of the ... | |
| Iginition light staying on | 7/5/2008 |
| Q: After I start my 1972 MG midget 1275 the iginition light on dash stays on. Any idea why it doesn't ... A: If the generator is good and you have no charge rate, then all you can do is trace each of the other ... | |
| Starts, but ends with smoke. | 7/5/2008 |
| Q: I just purchased an MG Midget to fix up and it does run. The issue I'm having is the compartment ... A: Brendan, that is the air filter and it should neither have gas in it nor smoke. Your best option is ... | |
| stuck valves on 1500 engine in 1975 mg midget | 7/4/2008 |
| Q: i recently was given a 1975 mg midget. it has been sitting a long time, but the engine will turn ... A: You can remove the valve cover and rotate the engine and watch the valves of #1 and #4 cylinders to ... | |
| Starts, but ends with smoke. | 7/4/2008 |
| Q: I just purchased an MG Midget to fix up and it does run. The issue I'm having is the compartment ... A: You will have to describe what you are talking about a little better, as there are no compartments ... | |
| 1975 MG Midget losing power on highway. | 7/3/2008 |
| Q: I just purchased a 1975 MG Midget with the 1500 engine that is stock besides the Holley single ... A: I learned working in dealerships that you should never look for what is wrong. Because that item is ... | |
| mg midget speed vibration. | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: I own a 1979 MG Midget. My problem is when the car reaches 55-60 mph the whole car vibrates quite ... A: If the front end has been gone over by a mechanic then you should put the car on a lift and run it ... | |
| anti runon valve | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: My 1976 MGB was running great yesterday but today as I tried to start it, it turns over then quickly ... A: When the car has trouble starting try disconnecting the aintirunon valve wires to see if it will ... | |
| MG | 7/1/2008 |
| Q: do you have wiring diagrams for voltage regulators, and alternators for a 1971 MG??? A: I need to know what kind of MG first and there were different alternators used on the different ... | |
| 1977 MGB Wont start after jumping battery | 7/1/2008 |
| Q: We have a 1977 MGB which needs to be jumped to start. When the key is inserted and turned we do not ... A: Anthony, you didn't answer my questions. Did you check all power and ground cables with a voltage ... | |
| Weak brakes | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: Good morning Howard, a while back you gave me instructions for cleaning the rust from the brakes on ... A: Billy, if the hand brake does not even hold, you need to hand sand the lining and the drum to get a ... | |
| MGB GT GEAR BOX REMOVAL | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: HI HELP I HAVE THE GAR BOX ON MY MGB GT WITH OVERDRIVE UNDUN AND READY TO REMOVE BUT NO MATER WHERE ... A: All MGB, GT and Midgets must have the engine removed to get the gearbox out. Even if you can take ... | |
| Iginition light staying on | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: After I start my 1972 MG midget 1275 the iginition light on dash stays on. Any idea why it doesn't ... A: Padraig, When you have confirmed that you have a "No Charge" condition as the battery voltage test I ... | |
| MGB Engine Serial Number | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: Good Evening Sir, Although the following question I have is not repair related, I though that ... A: The only info I have on the dates of cars to # is a Moss Motors catalog. They have a chart that says ... | |
| MG B | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: Recently rebuilt engine on my 69 B, also new wiring loom. Car runs, but hunts a bit on idle and ... A: Any time I have an engine that "hunts", I try to make changes to isolate the problem into a smaller ... | |
| 69 MGB running rough | 6/29/2008 |
| Q: I had my 69 MGB tuned up, new plugs, wires, oil and filter, condenser, points, rotor and distributor ... A: The problem may or may not had anything to do with the previous work done but you need to start from ... | |
| Headlight | 6/29/2008 |
| Q: How do you remove the crome headlight ring on a 1977 MGB? A: They just snap on and off but are hard to pry off so I usually put a piece of cardboard between the ... | |
| 75 Midget Carb connector | 6/27/2008 |
| Q: I have a 75 MG Midget that was sitting for 3 years, long story, I did all the proper prep prior to ... A: You need to contact the parts suppliers and ask for a catalog for your car. Most of them have good ... | |
| Turn Signals on 1980 MGB | 6/27/2008 |
| Q: We have a 1980 MGB and all the hazard lights work but the turn (directional) lights do not work. ... A: You first need a wiring diagram and a test light, then check for power on the turn signal flasher ... | |
| Midget Tach | 6/27/2008 |
| Q: I really have two questions. I'm not a gear head, but think these two things I may be able to ... A: Don, go to my web site and download the diagram and the index at, ... | |
| carb tuning | 6/27/2008 |
| Q: did that compression test (150 psi across all four cylinders); fixed some vac lines and put new gas ... A: Jon, you don't drill it in the cover. Only in the thermostat plate. This prevents an air lock at the ... | |
| Rubber vapor hoses in the trunk | 6/26/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1977 MGB. I noticed the other day that there were 3 pieces of rubber hose in the trunk on ... A: One hose comes from the top of the fuel tank which is the tank vent pipe and it goes to the round ... | |
| Midget Tach | 6/26/2008 |
| Q: I really have two questions. I'm not a gear head, but think these two things I may be able to ... A: The first tool you need to do any work on the electrical system is a wiring diagram and a test ... | |
| MGB rpm, fuel, and temp gauge | 6/26/2008 |
| Q: I'm 16 yrs. old, and my mom has recently started to let me drive her 74 1/2 MGB. I was coming home ... A: You need a 12v test light or a volt meter to run some tests. But first check to see if your brake ... | |
| carb tuning | 6/26/2008 |
| Q: did that compression test (150 psi across all four cylinders); fixed some vac lines and put new gas ... A: Normally a cooling system that has a pressure cap with an over flow line off of it to an expansion ... | |
| Fuel Gauge vs Sending unit | 6/25/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1979 MGB. Today the fuel gauge stop working, all the other gauges work fine. I removed ... A: I the dealership we worked out a quick rough test to check the gauge system. Go to the sending unit ... | |
| Starter Relay | 6/25/2008 |
| Q: Can you translate the numbers : 85 86 87 30/51 on the starter relay to the wiring codes from the ... A: Jeff, if the car starts and runs as long as you have the key in the start position, the starter ... | |
| 78 MGB Clutch | 6/25/2008 |
| Q: Your help thus far has been invaluable in the rebuild of our 78 B. Here is another problem we just ... A: It would be difficult to install the disk backwards as the hub would hit the flywheel and bolting it ... | |
| Overheating | 6/24/2008 |
| Q: My temperature gauge reads very high after driving a few miles. the car runs and doesn't die out ... A: Yes, the first thing you should do is check the coolant to see if it is really hot. An inexpensive ... | |
| Iginition light staying on | 6/24/2008 |
| Q: After I start my 1972 MG midget 1275 the iginition light on dash stays on. Any idea why it doesn't ... A: The "Ign" light is not an ignition light, it is a charge light. Put a volt meter across your battery ... | |
| Starter Relay | 6/23/2008 |
| Q: Can you translate the numbers : 85 86 87 30/51 on the starter relay to the wiring codes from the ... A: Those numbers are universal on most relays today. 85 & 86 are the electromagnet wires in a relay. 87 ... | |
| gas leaking from evap. loss canister | 6/23/2008 |
| Q: I have a 72 MG Midget. After replacing the plugs, ignition wires, distributor cap, rotor and points, ... A: Most likely it is the float is stuck in one or both carburetors. The vents for the carburetor float ... | |
| MG axle and transmission problem | 6/23/2008 |
| Q: The axle on my '72 MGB has moved about an inch to the left, so that the bodywork fouls the tyre on ... A: Theo, air up all of the tires and measure from the floor to the edge of the arch front and back. ... | |
| 1977 MGB Wont start after jumping battery | 6/22/2008 |
| Q: We have a 1977 MGB which needs to be jumped to start. When the key is inserted and turned we do not ... A: First you need to have your battery load tested to see if your battery is good. Then take a volt ... | |
| Non Starting 1976 | 6/22/2008 |
| Q: OK as you suggested I disconnected the white with black leads from the coil and tested voltage at ... A: MG never used a solid black wire to run from the coil to the points on any MG. Someone has replaced ... | |
| No spark | 6/22/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1978 MGB and when I went to start it it went but with hesitation then when I went to start ... A: When you test for spark you first need to test the coil by removing the coil wire from the cap and ... | |
| 1968 MGB turn signals | 6/22/2008 |
| Q: My turn signals stopped working. I have checked the fuses, inline fuse to the flasher unit, all ... A: Go to the flasher unit and with a test light or volt meter, test the green wire for power with the ... | |
| MG axle and transmission problem | 6/21/2008 |
| Q: The axle on my '72 MGB has moved about an inch to the left, so that the bodywork fouls the tyre on ... A: On the rear axle you need to first check to see that the axle is not loose and the wheel and all ... | |
| 76 Midget starting | 6/21/2008 |
| Q: Jon with the 76 Midget (1275 motor in it). I replaced the needles and seats in the carb bowls, as ... A: Jon, if you have done all that and it does not start you need to start from scratch, Run a ... | |
| 1976 Won't turn over | 6/20/2008 |
| Q: I changed the points, rotor, condenser on my car this week. I also changed the starter solenoid ... A: When the points are open and the key on you should have full battery voltage on the negative post ... | |
| 1976 Won't turn over | 6/20/2008 |
| Q: I changed the points, rotor, condenser on my car this week. I also changed the starter solenoid ... A: Scott, you need to work on ONE item at a time and forget the others until you have the ONE fixed. ... | |
| 1976 Won't turn over | 6/20/2008 |
| Q: I changed the points, rotor, condenser on my car this week. I also changed the starter solenoid ... A: It sounds like you have more than one problem so you must work on one at a time to correct them. ... | |
| 76 Midget starting | 6/20/2008 |
| Q: Jon with the 76 Midget (1275 motor in it). I replaced the needles and seats in the carb bowls, as ... A: Jon, the cylinders are from front to rear 1234 but the firing order is 1342 on the cap. You just ... | |
| High Idle | 6/19/2008 |
| Q: Just bought a 77 mgb, the idle seems to hold a little high when you come to a stop sign, after ... A: Several things can make an engine idle fast. Idle stop screw set to high, Choke fast idle set too ... | |
| fuel and temp | 6/19/2008 |
| Q: I have a 74 MGB that seems to stall and won't start after it has been running for awhile (stop and ... A: Those gauges are both powered by a voltage stabilizer mounted either on the back of the speedometer ... | |
| Wipers | 6/18/2008 |
| Q: Greetings, I recently and bought a 78 MGB in very good shape. Having not worked on cars in...years I ... A: Mike, just remove the cover and inside you will see a link (connecting rod) the connects the end of ... | |
| Wipers | 6/17/2008 |
| Q: Greetings, I recently and bought a 78 MGB in very good shape. Having not worked on cars in...years I ... A: Yes, the first thing you need it a wiring diagram and a 12v test light to test circuits to the wiper ... | |
| vacuum diagtam | 6/17/2008 |
| Q: Do you have a vacuum diagram for a 78 Midget 1500? A: Joe, I don't sell parts, just an individual. You need to look up on the net, Moss Motors, Engel ... | |
| 1979 MG Midget 1500 with Z-S Carb | 6/16/2008 |
| Q: I just bought a Midget and it ran fine while I was test driving it. One day of ownership and the ... A: EGR Returns some exhaust gas into the intake to dilute the mixture mainly to cut down on NOX. Due to ... | |
| Headlight Issues | 6/16/2008 |
| Q: Greetings, I have very much appreciated many of the answers I have read here. I have had my 1979 ... A: Since you have lost both beams you need to take a 12v test light ground the clip and use the probe ... | |
| 1976 MGBGT Engine will not start | 6/16/2008 |
| Q: I have a problem with my MG. It worked fine for a while and then stopped. I am not getting any ... A: John, the power comes direct to the coil when in the "start" position and it comes by way of a ... | |
| How do I correctly wire in a replacement solenoid? | 6/15/2008 |
| Q: I have a just installed a new solenoid for my 78 B. I have identified the correct terminals for the ... A: Any time you replace any part of a harness or repair wiring, you should have the battery cable ... | |
| 1976 MGBGT Engine will not start | 6/15/2008 |
| Q: I have a problem with my MG. It worked fine for a while and then stopped. I am not getting any ... A: If you have power at the coil with the ignition on an also when you turn the key to start, then you ... | |
| How do I correctly wire in a replacement solenoid? | 6/15/2008 |
| Q: I have a just installed a new solenoid for my 78 B. I have identified the correct terminals for the ... A: There are two large threaded posts and two flat spade terminals on the solenoid. One threaded lug ... | |
| MG midget timing marks | 6/14/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1967 mk 3 midget and wish to set timing with strobe,I can see the fixed timing marks but ... A: Eddie, Ignition timing should be set static. (not running) You said you found the fixed pointers on ... | |
| MG midget timing marks | 6/13/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1967 mk 3 midget and wish to set timing with strobe,I can see the fixed timing marks but ... A: Yes the notch in the crank pulley is difficult to see so you need to wash the front pulley and put a ... | |
| 1976 MGB will not start | 6/13/2008 |
| Q: My MGB sat for just over a year and now I cannot get gas to the carburator. The MGB turns over. I ... A: If the car sat for a year you will need to drain the stale gas out of the tank, lines and carburetor ... | |
| 77 mg midget ignition woes | 6/11/2008 |
| Q: I bought a 77 midget about 6 months ago and it ran fine up until two days ago. Then it stopped. The ... A: All of that tells me nothing other than you need to take a wiring diagram and start testing circuits ... | |
| 77 mg midget ignition woes | 6/11/2008 |
| Q: I bought a 77 midget about 6 months ago and it ran fine up until two days ago. Then it stopped. The ... A: I thought I sent this to you but may not have, so here is what you need to do. You need a 12v test ... | |
| Fuel Tank | 6/11/2008 |
| Q: I recently FILLED my 1971 MG Midget with Fuel (Right to the brim. I now seem to have a leak. At half ... A: You need to look at the evaporative loss system because they do run vapor lines out of the top of ... | |
| rod & main bearings | 6/9/2008 |
| Q: lost oil pressure at normal operating speed started to hear slight knock and shut down vehicle ... A: That depends on the cause. If a rod bearing went out the mains would not normally be harmed. It is ... | |
| MGB flywheel | 6/9/2008 |
| Q: I have a 67 mgb and removed the flywheel and had it resurfaced. Is there a right way to install the ... A: The MG flywheel does need to be installed with the mark on the outer edge of the wheel lined up with ... | |
| 1977 MGB cluch pedal problem | 6/9/2008 |
| Q: I have a 77 MGB and no clutch pedal at all. I have rebuilt the clutch master cylinder with rebuild ... A: It is sometimes difficult to bleed the air out of a clutch system because the line from the master ... | |
| mgb | 6/8/2008 |
| Q: turned out the wire on the back of the alternator slipped partially out of its connection and was ... A: Gary, it depends if it is a wire wheel or disk wheel. It is common on wire wheel cars when the ... | |
| 1976 mgb running rough | 6/8/2008 |
| Q: I have had this car for a year. It has 61,000 original miles. Ran well initially. Problems starting ... A: When an engine has a problem at speed and not at low RPM, you need to look at two items. When you ... | |
| mg midget brake master cyl. | 6/7/2008 |
| Q: Iam trying to rebuild my master cyl, on a 1972 midget 1275. I can not get the plastic bushing to ... A: Usually the other piston can be removed by banging the cylinder down hard on a wooden block. If that ... | |
| mg midget brake master cyl. | 6/7/2008 |
| Q: Iam trying to rebuild my master cyl, on a 1972 midget 1275. I can not get the plastic bushing to ... A: If the plastic bushing you are talking about is white, then you need to take a small sharp flat ... | |
| mgb fuse | 6/6/2008 |
| Q: i have a 1977 mgb.i have had wiring problems in the past but it has been ok lately.today i replaced ... A: It is not likely the large wire on the alt had anything to do with it as the large alt wire is ... | |
| wiring diagram and fuses | 6/6/2008 |
| Q: Do you have a sorce or know where I can get information on a 1977 MGB wiring diagram and fuse box ... A: Go to http://mg-tri-jag.net/76MGB1x1.jpg , and /76MGB21x1.jpg and 77MGBsup1x1.jpg The diagram of ... | |
| mgb high oil pressure | 6/6/2008 |
| Q: i wasn't sure how to link the questions, but you advised me to get the compression checked on my 75 ... A: When you change oil and filter it is normal for the oil pressure to be higher until the oil heats up ... | |
| Starting | 6/5/2008 |
| Q: my '76 B that sat for 10 years is THIS close to starting. I fixed carburetor leaks and flooding, ... A: At the MG dealerships I worked at, we would at times receive cars that had sat for some time and to ... | |
| 1978 mgb zenith/stromberg gas mileage | 6/4/2008 |
| Q: Just getting into my first mg!!! The car was parked for 23 years but runs well (needs valve ... A: Dan, the easiest way to tell if it is a retard unit on the dist is to look where the vacuum port is ... | |
| 1973 mgb | 6/4/2008 |
| Q: My 73 B has a new distributor, timing seems ok, rebuilt carbs, working well enough.The car starts ... A: Andre, it sounds like your timing is set wrong (if you do have a vacuum retard unit on the ... | |
| Rebuilding MGB carb | 6/4/2008 |
| Q: Now that I've narrowed the problem to the carb, how difficult is it to rebuild, costs, any special ... A: No special tools needed, however you should purchase a shop manual for the car so you can read up on ... | |
| Rebuilding MGB carb | 6/3/2008 |
| Q: Now that I've narrowed the problem to the carb, how difficult is it to rebuild, costs, any special ... A: You didn't say what year MGB and what kind of carburetor/s it has. But that is not too important as ... | |
| relay starter | 6/3/2008 |
| Q: I recently purchased a 1975 MG. The relay starter went up in smoke after a short drive. What would ... A: I have no way to tell what made your relay quit. A relay receives full battery voltage on the coil ... | |
| MGB GT 1974 Relay fault | 6/2/2008 |
| Q: My dad's 1974 MGB GT would not start at all and he worked out it was the starting relay, when he ... A: You need to first remove the wires on the relay when it does it to see if the relay keeps it going. ... | |
| speedometer | 6/1/2008 |
| Q: another problem here. i have a 75 mgb rd that needs a new speedometer and not too sure that the ... A: Your best chance of finding the correct speedo is to go on line and get the toll free numbers of a ... | |
| running hot | 6/1/2008 |
| Q: i have a 75 mgb that reg on the white area of my temp gauge after running foe a short time. so far i ... A: You did a lot but none of what you were suppose to do when checking for over heating. This is what ... | |
| Backfiring | 6/1/2008 |
| Q: I am a new MGB owner / backyard mechanic. My 1978 MGB backfires on the release from the throttle. ... A: Your compression is low, are you sure you held the throttle open when you did the test and did you ... | |
| 1978 mgb zenith/stromberg gas mileage | 5/31/2008 |
| Q: Just getting into my first mg!!! The car was parked for 23 years but runs well (needs valve ... A: Even though #3 is a little low on compression, the wet test does not indicate a ring problem. So #3 ... | |
| 1974 MGB | 5/31/2008 |
| Q: I recently put a new battery in my MG. The fuel pump was working prior to the battery changeout. It ... A: The little light is the exciter wire for the alternator and when the key is on, power is supplied to ... | |
| 1978 mgb zenith/stromberg gas mileage | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: Just getting into my first mg!!! The car was parked for 23 years but runs well (needs valve ... A: Something is wrong with your car if you only get 17 MPG but you can do all you want to it and never ... | |
| 1974 MGB | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: I recently put a new battery in my MG. The fuel pump was working prior to the battery changeout. It ... A: If you had sparks when you connected the battery, it is a sign you either had something turned on at ... | |
| oil cooler lin remval | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: Need some advice, please. Working on an early 67 MGB and low and behold, the oil filter canister ... A: You are not making yourself clear. Do you mean you can't find a wrench to fit it or you can't seem ... | |
| mgb poorly | 5/29/2008 |
| Q: well my drivers seat has punched thru the underside of the car due to rust.. which isnt good. ... A: The best is to cut out the old floor and replace it with one from one of the MG parts suppliers but ... | |
| Shut off problem | 5/28/2008 |
| Q: I have a 76 midget when it warms up and you turn it off it just diesels for a long time after. What ... A: The 76 Midget like most of the emmission control cars has leaned out the mixture and over heated the ... | |
| 1974 MGB - clutch problem? | 5/26/2008 |
| Q: The car was driving just fine until last week. My problem developed while on a longish (100km) ... A: It is most likely a clutch hydraulic problem. First check the clutch fluid (DOT 4) and check the ... | |
| transmission/clutch problem | 5/26/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1978 MG Midget. It was running fine then, recently, I was able to shift up all right but ... A: One other problem we noted in the dealerships is that BLM told everyone to use gear oil in the trans ... | |
| 1965 MK1 MGB Roadster Indicator Switch | 5/26/2008 |
| Q: Can anybody please provide information on the following. 1. Photo of the mechanism as I believe mine ... A: If you are talking about the turn signal switch? As I remember, all are the same from 63 to 67 and I ... | |
| transmission/clutch problem | 5/25/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1978 MG Midget. It was running fine then, recently, I was able to shift up all right but ... A: The way to tell if you have a clutch problem is to sit with the car idling and in neutral, depress ... | |
| water pump | 5/25/2008 |
| Q: How do i remove clutch fan from water pump on a 1975 mg midget. A: The fan clutch is pressed on a crushable sleeve. If you don't have the special tool to remove it and ... | |
| 1976 Midget (1500) | 5/23/2008 |
| Q: I am trying to get the car running for the first time since overhaul. I can't get any spark..the ... A: With no spark you first need to look in the distributor to see what kind of ignition system you ... | |
| 1976 Midget (1500) | 5/23/2008 |
| Q: I am trying to get the car running for the first time since overhaul. I can't get any spark..the ... A: What do you mean? You said you have no spark but you want to set the timing????? You can't set ... | |
| Fuel tank sending unit | 5/21/2008 |
| Q: I have a 69 mg and it looks like the sending unit or the fuel gauge is bad. Whe I started it the ... A: First take the colored wire off the sending unit and with the key on note that the needle deflects ... | |
| Starting MGB after setting up for a while | 5/21/2008 |
| Q: I've been recently trying to get my 1980 MGB running again. It hasn't been started in about a year ... A: The oil in the top of the carb is a shock to stop the piston from jumping up and down at idle and to ... | |
| 78 MGB wiring harness | 5/19/2008 |
| Q: In the course of rebuilding our 78 MGB we decided to install a new main harness. All is well except ... A: I believe the Service Interval unit was just a warning light as I remember. As long as you don't let ... | |
| coolant leak? | 5/19/2008 |
| Q: My wife has a 53 plate mgtf, recently had cylinder head gasket renewed, very expensive! Since that ... A: I can't comment on what he did or didn't do but any time I put a head gasket on any car I made it a ... | |
| 78 MGB wiring harness | 5/19/2008 |
| Q: In the course of rebuilding our 78 MGB we decided to install a new main harness. All is well except ... A: You need a wiring diagram to sort that out. I will try something new, go to my website and see if ... | |
| 1980 MGB Transmission Oil Leak | 5/18/2008 |
| Q: This a new question but a followup - too many followups. I put the car on jack stands, ran it and ... A: Unfortunately there is not much that can be done to a gearbox without removing the engine. The ... | |
| Starting issue | 5/18/2008 |
| Q: I have a 76 Midget, It has a 1275 put into it. The car has undergone some different wiring over the ... A: It all boils down to the fact that if the carb is flooding, the fuel comes out the overflow. I have ... | |
| 1971 MG Miget | 5/18/2008 |
| Q: Subject:engine locked solid. We have owned this MG since 1973.It had been in storage for 10 years.I ... A: Yes, rust on the cylinder walls is the most likely cause. Get a can (not spray can) of something ... | |
| Starting issue | 5/18/2008 |
| Q: I have a 76 Midget, It has a 1275 put into it. The car has undergone some different wiring over the ... A: When you suspect fuel flooding you need to pull a couple of spark plugs to see if it is wetting the ... | |
| 1980 MGB Transmission Oil Leak | 5/16/2008 |
| Q: This a new question but a followup - too many followups. I put the car on jack stands, ran it and ... A: Wayne, if you are talking about the very rear at the driveshaft coupler that is the rear seal or a ... | |
| Car Stalls Overheating Coil | 5/15/2008 |
| Q: Howard, this is another new thread so a quick refresher: This is the 1975 MGB with the coil over ... A: If the coil is a 1.5 ohm, it should not be bad so you need to replace the resistor wire that powers ... | |
| 79 Midget | 5/15/2008 |
| Q: Hey! First off, thanks for answering my question. Lemme know if there is anything I can do for you. ... A: Run the vacuum hose out from under the hood and put it under a wiper blade so you can see it when ... | |
| Lights make car quit running | 5/15/2008 |
| Q: I recently bought a 1979 mgb. While driving it home it quit running after I turned the headlights ... A: Since you don't have a history on the car you need to start from scratch. You should be able to make ... | |
| 78 MGB | 5/15/2008 |
| Q: I have a 78 MGB, That won't start.fIRST I replaced battery,now it turns over,but still won't ... A: All piston engines only require three things to run, Compression, Fire and Fuel. However, they have ... | |
| 1978 MGB | 5/15/2008 |
| Q: Had battery totally recharged, connected it, put key in car turns over but will not start. Like not ... A: Donna, the only cut off for the fuel pump is the inertia switch and it just cuts off power to the ... | |
| 79 Midget | 5/14/2008 |
| Q: Hey! First off, thanks for answering my question. Lemme know if there is anything I can do for you. ... A: Martin, if the car slowly loose speed and pushing down on the throttle seems to have no effect. Put ... | |
| Fuel pump or fuel tank? | 5/13/2008 |
| Q: the fuel pump in my '76 B (with ELC) is unable to pump fuel from the tank. It can pump fluid from ... A: Sometimes you can use an old speedometer cable in a drill motor to clean out lines. However, there ... | |
| 1965 MGB no lights, turn signal | 5/13/2008 |
| Q: Have a couple of questions that I need some help with. The first is probably easy, I have a 1965 MGB ... A: I will have to write a book to cover all of your questions so we need to just cover one at a time. ... | |
| Fuel pump or fuel tank? | 5/13/2008 |
| Q: the fuel pump in my '76 B (with ELC) is unable to pump fuel from the tank. It can pump fluid from ... A: They probably said that because the tank nor the vapor separator or hoses on the vapor system can ... | |
| Fuel pump or fuel tank? | 5/13/2008 |
| Q: the fuel pump in my '76 B (with ELC) is unable to pump fuel from the tank. It can pump fluid from ... A: Clarify what you mean "With Difficulty" when you say you can siphon fuel from the tank. If you can ... | |
| 1978 MGB not starting | 5/12/2008 |
| Q: The car ran fine last year but when i started it this year it still ran rough so i changed plugs ... A: If you don't have access to a scope, the only test you can do is a rough test of connecting a plug ... | |
| Cleaning brakes | 5/11/2008 |
| Q: The discs and drums on my 1976 MGB, which has been warehoused for 10 years, are covered with rust, ... A: On the disks just remove the caliper and hang it by a coat hanger or such so as not to put a strain ... | |
| 1969 MGB | 5/11/2008 |
| Q: Good morning I have recently purchased a 1969 mgb from a gentlemen who has had this car stored in ... A: You need a test light to follow the circuits as the horn and the brake lights have nothing to do ... | |
| 1976 MGB wiring issues | 5/11/2008 |
| Q: I am helping my buddy work on his 1976 MGB. We recently replaced the padding on the dash, and so we ... A: Yes Paul, I think all of that has combined to make up your electrical problems. You need a wiring ... | |
| 1976 MGB wiring issues | 5/11/2008 |
| Q: I am helping my buddy work on his 1976 MGB. We recently replaced the padding on the dash, and so we ... A: Down at the solenoid there are several plain brown wires. All of these PLAIN brown wires must ... | |
| 1980 MGB Transmission Oil Leak | 5/10/2008 |
| Q: I have a bit of a story to tell you, and would like your advice. In the course of having my 1980 ... A: If you opened the fill plug after you had the engine installed and let any excess drain, you are ok ... | |
| Starter motor won't disengage | 5/9/2008 |
| Q: '77 MGB: My starter motor won't disengage. As soon as the key hits "run", the starter starts to ... A: Brad, unplug the brake pressure warning switch from the bottom of the brake master cylinder. Then ... | |
| 1980 MGB Transmission Oil Leak | 5/8/2008 |
| Q: I have a bit of a story to tell you, and would like your advice. In the course of having my 1980 ... A: The only way you can look for oil leaks is to wash the transmission first and put it up on a lift ... | |
| Coil weak spark stops running | 5/8/2008 |
| Q: Howard, sorry that I am clogging up your AllExperts emails. I really am trying to understand this ... A: The regulator is inside the alternator and the "Full Field" is a test also to isolate a charging ... | |
| 1966 MGB GT loss of oil | 5/8/2008 |
| Q: I am new to the world of MG ownership but have just been dumped in the deep end. I have recently ... A: Ok Barry, let me know what you find. In the dealerships I learned to not try to guess what was wrong ... | |
| Coil weak spark stops running | 5/8/2008 |
| Q: Howard, sorry that I am clogging up your AllExperts emails. I really am trying to understand this ... A: If you really have 15 volts you need to correct that right away as that is what is called a "Full ... | |
| 1966 MGB GT loss of oil | 5/7/2008 |
| Q: I am new to the world of MG ownership but have just been dumped in the deep end. I have recently ... A: I have been working on MGs through the complete life of the MGB and have rebuilt enough MGBs that I ... | |
| MGB Clutch not working | 5/6/2008 |
| Q: 3 weeks ago Istartede my '65 mgb after 5 month in the garage (it's always keept in the garage ... A: The clutch release system has a clutch master cylinder and a slave cylinder. First check the clutch ... | |
| alternators | 5/6/2008 |
| Q: every month or so my 1975 MGB wont start - dead battery .. so I charge it up and off I go for ... A: You should test the alternator before condemning it. Just first check belt tension and if that is ... | |
| Coil weak spark stops running | 5/6/2008 |
| Q: Howard, sorry that I am clogging up your AllExperts emails. I really am trying to understand this ... A: As a coil is used it will warm up but should not get hot. The 8.5 volt reading indicates there is a ... | |
| 75 mgb misfiring | 5/5/2008 |
| Q: i've looked through all your answers, but haven't seen this, hope i didn't miss it. anyway, i've ... A: On any misfire you need to confirm that the engine is good first with a compression test. be sure ... | |
| Coil weak spark stops running | 5/4/2008 |
| Q: Howard, correct, no power in the crank or the ignition position. I looked at the starter and in ... A: A coil should get warm when in use but not too hot to keep your hand on it. The starter relay only ... | |
| 69 mg midget clutch problem | 5/4/2008 |
| Q: Recently bought a 69 mg midget that had sat for 17 years. led After much work on brakes, interior ... A: The early Midgets & Sprites used three different release bearings depending on which transmission ... | |
| Coil weak spark stops running | 5/3/2008 |
| Q: Howard, correct, no power in the crank or the ignition position. I looked at the starter and in ... A: If the solenoid works, the relay is working and is not a factor in operating the bypass wire to the ... | |
| Coil weak spark stops running | 5/3/2008 |
| Q: Howard, correct, no power in the crank or the ignition position. I looked at the starter and in ... A: Yes Robert, your right and I was wrong, my white with red only goes as far as the relay and then it ... | |
| Coil weak spark stops running | 5/3/2008 |
| Q: Howard, the problem we were working on was the 1975 MGB that would stop running after a while. I ... A: No power in the crank position and no power in the Ign. position either, correct? You need a wiring ... | |
| Coil weak spark stops running | 5/2/2008 |
| Q: Howard, the problem we were working on was the 1975 MGB that would stop running after a while. I ... A: Yes, you can use the volt meter in place of the test light. All the tests you run must be made while ... | |
| Coil weak spark stops running | 5/2/2008 |
| Q: Howard, I am following you on your step by step trouble shooting. Sorry for trying to jump ahead!! I ... A: Robert, you lost me. what was the question? If it was about the starter relay, if you have to ... | |
| Awakening from a long sleep | 5/1/2008 |
| Q: I have just taken delivery of a 1976 MGB, which was running when it was stored 10 years ago. Can ... A: Generally you should do as follows if the car has been stored for 10 years. Inspect all belts and ... | |
| 1975 mgb Distributor vacum advance | 5/1/2008 |
| Q: recently put together a 1975 mgb. ended up with an extra hose. is there a vacuum hose that goes from ... A: According to the manual, the 75 MGB had a vacuum advance unit fitted but it was not connected. They ... | |
| 1977 MGB starting circuit trouble shooting | 4/30/2008 |
| Q: Howard, I am a brand new owner of a 1977 MGB and I did test drive it before trailering it home. ... A: The shorting with the screwdriver had nothing to do with your problem other than damage your ... | |
| MGB Fuel gauge won't operate | 4/29/2008 |
| Q: I have a 69 MGB with a fuel gauge that will not move as the tank empties. When the ignition is ... A: If the other gauge works normal the voltage stabilizer is probably ok as you have indicated. A rough ... | |
| MG Midget rear springs | 4/27/2008 |
| Q: I recently changed both rear springs,shackles,U-bolts etc.Now the car seems to be leaning quite a ... A: Yes, it could be the front springs. If you don't have available a set of race car scales to test ... | |
| misfire and backfiring | 4/27/2008 |
| Q: My 74 midget sputters and backfires starting at 2800rpm then contiues through 3600rpm then smoothes ... A: You need to do a manifold vacuum test. Put a vacuum gauge on the intake and run a long hose out from ... | |
| Coil weak spark stops running | 4/26/2008 |
| Q: Howard, I am following you on your step by step trouble shooting. Sorry for trying to jump ahead!! I ... A: I thought I answered this one once but it may not have went through. You can do the test on the ... | |
| Coil weak spark stops running | 4/26/2008 |
| Q: Howard, I am following you on your step by step trouble shooting. Sorry for trying to jump ahead!! I ... A: OK Robert, The ohm test of the primary circuit of the coil is just to correctly ID the coil. What ... | |
| MG bogging down at high rpms | 4/25/2008 |
| Q: I have a 67 Mg midget. It idles smoothly and revs smoothly but when I drive it around it runs fine ... A: The test is the only sure way to know. If you want to by pass that test you can test Ignition by ... | |
| MG bogging down at high rpms | 4/25/2008 |
| Q: I have a 67 Mg midget. It idles smoothly and revs smoothly but when I drive it around it runs fine ... A: First be sure the air filters are clean, then get a manifold pressure gauge. (they are not ... | |
| Coil weak spark stops running | 4/25/2008 |
| Q: Howard you helped me immensely before and I hope again. I have two problems. The first is big. ... A: Robert, you can't skip important things and think you are going to diagnosis a problem. The chances ... | |
| Brake lights and turn signals | 4/24/2008 |
| Q: After working fine for several years, I suddenly lost my brake lights and turn signals on my '79 ... A: The stop lights, turn signals and other items are powered off of a fuse in the fuse panel. Use a ... | |
| no spark | 4/23/2008 |
| Q: i have no spark to spark plugs have replaced coil but still the same.i do have 12 volts on both ... A: Turn the engine until the points are closed and check for voltage on both sides of the coil. At that ... | |
| electronic distributor installation | 4/23/2008 |
| Q: I am replaceing stock distributor with one containing an electonic ignition on a 1979 mg midget. the ... A: I don't know anything about what ever kind of ignition system you have purchased, however, most ... | |
| Gas milage verses damper oil weight | 4/23/2008 |
| Q: I have a '78 Midget, recently overhauled. Advertised gas mileage 40 mpg highway..actual 20 mpg @ 55 ... A: The damper oil weight only effects a quick throttle movement so if you are on and off the throttle a ... | |
| 71 MGB temperature sending unit | 4/23/2008 |
| Q: Please describe where to locate the temperature sending unit for a 1971 MGB. My temp gauge ... A: The temp sending unit is in the head at the front of the engine on the right hand side. Also be ... | |
| Electrical | 4/22/2008 |
| Q: I'm trying to locate the gauge voltage stabilizer? I'm told it is under the dash? Can you be more ... A: There were a lot of different kinds and year model MGs so you will have to narrow it down a little ... | |
| Coil weak spark stops running | 4/22/2008 |
| Q: Howard you helped me immensely before and I hope again. I have two problems. The first is big. ... A: You need to measure the resistance of the primary windings of the coil. (+) to (-) (wires ... | |
| Damper oil | 4/20/2008 |
| Q: Can I use any other oil, other than Zenith Damper Oil, for my 1975 MGB Carburetor? Thanks Colin A: Yes, you can use engine oil, which I like to use. Some mechanics use transmission fluid. It is, as ... | |
| electrical | 4/20/2008 |
| Q: I was cleaning wire connections and inadvertently reconnect the wires wrong. I was clean the ... A: You need to take a test light and start testing the green wires from the fuse box as that is the ... | |
| 1978 MGB ignition wiring | 4/19/2008 |
| Q: I recently bought a 1978 MGB GT, it broke down within two hours of collection with what appeared to ... A: That fuse is powered by the ignition switch relay. To confirm that is the problem, run a temporary ... | |
| 1979 MGB | 4/16/2008 |
| Q: Howard-I recently purchased a 1979 MGB which I am having some minor issues with and I hope you can ... A: One thing at a time as each may not be short quick fixes. Any time an MG or any car came to me with ... | |
| turn signal and gas gauge u/s | 4/14/2008 |
| Q: I have Lucas electrical. My turn signals are not working as of today, along with indication on the ... A: You need to look at your wiring diagram of what ever kind of MG you have and see if both items share ... | |
| 75 mg midget wont start | 4/14/2008 |
| Q: it sounds like it wants too it is turning but wont turn over. any suggestions? ANSWER: HI Olivia, ... A: You can do a rough check for spark by removing a spark plug and place the plug on the wire and lay ... | |
| 75 mg midget wont start | 4/13/2008 |
| Q: it sounds like it wants too it is turning but wont turn over. any suggestions? A: All piston engines require only three items to run, Compression, Fire and fuel with conditions on ... | |
| 1972 MG Migit | 4/12/2008 |
| Q: What would causes drainage of the battery when the car is parked for a day or two? Is this an ... A: First rough test to see if something is draining battery is to remove one of the battery cables and ... | |
| 76 MG Midget no spark | 4/10/2008 |
| Q: It looks like I'm having the same problems as others who've written articles asking for help. My ... A: If you have a ballast resistor then you must have a coil to match and it must be wired in series ... | |
| Replacing door seal 1969 MGB | 4/8/2008 |
| Q: I have replaced the panels and door seals, and now the doors do not close easily. It is "jamming", ... A: Yes, a new seal will make it harder to close the door until the seal gets compressed for a while. ... | |
| mgb clutch | 4/4/2008 |
| Q: 1972 sat 25 yrs. installed new clutch master and new slave sine both were missing. Dot 3 used, ... A: Have someone pump up the clutch pedal and release it. Then feel the slave cylinder rod and the ... | |
| 1965 MGB Brakes stick | 4/2/2008 |
| Q: Howard, thank you for helping me on my other MGB problems. Did everything you said and car runs like ... A: Brakes can stick either by hydraulics or by mechanical faults so you need to do a simple test. Jack ... | |
| Wonky power | 3/30/2008 |
| Q: I have a '72 MGB with a new Weber 32/36 carb. It has a "flat" spot at around 2000-2500 rpm & ... A: The ignition light has nothing to do with ignition, it is a charge light so you should put a volt ... | |
| third gear noise when accelerating | 3/29/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1979 Midget with the 1500cc engine and transmission. When I shift into third gear and ... A: If you have oil in the box there is nothing you can do outside of the gearbox and the only way you ... | |
| Backfire through front carb on 1965 MGB | 3/29/2008 |
| Q: I just recently bought a 1965 MGB that has sat for about 2 years. Put new gas in and changed the ... A: First thing to do is a compression test. Throttle wide open and at least 4 or 5 revolutions on each ... | |
| turn signals/brake lights | 3/27/2008 |
| Q: On my 1979 MG, all the electrics seem to work with one exception. When the brakes are applied, the ... A: Since you are familiar with the voltage drop test you should look at the wiring diagram and see if ... | |
| turn signals/brake lights | 3/27/2008 |
| Q: On my 1979 MG, all the electrics seem to work with one exception. When the brakes are applied, the ... A: I would check the grounds at the tail light assembly on both sides. If the grounds are good, look at ... | |
| mgb | 3/26/2008 |
| Q: i wrote you earlier about my 77 mgb. wiring problems and i was going to trace the wires.i have run ... A: It depends on what Weber you have. Some Weber carbs had an external plug in the lower part of the ... | |
| mgb | 3/25/2008 |
| Q: i wrote you earlier about my 77 mgb. wiring problems and i was going to trace the wires.i have run ... A: It depends on which distributor you have. If you have a pointed distributor it should only have one ... | |
| 1970 MGB GT Overheat. | 3/24/2008 |
| Q: My 1970 MGB GT overheats. When it starts up the oil pressure reads about 10-15 at idle, picks up a ... A: I thought i answered this one but it is showing up as still pending so here it is again. Low oil ... | |
| Midget Brakes | 3/23/2008 |
| Q: Had a bit of a strange on with my midget – I was a really cold morning and I drove it to the garage, ... A: Address the brake light first. Turn the key on and look at the brake lights to see if they are still ... | |
| Bugeye transmission | 3/21/2008 |
| Q: I have a smooth case transmission with a slightly balky shift. I can live with that. The big problem ... A: First gear didn't have a syncro in those old gearboxes but second did and if you are getting a lot ... | |
| 1966 MGB vented gas cap | 3/21/2008 |
| Q: Howard: Thanks so much for your advice. The previous owner said to use the 30 weight oil in the ... A: Straight 30 is ok for the gearbox and 3 in 1 in the carb pots is also ok unless you get a hesitation ... | |
| Gas Guage Not Working | 3/21/2008 |
| Q: 1978 MG Midget. I verified the gas guage works by grounding the sensor side: moves to full. However, ... A: That is possible but the problem is most likely a rusted sending unit. It is a common fault on these ... | |
| 1966 MGB vented gas cap | 3/20/2008 |
| Q: A mechanic that worked on my MGB 1966 said that my gas cap was not seating properly leading to gas ... A: If he put on a non vented cap it can effect the way the engine runs by making it difficult for the ... | |
| mgb | 3/20/2008 |
| Q: when my 1977 mgb is warm it runs great. if it is a little cold on the first start of the day it is ... A: You need a wiring diagram to trace out circuits as rewiring a whole car on this program would take a ... | |
| starter solenoid MGB | 3/17/2008 |
| Q: I replaced the starter solenoid on my 76B. Now I cannot hook the battery up because when I do (keep ... A: The starter solenoid mounted on the starter where one post of the solenoid is attached to a short ... | |
| MGB RADIATOR REPLACEMENT | 3/17/2008 |
| Q: Howard I have a 1979 MGB Roadster,(s/n GHN5UL471903 G)I have removed the radiator to have it flushed ... A: To fill it quicker just remove the upper hose from the head and fill it into the radiator until you ... | |
| MGB RADIATOR REPLACEMENT | 3/17/2008 |
| Q: Howard I have a 1979 MGB Roadster,(s/n GHN5UL471903 G)I have removed the radiator to have it flushed ... A: Yes, I agree, BLM had their head where the sun don't shine on many things and the lack of drains on ... | |
| mgb coil spark | 3/15/2008 |
| Q: . no spark at coil when cranked.. the coil is new,,,when ignition is on 12.4 volts @ coil ... A: Do you mean you have points in the distributor? If so you need to do a couple of tests. Remove the ... | |
| MG Midget ignition timing | 3/14/2008 |
| Q: I need to change the contact points on my 1973 Midget. Is there a special spanner to get to the ... A: There are wrenches that fit the front bolt on the crank but while working in MG dealerships we just ... | |
| mgb | 3/13/2008 |
| Q: when my 1977 mgb is warm it runs great. if it is a little cold on the first start of the day it is ... A: Gary, it can be too much choke or not enough so do this, When it does finally start as you have been ... | |
| Non MG | 3/13/2008 |
| Q: sorry about this i can totally understand if you cannot answer this but there isn't a category for ... A: You can not ware oil out, all you can do is contaminate it. So if you have run through deep water or ... | |
| mgb | 3/12/2008 |
| Q: when my 1977 mgb is warm it runs great. if it is a little cold on the first start of the day it is ... A: The 77 B has a single Stromberg carburetor and there are two main reasons that carb can be cold ... | |
| SD1 gearbox | 3/10/2008 |
| Q: I'm preparing to convert my 1980 MGB using a Rover SD1 V8 & 5-speed gearbox. Roger Williams' book ... A: I have some experience with the Triumph TR-7 5-speed box (as I understand it is the same as the ... | |
| 74 midgit rear spring replacement | 3/8/2008 |
| Q: I am planning on replacing the rear springs on the midgit. I bought new springs and polyurethane ... A: They told you that because many times the "U" bolt threads are rusted and the "U" bolts have been ... | |
| Early D overdrive wiring | 3/7/2008 |
| Q: As I understand it, the early "D" overdrive has the selector switch, 3-4 switch, and the mysterious ... A: I have seen many cars bypassing the vacuum switch. Also many even bypass the 3/4 trans switch. ... | |
| 1973 mg midget | 3/7/2008 |
| Q: I'm working on a 73 MG Midget that recently shattered the release bearing totally. Was able to ... A: Bob, if someone has been welding on the slave cylinder rod then you must find a new rod. You MUST ... | |
| 1973 mg midget | 3/6/2008 |
| Q: I'm working on a 73 MG Midget that recently shattered the release bearing totally. Was able to ... A: I sent one responce but it may not have went out so here it is again, I am concerned about your ... | |
| removal of rear half axles | 3/5/2008 |
| Q: I'm helping a friend with his MG GT. He's removed the rear end to upgrade the suspension setup, ... A: You can remove the axle and hub out of the differential by removing the four nuts and bolts holding ... | |
| Starter | 3/5/2008 |
| Q: I had asked you about my starter on my 77 MGB. I'm looking for the starter relay. I have three ... A: The starter relay should be on the right fender valance and it should have four pins labeled "C-1", ... | |
| Hazard warning fuse | 3/5/2008 |
| Q: Greetings, I have a 1972 MGB. The hazards are not working. I found a replacement relay at local ... A: James, the fuse was to protect the wiring harness not the flasher so a 35 amp will work fine because ... | |
| 1976 Spitfire | 3/4/2008 |
| Q: My car has an engine code #FP71240UE I guess this is a MG engine,but what year? It has a point type ... A: The Spitfire never had an MG engine. (Austin engine) The MG Midget did however have the Spitfire ... | |
| No spark | 3/4/2008 |
| Q: I am trying to get my 80 MG running after letting it sit for a couple of years. I've done all the ... A: Richard, the coil does not do the switching, it is just as it's name. It is a coil, actually it is ... | |
| 1976 midget | 3/4/2008 |
| Q: i have a 1976 midget that i do not want to through alot of money at my problem lies with no spark i ... A: Most ignition systems like that can be tested by just confirming power to the coil and confirm no ... | |
| converting 2 mg batteries to one? | 3/2/2008 |
| Q: How much work is it to install replace the two batteries in my 69 MGB with one? Is it possible? ... A: Yes it is a common modification. I have seen many different versions. The easiest probably is to ... | |
| Starter | 3/2/2008 |
| Q: Another question regarding my 77 MGB. When I start my car, ( not all the time ), sometimes I hear ... A: The intermittent electrical problem to any mechanic has always been a problem because you have to ... | |
| mg midget | 2/28/2008 |
| Q: howard i have a 1500 mg midget 1980 which idles at 1500rpm if i tap the throttle it goes down to ... A: First disconnect the throttle cable and see if it still does it to isolate the problem between the ... | |
| Gearbox removal | 2/28/2008 |
| Q: My 1980 MGB has a bad leak in the rear seal. Is it possible to remove and reinstall the gearbox ... A: I seen it tried two times in different dealerships I worked in and they did do it, but both said ... | |
| 1976 midget | 2/28/2008 |
| Q: i have a 1976 midget that i do not want to through alot of money at my problem lies with no spark i ... A: First since you say you only have 7v at the coil, that tells me you have an external ballast ... | |
| Heater fan | 2/28/2008 |
| Q: I'm going through the heater fan controls in my 1980 MGB, and I'm confused by one point. The fan ... A: The Booster blower switch is a three position rocker switch. Up for off, center for low speed and ... | |
| Gauge lamp rheostat | 2/26/2008 |
| Q: The gauge lamp rheostat in my 1980 MGB has frozen solid. Rather than pay $120 for an OEM ... A: I have several manuals on the "B" but couldn't find any quote on the resistance range. I probably ... | |
| mg | 2/24/2008 |
| Q: a simple question i have a mgb gt 1972 do you need to fill radiator with water / water and coolant ... A: You should check coolant level at least once a month. Some people check their coolant level once a ... | |
| MGB electrical (Hazard?) question | 2/22/2008 |
| Q: I have a 1980 MGB. When the key is in the running position and the car is not started, there's a ... A: If your car still has the original SU fuel pump it should click not buzz. Electric pumps on just ... | |
| Clutch in Reverse (Not working) | 2/22/2008 |
| Q: My '74.0' does not want to seem to reverse. After shifting into reverse and applying the gas, the ... A: Yes, an overdrive that is not working correctly can cause reverse not to work. If it sticks solid in ... | |
| Clutch in Reverse (Not working) | 2/22/2008 |
| Q: My '74.0' does not want to seem to reverse. After shifting into reverse and applying the gas, the ... A: You have to explain a little. The shift lever don't go into reverse? The lever seems to shift into ... | |