1500 - HS4 - improvements

[bigjones]

Well, I'm quite pleased.

This morning I installed an MGB spacer block (yellow arrow) between the heat shield and carb.

This involved installing longer studs (from Ace Hardware) on the 1500 manifold and elongating the holes in the spacer so it would fit on the studs.

The spacer unfortunately moved the filter back at least an inch and the filter would no longer fit in there. By some miracle, the K&N filter housing from my 1275 (sob) fitted on the HS4 (just used smaller diameter bolts) and it actually lifted up the filter so I could use the original 3" deep filter. I put some play dough (plasticine) on top of the filter and carb but it was not, fortunately, deformed when I closed the hood.

Can't believe it - so simple. The engine fired right up and purrs like a kitten.

Also, angled the hose (blue arrow) from the valve cover to act as a road draft tube (as featured in the TR3) with wind from the fan in an attempt to get some PCV.

Cheers!

 

[JPSmit]

nice! (looks great too)

 

[dklawson]

Adrian, I have almost the same setup on the Spitfire. I ran the valve cover vent back behind the left side of the engine and way down to the frame. If you dump the oil/fumes at the right front, it is likely to drip and spray back on the exhaust manifold/header (ask me how I know!) I have a generic PCV valve I intend to hook up (someday). However, for the moment, the open system is working OK for my son and I'm sure I will need to tune the carb a bit after putting the PCV in. Frankly... I'm just lazy at the moment to install it.

 

[bigjones]

JP,
Thanks for the kind words!
Now I am out of the badlands of head gasketry, I would like to concentrate on things I like best - piddling around. Thinking of constructing an air box, for example. First I need to be convinced that one would be actually useful. Theoretically there is the ram air effect but I suspect it doesn't amount to much. Also, it would be drawing in relatively cooler air into the carb - this I can believe.

Doug,
Good point on the oil spray - right now it will collect on the handle of the dipstick. Ha!
The PCV system is something else I want to look into. I was browsing through the Moss Motors catalogs, as one does, and noticed that the MGB has the same pipe on the valve cover but also has something coming out of the block to vent blow-by. Come to think about it, so does the 1275. The 1500 only has the valve cover vent. Converting to an electric fuel pump would allow the installation of a Crankcase Breather . Not sure if that one would fit the 1500.

Cheers!