MGB 1972 MGB Project Blue First attempt and fixing no spark and other checks

[DrEntropy]

Nicely done!

Not sure you've seen this, or even care, but Nisonger can supply a more period correct volt meter. This is the console I put together for our '64 MGB. clock also from Nisonger.

 

[pdplot]

Am I the only one who thinks "Project Blue Book" every time I see this thread?
For those who don't know, Blue Book was the secret Air Force project investigating Flying Saucers.

 

[B72Blue]

That is nice. I had seen those when I ordered my gauge, and when I ordered I got the one like I got instead because I thought my gauges were that way around.

Obviously I was wrong, but it was way too late as it had been way too long since when I ordered it. I had put it in a box in the trunk and forgot about it for like 3 months.

So too late to return it.

But thats ok, doesn't bug me. I can always get a different one later.

Nicely done!

Not sure you've seen this, or even care, but Nisonger can supply a more period correct volt meter. This is the console I put together for our '64 MGB. clock also from Nisonger.

View attachment 63248

 

[B72Blue]

Update as of may 12th.

I'll be brief, but could also use some guidance.

Replaced rear brake line, new rear wheel cylinders, rebuilt pdwa with new orings, replaced front brake lines, replaced front pads and rotors. bled brakes as best as I could.

Put tires on the car.

Took it for a small ride around the block.

Brakes not great. they stop but not very well without lots of pressure. Possible I suspect air in the lines, or front calipers not working properly. Have a rebuild kit so I will just rebuild them then try to bleed system again.

Car has a lack of power. Idles well, starts great, warms up well, revs ok, but when in gear trying to accelerate, I can put my foot to the floor in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and barely get over 35 mph, and rpms don't seem to want to go much above 3500 rpms. Plugs are new, wires new, points, condenser, cap rotor all new. carbs in good shape and gunson color tune has them in a nice blue at idle, but gets I think more rich under load as colortune seems to be more yellow/orangish, perhaps too rich? perhaps I need to lean it out or make it more rich? perhaps I need to play with timing one direction or another?

Steering works, speedo works, clutch engages ok, gear selector feels great and feels like a gated shifter. clicks nicely into the gears and no grinding or anything there.

Suspension will need all new bushings for sure, but surprisingly not noisey.

So good news and bad. Good news, it moves. bad news it needs work on the brakes and needs work on the tuning.

Not sure what to do with the tuning, I suspect timing is probably in need of some work. Perhaps I should reinstall the original distributor instead of the 40897 and start from there?

Anyone have any input. and No lectures on driving it around the block with brakes that don't work well they stop but with effort. nobody was out and there are no sidewalks so nobody walks there.

 

[DrEntropy]

I'd say try it with the original distributor, set timing and be sure the dizzy advance is working. SU's are 'demand' carbs, dependent on vacuum to raise the pistons. Check to be sure that the pistons go up and down freely in the carbs, first pull the plungers out to check, then put 'em back in place and see if perhaps they restrict piston travel. Another possible issue may be a vacuum leak at the manifold or the gaskets where the carb bodies attach to it. Your description leads me to believe you've got a vacuum leak somewhere.

As for the brakes, the front brakes do the bulk of the work. Sounds as if perhaps the calipers are not working as they should, the rears are doing all the work. Does the pedal build pressure (pedal position moves further away from the floor) as you pump it a few times, engine off? If so, that indicates air in the system someplace. Otherwise, it 'sounds' as if the calipers aren't working correctly. Have you rebuilt them? If not, know the job is a real P.I.T.A... NAPA will supply both, rebuilt, for about $50 each with exchange, saves time and effort. The cost/benefit ratio makes the exchange attractive unless you're either enjoying a challenge or masochistic. :wink:

Seems you're making remarkable progress on the car. And as for test driving it, there's no better way to find the issues! Just use common sense.

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Thanks for the update, and congrats on the progress - great work!

Can't add much to Doc's comments but will say, regarding brakes, if you haven't replaced the flex lines, they may be at least part of the problem. They're pretty commonly prone to failure due to collapsing. And I agree with simply replacing rather than rebuilding the calipers.


Mickey

 

[B72Blue]

I'll try the dizzy.

Pistons move ok in the carbs I know that. I have had them off and fully scrubbed clean and refilled with oil. using the same 20w50 as the car which is what I was led to believe was ok, anything up to 30wt oil. Also joe curto in an email said he just uses 20w50.

Vacuum leak I am pretty sure is not the case. The intake manifold has 3 ports. two small nipples, and one large one. one small one is covered with a rubber cap and the larger one is also covered with a rubber cap. the only other one is the one going to the dizzy.

New manifold gaskets everywhere - exhaust/intake to manifold - to - heat shield, manifold to carb spacer, carb spacer to carbs all new.

Revving engine, pistons move up fine on the su's, but what I would have to also mention is I had initially after playing with tuning after installing them, had the car unable to rev much above 3500 and was slow to rev, so I moved the dizzy a bit and it improved quite a bit. so I suspect timing could be the whole issue. Not convinced the 40897 needs a rebuild, but it was cheap so I when I got it, I had scrubbed and cleaned it up and it looks good. I'll put the original back.

I agree I should swap the dizzy back and see what happens.

The 40897 may be an issue so we shall see. the original dizzy still has also new points in it and condenser so I should be able to drop it in without much fuss.

 

[DrEntropy]

Apparently you've done everything right. Not much left but to swap out the distributor.