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1800 engine question

Jerry

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We took out a friends 1800 MGB engine today and took it apart. (1978). Everything went well except for getting out the distributor drive, which holds the cam from coming out. The instructions say to screw a bolt in and pull out the drive. Not even a budge! No movement. Is there a secret here or are we in trouble?

Other things of interest. This was a high mileage engine over 130K. The bearings were worn through to copper. The rear oil seal was gone, IE: nothing left but the spring. There were metal particles on the oil pick up screen, but otherwise, it looks pretty good.

Thanks for you help.

Jerry
 
The plate Stewart references is a collar and sleeve held in place with a countersunk slot-head screw.
 
Well, don't need to add my 2 cents, what Stewart says.
 
I looked at the parts book again last night and that sleave seems to have rusted to the block. So I will sook it for a few days. It actually looked like part of the block, we could not see any breaking line to pry it off.
Thanks Group

Jerry
 
The insert that holds the drive in the block is retained by a flush mounting slotted screw. Remove that and you should be able to tap on the 'ear' of the housing and rotate it slightly and back to free it up.
 
If you happen to break it I may have a spare around. The distributor drive gear is threaded with a 5/16 fine thread. I wonder if you could thread a long bolt in and then hook a slide hammer to that bolt head ???? I have never tried it but know how tough they can be to remove when really stuck. Might just work. Bob
 
His problem is just the retaining collar - once he gets that out, he can easily pull the gear out - the standard trick is to remove one of the oil pump studs, which is long enough and has the right thread on one end to slide into the gear and pull it out.
 
Got the retaining collar out and the drive came right out with no problem. The collar had too much rust and I was reluctant to break it. So now I have more questions or opinions needed.
This is a 1978 car and still must meet smog requirments for California.
We are replacing the pistons, the owner drives like an old lady. I would buy the higher compression pistons, but since he does not stress his car I think for him, we should buy the 8/1 compression pistons. Any effect on smog for the higher compression?

I read through the Haynes manual and find NO reference to the smog equipment. Anybody have a testing method to the smog pump or recomendations for the rest of the valves. This must go in for a smog test prior to getting it registered in Feburary.

thanks

Jerry
 
Any modifications you make to the compression, timing and fuel mixture, will effect the smog numbers. Changing pistons from stock isn't a good idea! What if you can't get the numbers where they need to be because the higher compression is fighting you? Then you've made an expensive mistake. Timing and fuel mixture is easy to rectify, changing pistons back to original type isn't. Food for thought. JMHO. PJ


To test a smog pump, pull the hose off the back of the pump to the distribution manifold on the head, run the pump and there should be pressurized air coming out where the hose connects. Make sure some DPO didn't squeeze the lines closed going into the head. For some reason a lot of people think by removing that pump and plugging those lines, the engine will have more horse power and run better. That's a bunch of malarkey! It takes nil power to run that pump which only adds fresh air in the exhaust gases to help burn more of them from the exhaust manifold into the exhaust pipe. Only difference it will make with it shut down, is the exhaust manifold will run a couple degrees cooler, nothing else. If your car has a CAT, don't remove it, if it's bad, replace it! PJ
 
The late model low compression single carb MGB engine is gutted beyond redemption and any slight gain you'd get from having a bit higher compression would be insignificant. I'd just put it back the way it was originally.
 
Sorry, but I have to highly disagree with Bill, while the later model 1800 18V MGB engine were quite stifled due to EPA regs and the coming of smog control, the later RB MGB 's 18V engine has the potential thru rebuilding to become whtever you want it to be, a late model 18V egneincan even built to full out race egnien,so building to be dtreet perforamcne is for sure morethanh do-able. I recnelty had a customer for Alaska, of all pace, has a 1980 MGB, sahrps a tack, he coverted the car to twin HS4s, stock exhaust manifold, uprate distributor,and I buikld a 1900cc big bore engine for him, 10.0 to 1 compression ratio, APT VP12 cam and lifter, ported head, head with big intake 1.690" valves, vernier adjustable cam gear, ARP head, rod and flywheel fasteners, and Fidanza aluminum fylwheel,and he also coverted the car to a T9 5 speed, this is honest to god 125 HP performance , very streetable, MGB egine. So I can safely, tis late model MGB owner did infact reinvert the performacne of his late model MGB. Of course you, or anyone else doesn't have to take it to this level, but there are many things that can be done to the later 8.0 to 1 18V MGB engine, to bring to the level of the earely cars, or even beyond.


Ok, now to brag just a bit, one of the most powerful 1800cc MGB ever built for a street MGB, was purpose built 18V Supercahrger to go in a show winning 1980 MGB LE, the engine was built by me, no expense spared, big bore custom pistons ,Yella Terra roller rocker arm system, extensively ported head with big valves, special Hans Peterson supercharger cam, custom JE piston custom SC pistons with Total Seal gapless rings, aluminum flywheel, lighten, balanced 18V rods, ported Moss SC, and Hans Peterson 12 psi boost serpetine pulley set up. This car puts out as much HP as most of our full prep MG race engines, yet you can drive it to the grocery store, if you want. :eek:nthego:
 
Is that Frank Ms car? I have been wondering if he ever finished it. It sounds like a rocket ship. I want a ride......Bob
 
Hap, I think you are having a whole different discussion that isn't relevant to this thread. No one asked what you could do with a maxmally modified and tuned engine.

The guy wants to rebuild a car that has to pass smog tests and asked if using higher compression pistons in an otherwise stock 18V will get him anything. I said nothing worthwhile would come of just bumping the compression a point on a single carb strangled late engine.

Over to you if you have anything relevant to say about the scenario he was talking about and my response to it..
 
Is that Frank Ms car? I have been wondering if he ever finished it. It sounds like a rocket ship. I want a ride......Bob


Yes, I lost touch with him, last time we talked, he was finishing putting a new wiring harness in the car. He's had a lot of other things going on, and the car had become less of priority. David Anton build a dedicated SC engine with 6 pounds of boost and got 150 HP, so we know with the boost level Frank has we will do a good bit more than that, it would not shock me if this car makes 175 streetable HP.
 
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