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'72 Midget Won't Start After 2 Years of Storage

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I'll add my recommendation about Jeff - he rebuilt one for me and it was definitely better than new. Made the car run correctly, I was having a lot of problems getting it to run and his distributor magic worked for me.
 
I had this in a previous Midget and a TR6. It was great and super reliable in both cars.

https://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=38779

I was thinking the electronic distributor they make just in case mine was aging. My MG is probably one of the highest mileage ones around. It's had a few engine rebuilds over it's multiple 100,000 miles spurts. I have no idea when the last one was. I' be happy just to swap the points of the electronic ignition though an keep the old distributor if it's good.
 
If your engine has been modified from factory specs the distributor can be set up to have the proper advance curve by Jeff. I feel that my modified engine benefited by having Jeff put his touch on the distributor.
 
If you already have the Pertronix then that is the correct option but if it still gives you problems then have Jeff rework it before you do much else.
Bill
 
Cloudbase said:
I had this in a previous Midget and a TR6. It was great and super reliable in both cars.

https://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=38779
Click to expand...

Let's sort out a couple of things here.

First, if you want to get a Pertronix, or other electronic ignition, Moss is probably the worst place to buy it. You can get this unit $50 cheaper from other suppliers. Save the "usual suspects" for things you can't get elsewhere.

Second, whether the advance curve is OK or not, you should be able to get the car running. Worrying about having a perfect distributor--or for that matter, optimizing anything--should wait until you have it running. Then, you can be SURE the distributor is the problem before spending a lot of money on it.
 
It might just be the pistons stuck in the cylinders and need to be freed up. You will need to free it up to take it apart for rebuild anyways so this is what I would do. Remove the plugs and see which piston is nearest the top. Take a spark plug and saw it off at just the threaded part and take the threaded part and tap it for 1/16" pipe thread in the center and screw a grease fitting into it. Screw the threaded part of the spark plug with the grease fitting into the highest piston spark plug hole. Get a cheap couple tubes of grease at walmart and connect your grease gun to the fitting on the device now screwed into the spark plug hole.
Start pumping. I will build hydraulic pressure and the piston and crankshaft will now move. This is the easiest way I have found to free a stuck engine.
 
just out of curiosity- just how much oil did put down each plug hole?

m
 
Billm said:
Kim
He was able to turn it over with the plugs out- is isn't frozen.
Bill
Click to expand...
Ah, good deal. Just reading everything he tried to compress oil and that doesn't work so good. Glad that is all it was. Had a friend who had carb problems on a motorcycle and it filled a cylinder with gas and it wouldn't turn over either.
 
I can attest that water has the same result.
 
I learned about hydroloc when I changed a fuel injector on my first generation Sentra SE-R, the instructions said something about cutting off the fuel or draing the fuel before changing the injector, I of course ignored those instructions, when I tried to turn the motor over it wouldn't, I scratched the head for a while then figured it out, gas is easy to get out if you don't mind being messy, just turn the motor over with the spark plug(s) out and it squirts and splashes out pretty good.

I agree with the comments about the distributor, get it running then figure out what is wrong or worn out or whatever, the more you work on and one time the more variables you add to the what went wrong fix it equation.

Good Luck Have Fun

Greg
 
This is a question as much as a comment - This condition could also be caused by stuck valves could it not? Even one cylinder stuck would need air to be compressed - likely beyond the power of the starter. MY question is, is this a likely scenario? that the valves or perhaps the rocker would be stuck? (I realize Hydrolic lock is much more likely)
 
He says that he could spin it without the plugs so that TENDS to rule out the valve-piston clash scenario. If you are referring to valves staying stuck closed (ie, broken rockers) then the starter should be able to compress the air enough to spin it over too.
BillM
 
Son In Law tried to drive his Lincoln LS at speed through what he thought was a little puddle after a major rainstorm. Water sucked up into air inlet and hydrolocked the engine. Lots of broken engine parts including the crank and block getting trashed. Insurance Complany totalled the car and wrote him a check for $8,500. Solved his no ability to drive this RWD Car in the winter and get out of his driveway.
 
Update: I got it running!

I put more than a few drops in the cylinders, probably a healthy tablespoon each. I don't know why the heck I thought that was a good idea. I'm well aware of the phenomenon of hydro-locking, just didn't think about it happening at the time.

As far as the ignition goes, I had great success with the Pertronix in my previous Midget and my TR6. I didn't buy from Moss. Our local shop in Denver, Sports Car Craftsmen, carries it and I'm happy to support them, even if I could probably get it cheaper on line.

So I installed the Pertronix, a new rotor, new plugs, and a Lucas Sport Coil. I also flushed the heck out of the carbs with carb cleaner, installed new fuel lines and filter. After extracting the oil, it only took a couple blasts of starter fluid to get it going. Once it warmed up properly, it purred like a kitten. My first stop was to the car wash to clean off a few years of dust. Then I topped off the tank along with another bottle of carb cleaner and dry gas, just in case. After that I drove a little loop I have around South Boulder.

I think that my original issue was either bad fuel, or foreign objects in my fuel pump, lines, or carbs. Going up a steep hill it started hesitating and did so for a while on the flats afterwards. I was able to keep it running and it ran fine through the neighborhood. The next warm day we have I'll take it out and run it on the highway for a while to see if I can find a pattern.

I'll start a proper introduction thread in a bit, but for now here are a few pics of the Midget. My Dad bought it new in 1972. I grew up in Maryland and that's where it spent it's time until 2007. Over the years my Dad owned a few big Healeys, an E-Type, and a couple Spitfires. The MG was his daily driver up until the late '80's. It shows the affects of over a decade of east coast daily driving. He also modded the interior with all kinds of electrical gadgets. It has a compass and clocks out of an F-4U Corsair and lots of other crazy switches and buttons. My dad passed away suddenly in 2004 and only had time to hand draw me a rough schematic before becoming ill. Eventually I'd like to hook everything back up, but that's a massive undertaking. I've kept the car running, sans electrical gadgetry, ever since. I've owned a really nice Midget and a TR6 in the past, but this one is not a show car. I plan on keeping it running as long as possible, as the sentimental value is off the chart!

Crappy Cell Phone Pics

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That is great! Glad that you got it running and it is now a "car".
Keep us posted on your progress.
BillM
 
Small world. I grew up in Boulder in the 60's. Welcome to the best forum around.
 
Congrats and welcome lots of memories there (and wire too judging by the engine bay :smile: ) have fun!
 
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