Fixing Things

[jhorton3]

Finally have time this weekend to work on Midgie. Fixed one of the major oil leaks. For some reason the braided oil pressure hose developed a leak on the block side connection. Looked like I'd cut a main artery! With replacement not a drop leaked.

Tomorrow I plan on working to get the static timing back. Not looking forward to it as I'll have to unbolt the motor mounts and jack the engine up so I can get a socket on the damper pulley bolt. I'll probably be posting quite a bit tomorrow asking plenty of questions.

 

[Bugeye58]

Whoa!! It's not necessary to jack anything up to turn the engine over by hand.
Pull the plugs, chock the wheels or apply the handbrake, gearbox in neutral.

Apply pessure on the alternator belt, put a wrench on the alternator pulley nut and turn to your hearts content. Much easier. Someone will suggest pushing the car, or rocking it while in gear, but my method is easier, and it's much more precise.

While you're there, it would be the ideal time to adjust the valves, too.
Jeff

 

[asoupley]

That's a good tip Jeff... I usually do the "push the car method". Maybe I'll try this one next time

Thanks
Tony

 

[Baz]

Whoa!! It's not necessary to jack anything up to turn the engine over by hand.

I've been jacking up one rear wheel in 4th and turning the wheel. Your suggestion sounds a lot easier Jeff.

 

[Bugeye58]

Barry, always ask the lazy guy for the easiest method of doing something! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
Jeff

 

[jhorton3]

Plugs have been pulled, I've tried getting the alternator belt as tight as I can possibly muster, but the alternator pulley method will not turn the engine at all. Just slips under the belt.

In regards to putting the car in 4th and turning a rear wheel, do you keep one wheel on the ground? If so which wheel do you turn?

Last time I tried this the only way to get TDC was unbolting the motor mounts from the frame and putting a floor jack under the engine. Lifted it up enough to where I could put the large socket on the damper bolt and a breaker bar to turn the engine.

Might try the wheel approach tomorrow, but have a suspicion the jack will find it's way to the front and under the engine.

 

[tony barnhill]

Just outa curiosity....how much compression has that thing got?

 

[jhorton3]

It's been a while since I did a compression test, but I think all 4 were around or over 120.

 

[Luke_Healey]

Thanks for the tip. I'd been eyeballing the crank nut thinking "what kind of modified wrench am I going to have to make to turn that?

We pushed or pulled the car to get the distributor to a high point to set point gap on my first Sprite.

 

[Baz]

Just jack up one rear wheel, doesn't matter which, pop it in 4th, then turn the jacked up wheel in the direction of forward travel with the other wheel on the deck. That'll turn it over.
Chock the front wheels because you'll want the handbrake off.

 

[Bugeye58]

I think I'd be looking at that alternator belt for glazing. I've never failed with this method, even with a fresh, tight engine. Are you pressing on the belt with one hand, or trying to tighten the adjustment to get it tight enough? I've always just pushed down on the belt.
Jeff

 

[1965_MGB]

Why not use the starter to bump the engine over. Some pretty cool stuff up on you tube from University Motors.

https://www.youtube.com/user/Universitymotorsltd

Great stuff on this page.

 

[jhorton3]

New belt. Tried both ways of pressing on the belt and taking a pry bar to take what slack I can get out of it, but pulley still slips underneath.

 

[piman]

Hello Jim,

the compression is irrelevant as long as you removed the plugs?


Alec

 

[racingenglishcars]

If the belt is slipping enough to NOT turn the engine, I wonder how this thing charges the battery!

 

[DrEntropy]

I've ALWAYS used Jeff's method. Should be able to turn ANY engine by hand this way with the plugs out. Tension the trailing side of the belt with one hand and it shouuld grab easily. If it's so tight you can't turn it there's "somethin' goin' on" more serious than just timing. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/shocked.gif

 

[bugimike]

Why not use the starter to bump the engine over. Some pretty cool stuff up on you tube from University Motors.

https://www.youtube.com/user/Universitymotorsltd

Great stuff on this page.

That is a pretty neat site!! I also got a kick out of seeing my own video at the top of the "related videos" column, hehe!! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

 

[jhorton3]

I've tried the bump start method with a remote starter switch. The problem is I always overshoot, so I want to have a bit more control to get to TDC.

 

[tony barnhill]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]If it's so tight you can't turn it here's "somethin' goin' on" more serious than just timing.[/QUOTE]

Guess my little tongue-in-cheek question wasn't pointed enough (I realized the'd removed the plugs)....if the belt slips, either the wrong belt is on the pulley (i.e., glazed, incorrect width, etc) or the pulley is worn something awful (& it that wouldn't charge is correct), or there's something wrong inside the engine.....if the belt doesn't work, I'm wondering if turning a wheel will.

Bumping the starter has always worked for me up to the last little bit then the belt trick brings it on over.

 

[bugimike]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]If it's so tight you can't turn it here's "somethin' goin' on" more serious than just timing.

Bumping the starter has always worked for me up to the last little bit then the belt trick brings it on over. [/QUOTE]

That is the way I have always done it too, w/o any problems!!! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbsup.gif