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HELP!!! We have suddenly have NOTHING to drive!

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GaryBeu

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So here's the deal. Our truck went TU Thursday and is in the shop to be looked at. Newer truck so we can't work on it.

The MGB let us down Saturday in Tennessee...farting, snapping, etc. We pulled into a parking lot and, looong story short, put in a new set of points and gapped them with the carboard box they came in. :crazyeyes:

Got us home even though a little ragged and then really bad again the last 3-4 miles. Properly gapped the points today and it still won't run. Seems good at idle but with any acceleration she starts crapping out. Plug wires are tight, etc.

We are now at a loss as to what to look at next. Suggestions??? Thanks.
 
Do you have a spare coil? And did you change the condenser?
Keep us informed and we'll help.

Dave
P.S. check the plug wires as well.

:savewave:
 
check fuel delivery. Also, change the condensor. They can give some very weird symptoms when they fail.
 
I don't have a spare coil or a new condensor. Getting plenty of fuel. We had a new set of points and new rotor which we installed. Plug wires seem OK. Only thing I haven't done is adjust the carbs but the plugs look OK. Problem is that we have no way of going anywhere to get a condensor or anything...just sorta screwed at this point, I guess. :frown:
 
Do you have a NAPA store nearby? They will deliver parts in an emergency. At least they do here in Canada.
Ask if they have a condenser and can they bring it to you?

Dave :yesnod:
 
Dave...I managed to reach a friend/neighbor who was in town and he's bringing me a condensor right now. Lucky he was there because we live 20 miles out of town in the country!! I'll post the results after we put it in. Thanks for the suggestions ya'll.
 
Gary, you have a PM

Dave :savewave:
 
Dave...no PM yet. I'll keep watching for it. Thanks.
 
Dave...got the PM and replied to you just now...
 
Condensor seemed to "do the trick"...running pretty good now. Thanks guys!!!
 
Gary
Smash the old one with a hammer and throw it away- you don't want to accidentally put it back in a few years from now. BTDT.
BillM
 
Trick. I use this myself, have for 45 years, still do, all my customers, told them to do the same.
When you do a maintenance tune up, not a break down tune up, put all the old parts in a zip-lock baggie and store them in the spare.
I have always had the bits that worked when they came out to get me home.
 
Glad you got it going. :banana:

TOC's got a great suggestion. I've got a set of used-known-good bits as spares in the car, and a new set of all the normal tune-up parts (condenser, points, oil drain plug washer, oil filter) on hand in the shop all the time. Not that expensive to have the extras on hand, and they're ready to go when there's an issue.
 
Well, she's been~running~for a couple of days now but not real smooth. We're pretty sure the new points are gapped properly at .015, the rotor is new, the condensor is new. Maybe carbs need a little adjusting since she idles and accelerates smoothly at a stand-still but starts to fart under a load...especially up a long hill.

I feel a little stupid since I can't remember what it means when it backfires out of the carbs...too rich or too lean? Also, which way does the adjustment nut turn for riching or leaning? I knew all of this a few months ago when I did it last... :frown: Thanks for all of the help here. Carla and I REALLY appreciate you guys and this forum. Thanks Basil!!!
 
I would recommend double checking your timing before messing the the carbs.

Non run diagnostic steps are always fuel delivery, then spark, then timing, then carbs.

Jody
 
Don't know how to check timing...can that just "go bad" all of a sudden??
 
Not necessarily "bad" but if your ignition system wasn't working correctly before then the timing may not have been set effectively for properly functioning equipment.
 
If you old condenser was (going) bad then the odds are good that your points are now burned and need to be cleaned (and then regapped). Then it will definitely need to be timed but I would clean the points first.
BillM
 
GaryBeu said:
I feel a little stupid since I can't remember what it means when it backfires out of the carbs...too rich or too lean? Also, which way does the adjustment nut turn for riching or leaning? I knew all of this a few months ago when I did it last... :frown: Thanks for all of the help here. Carla and I REALLY appreciate you guys and this forum. Thanks Basil!!!
Click to expand...

Backfire out of carb is too lean. clockwise from the top makes richer (someone confirm this no I am second guessing) Also Gary is there still oil in the dashpots? They need to be topped up regularly.
 
OK...Oil in the dashpots, points cleaned and regapped, plug wires are in order and seem OK, timing seems OK, adjusted carbs several times. She ran OK yesterday but this morning puked out on us within a mile of leaving home. Seemed to be running on maybe 2 cylinders. Pulled over to side of the road, let her idle (idle was suddenly up to 2,000rpm) then went on. Ran for awhile then back to 2 cylinders. Same pull-over procedure and she smoothed out and drove about 55 miles. All of a sudden I was back to 2 cylinders and climbed the last hill to home in 1st gear. I'm totally frazzled!!! AND don't know what to do next...maybe give her away??? :smile:
 
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