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MGB Idaho motors
- Thread starter WillR
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Will, the threads kinda disappear into the block when tight, their their, just back them out and you will see. One thing I always recommend is to replace all the studs with new! Heat and cold over the years have a tendency to weaken the old studs and I've seen them brake when re torquing them up and you don't want that to happen! When replacing them, I put Loctite on the bottom threads. PJ
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WillR
Jedi Warrior
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Doc, now your getting to fancy for me, one more tool added to the wish list. :wink-new: Has a few moments between jobs today to pull the studs out using the two nut method. most the 3 of the four bolts to the motor mounts are loosened up. Next step on my list is pull out the motor and tranny! though the budget for this seems to be going on the back burner till we get our hands on a "new" civic hatchback VX. Some how I got roped in to doubling my workload to make that happen to.
Heres a thought provoker. If you remember back to november white steam came bubbling out of my valve cover and my motor stalled out. A few min before that my heat cut off after my belt made a wonderful shrieking noise. I wrote of the belt scream to very cold weather and drove on. In the after math my thoughts were I killed my water pump. Upon pulling off my pump today it seams like it should be working. i turn the pulley and give resistance to the blades and its solid. Am I looking at this wrong or do I have a working, albeit old, water pump. If it was working, 1- why did my heater cut out. 2- how did i cook my motor?
On the positive side Im having a blast pulling this thing apart. concrete floors and a roof sure beats the heck out of a cold wet gravel driveway. Thanks for taking the guess work out of what Im doing here.
Heres a thought provoker. If you remember back to november white steam came bubbling out of my valve cover and my motor stalled out. A few min before that my heat cut off after my belt made a wonderful shrieking noise. I wrote of the belt scream to very cold weather and drove on. In the after math my thoughts were I killed my water pump. Upon pulling off my pump today it seams like it should be working. i turn the pulley and give resistance to the blades and its solid. Am I looking at this wrong or do I have a working, albeit old, water pump. If it was working, 1- why did my heater cut out. 2- how did i cook my motor?
On the positive side Im having a blast pulling this thing apart. concrete floors and a roof sure beats the heck out of a cold wet gravel driveway. Thanks for taking the guess work out of what Im doing here.
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Heater cut out from a lowering of the amount of coolant in the system. Not enough to push thru the heater. 1-The culprit will likely be a leak in the system someplace. 2-Even the temp gauge can be affected and not give a true reading if the bulb sensor is not immersed in coolant. Lower hose or radiator leak are likely suspects.
There's a "weep hole" on the underside of that waterpump, if it shows evidence of coolant (a vertical trace of water or rusty "track") leaking, the pump seal is likely shot.
There's a "weep hole" on the underside of that waterpump, if it shows evidence of coolant (a vertical trace of water or rusty "track") leaking, the pump seal is likely shot.
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WillR
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Right before I left i took out the radiator and flushed the system multiple times as i never had heat to speak of in that car. I was beyond delighted to experience it for the bit that I did. I saw no trace of anything under the pump the night of " the incident" however I was a bit frustrated at the moment. The only signs I have now were abnormally rusty bolts. Not to say the sytem was spotless inside. I could have broke something lose from its first real drive in a few years.
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WillR
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When I push on the pistons I cant get then to budge at all. I figured i would get some play out of them. What should I be looking for In a heat Failed motor. The coolant and oil mixed I gather from the white steam that poured from the valve cover and the "watery" oil i drained. Other then that Im not seeing anything that screams "I failed"
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If it cooked as badly as you reported, it may have "heat treated" the rings to the point they've become less effective, most other components will have been exposed to water and will possibly rust. Best to disassemble all and clean thoroughly. then lube all with fresh oil or grease until ready for reassembly.
That pulley nut is HUGE and should have a lock tab as a retainer. Bend that flat with the pulley first. The best way is to get a six-point socket at Sears to fit it (1ÂĽ" IIRC). A L O N G breaker bar would be good if you haven't a compressor and air wrench. And you will need to "pin" the crank to keep it from turning. A piece of 2x4 wedged between block and a crank journal does well.
That pulley nut is HUGE and should have a lock tab as a retainer. Bend that flat with the pulley first. The best way is to get a six-point socket at Sears to fit it (1ÂĽ" IIRC). A L O N G breaker bar would be good if you haven't a compressor and air wrench. And you will need to "pin" the crank to keep it from turning. A piece of 2x4 wedged between block and a crank journal does well.
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WillR
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Thanks Doc. Your one of the few who not only is a rock solid poster, you some how know the every detail about what Im starting to see is any british car. I really want to get focused here in the next little bit. At least break every thing down and get it clean and ready. Pulling stuff of a car is only part of the fun.
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I used an air impact tool, with a metric 6 point impact socket, knocks them loose in no time! But, I don't remember the socket size. I do remember none of my sockets would fit, I had to buy one. PJ
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If you can go with a compressor and impact wrench you'll be happier. I tried the prybar/extension methods when I was first tearing down an A-series engine for a Bugeye a few years ago. After a few days of trying I broke down and bought a compressor and impact gun. 10 seconds later that pulley nut was off.
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If you intend to do real work on about anything mechanical, automotive or not, a good compressor is a must. Air tools for disassembly and cleaning stuff, painting stuff, blowing the cat fur from computer innards... the list is long!
That bolt head is: 1-5/16". Six-point socket, preferably an impact one. Just put a socket on the one here to verify.
That bolt head is: 1-5/16". Six-point socket, preferably an impact one. Just put a socket on the one here to verify.
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WillR
Jedi Warrior
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Good guy neighbor/landlord caught me outside mowing to talk about the sprinkler system and handed me a bit for a drill to help clean some motor bits and pieces. While we were talking he mentions he had been thinking about that big nut sense we pulled out our busted stove last week. I told him the tools I thought I needed and he said I was welcome to any of his. "before we try a compressor let me grab my bar" He has a tractor or to so he came with the correct socket set and a large ratchet and long bar. Once we figured out a good way to lock the teeth we spun off the nut. Told me the days he would be around next week to bring a tractor over and pull the motor. After he left I found a drill in the corner of my garage that was not there before as he found out I didnt have one. Gotta love the people in Idaho. Real sense of community here.
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WillR
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Ok busy few days both work and MG so little time for the posting. My neighbor/landlord brought his big tractor over and we got the motor tranny out. I thought I had everything disconnected but some how ended up with a handful of bolts and washers anyway. Now I dont even remember where they came from gang it. My wife's camera has those pictures so I will post for little more then the comic relief they will surely give to some folks here. I got a little excited cleaning off the tranmision. so Ill show a before and after. Maybe not to exciting for most but this is still my first time really getting in to it. If I can reach it I try to clean it, and boy can I reach it now! Half way and then the finished product.
My timing chain looked and felt to be in good working order. I feel for just sup 100xxx miles the wear seems to be on par. Is this a set up I should swap out just because im in there or keep it if its in good shape?
Then there is the question of the small spring and sleeve that fell of the tranny as I was cleaning it. It fel from the area of the shift stick though I could not figure out where. What is this part?
My timing chain looked and felt to be in good working order. I feel for just sup 100xxx miles the wear seems to be on par. Is this a set up I should swap out just because im in there or keep it if its in good shape?
Then there is the question of the small spring and sleeve that fell of the tranny as I was cleaning it. It fel from the area of the shift stick though I could not figure out where. What is this part?