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So,
here at Chez Smit the weather is finally approaching bearable. it is -5 today and double digits later this week. Not exactly driving weather but at least I can get in the garage.
Yesterday I took the drivers seat out so that I can replace the dash lights with LED - will let you know how it goes. Interestingly, I could not get the drivers seat to go far enough forward to expose the bolts. Finally realized that there was a fold of the seat upholstry that was binding on the runner - sheesh.
Anyways, none of that has to do with my questions so, here goes:
1. The car is a 1976 MG Midget California Car. This means it has (had) all the pollution gubbins (now removed)
2. It is the 1500 Spitfire engine and came with electronic ignition from the factory.
3. In 2011 I was at the anniversary for the beginning of the production of square body Midgets. Here I met Jeff Schlemmer
( www.advanceddistributors.com/ ). Jeff told me that due to the pollution stuff, my car had Vacuum retard instead of Vacuum advance. As such he recommended that I disconnect and plug the vacuum hose since it wasn't doing anything anyways. I did.
4. Car runs fine and strong.
However.
5. 2-3 years ago it wasn't running right so I took it to my (old school) mechanic. He figued out that the distributer was loose - tightened it and set the timing. Again all good.
6. Now when the car has been sitting for a while (2 weeks) it is very hard to start. Part of this I know is the mechanical fuel pump and the time it takes to get to the carb. (BTW I run an HS4 MGB carb which has been rebuilt properly) BUT, when the car starts to fire - and even when it catches for the first few minutes I have to feather the gas pedal as the car coughs and sputters. Regularly it will quit with a bit of a wheeze in the intake. It also doesn't always sound like it is catching on all cylinders. Once it catches all is good and it starts instantly every time. Likewise if I go use it any time in the following week, all is good.
7. So, I feel like there is a timing issue where the plugs are firing a bit early. would this make sense? To this mind if the car is cold and the plugs fire early they would hinder the rotation of the engine. Once the car is warm and all is turning, momentum makes this a none issue. Does that make sense?
8. I haven't put a timing light on the car because I want to understand before I start changing things. Also, with the engine turning clockwise I presume turning the dizzy clockwise advances the timing?
9. Oh and wild card the vacuum 'bell' on the distributer is loose - would this impact anything?
thanks all for your wisdom.
here at Chez Smit the weather is finally approaching bearable. it is -5 today and double digits later this week. Not exactly driving weather but at least I can get in the garage.
Yesterday I took the drivers seat out so that I can replace the dash lights with LED - will let you know how it goes. Interestingly, I could not get the drivers seat to go far enough forward to expose the bolts. Finally realized that there was a fold of the seat upholstry that was binding on the runner - sheesh.
Anyways, none of that has to do with my questions so, here goes:
1. The car is a 1976 MG Midget California Car. This means it has (had) all the pollution gubbins (now removed)
2. It is the 1500 Spitfire engine and came with electronic ignition from the factory.
3. In 2011 I was at the anniversary for the beginning of the production of square body Midgets. Here I met Jeff Schlemmer
( www.advanceddistributors.com/ ). Jeff told me that due to the pollution stuff, my car had Vacuum retard instead of Vacuum advance. As such he recommended that I disconnect and plug the vacuum hose since it wasn't doing anything anyways. I did.
4. Car runs fine and strong.
However.
5. 2-3 years ago it wasn't running right so I took it to my (old school) mechanic. He figued out that the distributer was loose - tightened it and set the timing. Again all good.
6. Now when the car has been sitting for a while (2 weeks) it is very hard to start. Part of this I know is the mechanical fuel pump and the time it takes to get to the carb. (BTW I run an HS4 MGB carb which has been rebuilt properly) BUT, when the car starts to fire - and even when it catches for the first few minutes I have to feather the gas pedal as the car coughs and sputters. Regularly it will quit with a bit of a wheeze in the intake. It also doesn't always sound like it is catching on all cylinders. Once it catches all is good and it starts instantly every time. Likewise if I go use it any time in the following week, all is good.
7. So, I feel like there is a timing issue where the plugs are firing a bit early. would this make sense? To this mind if the car is cold and the plugs fire early they would hinder the rotation of the engine. Once the car is warm and all is turning, momentum makes this a none issue. Does that make sense?
8. I haven't put a timing light on the car because I want to understand before I start changing things. Also, with the engine turning clockwise I presume turning the dizzy clockwise advances the timing?
9. Oh and wild card the vacuum 'bell' on the distributer is loose - would this impact anything?
thanks all for your wisdom.
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