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stuck distributor?

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mgnewbie

mgnewbie

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Hi everyone, My name is Youngbeen or YB for short, and I live in Gaithersburg, Maryland. I am new to BCF and my first british car, a beaten up '80 MGB which I picked up from ebay. I am semi-retired, so, I 've got loads of time on my hands, and I dreamed on owning a MGB, so, I bought me one....but....its not running....so I'll need to resusitate it back to life...I have some knowledge about cars since i used to own a hot-rod and worked on it in the late '70s and early 80's when i was younger and cars were sometings you could work on, with points and carburetors....look forward to learning from all of you about british cars, particularly my MGB...which I am trying to get the engine running...

One quick question...I am trying to change the timing since when I start the engine, it is idling very rough and backfires through the carb when I try to rev the engine. So after I loosen the clamp nut and the two clamp plate bolts I tried to rotate the distributor but it seems like the distributor is stuck somehow???? its not budging even when i tapped it with a hammer. Is this normal for the distributor to be not able to move with the clamp nut and the bolts loosened? Any tips on how I can free the distributor? should I remove the two bolts and the clamp altogether before trying to rotate the distributor?
 
If indeed the clamp "pinch bolt" is loose and the two hold-down bolts are free it is ~highly likely~ the dizzy outer shaft is corroded in place in the block. You cannot remove the clamp completely without first removing the diz.

This can be a true contest to free up. My suggestion for first attempt is to mix up a slurry og ATF and acetone 50/50, shake it to emulsion and pour it down around the block/dizzy body... let it stand for hours. GENTLY rap on the dizzy around the base and try to turn it.

This is a: "Wash, rinse, repeat." exercise. The body of the diz is alloy and consider it fragile. Many have ended up in scrap piles from overzeal at this job.

If you haven't already, may I suggest acquiring "Bentley Official Workshop Manual" for the car. Amazon or E-Bay. Invaluable tome.

Good luck, report back and <span style="font-size: 17pt"><span style="color: #FF0000">WELCOME to the Forum!!!</span></span>
 
First off welcome to the BCF.

Next you will have to follow this https://www.theautoist.com/awakening_a_sleeping_b.htm. It is a great way to go about getting your car back on the road in good order.

Stuck Distributor - Lots of PB Blaster since she's been probably sitting awhile. Don't take the clamp totally off yet as often times it is a pain to get back on.
 
Thanks for the your advice. Since I don't know where to buy acetone (nail polish?) I am using PB Blaster. I have sprayed PB Blaster while tapping the distributor with a hammer 5 times in the last 5 hours. Still not moving, so, I will leave it over-night and try again tomorrow. I've got lots of time.... I already have "The Complete Oficial MGB 1975-1980" Driver's handbook/workshop manual from Bentley as well as "Automotive repair manual" for MGB 1962 thru' 1980 from Haynes.

Thanks for the "Awakening a sleeping MGB checklist" now I can check the car systematically. Looks like a lot of stuff to replace. Where is a good place to order these parts? Thanks again for the advices.
 
It's well worth tracking down some acetone. I'm sure someone - probably Doc - can direct you where to find it. According to data in a previous thread, the ATF/Acetone solution has almost twice the penetrating / loosening "power" of PB Blaster.
 
and, yes, it is nail polish remover - and welcome!
 
Yup. H. Depot has it by the quarts an' gallons.
 
Thanks again for the posts and advice...I tried to loosen the dizzy (thanks Doc, I am learning) again this morning, but still no sign of movement...I am going down to Home Depot right after this post to get acetone. I've already bought a pint of ATF (the cheapest I can find). As I look thru' the checklist, I can see that my radiator has green coloring and the hoses seem to be old and in a bad condition. Where should I be buying these hoses? Can I get them from local autoparts (like pepboys?) or do I need to order it from like Moss? Are there any other online stores that carry MG parts? I may also need to order the following parts;

1. engine thermostat
2. fuse block
3. radiator hoses (set)
4. Hoses for emmission control system (is emmission control required for 1980 vehicle?)
5. fuel filter
6. Maybe a new radiator (is it worth testing & repairing a bad old radiator?)
7. Dizzy cap, rotor, HT wires and maybe even a new dizzy if I can't get the old one out without breaking it....
8. timing chain (I suspect the timing chain may need to be inspected)
9. Carb rebuild kit (I've got stromburg, made in spain)
10. Tail pipe (I sawed off the rusted and bent tail pipe near the cat.converter, suspecting it maybe the cause for the backfiring at the carb at hiher speeds.)

Please advice where each can be ordered or bought locally. It would save me a lot of phone calls and driving.
 
Pep boys won't have what you want. Moss Motors is generally more expensive than other sources. I'd check Victoria British and some of the forum sponsors on the BCF forum sponsor page. British Parts Northwest often has good prices but doesn't have everything.

Any radiator shop ought to be able to give you an estimate on rebuilding the "bad old radiator", then just compare to cost of a new one. I wouldn't worry about the timing chain unless you've gone through everything else and there's evidence of timing problems. I'd go to a muffler shop once you got it running to have the tail pipe repaired.

If the acetone doesn't work, then my gut feeling would be to get the propane torch out. However, perhaps others here on the forum may have some experience that would contradict my gut. Also be aware that acetone is extremely flammable.
 
Surprisingly NAPA can be a good source of parts. Do you have any NAPA stores in your area?
 
WOW! I am totally amazed by the power of ATF/Acetone mixture...awesome, my dizzy is now free...finally! Doc and everyone thank you! In less then an hour, after the 3rd or 4th application of the mixture using a split bamboo as a channel to drip the cool-aid looking stuff on the dizzy and blockcontact point, and tapping each time with the hammer, it came loose....amazing how valuable experience is...many thanks again to Doc and Peter for your advice on the ATF/Acetone mixture. So here is the current situation with my MGB;

Got the dizzy loose, started the engine, and after rotating the dizzy about an inch clockwise (advance?) the engine stop back-firing thru' the carb when I rev it. Also twicked the fuel and air mixture screws on the stromburg carb and the engine can now idle fairly steadily, although a bit fast. I will adjust the carb/timing later.

So, here is the current status;

1. I think the timing chain is ok...since freeing the dizzy and moving it forward, the engine does not backfire anymore.
2. The oil pressure is showing around 40 psi on the gage at fast idle, so, seems ok, but can I or should I trust the gage? It looks like its the only gage that seems to be functioning on the dashboard.
3. I Opened the filler cap and coolant was oozing out before I could fully remove the cap. I checked the temp of the cooling water in the lower and upper hoses from the radiator by feeling it with my fingers with the engine revving for a few minutes. the hoses were getting warm so I think there is coolant and its circulating. The top part of the radiator was getting hot, but the two electric fans didn't kick in, so this is the next thing I will check out, starting with the fan fuse (if I can find it!!!) Also, I didn't see any coolant leaking at the radiator with the engine running, so do I still need to do a pressure test at a radiator shop?
4. There is no reading on the temperature gage. any suggestion how to test these gages and the temp sensor?
5. Also, there is no reading on the tacho. hmmm....any suggestion on troubleshooting the tacho.

Could someone lead me to some documentation on how to rebuild and adjust a stromburg carb?
 
Isn't the BCF a wonderful place!!! :cheers:
 
My own particular "vintage". :devilgrin: :jester:
 

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YB, we can usually help with ALL that stuff. Pete suggested NAPA for "wear item" parts, I concur. Hoses, points, cap, rotor etc.

I'd suggest you first haul the dizzy out and thoroughly clean that housing.

There should be an "Otter" switch in the radiator, it's a "friction fit" so do NOT pull it out until you know if it works or not. With a VOM (you sound savvy enuff to know what it is, and have one :wink: ) ohm it. It should be a normally open and at around 185*F go closed. That will supply voltage to the fan. Check for constant 12V on one wire to the Otter switch or the other (I'm an old feart so can't recall color just now). Voltage, good (key on)... no voltage, start checking for bad connectors or fuses.


We gotta do this an issue at a time... otherwise I'll get winded. :jester:

Oil pressure seems good. 40 at idle. Should climb to around 60 or more at revs past 3K.
 
Loopers in Rockville is good if a little pricey on rebuilding radiators. They have been there forever. 301 762 9333 I had a radiator genius for years but he retired a couple of years ago. I used Loopers before, and have since. FWIW.
 
mgnewbie said:
2. The oil pressure is showing around 40 psi on the gage at fast idle, so, seems ok, but can I or should I trust the gage? It looks like its the only gage that seems to be functioning on the dashboard.

The top part of the radiator was getting hot, but the two electric fans didn't kick in, so this is the next thing I will check out, starting with the fan fuse (if I can find it!!!)
Click to expand...

Not sure where the fusebox is on a B, but, you probably want to clean the junctions on all the fuses - you'll be surprised how much starts to work.
 
Oh, and, someone jump in here, but, before you go through the hassle of rebuilding a stromberg carb, you may just want to get SU's - trust me you will be much happier. I discovered that after spending on my ZS enough to buy an SU - which I had to do anyway cause I could never get the ZS to run right.
 
Would explain the missin paint next to the bottle
 
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