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What goes in this hole?

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mylillooker

mylillooker

Senior Member
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A couple of weeks ago, upon leaving a movie theatre, I ran into some trouble.

I started the car, backed out of the space and as I gave it gas to leave and heard a loud pop (similar to backfiring). Instantly it sounded as though I was driving a small tank. I stopped to check the engine and couldn't see anything unusual.

Luckily I was in the neighborhood of a friend and fellow Midget owner, Trevor Jessie (great guy). Upon closer inspection, it was determined there was a crack in the exhaust manifold, but it was too hot to examine in any detail. The next day I realized something must have fallen out or off, because it wasn't a crack, but a threaded hole.

Unfortunately a search of the parking lot proved pointless. When I plug the hole, it sounds fine. I'd like to find out if anyone knows what and whereI can find what might have been there or good ideas as to what I can do now. It's embarassingly loud. I've tried parts catalogs, but it's impossible to tell what it was. It's got the weber conversion on it so I know there were mods made to that unneccessary emissions stuff. I've attached pics. Hope you can make heads or tails of them.
 

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I don't know much about the "later" cars, but could that be the connection point for air injection? I know some of the A-series heads had smog ports tapped into the head. Could it possibly be a similar, manifold emissions connection?
 
what year/motor is the car? the air injection on later model 1500's are in the head, so it wouldn't be that if you have the 1500 motor.
 
I found a pic of a 1500 manifold. It's the EGR valve that goes into that hole.

If the weber manifold doesn't have a port for the egr return tube, then i'd imagine that the egr port in the manifold should have been plugged. Sounds like you lost this plug.

If you do need an egr valve, a guys has one and tube on e-bay... starting at 9.99. here's the link.
https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=34202&item=4556830640
 

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Hey, it's a 79 and yes, of course it's the 1500. I'm new at MG's and I guess it could have been the EGR. I'll take a look when I get home.
Thanks
 
Oh yeah, it's not really in the same place but it seems very plausable. I think I'd have heard the thunk when it feel out. Or seen it in the lot the next day.
Thanks
 
it could still be in the car... sitting on the rail pinched against the exhaust. Maybe....or it was an ill fitting plug that fell out

mark
 
Hey Mario, glad it wasn't a cracked manifold. I would have to agree with mark... most likely an ill fitting plug. You might post on the spitfire board and see if anybody knows what size it should be. Surely somebody has desmogged and has had to plug that hole.
PS
Missed you at tonight's meeting. We had a good turnout for drop your top night, complete with cheap sparkling wine and plastic champagne glasses.
 
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