What a Fiasco # 5
9/15/03 -
What a FUN Summer this has been! (NOT!)
The engine in
the “Puddle Jumper” (My 1977 MGB) just isn’t running right. It backfires, and if
I can keep it running it just has NO power. Time to seek some professional help.
After several E-mails to Moss Motors, I still had NO idea what was causing the problem.
I found a mechanic in the North East that insisted that it HAD to be the timing.
So, I replaced the Timing Gear and Chain. She ran the same – or not at all! Next
I was told “Well then, it has to be the Head!”
So, I bought a
new Head, gaskets and all the other required parts. While spending most of the Summer
on the road at D.A.R.E.® Conferences, I didn’t have a lot of time to spend rebuilding
an MGB engine. But, I did manage to replace the Head between trips. However, she
STILL wouldn’t run! NOW WHAT?
I found a restoration
shop in Lakeland and after explaining what all I had done to my baby, he told me
to bring it to his shop and he’d see if he could find the problem. I called the
towing company and had her delivered to his shop that afternoon. A couple of days passed before my curiosity got
the best of me and I just HAD to call him. So, I called. When he answered the phone
and realized who it was he started laughing. Now, what’s this all about? He asked
if I could stop by his shop later that day and I agreed.
When I got there,
he had the bonnet up and pointed to the manifold. “Did you replace this?” he asked.
I told him that it had been replaced, but NOT by me! Then he went on to explain
that my problem was NOT the Timing Gear, nor the Timing Chain, nor the Head! Instead,
whoever replaced the manifold used standard nuts and large flat washers to bolt
it to the Head. Since this particular manifold has “U” shaped mounting brackets,
because standard nuts were used instead of the correct LARGE nuts, the washers bent
and allowed the manifold to gap away from the head. That is why she’d backfire and
sometimes just not run at all!
Kinda sounds like
I’d spent over $1,200 for parts that were NOT needed! Even worse is that it could
have been repaired properly if the mechanic that replaced the manifold
had used the $6 worth of CORRECT nuts! L
But, it doesn’t
end there! Next he pointed to the carburetor. “Did you rebuild that thing?” he asked.
Again I told him that another mechanic had rebuilt it for me. He sorta
chuckled and went on to tell me that about 40% of the parts were missing inside
the carburetor. Then he said “My suggestion is that you NOT take her to that shop
again!” Since that carb was NOT the original part, he suggested that it might
be better to replace it, ‘cause parts for it were practically non existent! I
told him to GO FOR IT. J
Two weeks
later and after a couple of my Conference trips, he called and told me that she
was ready to go. I went over the next morning to pick her up. When I arrived he
had the bonnet up again – NOW WHAT? He explained that he just didn’t feel
comfortable about leaving the old manifold on there without checking it. So, he
had taken it off and found that it was severely warped! (No wonder she wouldn’t
run!) He went on to say that he found a replacement out in his shop from a
rebuild that he had done for someone else and he’d had it checked and it was a GOOD
one. J
So that was
that! Now I have a New Timing Gear, New Timing Chain, New Head, New Gaskets,
New Manifold, AND a New Carburetor! AND, she RUNS!!!! Yes, I’m a little lighter
in the wallet, but ANYTHING for my baby!
2/6/04 - But,
it doesn’t end there! She runs, but she just doesn’t have the ZIP that she used
to have! L I have tinkered with different adjustments for the last FIVE
months and NOTHING seemed to help. However, back in the old “327” days, I used
to tune my 375 hp Chevelle by ear. When she sounded good, don’t mess with it!
So, what do I have to lose? I had just set the timing by the book – EXACTLY 10º
advance. But, she would hardly pull herself down the road! L Let’s go for it!!! I had her hummin’ and locked her down. Now let’s
check the timing. I could barely find the timing mark, but it appeared to be at
about –8º! That’s 18º OFF! How can that be?
The next
morning I called the restoration dude and he told me that he forgot to tell me
that some of the New Factory rebuild parts can be off by as much as 25%. L Dat’s good to know (I think!). J
If you’re
having a problem with your MGB, just gimme a call. If ANYTHING can happen to
one car it has happened to the “Puddle Jumper”! Maybe I can help you before you
“Lighten” YOUR wallet. J
Cheers,