The Great 76 MGB Project

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Jimmy
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'69 MGB (parts car)
'60 Sprite
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'63 LBC
Plus, a Turbo S (with a damn roof) in the household.
And three Mercedes on 20" wheels.
Location: NM

Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by Jimmy »

Okay, that's an unusual stance for a wife, but I'd still go with Steve's advice.
He's actually right, for a change.
In baseball, running into someone is apparently a "collision".
But doing the same thing in a car somehow makes it an "accident".
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Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by spitfire »

Well, I will be able to get to the car again on the 19th. I can set her to painting the spare wheel while i drain the oil and pull the head.
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Jimmy
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Posts: 1434
Joined: Tue May 26, 2009 7:25 pm
Vehicles Owned: '74-1/2 MGB
'76 MGB (parts car)
'52 TD
'71 MGB staqtion wagon
'69 MGB (parts car)
'60 Sprite
'79 MG Midget (parts car)
'63 LBC
Plus, a Turbo S (with a damn roof) in the household.
And three Mercedes on 20" wheels.
Location: NM

Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by Jimmy »

You may want to leave the oil in for now (it may help flush crap out later) but do drain the coolant.
In baseball, running into someone is apparently a "collision".
But doing the same thing in a car somehow makes it an "accident".
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Steve Simmons
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Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by Steve Simmons »

Wow, I don't know if she's a keeper or the devil! She sounds bad for you in the same way my wife is bad for me.... wonderfully bad. :)
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VWNate1
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Re: You're In Luck !

Post by VWNate1 »

As these things routinely crack the cylinder heads and late model heads are plentiful & cheap too .

Just be sure to have that used head magnafluxed before you pay for it or have the valves , guides & seats done .

Better get a new oil filter & a case of cheap multi-vis Dino oil too , you don't want to be starting it up on that milky crap ~ that's water/coolant and it can wipe out otherwise good bearings in a heartbeat .

Do you ever get by the Pick-A-Part junkyard on Pyrite off the 91 Fwy. ? it's a good 'un , often has smashed LBC's and wrecks
usually have good engines , cheaper than a valvejob W/ gaskets and all .

It's really dusty and steep walking tho' :wtf:

What can I say ? once a junkman , always a junkman I guess .

Didja pull the spark plugs yet ? if one (or maybe two) come out suspiciously clean , that's the cylinder that has the crack , the head is junk , I don't know anyone who does " pinning " of cracked heads anymore , more's the pity as Cyclone Excelsweld was 100 % top notch and saved many an unobtanium cylinder head for me back in the day .

Here's hoping it hits the road in 2010 ! :thumbs:
-Nate
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Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by spitfire »

I will have to check that pick-a-part out. Especially when I get near the end. I do have use of a truck in Riverside where the car is parked, so moving a motor isn't an issue if I could get one cheap. I have decided I will pull the head. this month, and finally get a good look.
I did pull the plugs when I did the compression test, they looked good to me, not too oily, and not corroded. I think I even checked the gap, and they were good there too. I don't think that they were suspiciously clean.

But on the plus side, the money I am not spending on the car in the next 5 months will be taking me across the Pond. I will only get 1 quick day in London, but still. It will be my first time on that side of the world. And it will be the last Continent I haven't been to yet, not counting Antarctica I don't see me ever going there.
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Jimmy
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Joined: Tue May 26, 2009 7:25 pm
Vehicles Owned: '74-1/2 MGB
'76 MGB (parts car)
'52 TD
'71 MGB staqtion wagon
'69 MGB (parts car)
'60 Sprite
'79 MG Midget (parts car)
'63 LBC
Plus, a Turbo S (with a damn roof) in the household.
And three Mercedes on 20" wheels.
Location: NM

Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by Jimmy »

Ooops. Didn't know you had coolant in the oil.
Then you should drain the oil asap.
Unfortuntely, the coolant will corrode all your bearings, whether you're running the engine or not.
Not that it's a big deal to replace the bearings in the bottom end, but the cam bearings are a different story.
Last edited by Jimmy on Tue Dec 01, 2009 12:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
In baseball, running into someone is apparently a "collision".
But doing the same thing in a car somehow makes it an "accident".
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malcolmr18zoy
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Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by malcolmr18zoy »

Hey Spitfire,
I wouldn't do anything to the car until you have the important things sorted out. If the engine has a cracked head, which is likely, then address that situation first. Didn't Martin Keller have some engines needing a new home? The one with low oil pressure was an 18V! Why don't you contact him?
Malcolm
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Jimmy
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Joined: Tue May 26, 2009 7:25 pm
Vehicles Owned: '74-1/2 MGB
'76 MGB (parts car)
'52 TD
'71 MGB staqtion wagon
'69 MGB (parts car)
'60 Sprite
'79 MG Midget (parts car)
'63 LBC
Plus, a Turbo S (with a damn roof) in the household.
And three Mercedes on 20" wheels.
Location: NM

Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by Jimmy »

Oh, c'mon Malcolm. Draining the oil won't cost or hurt anything.
Especially if his wife's into oil wrestling, too.
In baseball, running into someone is apparently a "collision".
But doing the same thing in a car somehow makes it an "accident".
spitfire
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Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by spitfire »

Well there wasn't really any oil in the engine but it's a mess in there. I couldn't get the head off though as I couldn break the bolts. I will have some pictures tonight or tomorrow. Some of the gadgets were in rough shape.
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Steve Simmons
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1967 Austin Healey 3000 BJ8
1969 MGC GTS
Location: Co-Nay-Ho Valley
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Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by Steve Simmons »

Use a breaker bar, if you aren't already. The nuts on the head studs are fairly tight and are probably also a bit sticky. A regular 3/8" drive, 24" bar should do the trick.

Now, what do you mean by "the gadgets in the engine are in rough shape"? The fact that there was no oil in the engine isn't really a good sign.
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VWNate1
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1961 Morris Minor W/ 1973 1275 CC engine & gearbox

Ural Solo Motos , old Honda 90 CC Tiddlers
Location: Sunny So. Cal. , land of fruits , nuts & flakes

Re: See Now ,

Post by VWNate1 »

spitfire wrote:Well there wasn't really any oil in the engine but it's a mess in there. I couldn't get the head off though as I couldn break the bolts. I will have some pictures tonight or tomorrow. Some of the gadgets were in rough shape.
That's why you should listen to the Journeyman Mechanics and do a make run ~ one you knew the head needed to come off , you can loosen the head bolts and crank it and *presto !* almost any old rusted in to place head will crack loose and be ready for normal removal...
-Nate
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Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by spitfire »

Woops I meant gaskets. Silly iPhone. Yeah there was no WD-40 in the garage and it was getting late so I will get some for next week.
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Jimmy
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Vehicles Owned: '74-1/2 MGB
'76 MGB (parts car)
'52 TD
'71 MGB staqtion wagon
'69 MGB (parts car)
'60 Sprite
'79 MG Midget (parts car)
'63 LBC
Plus, a Turbo S (with a damn roof) in the household.
And three Mercedes on 20" wheels.
Location: NM

Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by Jimmy »

WD-40 is pretty useless for what you're attempting.
Try Liquid Wrench, or mix up the best possible solution; a 50/50 mix of ATF and Acetone.
Either way, spray it on long before you start working on getting the bolts loose, and often.
In baseball, running into someone is apparently a "collision".
But doing the same thing in a car somehow makes it an "accident".
spitfire
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Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by spitfire »

Here are a cou;le shots after pulling the valve cover off. Taken by my lovely finance' of coarse.

Image
Image
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Steve Simmons
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1967 Austin Healey 3000 BJ8
1969 MGC GTS
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Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by Steve Simmons »

Well I think we just found your problem. That's a sure sign of water and oil mixing. Yank that head and inspect the gasket to see if it blew. If not, then start looking for cracks. I would imagine they will be obvious.

Man, that doesn't look very good. :eek: At the very least I'd say you're in for a new rocker assembly. If an early (1965) assembly will work then I may have the parts you need, once I can afford to get my engine out of the builder's shop.
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Jimmy
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Joined: Tue May 26, 2009 7:25 pm
Vehicles Owned: '74-1/2 MGB
'76 MGB (parts car)
'52 TD
'71 MGB staqtion wagon
'69 MGB (parts car)
'60 Sprite
'79 MG Midget (parts car)
'63 LBC
Plus, a Turbo S (with a damn roof) in the household.
And three Mercedes on 20" wheels.
Location: NM

Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by Jimmy »

You did drain the "oil", right?!?
That stuff's eating away your bearings as you read this.
In baseball, running into someone is apparently a "collision".
But doing the same thing in a car somehow makes it an "accident".
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Steve Simmons
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1937 MG SA Saloon
1946 John Deere AN
1949 MG TC
1953 MG TD
1958 MGA Roadster
1959 Morris Minor 1000
1965 MGB
1967 MGB GT (UK-Spec)
1967 Austin Healey 3000 BJ8
1969 MGC GTS
Location: Co-Nay-Ho Valley
Contact:

Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by Steve Simmons »

That gives me an idea for a series of tech sessions. It's "rebuild Jeremy's engine in twelve parts". One session per month, covering an engine rebuild. Problem is, someone who knows how to rebuild an engine will have to volunteer, and the engine should be located more centrally to VM members than Riverside!

Ok, maybe not such a great idea. :roll:
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Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by spitfire »

turns out there was probably less than a quart that drained out.i did pour about a quart of the cheapest stuff I could find to push through a bit of gunk, but ti didn't really help at all.

I like your idea Steve. Now to find a location to bring the motor that is much more centrally located.
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Jimmy
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Joined: Tue May 26, 2009 7:25 pm
Vehicles Owned: '74-1/2 MGB
'76 MGB (parts car)
'52 TD
'71 MGB staqtion wagon
'69 MGB (parts car)
'60 Sprite
'79 MG Midget (parts car)
'63 LBC
Plus, a Turbo S (with a damn roof) in the household.
And three Mercedes on 20" wheels.
Location: NM

Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by Jimmy »

Knowing Malcolm, he'll probably volunteer, sucker that he is.
I can inquire about him showing me how to do the head on the ex-Beater B motor, after which I can (between that and reading a manual) supervise the rest of the rebuild.
On my motor, that is.
By then I'll be competent enough to provide commentary as Malcolm rebuilds Spit's motor.
In baseball, running into someone is apparently a "collision".
But doing the same thing in a car somehow makes it an "accident".
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malcolmr18zoy
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Location: Big Bear City, CA

Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by malcolmr18zoy »

I would be more than happy to rebuild Jeremy's engine, if he would be happy to pay me. Then, since Jimmy is a journalist, he could watch me and write a twelve part article on how to rebuild an MGB engine. Plus know how to rebuild his own.
Malcolm
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Jimmy
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'76 MGB (parts car)
'52 TD
'71 MGB staqtion wagon
'69 MGB (parts car)
'60 Sprite
'79 MG Midget (parts car)
'63 LBC
Plus, a Turbo S (with a damn roof) in the household.
And three Mercedes on 20" wheels.
Location: NM

Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by Jimmy »

Uh, I liked my proposal better. Really.
How about if we compromise; you rebuild my motor, I'll tell Jeremy how you did it, and in return I'll wax your Jag?
In baseball, running into someone is apparently a "collision".
But doing the same thing in a car somehow makes it an "accident".
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malcolmr18zoy
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1949 MG TC
1965 Jaguar 3.8S
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1964 MG Midget
1985 BMW 528i
1990 Jaguar XJS V12 convertible
1995 Landrover Discovery
2003 BMW 325i wagon.(wife's car)
Location: Big Bear City, CA

Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by malcolmr18zoy »

OK Jimmy, I just want to make one thing really clear. Stay well away from my car with your wax!
Malcolm
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Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by tdskip »

Steve Simmons wrote:I would make pulling the engine out a last resort. Once you've gone that far, the "might as wells" will get you.
Absolutely! Good advice here...

There comes a point where you either have to do everything to the same as-new or better standard and then you are really screwed... :lol:
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malcolmr18zoy
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Location: Big Bear City, CA

Re: The Great 76 MGB Project

Post by malcolmr18zoy »

At this point, you should probably list it on ebay, and buy Jimmy's really nice '79 MGB. You'll probably end up spending a lot more on your 76 than Jimmy wants for his 79. Once you've rebuilt the engine, then dealt with all the running gear, then made it smog compliant, then new tires, etc etc.
Malcolm
PS
Hope this doesn't sound too unkind. Just a reality check.
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