MGB Efficiency & Reliability upgrade
Discussion
‘Evening gang
I have had a pretty much untouched 1978 mgb roadster since 2012. It was my daily driver for a few years and has since become a weekender. Usual thing; no problems when driving every day, on much limited mileage problems start to occur.
A new job requires a bit of driving instead of cycling to and from the office. I am now faced with getting rid of my True Love in exchange for something more economical and reliable.
My question is; does anyone have any suggestions as to upgrades to improve efficiency and reliability? I am so enamoured with the car i would happily spend up to £4-5k on it to make it more useable. I was thinking an engine/drivetrain upgrade, but have little mechanical expertise/experience, but am happy to chuck a bit of cash at the problem!
Any help would be greatly appreciated
I have had a pretty much untouched 1978 mgb roadster since 2012. It was my daily driver for a few years and has since become a weekender. Usual thing; no problems when driving every day, on much limited mileage problems start to occur.
A new job requires a bit of driving instead of cycling to and from the office. I am now faced with getting rid of my True Love in exchange for something more economical and reliable.
My question is; does anyone have any suggestions as to upgrades to improve efficiency and reliability? I am so enamoured with the car i would happily spend up to £4-5k on it to make it more useable. I was thinking an engine/drivetrain upgrade, but have little mechanical expertise/experience, but am happy to chuck a bit of cash at the problem!
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Engines of that & earlier eras don't really get much simpler.
It's the days when a service kit involved oil, oil filter, air filter, plugs & points.
There are also thriving specialist owner's clubs who will give you any amount of help & worthwhile upgrades.
What sort of issues are you having?
It's the days when a service kit involved oil, oil filter, air filter, plugs & points.
There are also thriving specialist owner's clubs who will give you any amount of help & worthwhile upgrades.
What sort of issues are you having?
Nothing major; some bother with the carbs and some other general engine issues. I was just wondering if there was any cure-all things i could do (eg replace with a modern engine etc) that would be a good and easy cure-all AND make it cheaper to run!
Appreciate it may be a tad ridiculous
Appreciate it may be a tad ridiculous
Many years ago when I had one I changed to electronic ignition and saw improved starting and running.
If you are having carb issues then some new (reconditioned) carbs or a switch to a different carb would help but a complete engine swap seems a bit excessive just to improve reliability.
If you are having carb issues then some new (reconditioned) carbs or a switch to a different carb would help but a complete engine swap seems a bit excessive just to improve reliability.
Treat HT leads, dizzy caps, rotor arms & the coil as service items. They don't last forever.
Use good quality replacements as there are some crap pattern parts about - I have a 3.5EFi RRC & pattern dizzy caps & rotor arms can cause a lot of problems. I know someone (No, it wasn't me!) who had a misfire on one after doing a service & threw around £600 in parts at it. Turned out to be the new pattern part rotor arm he'd bought which cost less than a fiver.
Depending on mileage your carbs may well be due a strip & clean if not a rebuild to account for wear.
What's the compression like on each cylinder, are they uniform or not?
Use good quality replacements as there are some crap pattern parts about - I have a 3.5EFi RRC & pattern dizzy caps & rotor arms can cause a lot of problems. I know someone (No, it wasn't me!) who had a misfire on one after doing a service & threw around £600 in parts at it. Turned out to be the new pattern part rotor arm he'd bought which cost less than a fiver.
Depending on mileage your carbs may well be due a strip & clean if not a rebuild to account for wear.
What's the compression like on each cylinder, are they uniform or not?
Not an MG expert, but general advice for a reliable classic car, GOOD BATTERY, alternator upgrade, electronic ignition, electric fan, electric fuel pump, fuel filter, uprated rad, oil cooler then regular service good oil, and don't thrash to an inch of its life.
If not used every day a simple battery cut out switch. and fix things at the first sign of trouble, so failed light, change the bub, and check the wiring earth etc.
One thing I've found us full is a proper crimper for spade terminals, the old fashioned type that 'wraps' the brass terminal and has a slide on clear cover, not the modern colored ali one, always wiring to be sorted and looks right.
If you did the above then only issue is that you have carbs not fuel injection,
When I read classic car post today people forget these things were daily drivers, my first high level job, I used a Lotus Elan Sprint as a daily driver for 2 years, then a current car, used to go to my first wedding (in retrospect I wish it hadn't started that day), it never let me down.
If not used every day a simple battery cut out switch. and fix things at the first sign of trouble, so failed light, change the bub, and check the wiring earth etc.
One thing I've found us full is a proper crimper for spade terminals, the old fashioned type that 'wraps' the brass terminal and has a slide on clear cover, not the modern colored ali one, always wiring to be sorted and looks right.
If you did the above then only issue is that you have carbs not fuel injection,
When I read classic car post today people forget these things were daily drivers, my first high level job, I used a Lotus Elan Sprint as a daily driver for 2 years, then a current car, used to go to my first wedding (in retrospect I wish it hadn't started that day), it never let me down.
Berw said:
Not an MG expert, but general advice for a reliable classic car, GOOD BATTERY, alternator upgrade, electronic ignition, electric fan, electric fuel pump, fuel filter, uprated rad, oil cooler then regular service good oil, and don't thrash to an inch of its life.
All this - my father has a 1971 which is now spot-on reliable with the above. Once every few months I balance the carbs, then its annual service sees a proper mix check.For efficiency improvements (rather than running as good as its should)
1/ Overdrive box (and/or a taller FDR rear axle to drop the revs a bit)
2/ Slightly higher temperature 'stat
3/ An oil that is thinner cold - say 0W40 instead of 10W40, its still a lot thicker cold that hot
4/ A wind shield in front of the sump to allow the engine oil to run a little warmer, remove if it gets genuinely warm (In the UK?), you can also run an oil water heat exchanger to warm the engine oil faster
5/ Make sure the carbs are running on the lean side of nominal, SU are dead easy for that, keep leaning off until it just stutters if you free rev it, then richen up just enough to remove the stutter, go old school and check with a colour tune!
6/ Advance the ignition just a tiny bit, an electronic ignition kit is worthwhile as it will allow you to run slightly bigger plug gaps
7/ A freeflowing exhaust manifold and exhaust if you are using any sort of load regularly
8/ A good air filter, any restriction under higher airflows increases the depression over the jet and adds more fuel to the mix
9/ A long track inlet to feed the airfilter will increase low speed torque and allow you to upshift earlier
10/ Port the exhaust ports on the head, remove sharp edges (potential hot spots) from the chamber to reduce the chance of det' - leave the intake well alone
Have a look at Vizards tuning A-series book and the economy section, lots of good stuff in there given the similarities between the B and A!
1/ Overdrive box (and/or a taller FDR rear axle to drop the revs a bit)
2/ Slightly higher temperature 'stat
3/ An oil that is thinner cold - say 0W40 instead of 10W40, its still a lot thicker cold that hot
4/ A wind shield in front of the sump to allow the engine oil to run a little warmer, remove if it gets genuinely warm (In the UK?), you can also run an oil water heat exchanger to warm the engine oil faster
5/ Make sure the carbs are running on the lean side of nominal, SU are dead easy for that, keep leaning off until it just stutters if you free rev it, then richen up just enough to remove the stutter, go old school and check with a colour tune!
6/ Advance the ignition just a tiny bit, an electronic ignition kit is worthwhile as it will allow you to run slightly bigger plug gaps
7/ A freeflowing exhaust manifold and exhaust if you are using any sort of load regularly
8/ A good air filter, any restriction under higher airflows increases the depression over the jet and adds more fuel to the mix
9/ A long track inlet to feed the airfilter will increase low speed torque and allow you to upshift earlier
10/ Port the exhaust ports on the head, remove sharp edges (potential hot spots) from the chamber to reduce the chance of det' - leave the intake well alone
Have a look at Vizards tuning A-series book and the economy section, lots of good stuff in there given the similarities between the B and A!
cptsideways said:
This 100%
All of the attractions of MGB era motoring without the effort & pain
I wouldn't agree with this completely. My first car was an MGBGT. Me and my dad had spent too much time and money getting it back on the road but a few years later lacking the time, space and kit to keep it running reliably and needing something to get to work in I bought a Mk1 MX5. It was a fun car and generally reliable but it just didn't have the same sense of occasion that the B offered.All of the attractions of MGB era motoring without the effort & pain
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