MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Hesitant Tach

For some time now the tach on my '77 midget has been reluctent to start operating and needs a blip on the throttle before getting down to the job properly!
Once going there are no problems and it appears accurate.
I presume that this is caused by needle bearing lub drying out. If this is the case, how easy is it to dismantle and fix?
Tony Wood

Tony-
The usual cause is they get some sort of sticky stuff inside the tacho where the needle shaft lever sits on it's bumpstop---It was most probably a little blob of some sort of lube/grease originally but goes gluey/sticky
Easy fix, tacho out twist the rim and remove the rim and glass, couple of screws on the back and drop the tacho out of the housing--no need to pull it any further apart than that-----then something like a cotton ear bud and some alcohol and give the stop and the end of the lever a good cleanup and it'll be good to go---you could lube the shaft bushes, but they're plastic and don't really need it--use really thin oil if you do and not much of it, just a tiny drop on the end of a needle is heaps.

willy
William Revit

Thanks Willy - sounds just the job.
I'll give it a go when I'm not so hot and sticky!

Tony
Tony Wood

That's likely the cause Tony.

But before taking it out and stripping it, if you haven't already, just double check that you have good solid electrical connections. Check the trigger lead connection at the coil, and the rev counter. And check the power lead and earth the rev counter.

Might save you a stripping job.







anamnesis

Thanks Anam, I hadn't thought of that!

Tony
Tony Wood

This thread was discussed between 07/08/2023 and 08/08/2023

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.