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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - My tinkerings this weekend

Hi all,
I made more progress this weekend and then had some fun driving. What a blast this little car is.

I finally found a brake pressure warning light switch that fits (and works). I was able to finally properly balance my brake lines. The switch that I got was not listed for my car (other models) but it works and looks like my old one.

I also installed a 3/4 inch anti-sway bar with the solid aluminum mounts. This made a big difference in the handling. There was no bar in the car at all when I got it. I am going to replace the suspension this winter. I am sure that this is not a good thing, but due to slightly differences in spring wear (drivers side was a little lower) I had to lightly jack up the car on that side in order to align the link with the bar. I am sure that it is better not to have to do this. It will be corrected next winter.

I tried installing my new "pancake" air filter assy. They did not fit. Apparently they are for the larger HS carb (stud distance for the gasket and filter was a little wider than mine). so I still have no air cleaner.

I still don't quite have my carbs matched but it is running quite well (and much much better than before). I know what I need to do.

I installed the snaps on my hood cover (did not realize that they came uinstalled). I messed up one of them but in all it came out pretty good (I will post a picture later).

My seatbelts were sticking (from not being used for a long time). A little LPS-1 (greaseless lube) fix that. I will install proper race harness when I get my new seats.

Then I went out for a test drive. What fun. Once in a while my tach sticks for a fraction of a second. I guess I need a new cable. I can kind of tell how fast I am going how that I know that 60 MPH is really 80MPH indicated (wrong speedo in car).

I am still getting used to having a car that can rev higher. I wish that I had a rev limiter though. Assuming I never go over red line, is this engine perfectly happy revving pretty high? I hope so. I am a little nervous about cranking it up in second gear (autocross). I will try a little test and tune at the autocross track next saturday.

Yesterday I ran out of gas when the tank was indicating 1/2. I wonder if I bought the wrong sender? When the tank was full the needle indicated higher than full. It was funny trying to explain to the AAA guy who was bringing me some fuel what kind of a car it was.

Cheers,
Rebecca

R Harvey

Hi Rebecca

I can't wait until my car is on the road and i'm having all these 'teething' troubles, though i suspect getting the correct parts here in blighty may be an altogether easier task...


Cheers, John..
j b biggs

I can't count the number of times that I received an incorrect part (some of them were my fault but most were not).

It is really a pain because I can only work on my cars on the weekend so I order my parts in time to get them by Friday and if they are wrong I loose a week.

Rebecca
R Harvey

>>> I also installed a 3/4 inch anti-sway bar with the solid aluminum mounts. <<<

Just so you know:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/safety_fast/sets/72157623942645649/

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

There are two types of fuel gauge... moving coil one on early cars... needle flicks around the palce when you're driving.

'Hot wire' type in later cars... needle slowly rises when you turn on ignition; more stable in use.

The gauge has to be paired with the correct sender.

Additionally - at least for the 'hot wire' type - the gauge is supplied by a voltage stabiliser that sits on the bulkhead behind the rev-counter (at least in RHD cars). This continuously switches between the 12v supply and earth to give an avergae voltage of 8 (or is it 10?) volts. This ensures the gauge is stable whatever the current battery/charging voltage.

If this stabiliser packs in, you're left with a higher or lower than warranted reading...

A
Anthony Cutler

Rebecca - I would suspect that there is probably a high proportion of people who, like me, assume your car is a 1500, not a 1275 - so it might be worth stressing this ALOT when you order parts :)
rachmacb

"the gauge is supplied by a voltage stabiliser that sits on the bulkhead behind the rev-counter (at least in RHD cars)."


Thats on the bulkhead on the right(passengerside) behind the padded american dash on the LHD cars.
Arie de Best

IF I remember correctly it's 10v

you can also get a couple of different designs of the modern longer lasting alternative to the votage stabilizer

(semiconductor?)
Nigel Atkins

I do always specify what car/engine I have when I order parts (and I tell them the part number). However errors still happen. I did buy a new voltage stabilizer which I have not installed yet. Who knows, perhaps that is the problem.

I the meantime, at least I know that 1/2 full is not empty. I won't run out of gas again.

Rebecca
R Harvey

Hey Rebbeca,

I wish I had your motivation, Well I did at one time, It sounds like your having a blast

A heads up on the Pancake air filter... Im guessing your trying to fit K&Ns?

i dont know about the 1500s but on the 1275s its a srewed up mess, suppliers like Moss an VB, cant figure it out

on the K&N 1275 filter housing, The mounting holes Are OFF SeT, when they are in stalled the filter housing drops down along way about 3/4 of the way... IMHO... agian Only my opinion, its a flawed design, I think you loose alot of air flow by its design,,, Im sure 9 out of 10 others will disagree

Ive been using the K&N filters made for the HS4 carbs found on the MGB, they are more centered, but you have to drill the holes OBLONG on the back filter housing plate for the studs to go into and the spacing is wider then the HS2s ... I got thereaded studs then bent them inward so they would exit thur the front plate properly and used platic PVC tubing as spacers between the front and rear plates...

I hope that helps....

prop
Prop

A tip Ive seen that looks really good is to get 4- 1 gallon paint can lids and get a filter to fit the peremeter of the paint can lid nicely and cut the holes to match the carb mounting surface ... then just paint the lids.

you will need 2 lids per carb... seriously its hard to see that its a jerry rig and the lip of the can lid makes a nice groove for the filter to lock into

Just a thought if you need to save a few dollars

You want the metal lids, not the new plastic ones... most pro paint stores will sell just the lids new and un-used ... there like 2 dollars each

Prop
Prop

BTW...

GRYF is spot on,

You really need to weld the plate that the anti roll bar bolts into,,, Because it will Without exception tear out as the current cheap spot welds cant handle the stress...Just get a nice bead along the edges of the plate, you may not be able to reach the back side, but the other 3 should hold well enough
Prop

Thanks for the tips. I will definitely weld on a plate (probably won't get to it until this winter when i am going to modify the suspension).

I really like the paint can cover idea. I have done similar things with pie plates on my other cars. ;)

And yes, I am having a blast. I spend all of my spare time doing this tinkering (this is not my only car project). This midget is a very different project than I have done before.

Rebecca
R Harvey

This thread was discussed between 28/06/2010 and 29/06/2010

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