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 - Timing Marker 'Topside'

One of the real PIA jobs is checking the timing when the pointer is on the underside. I have made a new pointer to fit on the timing cover and so move everything to "above" the crakshaft pulley but I recently came across this "proper" item from this guy:

http://www.advanceddistributors.com/

Has anyone seen anything like this from a supplier in the uk?
Graeme Williams

I just paint a white line on the timing cover and some corresponding marks on the pulley.


Dave O'Neill2

Ditto.
Lawrence Slater

Did you check with the Distributor Doctor?

I just made my own pointer and use a dial back timing light for the degrees of advance.
Trevor Jessie

I have that kit from advanced

I love the degree tape....thats.the best part of the kit, I printed the tape at kinkos the exact same size on stick paper so I can reuse it, I also use clear packing tape over the top of the scale tape to protect it from dirt and damage

I dont like the pointer, its to easily bendable so only touch it when you have to



....like trevor I use a dial back timing gun but with a small tachometer I hot wired into the gun and that makes it super easy to set timing

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

I made a pointer for TDC. I didn't mark any other markings as my Snap-on timing light can be programmed to show 1 degree, 5 degrees etc advance but flash on TDC.
Daniel Stapleton

As per Dave & Lawrence - it's surprisingly accurate. If the timing cover is off then I fit a TDC pointer to the cover and make a groove on the pulley.
Paul Walbran

Makes you wonder why it was put underneath in the first place. Maybe BMC employed midgets to set the timing.
HALL JOHN

Im not sure where you would buy a kit in the U.K. but I can say that Jeff at advanced does a great job on the distributors here in the states.

Mackay has sent hundreds of distributors there and they come back better than new!

Jeff also donated a free distributor to denys for his MG midget rebuild project!

This guy runs a reputable shop and supplies top notch products to his customers cant say enough good things about this guy.
Steven Devine

"Makes you wonder why it was put underneath in the first place. Maybe BMC employed midgets to set the timing"
Ever noticed how cramped an A30 engine bay is?

And let's face it, they never envisaged that the cars would outlast the distributors, or that people would want to fiddle and tweak as we do, so static settings were perfectly adequate .. and for static settings the bottom marks aren't such a pain.

(Here I am being charitable and departing from my usual theory that designers are bastards who take delight in making things as difficult as possible to maintain)
Paul Walbran

The A30 engine bay wasn't particularly cramped, but the engine was a long way down.

The engine was much more accessible from underneath, so much so that I often removed the engine from my A35 by lowering it down on a trolley jack.
Dave O'Neill2

Personally I have never used the pointer for timing. I think there are too many variables to go off it alone. On points, I just rotate the base plate, or on electronic, rotate the distributor body until best revs are obtained at a high idle.

Then using a convenient hill, refine rotation of body/base plate accordingly for any pinking/overheating/etc....It is a bit of trial and error granted, but once set, seems to work fine.
Mark O

This thread was discussed between 16/03/2014 and 17/03/2014

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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