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MG MGA - Engine stops on left hand curves

Hello everyone.
It has been a long time since I last helped for help here, but now my rebuilt 1958 MGA has stoped yesterday for the third time after turning left on acelaration.
The first time was sligtly uphill. The second time was going around a large roundabout and then later turning left to another street on acelaration.
On all ocasions the car was at normal temp, had been driving at cruise speed for more than 30min with no problem at all. The gas tank was almost empty the first time so I thougt I was to blame but the last 2 times the tank was more than half full.
The car started after 1 min on the first two ocasions and yesterday the last time it stoped I had to push it home because it would not start at all.
I was 5om away from home so apart from being embarrassing it was no big deal.This again was after having driven for 45min on a highway.I parked the car outside my house tried starting and it did. I drove away again with no problem for the rest of the day but now only in town with no trafic because it was sunday afternoon.
The gas tank is new from Moss as are the fuel lines.
The carbs and fuel pump were overhauled by me 3 years ago.
Has anyone had this before ?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Miguel
Miguel

Sounds like one of your batteries is shorting out on the frame somewhere. You have probably blown a fuse as a result.
Ian Pearl

Could also be a loose earth connection, such as the one from the battery to the frame or from the engine to frame across the engine mount on the front left of the block.
Ian Pearl

I had this happen in an old Dodge Dart. Turned out to be the carb float sticking while in the turns.
Frank Nocera

Last year there was a post about the same sort of thing. Turned out to be a wire that had been pierced by a screw. All was fine untill you turned a corner and the harness moved enough to cause a short and kill the engine. Sorry I don't recall who posted it or what it was called.
Kris
Kris Sorensen

Following on from Kris' comment, check to see that the steering column upper UJ does not catch some cabling as it rotates to the left.

Steve
Steve Gyles

You've obviously got a problem where centrifugal force comes into play. I'd rule out fuel--as with two carbs--something should still give you fuel, and the quitting would not be instantaneous...rather a sputtering further on down the road, after you exhausted the fuel. I'd be looking for a wire shorting out when it moves slightly. Since all the smoke is not coming out of your wires (the ignition circuits are not fused) the problem is probably with the wire from the coil to the distributor, or inside the unit itself. Wou could also have the primary high tension lead--from the coil to the distributor loose. If this doesn't produce a fix, you can assume that a wire is making poor connection somewhere in your ignition circuit. Trace them to and from the ignition switch.
R. L Carleen

Thank you for your inputs so far. I think you are right about it not being fuel related. I´m going to look into the wiring system and ignition.
It scares me thinking that there could be a short somewere in the car.
Cheers
Miguel
Miguel

I had a similar problem many years ago. A small wire that led to the distributor was loose. The car would start and idle fine,but while driving the vibrations would make it lose the connection and die.
mark

Miguel, your heater valve could be leaking a little water, then dumping it on your distributor when you turn left.
Nick

We need a poem from Glen!
Steve Gyles

Miguel, I had this very same issue when I first bought my 1600. I would take it out for a drive without incident and then upon turning or sometimes hitting a bump the engine would just shut off as though someone had turned the key off. The last time it occurred the car refused to start again. After much blank staring under the hood I suddenly noticed that the short wire from the coil to the distributor was completely separted half way along it's length and was dangling as two pieces. I guess there had been a break in the wire which would allow it to separate upon stress of turning or hitting bumps and once the car settled down it would re-establish connection and the car would restart. This last time the plastic covering finally separated as well and all connection was lost permanently. I replace the wire with a new piece and now after two years of driving the problem has not re-surfaced. Worth trying and a cheap fix if it solves the problem !!
Michael Hosier

Hi Steve! Be careful what you ask for!!! lol

Miguel from Portugal has an MGA issue
Forum readers better grab a Kleenex tissue

Since this is a real life, true story and is actually quite sad
And cause I’m writing another poem likely deemed to be bad

Despite his new gas tank and fuel line
Miguel’s MGA does not always run fine

Though carbs and fuel pump should be good
MG is at roadside, driver propping up the hood

Seems the auto generally runs well
But on left hand turns, all goes to hell

Engine expires and will not start
Crank the engine, not even a fart.

Forced to push the car back home
In the MGA, Miguel cannot roam

Although the question is a bit off base
On to the Internet, Miguel does race

To find out why his engine occasionally keeps dying
An answer to find, MGA forum folks are trying


Written by: Glenn Hedrich

Glenn

Miguel, (this is Mike who came to visit you in 1998) I once had an identical problem in an old Jaguar. It turned out I had water in the fuel tank and the carb float bowls, there was enough petrol floating on top of the water to keep the car running in a straight line but when I cornered the water would rise up one side and spill into the engine. The engine would die, a moment later the engine would fire back up again amd run fine.

Drop me an email at mike@mghorizon.com and let me know how things have been since we last talked!

The Wiz

Brain failure this end on my comment about the steering column UJ fouling wiring. I forgot you are all left hookers: only relevant to right hand drive cars.

You took the bait Glen!!!

Steve
Steve Gyles

On T-types sometimes the tachodrive on the generator manages to touch and shortcircuit the distributor-powerfeed, might be something to look at?
Willem van der Veer

Glenn I loved your poem !
Mike long time no hear !
Guys I´m driving to my usual garage to check all the things you sugested. I suspect it will be some kind of short circuit caused by centrifugal force. The failure is fast in hapening more like electrical failure than runing out of gas. I only have one 12V battery insted of the two six so that will be an easy first chek. I dont remember the earth conection from engine to frame. Will check that to. Driping heater valve ? Could be.
Finaly the ignition circuit. I have changed so often from points to Ignitor and back that there could be a bad contact somewere there.
Will keep posting till problem solved.
Thank you
Miguel
Miguel

Thank you all.
It was a lose conection in the coil.Centifugal force puled the wire from its "working" position causing a bad contact.
Cheers
Miguel
Miguel

Good man. Happy it was an easy fix and thank you for letting us know the solution.
Ian Pearl

I was going to make the comment earlier in the thread that the low centrifugal forces generated in turns at MGA sort of speeds were unlikely to be sufficient to cause wiring to shift. I stand corrected. Glad to see the problem was solved and 3 of our contributers were spot on with their comments. Glenn's poem did not have the answer this time!

Happy MGing Miguel

Steve
Steve Gyles

This thread was discussed between 14/03/2005 and 18/03/2005

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