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MG MGA - ignition...no liftoff!

During a recent run, my motor (on my MGA 1500) was cutting out intermittently. Upon inspection I found the white wires had become dislodged from the ignition switch and I reinserted them with a good result. However, on the run back home I was experiencing some stalling and just as I came into the driveway at home, and the revs were down, the car stalled out. I recently rebuilt the fuel system and that all seems to working fine. It does appear that when the car is at running temp that this 'stalling' is occurring. What could be causing the stalling now? Is this a points issue in the distributor? Anyone have suggestions on where to troubleshoot this first? (The ignition wires are firmly in the ignition switch).
Stephen Lofaro

Stephen,
As you are uncertain of the cause of the engine dying, I would suggest that you first check to see whether your choke is on. Otherwise, place a timing light on the engine and see whether the engine loses spark after hot. This could be caused by points, condenser or coil, although everyone I have heard from says that coils never go bad (or hardly ever do). Also check your timing for good measure.
If you have spark, remove the air cleaner covers, and when hot, see whether you are getting fuel delivery. If you have a fuel gage, you may wish to install it on the fuel line. Should read about 3 psi, if I recall. If you have a squirt bottle, put some gas into it and when it starts to stall, squirt some gas into the carb throat. If it picks up, you have either fuel delivery or carburetion problems.
Good luck.
mike parker

Classic sign of a bad condensor
dominic clancy

Steve, sounds like a bad condenser to me.
Baz

Mike,

Coils rarely go bad, nor do rotors. But I have had them go bad on my MGA in two separate instances. When the coil went, it was a thermal thing. When cold, it worked flawlessly. Only when hot was it failing.Cool it off and all was fine again. Until that fatefull day when it failed completely.

When the rotor shorted out it started to misfire and about 2 mintutes later it was dead.

Stephen, I've never personally had a condensor die (Condensors rarely die, do they?)but I can imagine it failing as a thermal problem such as you describe. Just remember 80% of all SU problems are due to ignition. Don't touch the carbs unless you know everything else is in top order.

Chuck
C Schaefer

What do your plugs look like? Marvin
Marvin Stuart

This thread was discussed between 22/02/2008 and 23/02/2008

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