To all,
Last year I related a strange tail about how my 1973 MGB ate an exhaust valve
seal which had been installed ten years earlier. When the thing came loose,
it was beat to bits and passed out through the exhaust. Incredably, no other
damage, I just had to get the seat replaced.
Well, I just had another very interesting problem. This was also the first
time the B didn't make it home. Had to get it towed!
I was driving to McDonalds with my three years old daughter when the engine
backfired once and died. We made quite an adventure of the whole ordeal, ut
that's another story. The engine had fuel and spark, but wouldn't fire. I
finally decided it had slipped timing. I had replaced the chain about nine
years ago, but it must have stretched. That was about 70,000 miles ago.
Well, a week later I ordered new timing chain sprockets and chain (double
row) and I also decided, what the heck, let's put a new cam in while we're at
it, one with a little bit of an attitude. I'd had my old one reground twice
and #3 exhaust lobe was getting worn once again. You can regrind them, but
that doesn't restore the hardness.
I was just about to start pulling the radiator when something caught my eye.
The end of the intake manifold looked different. Got my bi-focals adjusted
and found I was looking INTO the end of the manifold. The factory installed
plug (pressed in and epoxied I suppose) was gone!
Yep, that would make it run lean and backfire... once.
I have epoxied a shalow, 1-1/8 inch freeze plug in the hole. I'm not sure
this is the final fix, though. I'm looking for a 1-1/8 inch circle of
aluminum. Guess I could cut one.
Has anyone else had the pleasure.....? What did you do? It would be expensive
to replace the mainfold, I just want to repair it.
R. Johnson - Dallas
|