Chris, I'm with you on the rebuild sentiment. Nothing like
starting from scratch.
But if your oil pressure and compression are good, well maybe then
it doesn't really need an overbore, new pistons and bearings, and
while you are at it a new oil pump. Heads can be done without an
engine pull, (as often done with aircraft - where it's officially
called a Top Overhaul)
When I restored my bug, the engine was out of the car with the
good oil and comp numbers and had drove well. So I only overhauled
all the accessory components, restored the cosmetics and the damn
thing runs like a top 3 years later. But the damn thing also has
had 20 hours put on it chasing oil leaks, which I really should
have caught during my short cut rebuild.
On the other hand, the extra $1000 I saved 3 years ago doesn't
seem like such a big deal today. So take your pick.
Mike L
60A,67E,59Bug
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Thompson <ct@cthompson.com>
To: <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: November 9, 2000 9:40 AM
Subject: Re: More on wheel bearings
> > I plan to replace the bearings because I've only had the car
for six months
> > and am doing a complete brake job (MC, pipes, hoses, rotors,
etc) and will
> > have the hub apart and do not know the age of state of the
current bearings.
> > Replacing them will give me peace of mind. They need to, at a
minimum, be
> > repacked.
>
> I can fully relate to this sentiment. Part of the problem with
these DPO's
> is you just dont know what shape the car is in.
>
> The best thing about cars like the MG is that they're simple
enough for the
> owner to work on.
>
> The worst thing about cars like the MG is that they're simple
enough for the
> owner to work on.
>
> My 73B is getting the engine pulled this weekend for a complete
rebuild.
> Right now it runs very rough and bleeds oil all over. So I
decided to
> rebuild.
>
> Then, after some more digging, I believe the rough run is the
DGV carb that
> needs rebuilt, and the oil is coming from a bad gasket on the
front tappet
> cover (Though that's only a guess).
>
> So I COULD fix the few things that are wrong and drive away alot
cheaper
> than a rebuild. But I decided to rebuild anyway.
>
> 1) It's almost winter and I dont have a top for it. I live in
ohio, and
> although it's unnaturally warm here now, I'm sure that some time
in the next
> four months it will hit -15F.
>
> 2) The Odometer reads 69999 and the speedo/odo is not
working/disconnected.
> The title I got when I bought it showed the car titled in 1993.
Odometer
> reading '69999'. I have absolutely no idea how many miles are on
it.
>
> 3) What frank said. Peace of mind. I had a 1992 Toyota Tercel
that I ran to
> 175k miles while abusing it heavily. I completely ignored most
every system
> in the car, ran oil changes to 8500 miles, changed plugs twice
in 175k
> miles. And it kept running like a champ. The MGB is not that
kind of car. I
> know full well that the MGB is a high maintenance car, and I'm
working out a
> schedule to keep myself on track. (Oil check every saturday,
etc.)
>
> What that means is, if I know what's inside the beast, and
spent money
> and precious time resurrecting it from a stack of parts, I'm not
only more
> likely to keep maintenance up, I have fewer unknowns to break.
>
> I also, as a side note, plan to document every step of
disassembly with my
> new digital camera and will be putting up a complete restoration
tutorial
> web site. Stay tuned.
>
>
__________________________________________________________________
______
> | Chris Thompson
ct@cthompson.com |
> | 1973 MGB
http://cthompson.com/mg/ |
>
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