John:
You might be better off signing up for the MG-T list at autox.team.net
rather than the MGS if the TD and TF are you're only MG's.
<<<Snip>>>
1. I finally yanked the springs off my rough-riding MG. ]
<<<Snip>>>
Three causes a. Shocks sticking, b. Too high a tire pressure. c. The car
has bias ply tires. Radials ride better but you're not going to get a
modern ride out of a TD or TF. They all bounce around. Try driving
another T series if you get the chance.
<<<snip>>>
2. I broke the two Christmas-tree-shaped brake hold-down springs on one
side
of the TF and have new ones coming.
<<<snip>>>
Using a small or medium sized vicegrip clamp onto the section that goes
down into the hole. PUsh in and twist.
<<<Snip>>>
Do they have to go in in a certain direction?
<<<snip>>>
No
<<<Snip>>>
3. So how do I rotate the distributor so that one of the flat sides of
the cap is parallel to the
engine block?
<<<Snip>>>
a. Turn the engine over to compression TDC number one and line up the
pulley notch with the pointer.
b. Remove the distributer cap, and note the position of the rotor.
c. Loosen the clamp bolt.
d. Rotate the the distributer housing 90 degrees either clockwise or
counter clock wise. Be aware that if the low tension wire coming from
the coil to the distributer gets too close to the tach drive box, it can
short out. Especially if you have a tach drive box that slips.
e. Note the position of the rotor arm. It will point the new location
of the number one spark plug on the distributer.
f. Retime the engine statically.
g. Unscrew the plug wires from the cap and re-arrange them. Firing
order is 1, 3, 4, 2 going counter-clockwise. (Which is interesting. The
workshop manual states the rotation is counter-clockwise, while the
Lucas manual states that a "40367" distributer is "Clock.")
h. If you cant' find a satisfactory location by turning it 90 degrees,
then you will have to pull the distributer, turn the rotor arm so the
drive gear moves a tooth or two the direction you want, and follow steps
e on.
<<<Snip>>>
4. Here I am also wondewring if I should buy a replacement from Moss, or
is it better to look for an undamaged original?
<<<Snip>>>
Either way one might not be any better than the other. New metalurgy CAN
be better than that from the 1950's. I'd probably opt for a used one
(probably cheaper) , but only after having it magnafluxed for cracks.
Regards,
Blake
Midget Series TD
M.G.A. twin Cam
MGB Mk.II
Datsun 240
|