Hi David,
I would check for vacuum leaks. My 74 B had this problem until I found
out the gulp valve was leaking. I looked every where for the leak.
Found a bunch of them too. one was on the carbon filter another on the
tube by the gas tank. this is exactly what she was doing though. She
would idle okay in the drive when I set her, than first light she
wouldn't idle.
You can start with carb cleaner, but it doesn't find them all. I found
the bad Gulp valve by disconnecting it and plugging it.
good luck.
Rick
DLancer7676@cs.com wrote:
>
> My '79 Midget (1500) is running like crap. Seems like everything is going
> wrong at one time. You might remember I wrote the list about the exhaust
> header cracking--I welded it and used the furnace cement to seal a leak. BUT
> in re welding it, the pipe did not set the way it came out of the car, so it
> is banging against the frame, plus, when It cracked apart, I noted that there
> were restrictions inside the pipe--indicated that it was a home made unit.
>
> Also, the engine won't idle worth a crap. It doesn't die, but it is rough,
> and I can set the idle at 1000 in my driveway but when I drive it, it drops
> to about 500 and stumbles. Set it again to 1000, it again drops on its own
> to 500 or less. Power is reduced---acceleration is not as good as it used to
> be. Running about 60 it seems to purr right along---no engine misses at all.
>
> It is leaking oil like a cracked dam. The leaking oil ends up on the exhaust
> and I go down the road smoking.
>
> And to top it all off, my radiator has developed a leak. I put some of that
> stop leak stuff in it but I noted that it just ended up all over the lower
> radiator hose, like it had sprayed all over it from the radiator leak.
>
> Here is what I plan to do. If there is anything else I might need to attend
> to, please let me know: I am going to pull the engine AND tranny, which
> requres removal of the radiator as well. I plan to pull everything on the
> engine that has a gasket or oil seal and replace all gaskets and seals with
> new gaskets and blue silicone. While the timing chain cover is off replace
> the 2 year old timing chain. I plan to pull the head to check out the
> valves--maybe regrind if needed), exhaust and intake ports, and upper
> cylinder, and replace the head gasket. Same with the tranny--replace all
> gaskets and seals that could be leaking oil. Send the radiator in to the
> radiator shop for a leak check and repair. During Engine reassembly, I will
> replace the plugs, wires, distributor cap, and rotory button (I have Crane
> electronic ignition, thus no points). I have a new Paceseter Exhaust
> Header--I will replace the old header and take the car to the Muffler shop
> after replacing the engine to have the header fitted to my exhaust pipe,
> which is only about 6 months old. Oh--I plan also to rent a steamer and
> steam the engine compartment, tranny tunnel, bottom of the car and wheel
> wells to remove all the oil that is now clinging to everything from the
> massive leaks.
>
> This seems like a lot of stuff, but the cost here is very minimal. Hopefully
> this will get the "bug" out of my car and return it to running like the top
> it used to be. Comments please!
>
> ---David C.
--
60 Bugeye, Puddles 74 MGB, B-tris 76 XJ12 Coupe, Jacque
52 MGTD,Sparky (Restoration 2000) 58 MGA Coupe, Ruby (in pieces)
http://www.softcom.net/users/walters
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