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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Engine start after 2 year restoration

Hi guys

After much help from all from choosing engine spec and then advice on build and running in , we finally got round to starting last week , a few false starts with a blocked new petrol tank and a small fuel leak but in the end it fired up nicely , still lots to do before finally finished but a major milestone passed .

Will put engine pic below , just one question I didnt drill out old engine plate rivets before engine was built has anyone done anything different to riveting plate on ie sticking in some way ? just wasnt sure about heat

Thanks
Andy


Andy Chaffey

And another




Andy Chaffey

Very nice...im not sure what you mean about riviting tye rear engine plate... Are you refering to the pin at the top of the transmission housing ???

Can you talk a bit more about your EVAC system...i love ypur catch tank
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

On my engine the engine number has been stamped into the surface that the plate is normally fixed to. If you want to use the plate, why not try Araldite or JB Weld? I can't guarantee it won't come off though. In fact it isn't a legal requirement to have an engine number displayed, so you could just leave it off.
Mike Howlett

The rivets can be screwed out. Just cut a slot in the top and use a large flat screwdriver. I used a cutting disc in the grinder, but with your restricted access a Dremel might be better. The new rivets just tap in without much force.
N McGurk

Mike, I've been wondering about the engine number plate legality aspect, because mine's missing. Well actually I've only got one, and it's on my spare engine. I haven't gotten around to putting it on the current engine in the car, since swapping them over many many years ago.

How does anyone know if the engine is genuine if there's no number?

Looking very nice Andy. I drilled out what was left my rivets, when the engine was in the car, and used pop rivets and a plate I made and stamped myself.

Why not use self tappers instead?
Lawrence Slater

I laugh every time is see my plate taped to the wall in my shop....oh NO officer... I didnt steal that engine..see i got the plate ID taped to the wall.... Wow REALLY ?

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Engine's looking very nice, Andy, but why two coils? Or are you simply a pessimist?!
Peter B

yes I was wondering about that but I was too polite to ask :)
Nigel Atkins

I am also too polite, but wondered about the long-armed octopus.

And anyway, where is the battery going to go?
Guy W

Hi

Peter /Nigel - yes just in case and also i believe i saw it on one of the original sebrings and copied it !!
Also has 2 fuel pumps , just working out now where to put the spare gearbox in !!

Guy - yes don't like the leads either just used them to get the car started , planning to change them to champion / ngk boots with bumblebee wires so they look more period and also to shorten them

Battery is in a battery box behind passenger seat as per one of the original sebrings

More pictures at www.sprinzelsebringsprite.co.uk

Appreciate the comments guys
Thanks
Andy
Andy Chaffey

Very nice and neat looking work, Andy. Its a measure of the quality that the best criticism that I could come up with was a comment on the (temporary) HT leads! ;-)
Guy W

I was surprised by the leads

Andy,
instead of going for retro with them you could go for better performance (as confirmed by Peter Burgess) and have the leads made to measure - www.performanceleads.co.uk

and they make copper core cables (they're actually a specialist cable company making for others but sell their own brand
Nigel Atkins

Prop,

Sorry was re-reading and never answered your question , its a mocal 1 litre catch tank just with pipes to the timing chain cover and the over will go to the rocker cover but had a bit of a schoolboy error there !

Had the union tapped into the top of the rocker cover (you can see the little bright blue thing on top) for the other pipe but when the fitting is attached the bonnet wont shut down so now going to tap it into the side

measure twice .... tap once !!

Cheers
Andy
Andy Chaffey

This thread was discussed between 27/11/2012 and 01/12/2012

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.