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MG MGA - A little burbling

What would cause a little burbling out the exhaust pipe when coasting down hill? It dosen't do a full blown backfire, just gets a little more than throaty.
Is this normal with the standard exhaust set up? Is my timing a little off or too rich on the mixture?

Ray
Ray Ammeter

When coasting, you are letting the drivetrain power the engine. This is also known as engine braking. It will cause the sound you hear. Note that it will also help loosen carbon in the engine.
Mike Parker

Probably a tad too rich IMHO. I suspect this is a contributor to blowing out the fibreglass material in my SS exhaust.
dominic clancy

that could be too.
Mike Parker

Thanks Mark and Dominic,
It would be pretty easy to screw the jets in one flat or two.

Ray
Ray Ammeter

Pardon my ignorance, what is "burbling"?
Andy Bounsall

I've heard even Canadian brooks burble, Andy. Perhaps better, the sound of milk exiting a glass bottle comes closer to the liquid sound of an exhaust burble; "blub, blub...." Harley Davidson has even trademarked its distinctive exhaust burble at idle.

Ken
Ken Korey

Or perhaps a V8 powered A - I truly hope so!
Chris Bond

As they say about Harley Davidsons they don't have a throttle, they have a volume control!
Mike Ellsmore

Thanks for the explanation Ken. I know that sound. By the way, I've heard of babbling brooks but I've never heard of burbling brooks.
Andy Bounsall

Can't remember what book it was in, but somewhere I read that the Germans used to refer to the MG exhaust note as "Das Burble".

GTF
G T Foster

That exhaust sound when running off-throttle is one of the coolest sounds an MG makes. Don't "fix" it, celebrate it!
David Breneman

This thread was discussed between 27/07/2009 and 29/07/2009

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