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MG MGA - Throttle Hesitation

Recently came out of winter storage with a rebuilt distributor and staticly timed at 7 deg. btdc. The car runs greate pulls up hills idles smoother but has a hesitation or more of a studder when reving up from an idle. I have not set the plug gaps or checked the carb settings since I put it in storage last fall.
What is the most likly causes?


Second question, what amount of advance or retard will 1 click of the Advance <-> Retard dial on the dizzy give you?

Ken Caya
1960 MGA Coupe
Ken Caya

Have you checked the oil level in the SU dashpots?
Do your SU's have piston lifting pins? Do the pistons show some resistance when lifting, but drop back with a "thud" when released?

Mick
Mick Anderson

I think 6 clicks is one degree
dominic clancy

Hesitation on accelleration is most commonly caused by lack of oil in the carburetor dashpots. Occasionally a snap ring falls off the bottom end of the damper leaving the little damper piston in the bottom of the bore.

On my Lucas distributor 7 clicks = 1 degree, but there were nuts with different knurling, so yours could be different. You only need to measure it once with a timing light to know.
Barney Gaylord

Thanks for your help, my dashpot oil was low. I still have a little hesitation but think I'll do a general tune up and then see how it's running.


Ken Caya
Ken Caya

"Each graduation on the adjusting spindle barrel represents approximately 5 degrees timing movement and is equal to 55 clicks on the adjusting nut." - Lucas distributor instructions. 25D distributor.

FRM
FR Millmore

The good books often recommend "thin" oil in the dashpots but the writers are obviously not experienced! If you do not use engine oil in the dashpots of your MGA (or MGB)it will not accelerate properly! The pistons must be held down during acceleration (to increase air speed over the jet).
Barry Bahnisch

This thread was discussed between 12/05/2007 and 14/05/2007

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.