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MG MGB Technical - Just picked up an MG new to cars

New to working on cars any tips on getting a car that has been sitting for an extended period started. The car came with a Haynes manual so I will be using to assist me, however to be honest I hate reading any kind of manual so who knows if I will actually touch it. So to top it off little knowledge with cars, have small mechanics tool kit, cheap, little money to spend, and to get car on the road without having to read the darn manual. Tell me what to look for to see what is need to get the car running.
Tim

The price you pay for owning the very definition of a English sports car is to eventually aquire an encycopediac knowledge of car repair. Never fear the process isn't too painful and the cars lots of fun and worth it.
There's a thread further down about restarting a "sleeping" MG. "hasn't run in 15 years, etc"
Peter

Get friendly with other owners in your area, this is useful to share tools, knowledge, a shoulder to cry on..... Phil UK and I have spent many hours of an evening in the garage on my rebuild and now on some of his jobs. Through the forum, our own intuition (scary - trial and error) and the various manuals, I think we have both come a long way, but whether our fingers will look clean again!
Martin

Tim-
There are certain rules that you should go by in considering the ownership of any particular B:
Try to remember that this is a classic car which has been out of production for 23 years. The oldest ones (1962 models) are 41 years old. When you buy one you will have no real idea of how it has been maintained over the course of its life. Perhaps the current owner loves it, coddles it, and keeps it in a garage, but who can say that it did not go through a period of neglect and abuse at some time? If you're a realist, you must automatically presume that this is the case. If the car has not had a documented new-from-the-ground-up restoration within the last 50,000 miles, then you would be a fool to think that it would be as reliable as a well kept three-year-old Honda. If you rely on any unrestored classic car to be your daily driver, you will ultimately be disappointed and will be glad when its' new owner drives it away.
A fully restored B, just like any fully restored classic car, will not be cheap. It could well have $20-25K in cash invested in it, with nothing included to this figure for the 3,000-4,000 hours during which it's owner performed a labor of love on it. If the restoration was done by a commercial outfit, then it is only rational to expect that corners will have been cut and quality will have been compromised. An overhauled engine and a rebuilt clutch do not a new car make. Any B selling for $8,000 will need to be repeatedly worked on during your period of ownership.
However, quality parts are easy to get via the Internet, and their prices are surprisingly competitive, but you will have to wait for them to be delivered. Your local auto parts store will have nothing for your car and won't even know what it is. Service will probably need to be done by you personally as garages that are versed in this car are rare. If you don't enjoy the idea of mechanical work on your own car as a hobby, any classic car is not for you unless you are rich, period. You will need to have tools, and I don't mean a claw hammer, an adjustable wrench, and a screwdriver that is kept in a drawer in the kitchen. You will need, just to get started: full sets of combination wrenches, sockets, extensions, screwdrivers, a torque wrench, a grease gun, a spark plug socket and Champion gauge, a strobe light, a dwellmeter and a feeler gauge, a circuit tester and a multimeter, side cutters, a wire stripper, a soldering iron, a full set of good pliers, a hydraulic floor jack, a slide hammer set, jack stands, a Service Parts List, and maintenance manuals. The car is basically simple, easy to understand and work on, a plus that cannot be said for the cars of today.
Fully restored B's are a rarity, and that's why they are so admired and sought-after.
MGB owners are a fraternity, initiated by and bonded together by the trials of ownership and an enthusiasm for what is truly the ordinary man's Aston Martin. If you have perfectionist tendencies, love tackling a problem, and get a real feeling of accomplishment from setting something right, then you'll find out something about why the B is one of the most beloved of all the classic cars ever built and why their owners have so much pride in them.
So there you have it. If you just want an open roadster to use as a daily driver, buy a Miata or a Del Sol. My daily driver is a Del Sol VTEC. Although it will positively crucify the MGB on any objective comparison criteria scale, and has the reliability of a kitchen appliance, it also has all the soul and character of one. Like, for example, a refrigerator. One does not love an appliance. The MGB has a personality, and that's why we sometimes find ourselves talking to them as we work on them. Improperly maintained, it will be like a recalcitrant child. Properly maintained, it's like having an English gentleman as a best friend: friendly, forgiving, and good, civilized fun.
Well, I hope this has been of use to you.
Steve S.

Tim, one ingredient is a real commitment to the project. Whether or not the car will ever amount to anything or not depends more on your attitude and commitment to doing something about it than how encyclopedic your knowledge is or how exhaustive your tool chest. Many a restoration or fix up project car has met a dead end if there was no commitment to it. Every rusting hulk you see mouldering away in some vacant lot or bone yard is there because no person has yet found a commitment to it. When there is a real commitment, however, another old car gets a second chance at life.
Bob Muenchausen

Tim. Where are you ? Joining the local MGOC or MGCC will put you in touch with people who are willing to help .

Mike
Michael barnfather

Tim,
I can't agree with Michael, join a local club & get active with it! You will find folks who have made more mistakes (and in the process have gained more knowledge!) on an MGB then you realize can be made! The wealth of experience is vast. Most who frequent this BBS are members of not one, but many clubs.
Additionally, you will find that, much like having children, once you have been bitten by the MG bug, your life is changed forever! Sometimes your life will be good (top down, low 70's, no clouds, empty 2 lane road!), sometimes not so good (side of an interstate, dressed in best suit, broken fuel pump!)However, in the long run, you'll be happy you took the ride!
Welcome.
Robert Dougherty

On a similar board for another of my hobbies, antique boat motors, someone said, "If you work on your motor without a manual, you have a fool for a mechanic."

You'll never get it right without reading the manual.

Look at your manual as a reference, don't try to sit down and read it. If you have a particular job to do, even a simple job, changing the points for instance, the manual will keep you from doing something terribly frustrating.

THEY AIN'T CHEAP. But you can get by with doing much of the work yourself and saving tons of money by reading and following the manual.

If you have basic tools, you can get started. A decent set of SAE wrenches and sockets. JACK STANDS. Screw drivers and pliers will accomplish most tasks. That being said, using the wrong tool for a given job is the most aggravating thing on the planet. So look at it as an opportunity to acquire more tools. By the way the manual is the most important tool you have.

Seeing a theme here?

Getting an engine running that has been sitting, can be accomplished, usually without too much trouble. Make sure there is oil in the sump. Bring a fresh battery. Change out any old gas in the tank and the carb bowls. Turn on the ignition and run the gas out of the line into a bottle until it runs clear. Clean the critter nests out of the air filter boxes. Check the plugs. While the plugs are out see if the engine will turn over BY HAND. Best accomplished by a big socket and breaker bar. If it is free, squirt a few drops of oil into each cylinder and turn the engine with the starter. If it turns over freely and has spark and the oil pressure reads on the gauge, put her back together and see if she'll fire. If it won't run now, see the trouble shooting section of your Haynes manual.


TDHoward

"I hate reading any kind of manual so who knows if I will actually touch it"

Oh-oh, another one finding himself lumbered with one of those crap MGBs ...

RTFM.
Paul Hunt

Tim.
There are people who are willing to try fixin' almost anything.

Then there are people who have to have everything done for them.

Personally, this is how I got into the auto repair business. I was too cheap, or too broke to get car repairs done for me.
But if you are inclined to do what you can for yourself, you will be just fine.
But, be patient with yourself, and READ THE BOOK!
Or at least use it as a reference. After all, where did you first learn about MG's? Probably in a book or a magazine like I did.
The satisfaction of doing your own repairs is priceless.

And remember, the only stupid question is the onethat is not asked.

Safety Fast
Dwight
Dwight McCullough

When you go out to buy your tools, don't be a sucker and buy cheap tools. They won't last, they'll damage your fasteners, (especially screwdrivers and weak open ended wrenches), and they'll make even a simple job frustrating. Buy the best tools you can afford--a lifetime guarantee is no measure of quality--you get what you pay for. You don't have to buy top of the line proffessional grade tools at this point, but reputable brand name tools in the mid-price range. Avoid "combination tools" --that adjustable wrench is fine in the boot tool bag for emergencies, but that's about it--and miracle tools you see on TV. Another tip...buy the tools only as you need them (don't buy a gear puller until its called for)--do buy a set of wrenches, a 3/8 socket set and a couple of really good screwdrivers. Get a good jack (don't rely on that thing that pushes into the hole in the side) and jackstands to support the car whenever your most valuable asset (you) is under the car. Attempt no task without consulting the manual. Have it out on the car with you. This is 40 years of experience and busted knuckles speaking. In that time, I went from a shadetree farm equipment bodger, to an FAA certified aircraft mech.
R. L Carleen

You really will need to buy a manual you may find it hard to understand so buy a technical tips book and a owners handbook. Join the clubs then ring the mgoc technical line if u cant figure it out in the manuals they are very helpful and becuase they sell some parts too they can ussually help in the supplie or recommende some one who can even this week i had to ring them to find out which colour wire carries which current a basic problem may be but i failed to find it in the book. Think about it this way the manual will be your second port of call after you have applied common sense and failed.
jim

My 1973 MGB with wire wheels needs new tires. How can I install them without tubes?
Robert S.

Hi Tim
It is indeed very possible to restore an MGB on the cheap. I am not a perfectionist by any means but mechanically it was very important to get it right since it is a daily driver for me.
The essential ingredient to achieve this is time and contacts. So don't rush it and get into a club now. Other MG owners are great, they have made all the mistakes and usually know what should be done. Also a very useful supply of spare parts or at least advice on which ones to get from where.
Also I repeat the thread ad nausium, get the proper tool for the job. Again do it gradually, go to car boot sales, garage sales etc, I have picked up top quality tools at the same prices as junk from the local auto shop.
Oh and if you don't read the manual then sell it now and do something else for fun otherwise you may well physically hurt yourself or others by not doing it right.
SW Tompson

Tim,
One thing RL forgot to mention when discussing tools -- buy some Pozidriv™ drivers. All those "Phillips" screws in the car are not really Phillips, and a Phillips screwdriver won't fit properly. You can get Pozidriv bits at Sears under part number 00925644000. Having buggered up my fair share of screw heads, I can confirm that these really help!
Rob Edwards

I am a computer programmer, so genetically I am disposed against reading manuals.
I have owned a 1978 MGB rubbernose for almost 3 years now and I have read dozens and dozens of the beasties and I consider myself a budding Sunday mechanic now.

Don't fret. You'll look back in years to come and appreciate the new skills you acquire from owning a British sportscar.
David

Hey, Tim, the good thing is that these cars are basically simple machinery without many headaches, especially if you avoided buying a late model (smog-system) car.

I suspect your anti-manual remarks weren't serious: the Haynes manual is really darn good for a new owner - easy to read and follow with all the main things covered.

The trouble spots to prepare yourself for are: fuel pump, overdrive (if fitted), electrical generally, and smog stuff. None of it is hard to fathom or expensive to fix by modern standards.

Do network on this site, with local owners, and find yourself a parts manual and source of parts: go to http://www.mossmotors.com, for example. The parts guys have terrific parts drawings in their free catalogs, to the point that you can often use these pictures while you work on things.
Daryl

Oh yes, the best thing I know to free up an engine that has sat for too long to turn over . . .a load of WD40 shot down the plug holes and allowed to sit overnight.

That, a good battery, and an effort to turn the engine by hand.

You may want to change the oil after you have it started to clean out the WD40, the rust, the water, pieces of piston ring (only kidding - hopefully).

Of course, you will also check that you have spark at the plugs. (Hopefully, the distributor will still be there and be fastened down in the right place.)

Don't try to run it without good fuel in the tank, and water in the cooling system.
Daryl

And the attitude to adopt is that you're not buying just a car for transportation, you're buying into a lifestyle - friends, a hobby, a gleaming car on the driveway, the sun by day and the stars by night, the wind in your hair, the girl by your side . . . and your prayers for it to not break down in the rain again.
Daryl

Tim,
As well as all of the above-mentioned info there is one thing that nobody has mentioned.

If you ever need an excuse for any reason, you can always say .

" I was going/have to ... spend that evening/day/ time working on my MG .............."

A small thing but can come in handy!!
Graham Ayers

Tim

Never say never! Reading the manual the way you would a novel is bound to be tedious if you haven't been into cars before... however, it's your most useful companion before starting any job on your new toy. I'd also thoroughly recommend the Haynes mgb restoration Manual too. It's full of less technical info to allow you to keep your MG looking good instead of always having to pay a mechanic or restorer to do the work for you.

I'm new to cars/MG's myself... my B is my first ever car, having only passed my test a couple of months back but I'm really enjoying it. I can't do most of the mechanical work required but have learned how to bleed the brakes, do some basic maintenance and in to which holes I should be poking my newly acquired grease gun! Okay, that's all minor stuff, but I'm learning as I go along and it's one less thing I'll have to pay someone else to do.

Stick with it - don't be scared to ask folks here for help and join the MGCC and/or MGOC - they have great resources for us newbies : )

Best of luck
Annie
Annie

I have just bought an MG but hate driving. Tell me how to get someone to chauffeur me around in it without paying them? There doesn't seem to be a backseat in the car, is it alright to sit in front with the chauffuer?
Hopeless

So, Tim, you've garnered the finest input known to man or beast . . . are you out there listening, or . . . . . . ?
Daryl

Tim,

Sell the car and the manual and get back on the couch in time for cartoons.

Erik.
erik

This thread was discussed between 20/07/2003 and 31/07/2003

MG MGB Technical index

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