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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGB Technical - Looking for crankshaft

I've been looking around for a recon crankshaft and found this at Brown and Gammons. Has anyone dealt with them at all?
http://www.ukmgparts.com/product.aspx?CID=a06aab03-5ebc-49d9-a937-a6d8adfce6c1&SID=2ac7fce6-47eb-4df7-a32b-a9528f186cdb&PID=3b9469b7-3ad3-4cd5-a7b9-2402b5b9f50d

Doesn't seem to have a surcharge.
Steve Church

Brown and Gammons have been in the trade for quite some time and have earned a reputation as a reliable source for parts. However, when dealing in reconditioned parts, you have to have confidence in the machine shop that is handling the work. Obviously, B+G have been using their machine shop long enough for them to back up their work with their own warranty. RAY
rjm RAY

as Ray says, they've been around a long time and have a very good rep in racing circles. I've never used them myself but would have no problem doing so if they were offering a product at the right price.

Steve, I been browsing again and this caught my eye...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mgb-1800-engine-/290655323690?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item43ac68462a

What looks like a gold seal short engine but needing a referb. As it's part stripped you could ask the seller to take one or two of the caps off to check out the state/size of the crank. Or as it's very cheap it might be worth the risk for £50 and some petrol. Even if it's scrap you'll get a few quid back from a scrap yard!

MGmike
M McAndrew

PS. as it has a simplex timing chain and the horizontal split rods, it's a later 18V engine and as such will have the later pistons and rods.
MGmike
M McAndrew

Steve,

Just got the new University Motors monthly newsletter, and they have a crankshaft for sale. Not sure if it's what you need but thought I'd pass this along:

"we have the crankshaft, square counterweight, crack checked and ground to 0.010” mains and 0.010” rods, and the bearings (County brand) and thrust washers. The original bearing packages were opened but they are safe, wrapped in tape inside Ziploc bags. We don’t need this assembly now. We’d be pleased to sell the crank and bearings, outright, for $400."

They're in Michigan, USA.

Contact: mike@universitymotorsltd.com

Cheers,
Greg
Greg Van Hook

Greg,
Many thanks for passing that on, but I think the carriage across the pond could be a bit steep!
Steve Church

My recon crankshaft arrived today from Brown and Gammons. Seems ok. My digital verniers confirm the claimed 20 thou undersize. The only difference I can see is that the counter balances are more rounded than the original.
Not a recent regrind by the look of it as the tape covering the bearing surfaces had got a bit hard but the adhesive hadn't hardened.
I took the block in for a rebore today as well. The guy said it had some serious wear but hopefully could recover the situation with a 60 thou oversize.
Steve Church

Steve, good to hear you've turned the corner and are now heading for the finish line.
Did you check the cam bearings and the follower holes for wear and is your man removing the oil gallery plugs to ensure cleaning removes all the remaining crud?
Hope you don't mind a few other suggestions;o)
replace the oil pump, timing chain, tensioner and oil pressure relief valve.

As you've got one of Peter's fast road heads to go on top, what cam are you planning on using? It would be a shame not to make the most of it :o) We can then start the debate on the carbs, filters and exhaust manifold ;o).....
I'm looking forward to the report on the first blast after it's run in..

MGmike

M McAndrew

The engine man says the cam bearings are o.k. He is also removing the core plugs before cleaning the block. I didn't know there were oil plugs to remove. Are they easy to replace?

I plan on fitting a Piper 270 cam when I get round to ordering one from Peter along with new followers and pushrods.

I believe the stock manifold is supposed to be quite good. I have already removed the air filter cans and have mounted the filters (paper) with a backing plate as per the K&N bare bones system. I shall also streamline the airflow path in the carbs.

I haven't taken the oil pump apart yet to see what damage there is in there. A job for the weekend perhaps.
Steve Church

hmm where to start...
I think you need to buy a book called "How to power tune your MGB" by one P Burgess and a good workshop manual if you don't already have one. There's too many areas of rebuilding an engine needing covered than can be done in a BBS post. But for starters ....
The B series engine has a number of oil galleries running through the block which feed oil from the sump via the pump (and hopefully the filter) to all the parts that need a constant flow of high pressure oil e.g. the crank, cam, rockers etc. In your case (having an engine that's run with no filter for a while!) these should all be cleaned to ensure there is no trapped crud. The two main galleries run along each side of the engine. You get to these by removing the brass plugs at each end. the location of which should be very obvious when the front and rear plates are taken off. The plugs are drilled out and new ones drifted in and a little loctite will help with sealing. Long thin brushes and some petrol are needed to wash every nook and cranny or your engine workshop might have a hot wash/acid dip system that would take the strain.
A 270 cam is a good choice for a road car with a good head and 1860cc (+.060 overbore is approx 60cc). And yes, the standard exhaust is good but there are small improvements to be had with a tubular manifold. You really should push the boat out and get a K&N (or equiv.) to allow the air/fuel in to your new engine a lot better. But please don't go hacking at the carbs, these are very good as is. Although the standard ones may run out of capacity at high rev's. If you are referring to the inlet manifold, then crack on, as this can be improved if you know what to do and fitting a couple of stub stacks on the carb inlet will help smooth the air flow a little.

Until the next post... good luck

MGmike
M McAndrew

Mike, thanks for the heads up on those points. Peter's book is out of print at the moment. The only place I have been able to spot one is in the local library catalog and that is constantly out on loan. I would dearly love to obtain a copy at a realistic price.

I have the Vizard book for the A series (former midget owner) and have used some of the techniques for smoothing out the airflow in the Midget carb (changed to HIF44). I believe Peter alludes to similar mods in his book. I believe there is some debate about the air flow characteristics of the paper filters compared to the K&Ns. I have already removed the constricting filter cans and will look to replace the stock filters with the K&N equivalent. I have retained the existing collars on the inlet to the carbs as these have a good inlet curve similar to a shallow stack.

As regards the oil galleries, is replacing the brass plugs a diy activity or would I have to get the engine shop to do this? I will speak to them later.

One of my concerns regarding the inlet manifold is getting a smooth transition at the carb/manifold and manifold/head interface. I want to ensure that there is a smooth path with minimal steps in the way to interrupt the airflow. Maybe this is covered in Peter's book?

A full stainless exhaust system with tubular exhaust manifold has been at the back of my mind for a while but will have to wait for the finances to recover from the (unexpected) engine rebuild.
Steve Church

The best way to replace the oil galley plugs is to thread the block and install Allen headed bolts. The one at the front of the engine must be flush with the block or it will foul the front engine mounting plate. The stock exhaust manifold is excellent and won't rust out or raise the under hood temperature like a tubular header. Little can be gained by a tubular header unless your running your engine full out all of the time. I've been running a stock exhaust manifold, that has been ported, with a Falcon Big Bore stainless steel exhaust for almost 25 years and it looks and sounds like the day I installed it. My car has been running a Moss supercharger for over 10 years and the engine and exhaust give an incredible amount of power together. Unless your oil pump has been run dry, or with metal inside, the odds are that it can be cleaned up, checked for clearances and re-used. The quality of the original components is far better than what's available today. RAY
rjm RAY

Ray, is there not a risk of blocking the feed to the front main bearing with a cap head? A grub screw would be better as it's shorter and would not need a counter sunk hole to take the cap.
Steve, grub screw with loctite and a suitable tap is a diy job but you will need to clean the block afterwards (there will lots of cast iron and brass bits floating around from the drilling tapping!). My advise is get your engine man to do it. It should only take him 15 mins tops.

MGmike

M McAndrew

As a slight aside here. The oil holes on the connecting rods, I saw some-one refer to them as 'squirt holes'? So oil is moving in that direction then? I.E. from the crankshaft small bearing journal through into the connecting rod? I only ask because I had some idea oil trickled down into these holes, stupid really it would never work. Thanks Mike
J.M. Doust

Steve, Did you get to see Marshall at Henstead to inspect your parts or did you find some one else. just wondered.
Trev
Trevor Harvey

Trevor,
I did take the parts to Marshall last weekend. He agreed that the crank was at the end of it's serviceable life. I did not leave the block with him as I was concerned that he did not think it important to have the pistons available to do the rebore. Everyone else I had spoken to thought this was essential. The block is now with Damico who do race engines and do all the work for MG Mecca. More expensive but I feel more confident with their level of care. Darren at Damico was shocked at the amount of wear in the block and thought it would be touch and go if it could be salvaged with a 60 thou rebore (currently 30 thou over). I have to speak to him about the oil ways so may hear then but he has only had it since Tuesday.
Steve Church

I have just spoken to the engine man and he has already removed the core plugs and the oil gallery plugs in preparation for the rebore work. The engine should be ready for collection next Thursday.
Steve Church

ooh the anticipation is palpable......
That's next weekend sorted then. I guess SWMBO will be told to go out shopping!...

MGmike
M McAndrew

Shopping!! What with. I've spent it all on the engine!
Steve Church

Mike, the rod squirt holes are for squirting oil onto the cylinder walls, not for feeding the little end.
Art Pearse

Always, always bring the pistons along with the block before it is bored out. This way, each piston can be precisely matched to the cylinder into which it will be installed. Mike, when I referred to Allen headed bolts, I meant grub screws. Merely a different term describing the same item. Ah, the English language. RAY
rjm RAY

This thread was discussed between 07/01/2012 and 15/01/2012

MG MGB Technical index

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