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MG MGB Technical - MGB engine query

Hi,

Any advice please I have 1977 MGB which has been sitting in the garage for over 7 years as I couldnt afford to run it but didnt want to part with it. I am now thinking of putting it back on the road again as I have some extra cash and need to get the engine converted to unleaded or have a new engine. Any advice on the best approach ? links to articles ? or recommended suppliers ?

Thanks
Richard
Richard

If it runs well I'd use additive in unleaded fuel if you only do a few miles, or have the head converted if you do more.

A head job is quite cheap now and I wouldn't change the engine unless it needed it. Back of the UK classic mags will throw up some local specialists for the head work if you go that route.

It may depend on what part of the job you can do /want to do yourself. You can get just the seats fitted and cut to your bare head and valves or have some place do the whole thing which will be a lot more for time.

Rich

Maybe this was different in the the UK, but I think many of the later B's had unleaded valve seats from the factory. By the late 70's 'No lead' was pretty common in the US.

In any event, you can run for quite a while on unleaded, probably as long as on leaded with the use of a substitute additive. So if it ain't broke, don't fix it. That time will come.

Steve
Steve Aichele

If it were me I'd first replace all rubber hoses (brakes, clutch and cooling) and replace the fluids. Drain whatever petrol was in the car, change the oil, put four new tyre on it if it has just been standing, renew the points, plug etc and give it a spin. If you can get it going OK then I'd run it for a couple of months and see how it develops. Either use an aditive, such as Castrol Valve master plus, or simply don't bother and rely on lead memory for the time being! Once it is running then I'd see what needs done. You may find the money better spent elsewhere on the car compared to the engine!

If you do want to get the engine sorted I'd speak to Chris Betson at Octarine Services (http://www.octarine-services.co.uk). He is somewhere in Essex and has a good reputation and prices.

Good luck getting running.

Iain
I D Cameron

Thanks for your help and suggestions, Octarine Services are just down the road from me so thats nice to know...

Richard
Richard

Common wisdom says that if the engine had been run for awhile on leaded gasoline, enough lead will have impregnated the valve seats so that the motor will be fine with unleaded for the rest of its life.

What happens when a motor needs lead and doesn't get it, is that the valve seat wastes away. Thus, when the valve closes, it gets higher and higher in the head. If you learn how to check and adjust your valve lash, you could keep an eye on it. If you find the valve lash consistently shrinks, then you'll need to do something with the head. If not, then you're in the chips.

As ID Cameron notes, there are several other issues to restarting a long-sleeping motor. Most notable are replacing rubber hoses, replacing all fluids and thoroughly checking the brake system. I recommend you search the archives for this subject, as it has been broached often.




Matt Kulka

I had my MGB engine replaced by Octarine Services (chris Betson) at the end of last year and he was excellent. He is near Southend airport using airport transfers tunbridge wells and he only took a few days and I had a 1950cc engine fitted and am really pleased with and also he is really approachable too.
malcolm gregory

This thread was discussed between 23/06/2005 and 28/06/2005

MG MGB Technical index

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