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MG TD TF 1500 - sputter and die!

With our clubs big show next week, I finally got my 1955 mgtf out for the first time last week. I took it for premium gas and it ran very well. I ran it for around 20 minutes and when I came to a light it was idling O.K... I started to take off and it sputtered and stalled, but I was able to roll into a parking lot. I then shut off the ignition switch and opened the bonnets. There was nothing obvious. I checked to see if something was leaking under the car and nothing appeared. I got back into the car, turned the switch on, and it started. I was able to drive it home about two miles away. I checked the car out more thoroughly at home and still did not find anything obvious. I took the car out yesterday and drove it around for approximately 20 minutes and the same problem left me on the side of the road. I again looked in all the obvious places and nothing. I got back in and the car started. This time I was only able to go about 100 ft. and it did the same thing. This same issue happened again two more times before I was able to get the car home since I was only a mile from home. All the times that the car sputtered and stopped I was able to restart after waiting a minute or so. The car had about 3 gallons of gas from last year, and I added 7 gallons of fresh gas last week. Any ideas?
Andre de la Chevrotiere

Andre - First thing to check is if the fuel pump is delivering fuel - quick check, remove the lid of the float bowl - is there fuel in the bowl? If so then the fuel pump is probably ok. The other two possibilities are the ignition coil or the capacitor (condenser). The only real way to check either of these is by replacement. Cheers - Dave
D.W. DuBois

Might also want to check the dashpots for oil. If there is no oil in them the mixture is too lean for acceleration and it will sputtered and die on acceleration.

Alex
Alex Waugh

Andre, I just went through this. Might not be the same cause.... search for 2 recent threads with "sputter" in the title.

Also, I'm convinced the el-cheapo, "this might work" exhaust system from the previous owner was causing a problem as it was choked down quite a bit because of really sloppy welding in a 2 pipe system. Not even close to factory spec.

....
MAndrus

ANDRE,
WAS THE FUEL PUMP TICKING ???? Do you have tickler pins on the fuel bowls?
SPW Wincze

I have not checked the carb bowls yet. Dashpots have oil. I do have a new Moss SS exhaust system on the car. Also, the fuel pump is an aftermarket solid state unit sold by Moss called "Facet electric fuel pump". I did read today that the pump is susceptible to vapor lock at temps over 140f. I will search "sputter" on this site to see other options. Thanks
Andre de la Chevrotiere

I would suggest you get out your multi-meter and check the coil. Your symptoms sound the same as my experience with a dying coil. If you are running well for about 20 minutes or so, it is not likely that it is your fuel pump. Not sure of the Facet has that same reliable "tick" as the beloved SU.
Charles Duffy

One of the first things I changed was the coil, because it was getting almost too hot to touch. I replaced it with a new one, I drove the car 30 miles without a problem, then the next trip out....7 or 8 miles and the symptom appeared again.

I wish I could tell you exactly what I did to correct the "sputter to a stop, wait 5 minutes to drive again". Quite honestly I am not 100% sure it's been corrected.

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MAndrus

Andre,
I really doubt if it is a "Vapor Lock" problem,,
Do you know how old the Facet is?? I guess they di=o wear out and don't pump. Is there any filter in the line? I found this link,, As usual, Dave D has some excelent suggestions,,

http://www.mgexp.com/phorum/read.php?1,1788533

Steve
SPW Wincze

Andre,

As soon as this happens, disconnect the fuel line at the carb and turn on the ign. If gas spurts it's not the pump. I tried a second pump in my car with no improvement.

Are you running on ethanol gas? Can you touch the bottom of the fuel bowl just after sputtering?

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MAndrus

Need to do systematic check. Pull top of float bowl first to see if full or dry. Rig up spark tester- just an old plug with the gap opened up a bit, pull and put in plug wire, crank over to check for spark. Then go from there. George
George Butz

I had the same problem. Mine was caused by a loose/bent distributor shaft. Had a small radial "wiggle". There is only a 12 thousands gap at the points. Any looseness in the shaft will cause intermittent sparking.
Peter Dahlquist

This thread was discussed between 31/05/2015 and 02/06/2015

MG TD TF 1500 index

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