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MG TD TF 1500 - Vibrating Stick Shift

I just replaced my points with a pertronix after noticing a wobble in my distributor. The Pertronix works great, good power throughout the range, starts much quicker and idles better. Overall, much smoother. Only problem is now I seem to have a vibration in my shifter that I never noticed before....could this be related? Not sure if it was always there and I never noticed.
Robert Dougherty

Robert - Your timing may be a bit too far advanced since you installed the Pertronix, as it changes the timing. Try retarding the timing a bit and see it that helps.
Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

David DuBois is absolutely right, I bet reducing the spark advance solves the problem.

Denis
Denis L. Baggi

Dave & Denis,
Bingo! That was the problem...re-timed and car runs even better with no vibration in the stick. Thanks!
Robert Dougherty

Robert, just for the sake of completeness, I have dealt with that problem having installed a knob on the dashboard to control spark advance. I can make that stick vibrate if I need some rough chant!

Denis

http://193.72.254.3/~dbaggi/advance
Denis L. Baggi

Dennis,
Very interesting! Thanks! I've saved it on the computer and might take a good look at it this winter!
Robert Dougherty

You know, I think I must be missing something here.

Do I understand that one has to de-tune the engine in order to make an annoying rattle go away? I had always thought that one tuned one's engine to get the best out of it in the starting, running, idling and power modes.

The gear lever extension on my TD rattled badly simply because of wear in the "bushes". I attended to the wear in the aluminium casting by bushing the worn holes through which the actuating rod slides and also made provision for a lubrication nipple. The fit between the selector rod ends and the lever connection was also corrected

This made for a tighter and more positive feel during gear changes and the rattle disappeared.

It seems very odd to me to mess around with an optimally tuned engine by altering the timing to eliminate an irritating rattle I know it works, but, to me, this is akin to amputating a leg in order to fix an ingrowing toenail.

Geoff Love
Geoff Love

Geoff is correct, but you can still get a rattle, if the timing is too far advanced.Bush the shaft, then set the timing to 34 deg. or so, @ max. adv. Max adv. will be around 3,000 rpm. Put the tools away, leaving the dist. just loose enough to turn by hand. Road test & adjust as necc. by advancing or retarding as little as possible. Len
Len Fanelli

I just clocked 100 miles after a 3 year + restoration. I would love to just have a Vibrating Stick Shift to think about.

Don
TD 17700
Don

Which way retards the timing, clockwise or anti-clockwise? Tom
Thomas McNamara

The cam in the dizzy turns anti clockwise, so turning the dizzy body clockwise advances the timing.
Tatty

Dear Geoff, we already corresponded on that one. The point is that if the shift lever rattles, advance is too high. Namely, you think the engine is running optimally, but it is not. With my device - by the way, the address has changed to http://vigna.cimsi.cim.ch/~dbaggi/advance/ - one can convince oneself that a properly tuned engine does not make a shift lever rattle. Ever.

So it is not a matter to "reduce advance to eliminate a rattle", it is a matter or perfectly tuning one's engine.

Denis
Denis L. Baggi

Robert:

<<<snip>>>
I just replaced my points with a Pertronix after noticing a wobble in my distributor.
<<<snip>>>
You should still fix that wobble between the die cast housing and the steel shaft but pinning it. That wobble can still cause timing problems due to engine vibration.
Blake J.

This thread was discussed between 09/08/2002 and 14/09/2002

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