No, I didn't check the valve timing, John. I did check the integrity of the
harmonic balancer to make sure it hadn't separated - it hadn't - but the
possibility of a car running that well with cam timing off a tooth or so
didn't occur to me...........
Lawrie
-----Original Message-----
From: john c kahoon [mailto:john.kahoon@juno.com]
Sent: Saturday, January 23, 1999 3:04 AM
To: lawrence@britcars.com
Cc: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: 45 degrees advance at idle?
Do you know where the valve timing was ? Maybe they run a little better
with a bit of
" anticipation " in the valve timing and lottsa advance to go with it .
Hmmmm
john.kahoon@juno.com
71 Midget
On Fri, 22 Jan 1999 18:36:14 -0800 "Lawrence Alexander"
<lawrence@britcars.com> writes:
>Rick...........
>
>If it's any consolation, one of my customers had a 73 B that was one
>of the
>fastest stock Bs that I had driven. On one occasion, when the car was
>in for
>service, I decided I had to find out what made it so quick. To my
>surprise,
>the needles in the carbs were stock, the ignition system was as
>original
>except that the timing at idle was 45 degrees btdc! It didn't ping, it
>idled
>smoothly and it went like the clappers. Probably had something to do
>with it
>being a low-compression engine, as other cars I've tried to "speed up"
>by
>giving lots of advance have let me know (by severe pinging) that they
>don't
>want anywhere near 45 degrees of advance. So, if you notice no
>detrimental
>effects from that much advance, just enjoy it and worry about
>something
>else!
>
>Lawrie
>British Sportscar Center
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-mgs@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-mgs@autox.team.net]On
>Behalf Of Rick Guynn
>Sent: Friday, January 22, 1999 4:16 PM
>To: MG List
>Subject: 45 degrees advance at idle?
>
>
>Hi all,
>
>Well I finally got around to playing with the timing on the 'B again
>and I
>am
>befuddled.
>
>short history:
>'73 'B w/'79 engine and ignition. I cleaned evrything and set the
>timing.
>Car
>would bog and backfire when 'snapping' the throttle.
>
>Update: after trying everything I could think of (including checking
>the
>valve
>timing) I finally decided to try playing with the timing again. I
>advanced
>and
>retarded it to no avail. The I REALLY advanced it. Now to my best
>estimate
>I
>have the timing set at about 45 degrees BTDC at appx. 1000rpm. The
>bog is
>still there a bit, but not nearly as bad and it no longer backfires.
>I
>haven't dared
>to advance it any further. I have in the past checked to make sure
>that the
>crank pulley mark and the actual position of the the No.1 cylinder
>were in
>sync,
>and it appeared that they were. I may have to check again. There is
>no
>noticeable signs of pinging. SO I'm stuck... any suggestions?
>
>Thanks in advance (no pun intended),
>Rick
>
>
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