[Mgs] My Engine got the shakes

[Bob Donahue]

My car suddenly started running real rough at idle to the point of shaking the
car. I went to a club meeting 70 mi out of town. The way there it ran perfect.
After the meeting, the shakes! I found that the shakes subsided at highway
speed. In fact, it ran pretty well on the trip home. Oil pressure and
temperature were normal.

When I got home the first thing I checked was the motor mounts. They looked
ok, and the motor seems nice and firm when I try to shake it by hand.

I did find that the vacuum advance on the distributor is not working. I always
check this at tune-ups by sucking on the hose that goes to the inlet manifold.
Normally, this makes the points plate rotate. Now, it is doing nothing.

Does failure of the vacuum advance account for the symptoms I'm encountering
(bad idle, not so bad on highway)?

Bob Donahue (Still Stuck in the '50s)
Email - bobmgtd at insightbb.com
Cars:       52 MGTD - #17639
               71 MGB - #GHN5UB254361
Member:  NEMGTR #11470
               NAMGBR # 7-3336
               Hoosier MGB Club
               Olde Octagons of Indiana