Just bought a 1964 Mg midget!

[youngcamper]

Hi all,

I've just bought myself a 1964 midget with the original 1098 engine, does anyone know how to tell the difference between the Big bearing midget engine and the bog standard one /

Cheers,

Will

[chrisryder]

engine number.

10M = small bearing
10CC= big bearing

[youngcamper]

Thanks Chris,

Thats good news as I took down the engine number and it does start with 10CC. Is there any noticable power difference with the big bearing engine ?

Will

[chrisryder]

supposedly. i recall reading somewhere that it produced 54bhp. not sure where that gain comes from, it possibly has a different cam shaft. i think it might have a 12G295 head too, have a look under the rocker cover when you can.

[Matt]

It should have the 295 head and twin carbs.

You get extra power over the minor engine because of these and a larger dia. Exhaust

[youngcamper]

Ahh thanks, The exhaust is mighty loud, I might have to take some ear defenders for the jorney home !

Sadly as a result of buying this I will have to sell Phoebe once she's back together. How much is an original 1963 minor with good interior, shabby paintwork but totally solid be worth ?

Cheers,

Will

[PSL184]

How much is an original 1963 minor with good interior, shabby paintwork but totally solid be worth ?
Will

Around £800 with a full MOT

[chrisryder]

make sure you can get in the midget, and drive it comfortably, before parting with phoebe.

the 74 midget i had briefly, which i moved only a few times, was very cramped for me at 6ft (on a warm day). also my head was higher than the top of the windscreen, which left me a bit exposed, and made visibilty a bit tricky!

[youngcamper]

Thanks Chris, Currently I'm doing up Lily, which is basically the same as your Bluey accept it will have the standard 1098 engine and box. I originally bought Phoebe to make a convertible but she was really too good, then I was going to restore her and keep her as a best car. but now I've got the Midget phoebe will be a frivolous luxury.

I have had a good sit in her she seems pretty comfortable.

Cheers,

Will

[bmcecosse]

10CC would not be the original engine for a 1964 Spridget - actually - I think it may have had a 948 engine at that age? And yes - Spridget is for Midgets - I have no chance - my head even sticks up above the MGB screen - hence the TR7 which has plenty of leg room! As far as I know - they all had the same camshaft - same as any other 1098, but yes it should have 295 head and the hopeless twin tiny SUs. However the exhaust manifold is actually quite good.

[youngcamper]

Your right BMC, checked today and it has the bog standard 1098, its a very early MkII so yes it should have this engine. The twin SU's do cause a bit of trouble, one seems to be running a bit too rich.

[MarkyB]

If you plan to keep them it will pay dividends to balance them.

It is really fiddly as you have to unclamp one of the throttle levers and move it a small smidgeon then clamp and try again.

Something like this will help;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gunsons-carb- ... 3cbc427e51

I've got a fancier one but the idea is the same, I tried listening to a bit of tube placed on the same place on each carb but maybe I'm tone deaf because although they didn't sound the same it was no help to actually get them the same.

If you are in London you are welcome to borrow my balancer.

[youngcamper]

Thanks Mark, I will have to invest in something like that.

She was running okay to start with but one was a bit rich, then the fan belt snapped on the motorway causing it to overheat, we fitted a new one and waited for it to cool down. Afterwards she ran a little rough but soon sorted herself out. Then about 30 miles down the road she starts intermittently running on 3 cylinders ( i.e sometimes on four ) and then finally she went down to two. At that point we were just a mile away from my house so we towed it home.

What could be the cause of this ?

I was thinking possibly HT leads or maybe the head gasket ?

Cheers,

Will

[irmscher]

How long did you run the engine for when you noticed it was overheating ?

[youngcamper]

we were doing about 65 when we heard the fan belt snap, turned of the engine straight away and coasted to a stop. It was obvioulsy pretty hot before as there was paint was bubbling on the engine.

[MarkyB]

paint was bubbling on the engine

Hopefully it was Dulux not engine paint!

My 2p is on the head gasket.

[bmcecosse]

It's dead simple to balance the carbs with a rubber tube - no need for anything fancy -waste of money! And yes - undoubtedly the gasket is away - but as you drove it like that there is considerable risk that the head and/or block will be eroded - or cracked.....

[MarkyB]

It's dead simple to balance the carbs with a rubber tube

It sounds simple, but in practice I found it hopeless.
I'd much rather be working to equalise numbers than notes.

Did someone show you how to do it Roy? I'm sure the theory is fine but there are probably a few wrinkles too.

[youngcamper]

Surely it isn't the head gasket, yes the car overheated but I let it cool down and then it ran okay ? Also at the side of the road I checked for bubbles coming up through the rad ( meant to show a blown gasket ) and there were none. Still a compression test will be my first port of call.

[bmcecosse]

The gasket will have blown through from one cylinder to the next - not into the water space.
As for carb balance - I just found it easy enough to hear the difference - tiny adjustment of the idle screws to get the same 'hiss' from each carb. The tube must be held in the same spot on each carb - on the bottom edge of the inlet flange. Seriously - it is a piece of cake to do. If I can do it - there can't be any 'skill' involved...... Need to make sure there is then no 'lost movement' in the linkage between the carbs - I see quite a few installations where the throttle cable only pulls on one carb spindle - and there is some lag before the second carb starts to move.