Re: ?

[MG1948@aol.com]

Anyone know of an article on rebuild of Armstrong shocks?

Phil

[Stan Kurzet]

Greetings all: Am brand new, first time MG owner. Please cut me some slack if I ask some dumb questions. Would someone please take me by the hand an suggest places I might look for parts? At the moment, my '47 TC needs a new top, owner's manual, battery box cover, the rubber gizmo under the windshield, and fog lamp lens. Mine sounds smooth as silk once running, but is a bitch to start and tops out at 50 Mph on a level road. As I do not have an owner's manual, and may not understand the metaphysical requirements of the engine vis a vis manipulation of choke, accelerator and time, this may be all that is causing the starting difficulty. Perhaps a chant or casting of spells is necessary? BTW, how fast should this little gem be able to go if all is well? Also, it stinks up the garage with fuel fumes for a week after being driven, but I can't find a leak anywhere. Suggestions? Is there anyone in Southern California who has been known to do good work on these cars? Particularly engine work? All suggestions gratefully accepted. Stan Kurzet

[Derek Durst]

> Stan Kurzet wrote:

"........Please cut me some slack if I ask some dumb questions......."

Don't worry about it Stan, you'll fit right in!
Just get in line.
Pithy Badger

[bobgthomas@earthlink.net]

Re: [mg-tabc] ? Hello Stan

Welcome to the group!! Like many on this list I have owned various English cars and particularly MG's for longer than I care to admit. 1st item of business, as the old saying goes, there really are no dumb questions. Unfortunately that same thing is not true about answers. Having said that let me give you a few basics:

#1 Call Moss Motors at 800-235-6954 and get a copy of their free T series catalog. They have an extensive collection of spares and the illustrations in it are quite usefull in disassembly/reassembly.

#2 Or call Skip Kelsey at Shadetree Motors in northern California # 925-846-1309. He is a distributor for Moss and has virtually all of their items and also carries items that are not available through Moss. He can send you the catalog and he gives a discount off Moss prices. Usually around 15%, so that makes up for no toll free #.

#3 If you have an MG that does not leak after an afternoon drive, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you. Your car is not an MG. Perhaps someone pawned off a Miata with an MG badge stuck on the hood?? Seriously, they (TC's) are notorious oil leakers from... well... everywhere. Fuel leaks are usually not so hard to find and stop. New gaskets here and there usually manage the problem well.

#4 Limited top speed, hard starts and fuel fumes MAY be caused by blocked fuel filters. The car did not come with one as standard but many people have added one to the firewall or lines. Check your car and be sure it is clear if you have one. Then, within the carburetors at the fuel line connections are brass wire mesh filters. These may be clogged.

#5 If I were in Southern California and wanted someone to look at my car I would call Mike Goodman in Van Nuys. Although he has never worked on my car because of the distance, I have had an occasional talk with him. He has an excellent reputation and is a nice guy. He too has many spares avaiable. The only number for him that I have is 996-7388. Sorry don't know the area code.

Finally, take a look at our site and a number of vendors are listed. There is no shortage for the majority of parts and numerous, good suppliers. This is a great group and you are sure to get many different suggestions.

Just out of curiosity, why did you buy the TC?? How did that decision come about?

Good luck and enjoy your car.

Bob

TC EXU 7388

From: "Stan Kurzet"
Reply-To: "Stan Kurzet"
Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 13:54:10 -0800
To: "MG TABC List"
Subject: [mg-tabc] ?

Greetings all:

Am brand new, first time MG owner. Please cut me some slack if I ask some dumb questions.

Would someone please take me by the hand an suggest places I might look for parts? At the moment, my '47 TC needs a new top, owner's manual, battery box cover, the rubber gizmo under the windshield, and fog lamp lens.

Mine sounds smooth as silk once running, but is a bitch to start and tops out at 50 Mph on a level road. As I do not have an owner's manual, and may not understand the metaphysical requirements of the engine vis a vis manipulation of choke, accelerator and time, this may be all that is causing the starting difficulty. Perhaps a chant or casting of spells is necessary? BTW, how fast should this little gem be able to go if all is well?

Also, it stinks up the garage with fuel fumes for a week after being driven, but I can't find a leak anywhere. Suggestions?

Is there anyone in Southern California who has been known to do good work on these cars? Particularly engine work?

All suggestions gratefully accepted.

Stan Kurzet

[Dean Jensen]

Stan to the fuel fumes, you might check out the float needles on the carbs, I have found that some times with a full tank of gas, or almost full, that the needles and carbs can weep, as the gas is being siphon out of the tank, past the needles, which are suppose to stop it, and appear on the bottom of the carbs. Dean Illinois

----- Original Message ----- From: skurzetfr@home.com To: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2001 3:54 PM Subject: [mg-tabc] ?
Greetings all: Am brand new, first time MG owner. Please cut me some slack if I ask some dumb questions. Would someone please take me by the hand an suggest places I might look for parts? At the moment, my '47 TC needs a new top, owner's manual, battery box cover, the rubber gizmo under the windshield, and fog lamp lens. Mine sounds smooth as silk once running, but is a bitch to start and tops out at 50 Mph on a level road. As I do not have an owner's manual, and may not understand the metaphysical requirements of the engine vis a vis manipulation of choke, accelerator and time, this may be all that is causing the starting difficulty. Perhaps a chant or casting of spells is necessary? BTW, how fast should this little gem be able to go if all is well? Also, it stinks up the garage with fuel fumes for a week after being driven, but I can't find a leak anywhere. Suggestions? Is there anyone in Southern California who has been known to do good work on these cars? Particularly engine work? All suggestions gratefully accepted. Stan Kurzet

[Dean Jensen]

Stan You usually can break the siphon by cracking open the nut on the fuel line on the fuel pump, this lets the gas run back in the tank, I would not put a vavle in the line, just change the needles, if you have, ( think the correct spelling is) gross jets, put the right ones in and it should take care of the the problems., Dean

----- Original Message ----- From: skurzetfr@home.com To: djensen@accessus.net Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2001 12:54 PM Subject: Re: [mg-tabc] ?
to the fuel fumes, you might check out the float needles on the carbs, I have found that some times with a full tank of gas, or almost full, that the needles and carbs can weep, as the gas is being siphon out of the tank, past the needles, which are suppose to stop it, and appear on the bottom of the carbs. Thanks for the hint. The tank is full and that may well be what's happening. I am in the habit keeping tanks on seldom used items full to minimize condensation damage. Methinks it may be time to put a fuel shutoff valve in the line. Regards, Stan

[Dwyer]

Stan Congratulations on the TC. There are others more knowledgeable than I, but here's my contribution. Your new toy should do about 80 mph on the flat, rather more downhill. At that time you will find out whether the steering needs overhaul, but if it does it'll be fixable. Don't believe the stories told by people who drove worn out cars and pronounce TCs uncontrollable. The car should start very easily, within a few revs on the starter. I would imagine that in Southern California you would need the choke for only a minute or so from cold. Check plugs (25 thou), points (12 thou), ignition timing (TDC) and valve clearance (19 thou hot). Compressions should be 120+psi. It could be that the engine is suffering fuel starvation: the pump should move about one (Imperial) pint per minute into a bottle. If it doesn't, check the fuel line and filters before blaming the pump. The carbs are the ## last ## thing to touch, after you've checked everything else at least twice! The battery box cover is easy to make: it's just a rectangle of 1/16 steel with two catch lugs like those on the toolbox lid riveted to it. You can make the little lugs with a hammer and a file. The questions? We all ask dumb questions now and then - don't worry about it. Regards Dave Dwyer J2, TA, TC

[joecurto@aol.com]

In a message dated 02/10/2001 4:54:32 PM Eastern Standard Time,
skurzetfr@home.com writes:

>
[/quote]Stan as Monty Python had the "Ministry of Silly walks" This site is the
"Ministry of Silly Questions" if you don't mind a little abuse (Badger cut
him some slack) Most of your questions will get answered correctly.

Joe Curto

[Joel Pawlak]

Stan- Here is something from my experience... Last summer I accidentally ran the tank on the TC dry. After filling it up I could not get the car to run for more than a mile or so before she died again. Thought it might be a bad fuel pump, or clogged filter. It turned out to be a clogged fuel line. To clear the line I blew some compressed air backwards into the tank and then presto, ran good as before. Every so often that debris would get back into the fuel line and cut down on the amount of fuel getting to the carbs, noticed in lack of performance, I would clean it out again and get back on the road. One of the hints that the fuel pump was being starved was that it got rather warm. I would be certain all is right with the fuel delivery system before I began tinkering with the carbs. Good luck and happy motoring. -Joel

-----Original Message-----
From: Stan Kurzet [mailto:skurzetfr@home.com]
Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2001 4:54 PM
To: MG TABC List
Subject: [mg-tabc] ?

Greetings all: Am brand new, first time MG owner. Please cut me some slack if I ask some dumb questions. Would someone please take me by the hand an suggest places I might look for parts? At the moment, my '47 TC needs a new top, owner's manual, battery box cover, the rubber gizmo under the windshield, and fog lamp lens. Mine sounds smooth as silk once running, but is a bitch to start and tops out at 50 Mph on a level road. As I do not have an owner's manual, and may not understand the metaphysical requirements of the engine vis a vis manipulation of choke, accelerator and time, this may be all that is causing the starting difficulty. Perhaps a chant or casting of spells is necessary? BTW, how fast should this little gem be able to go if all is well? Also, it stinks up the garage with fuel fumes for a week after being driven, but I can't find a leak anywhere. Suggestions? Is there anyone in Southern California who has been known to do good work on these cars? Particularly engine work? All suggestions gratefully accepted. Stan Kurzet

[joecurto@aol.com]

Joel usually the fuel pick ups have a screen and a standpipe in the tank, you
should fix properly unless you only venture 2 blocks from the air compressor.

Joe curto