From the Octagonal office:
It was refreshing to see 15 men, applying their skills and experience to assess the 1980 MGB donated to the Houston Club. On Saturday (01 March) they came to my house, and attempted to get the car running for the first time since 1992.
HMGCC Bill Sysman brought a battery, and we completed the 12 volt circuit to the starter.
On first turn over, we verified that we had oil pressure on the gauge, and that oil was lubricating the rockers. The gauge read 50psig.
We then ran a cylinder compress, we achieved 115, 85, 105, and 30 psi on cylinders 1 – 4, respectively. Low pressure was expected, as two of the valves have been in the open position since it was last run.
It was found that the ignition was not working….no spark. Jumpering 12V to the coil, and replacing a faulty relay resulted in spark. I was holding the lead, and jumped two feet when the key was turned. Didn’t see the spark, but definitely felt it.
We also found that the fuel pump wasn’t working, which would have been a real issue had the car been equipped with its original carbs. A little gas into the Weber caused the engine to cough, and then she ignited. We will try this again, hooking up a facet pump to supply a steady stream of fuel, and let this old motor warm-up. I am fairly certain that the cylinder pressure will prove satisfactory after the engine comes to temperature, and the sticky valves begin to operate as expected.
There was plenty of beer and snacks around, helping to keep our members hydrated and happy.
Two members brought over their cylinder heads, and I performed a wet fluorescent magnetic particle inspection on both of them. Both were crack free. This brought Pete Sandy a smile, as he was told that his racing cylinder head had a crack in it. We verified that this was not the case.
It was particularly pleasing to see members turning wrenches, jumpering wires, and applying their skills to get this car running. We have a car club!
If you are in the market for a 1980 MGB, a car with solid metal, and a usable engine, come to the April meeting and bid on her.
Rich Colwell
