Frogeye running issues

[wibble cb]

I wonder if the collective wisdom of PH can assist with an issue I have with my frogeye - it's just had the head gasket rebuilt and ran fine for all of 40 miles before breaking down again, the garage that have it thought it was stalling due to a cracked carb body, so that was replaced, but the car still won't idle or run.

It has good spark, compression, is timed correctly(allegedly) and plenty of gas/petrol, being as its a relatively simple car, what else might cause it to not run?

Thanks in advance

Wibble cb

[HustleRussell]

What are the symptoms? What happened when it broke down? What do the gauges say? Does it fire/attempt to fire when you turn it over?

[na]

could be on low tension side - are all wires and connectors clean, secure and protected including battery connections and all wire earths

battery cables not corroded under insulation sleeving

ignition switch itself or connectors

good earth on stater soilonoid - they screw to body so check for rust there

ETA: is your battery in good condition, all cells working, electrolyte topped up, battery fully charged, battery posts clean, clamps secure, leads as above, clean secure and protected

Edited by na on Tuesday 30th October 17:33

[Rower]

I am a bit confused about a ' re-built head gasket ' do you mean you have just replaced the head gasket or you have re-built the head ?

[wibble cb]

The car will fire but stall and stutter under any kind of load, there is no apparent leak on the carb anymore, the oil and water gauges are normal, there is no apparent rust on earths or cables, the battery and connections are all in good condition. The head gasket blew ( confirmed by a compression test) so the hard was skimmed and all gaskets replaced, as I said, it ran great for 40 miles, and now won't, it's v confusing!

[Rower]

Have you re-checked the timing since the breakdown ?

[wibble cb]

Timing was reset as part of the head gasket work, it ran and pulled smoothly ( for a while!)

[na]

are you running on those horrible points ?

any other new parts/components recently fitted?

[StevenB]

worth checking the timing points gap condenser etc SU carb ? has the oil been topped up with 3 in 1 oil in the damper, is the piston free in the casing etc

[na]

timing will be setting tappets then points then timing then mixture

when head is retorqued the tappets will need checking and the points so might as well check timing and mixture if required

EAT: condensor should be fine unless it's been replaced with a (usually poor quality) one recently

can't see that it'd make much odds but worthing checking there is some oil in the carb dashpots, usually engine oil or SU Damper oil (SAE20) or possibly 3-IN-ONE (blue label) Motor Oil that's SAE20

Edited by na on Tuesday 30th October 18:25

[wibble cb]

Yes, it's got points, because they are supposed to be easier to deal with (!) , a new ballasted coil was fitted as the garage informed me it was overcharged and fried the previous one, also a new condenser was put in as we'll.


To add- the dash pots were also topped up and don't leak...
Thanks for the replies so far!

Edited by wibble cb on Tuesday 30th October 18:27

[rallyspit]

A Ballasted coil? The frogeye never had ballasted ignition as standard. I would suggest changing coil to a 12 volt sports coil, and changing the condenser again. It's not uncommon for new (old style) components to fail - and probably change the garage too. Their explanation sounds like a load of old b*ll*cks. Keep us informed.

[na]

wibble cb said:

Yes, it's got points, because they are supposed to be easier to deal with (!) , a new ballasted coil was fitted as the garage informed me it was overcharged and fried the previous one, also a new condenser was put in as we'll.

Thanks for the replies so far!

check the points gap then (and it'll need checking again as I've put above)

did they also lube the dissy cam and oil the dissy

unless the dissy has come from a good supplier like the Distributer Doctor that also could be a poorly made new part

ballasted coil would need the ballast wire also fitted woudn't it(?)

see above for ETA:

[wibble cb]

I did question the ballasted coil but the garage insisted my dynamo was overcharging the previous one and had fried it, the dissy is the original one that the same garage rebuilt, it was giving good spark so they saw no need to change it .

Just to add- I saw the vacuum advance tube was very loosely attached at the dissy end so tightened it, the garage then told me it was cracked , but didn't matter as the car would run anyway, would it?

Edited by wibble cb on Tuesday 30th October 18:47

[StevenB]

From what you say the car has in the past been fitted with a ballasted coil with out a ballast ? If the car was over charging it would not only effect the coil.It does sound as if the garage are unsure as to how the car works, do they have a good reputation ?

[wibble cb]

The car never had a ballasted coil ever, yet seemed fine, equally it was fine once it had one, at least for a while. As to the garage , I am unsure of their rep, they always have older stuff in ( tr2/3s , an MG TD, various jags etc) so really how hard should a sprite be? I don't have many options in downtown Toronto though!

[na]

wibble cb said:

I did question the ballasted coil but the garage insisted my dynamo was overcharging the previous one and had fried it,

I too am a bit confused here, the Midget 1500 had ballast coil but if your dynamo was over charging then you'd adjust it at the control box and be happy the dynamo is doing so well

wibble cb said:

the dissy is the original one that the same garage rebuilt, it was giving good spark so they saw no need to change it .

the dissy is more to do with timing and distributing the spark

some dissys weren't up much after only a few years use, after lots of use they're also worn, also factor in the lack of oiling and lubing - personally I like the fully new, fully electronic 123 dissy that makes a noticable improvement from idle all through the rev range

so check the points gap, if it's not that refit the old condensor

and I'd think get your dynamo sorted and check the ballast coil has been fitted correctly

as your on MG BBS I'd ask FRM about this

ETA:
http://www.distributordoctor.com/

Edited by na on Tuesday 30th October 20:01

[colin2296fs]

i have a mk1 midget, so pretty much the same as your frogeye, when you say plenty fuel, is the fuel actually getting to the carbs as i had a problem once with the pick up pipe inside the tank getting blocked, it would run fine for a few miles then stop but after sitting for half an hour or so it would run again

[john2443]

1) Try here, the forum is mainly North American so you might get someone nearby who can recommend a garage or pop over to help.

2) Agree, coil shouldn't be balasted.

3) The solenoid is bolted to the body but it is/should be, mechanical so it doesn't make any difference if it's earthed or not.

4) I'd be suspicious of new condensor, they don't have a good reputation, a new old stock might be better or does the garage still have the old one. If it idles but doesn't like it when there's a load on, might that be the cracked vacuum pipe?

[na]

wibble cb said:

Just to add- I saw the vacuum advance tube was very loosely attached at the dissy end so tightened it, the garage then told me it was cracked

is it the metal pipe (and bow) type then ?

wibble cb said:

but didn't matter as the car would run anyway, would it?

yeap car would run, best to have it fitted though

ballast coil would need ballast wire also(?)

as I put I’d ask FRM on the MG BBS about this coil/over charging matter

yes the Sprite is a simple car and the problems are usually simple to resolve but it’s best done by logical step by step diagnostics – this problem has a few added variants to it though

normally starting and continuing to run is either fuel or electrics related - unless the engine has been rebuilt

as for the garage, well, I’ve unfortunately for me known garages with a good reputation but very poor work