This is from one amateur to another, so flame at me in private if I'm wrong,
please. I enjoy the abuse :)
Of course, smoke coming out of your breather pipes is not a good thing -
here's my $.02. I have a '73 CBB, so I have an advantage, of sorts, but it
applies to all nowadays.
You should get "How to Power Tune MGB Engines" by Peter Burgess, and read it
(It's pretty cheap, like $18).
I'm going to have to pull the engine eventually this fall due to a leaky
rear main seal that's making the clutch slip after long hot drives. I've
never pulled and fixed an engine, but I'll be damned if I let someone else
do it for $40/hour!
He has a lot to say about what to fix and what not to fix. Heads are his
game for improved performance and he likes the stock cam.
You have the same engine as all Bs, but you have a lot of extra tubing and
such and I don't know about the NJ emissions standards. I wouldn't throw
away the emissions equipment on your RBB, but better breathing could improve
the CO coming outta the back pipe and that's what it's all about. The
automotive community has learned a thing or two about improving emissions
since BL started strapping on all those pumps and pipes. The more you burn
in the cylinder, the less nasty air comes out the exhaust, right?
Buy the book, read it, and think about what you want performance-wise,
that's what I'm doing.
Dan
73B
-----Original Message-----
From: Ben Ruset <bruset@home.com>
To: mgs@autox.team.net <mgs@autox.team.net>
Date: Monday, July 13, 1998 3:30 PM
Subject: Stupid Engine Tricks
>Okay, I am a newcomer when it comes to engine work, however, I have some
>(hopefully) simple questions.
>
>I've got a 78 B - engine sat since 1985. Needless to say, the rings are
shot.
>
>In the VB catalog, they have what are called "side covers" with a breather
>pipe. Oil is coming out of this pipe. At idle, a faint smoke rises from
>under the oil cap, and out of this pipe. The pipe connected to the air
>filter on my Weber DGV carb. I have since removed the air filter and put it
>down near the front of the engine, so oil does not leak onto my header or
>into my carbs (as it was doing when it was attached) and foul my engine.
>
>When I rebuild the engine, will this problem go away? Am I better off
>finding an older (early 70s) engine and installing it? I loathe the lack of
>power that the 78 has.
>
>Right now I am running a Weber, pretty much no smog equipment, and straight
>exhaust (with a cherry bomb muffler at the end).
>
>Should I get a crossflow head or bore the engine to 1900cc? What else can I
>do to get more "juice" from the engine?
>
>
>
>
>BEN RUSET http://members.home.com/bruset
>The MGB Haven & MG Cars Webring http://members.home.com/mgbhaven
>
>
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