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Road trip finished!

To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Road trip finished!
From: "Denise Thorpe" <xyzabcde@earthlink.net>
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2006 22:17:23 -0400
The trip was mostly sunny and I have the cheek burns to prove it.  The B 
performed flawlessly after having not been driven at all for months before.  
After scraping the rust off of the points, it started and ran great.  I left at 
3AM Sunday and arrived 11PM Sunday with only 3 1-hour cat naps.  The B is now 
safely parked south of the rust belt.  Woohoo!  Next weekend, the van and the 
other B.

Some thoughts on questions:
Brakes - Make sure the metal brake line along the differential housing hasn't 
been flattened by a tow truck driver (who we've all learned should be tipped 
:-)).  Wheel cylinders can rust solid and don't do anything, but this usually 
makes the pedal harder.  If the rear brakes are fine but aren't adjusted up, 
the pedal will be low.  If you're replacing the rear rubber brake line, replace 
both front ones also.  Replacing only one brake line is like replacing one 
radiator hose and not the other one--the increased pressure holding ability of 
the new one makes the old one promptly blow out.  All of the hoses and both 
rear rear cylinders should be less than $200.  I don't know about you, but my 
life is worth at least that to me.

A/C on a B - The MGB didn't come with A/C.  I understand there was a common kit 
put on by dealerships, but with everything installed aftermarket, it would be 
different every time.  I was under the impression that the extra pulley on the 
water pump was for the smog pump.  If you have one long belt running 
everything, it sounds like a PO put on a longer belt.  You can determine this 
with pulley offset.  Pulleys need to line up so that there is no sideways 
deflection or there will be premature belt wear.  Look and see if the mounting 
of the smog pump pulley has been changed so that it lines up with all other 
pulleys.  Also, look at a replacement belt for your car and see if it's the 
same length as what you've got.  If you mount the A/C compressor below the smog 
pump or below the alternator and run it off the extra water pump pulley, you 
shouldn't need an idler pulley because both directions are a straight shot with 
nothing in the way.

Rats - Lure your neighbor's cat into your garage and install a cat door for 
continuing access.  If you do this, don't put out rat poison and make sure 
there isn't any accessible antifreeze.

That's everything I know.

Denise Thorpe
xyzabcde@earthlink.net




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