Edwin,
That heater valve is a miserable piece of engineering. If it ever shows
any signs of leaking, it will leak worse when you are driving, the engine
is hot and there is pressure in the cooling system that sprays water down
onto the distributor. I don't think there is a repair to them; just
replace. It's easy.
If the distributor has been moistened at all, there is probably
condensation inside the cap. Dry it out with clean dry cloths. Mop up
water in the distributor base with Q-tips, then spray a little WD 40 down
inside, having first masked off the points against overspray. Then set
the points again and time the engine.
I've had the valves let go on me twice. Once I had warning; the second
was an embarassing surprise.
Bob
On Fri, 19 Feb 1999 15:36:18 -0600 (CST) Edwin Vaughan
<vaughme@mail.auburn.edu> writes:
>
>Hello All,
>
>My '77B will not start. It turns over, has good compression, the fuel
>pump
>is pumpin', the carb is receiving the fuel, and my coil is receiving
>the 12 V from the battery, though I don't know if it is stepping it
>up or not. It wants to start, its trying. However, while checking the
>spark I noticed it was quite week. My trusty Haynes manual stated that
>a
>wet distributor could cause this. My heater-water valve does leak. Has
>anyone else had trouble starting their MG and find a leaky
>heater-water valve, which had soaked the distributor, to be the
>culprit?
>
>TIA
>
>Edwin
>
>"I try to think but nuthin' happens"
>http://www.auburn.edu/~vaughme
> -- Curly (the stooge)
>
>
|