I talk to a lot of MG owners about the condition of their engines. Over and over, I hear the phrase, “My engine is tired.” I tell them there is no such thing as a tired engine. The real question is: does your engine have what it needs to run well? Think of your own…
By John H TwistA common problem I hear from MG owners is “There’s a clunking sound in the rear of my car!” The Salisbury, Tubed-type, or “GT” rear axle fitted to all MGB/GTs, virtually all MGBs from 1967, and all MGCs develops a clunk after as little as 50,000 miles. This clunk is evident when…
Ask a dozen MG owners how each of them stored his MG last year and you will receive a dozen different answers. Methods range from abandoning the MG under a tree in the front yard, to complex routines involving raising the MG off the ground and removing the seats. There is no one “proper” method…
Hello John,I have a stock 1971 MGB that appears to have jumped a tooth on the timing chain. The engine will start and run but has a pretty bad shake in it (no knocks) and is down on power.I was pulling away from a light when there was a “ba-bing” noise (sounded more like a…
Question:Dear Mr. Twist,Here is a thorny problem for you to cogitate! I have conducted extensive research and value your input.My 1955 TF 1500 is making a ticking sound, prominent at idle. It sounds like a valve lash set way too wide. Here are some observations related to this sound: 1. It occurs regularly at cam…
Guest post by David CapalloIn October 2022, John Twist visited me in Savannah, GA to replace the clutch on my 1951 MG TD. This was his second time visiting me in Savannah. I hosted him in 2021 when he repaired the front suspension on my TD. I was looking forward to working with John and…
Peculiar to the 1977 MGBs (and some, very early 1978’s) is a wiring design fault that allows the engine to continue running when the key is turned off. This problem is quite distinct! When the key is turned off and even removed from the ignition key switch, the car continues to RUN – not diesel…
Dear John, How would you like to hear another MG adventure? I recently started up a TD that had the engine rebuilt several years ago. I went through the start-up sequence to make sure I had oil coming to the rocker, but was concerned that it took a long time to prime the pump and…
The MGA restoration is a huge project! It will eat up time and money for several years. Take your most liberal estimate of the time and cost — then multiply by three or four to reach the actual time and money you’ll have invested. A case can be made for professional assistance on those parts…
The rules of selling an MG and buying an MG are so diametrical that they barely deserve to be covered in the same article. Yet they bear a symbiotic relationship which cannot be ignored. The rules for selling an MG are so brief that I list them first:Selling an MG1) Make it look stunning! Spend…
