Repairs

Red engine for MG sports car

Is Your Engine Tired?

By John Twist / March 5, 2023 / Comments Off on Is Your Engine Tired?

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…

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Eliminating Rear Axle Clunk

By John Twist / December 14, 2022 / Comments Off on Eliminating Rear Axle Clunk

By John H Twist A 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…

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FAQ Archives: Timing Chain on MGB

By John Twist / November 18, 2022 / Comments Off on FAQ Archives: Timing Chain on MGB

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…

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FAQ Archives: A Ticking TF

By John Twist / November 18, 2022 / Comments Off on FAQ Archives: A Ticking TF

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…

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TD Clutch Repair Misadventures

By John Twist / November 9, 2022 / Comments Off on TD Clutch Repair Misadventures

Guest post by David Capallo In 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…

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Blue vintage car

FAQ Archives: TD Oil Leak

By John Twist / November 1, 2022 / Comments Off on FAQ Archives: TD Oil Leak

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…

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Restoring an MGA

By John Twist / October 29, 2022 / Comments Off on Restoring an MGA

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…

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John’s Guide to Buying and Selling MGs

By John Twist / October 29, 2022 / Comments Off on John’s Guide to Buying and Selling MGs

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 MG 1)  Make it look…

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FAQ Archive: Valve Guides on MGB

By John Twist / October 18, 2022 / Comments Off on FAQ Archive: Valve Guides on MGB

QUESTION: I hope you can help me. I had the head rebuilt on my 1969 MGB with hardened valve seats. The engine ran fine for a few minutes then started skipping. I removed the valve cover only to find a valve stuck open. I removed the head and took it back to the machine shop.…

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