MGB: Engine bay pics

When I posted pics of my new B last week someone said they wanted to see the engine bay. Being an MG virgin I'm not 100% sure of what I'm seeing under the hood so tell me if anything looks amiss.



A slightly wider angle


Right side angle


Left side


Closer in on the carb


And some other junk


Comments welcome.

Thanks,
Kevin

Yep -- that thing-of-a-jig that should be on the end of your air cleaner :)

looks like you've been partially desmogged...

Good that the PO converted the carb from whater choke to a manual one but the original hose to the choke (fitted to the end of the cylinder head) is now connected to the heater return pipe and does bypass the heat exchanger in the heater this way.

There is a blanked plate availabel for the head and the return pipe underneath the carb can be modified to close the side entry.

IS there a advantage to having that finger slicer fan in addition to the 2 oem fans? With the open ended air cleaner,it could be an el cheapo super charger. I saw this on an mgb in St. Louis but I can't see the advantage. Is there one? Leon Carpenter

if the oem fans are working you don't need the other.

I wouldn't think that fan is doing much of anything in terms of cooling anyway, it sits too far back from the surface of the radiator.

Jim B.

Looking at later model engine bays gives me a headache - too many hoses and wires for my small brain to keep up with...

[quote=GERONIMO]
I wouldn't think that fan is doing much of anything in terms of cooling anyway, it sits too far back from the surface of the radiator.

Jim B.[/quote]

I agree that makes sense Jim, but I have the engine driven fan and and a hard-wired electric pusher - the OEMs are long since gone. My 80 runs cool on hot Alabama days - I rarely turn on the pusher. The engine fan seems to cool even with the setback. I do have the lower engine bay and air duct panels installed that are made from plastic.

Kevin, it does look like the engine fan has hit something...... I would check the top radiator hose. It doesn't curve like the original (yours looks like someone bought one a a local parts house - not original design) to be sure it isn't partially cut. Mine was the same way - installed a hose from Moss, and it fit much better.

I agree with Naomi too - you are missing the hot air connect hose and part of the air cleaner assembly. I just sold one on Evil Bay a few weeks ago - wish I had seen your pics, would've sent it to you.

Your line to your TCSA valve on the brake booster is hanging loose. It likely died long ago and only served to advance the dizzy thru vacuum in 4th gear - no worries, as many have been just removed and pitched. Here is a post:

http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/read.php?1,1188650,1188650#msg-1188650

Last thing - we are long ago neighbors. I grew up down the road in Midland and bought my first Triumph from a guy in Saginaw in 1979. Enjoy the B!

It looks like it has a 74.5 or older thermostat housing.
thats why it has such a long hose. The only way to fill the rad is to remove the hose from the housing. I have to do that on my 78 but only because the plug is frozen. not putting it down, just noticing.

I would take a guess that an earlier model engine has been installed, maybe that's why he has both fan set-ups.

Ya, I have to agree, my early 67, 18GB engine bay is totally empty compared to a later engine bay.

Like Dave says, if your cooling system is up to snuff, not much AIRflow needs to take place. People make far too much about FANS. adding this one and that one, pushers, pullers, etc., etc. when all that needs to take place is a good olde engine cooling ducts clean out. Water flow is far more important!

anyway, I digress! sorry hahahahahha

B

Is your Choke working?? I think it is set wrong or not adjusted per instructions I have the same setup and the cable runs over the valve cover to the choke.

Glenn

Wow, looks like I'm going to have fun sorting some of this stuff out. Thanks all. Expect a few PM's with more specific questions about your observations if that's OK... or should I post 'em publicly for the benefit of others??

Thanks again,
Kevin

Hey Kevin
I recently acquired a '79 & I can send you some pics if it helps. Mine was orginally sold in California and most likely has a some additional smog gear hanging on it.
At first glance, it looks like the gulp valve isn't there (if it had one) as well as the diagphram type inlet. For what it's worth, the gulp valve appears on that year in the exploded view in the Moss catalog.

Good Luck. (Makes me glad I'm not starting on a second one).:drinking:

somebody moved the coolant tank to the drivers side. Hadn't seen that before. Not sure if it makes any difference other than the hoses are longer, etc. Personnally I would start with getting the extra fan off and getting the correct top radiator hose and thermostat cover in place.

How does it run by the way?

[quote=grn78rd]
somebody moved the coolant tank to the drivers side. Hadn't seen that before. Not sure if it makes any difference other than the hoses are longer, etc. Personnally I would start with getting the extra fan off and getting the correct top radiator hose and thermostat cover in place.

How does it run by the way?[/quote]

It idles a bit rough but runs OK when warmed up. I haven't taken it out since the test drive however. I just got my Haynes book in the mail and purchased a floor jack and jack stands over the weekend. I'm going to crawl around underneath and make sure the brakes are solid for starters then I've got a whole list of other things before I put her on the road.

Kevin

There is really something wrong in your engine bay. It should look like this:

So is there anything I should return to original? Or anything I should change period whether it be back to original or not?

Thanks,
Kevin

Take the ZS Carb and attach a fishing line to it - and let it go [color=#FF0000][size=x-large]Ka-plunk[/size][/color] in a pond to hold a Duck bobber that you can be amused by for years to come. Then transition over to SU's [HS-4's] - you'll never look back. :thumbsup:

Then spend three months cleaning, painting and beautifying your bay -- they all need it after these many years.

Correct me if i am wrong here but when a air filter on a single carb car gets dirty does it not get dirty on the inside? If thats the case is the air filter on this car doing anything at all? I do not mess with later cars but i would check to see that its getting filtered air. Who has a old filter assembly in the back of the garage that can check this? Bob

Here you go for a good look at a late MGB Engine Bay - It has less than 400 miles on it :)