MGB & GT Forum

I try to make a habit of not working on complete street cars other than my own. I have way spoiled myself by being a bench mechanic and building heads, engines and carbs, but trying not get in the same time zone of a complete car, well because cars are onions, fix on thing, got to fix two more. I sold a Goodyear dealership because I hated working on people cars. Long story short, I took in my first engine job where the a street car actually came to my shop, what the hell was I thinking
After the engine was completed, it ran fine, in fact really good, it's a fast B no doubt, but as soon as the car gets to operating temps, it pops spits and cut off, let it cool completely off, it will crank up and run fine until operating temp are reached again, then same ole story. This car has a Jacob Ice ignition, powering a otherwise unmodified ignitor box and stock distributor. Through a long and rather frustrating sag, it has been determined that either the ignitor box or distributor is bad. Go to Moss' website, $285.00 for the ignitor box!!!!! So after some thought, we decided the best way to wrap all this up and not get into a complete cluster of trying to replace this or that, the cheapest and most affordable alternative was to replace the distributor with a new electronic Petronixs Flamethrower distributor at $200 this will eliminate all the possible causes (distributor, ignitor box and Jacobs ignition).
I'll let you know how it all goes.

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Hap Waldrop
Acme Speed Shop
864-370-3000
Website: www.acmespeedshop.com
hapwaldrop@acmespeedshop.com

Hap, the stock black box for the CEI has a GM module in it which you can replace for $16. Or come by my house and I'll give you one. This may or may not cure your ills. It could still be the diode in the black box. The little pos is GROSSLY overpriced at Moss. The distributor? The little thingy in it can be replaced as well, not sure the cost, but thi is unlikely the cause.

We eliminated the Jacobs ignition entirely and run it off a normal MGB coil, same results. Then were told by a long time British tech (Ron Batson) To by pass the ignitor box, same results, that would lead you to believe distributor. At this point for the customer, a $200 new distributor and a couple hours labor to install and wire it, it's about as cheap as it gets. Get rid of the Jacobs, he's already on his second one, he wants a modern electronic tunable ignition, if this Petronics distributor will do that then it will kill all birds with one stone, that's a good buy as for distributors and ignitions and the best part is the distributor is brand smacking new, unlike a box or trigger update. Bottom line, a bunch of time has been spent chasing demons with a "black box" (Jacobs) and a 26 year old ignition, time to get off the pot and on the road.

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Hap Waldrop
Acme Speed Shop
864-370-3000
Website: www.acmespeedshop.com
hapwaldrop@acmespeedshop.com

What do you think about this distributor someone on BCF recommended...

http://www.brits-n-pieces.com/teile_detail.php?id=6781

Hey, it sounds like you are 100% on the right track for this car. Tear it ALL out and replace with something you know will work. Problem solved in one job. He is saving $$ and getting a worry free car.

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Carl W. French
Alfred, Maine
Southern Maine LBC welfare shelter
67B will be in our will
73BGT Daily driver
72 Triumph Bonneville
Many more that change often

http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y183/leylandauto/

Sorry to hear that your return to street cars was not the best. Don't give up hope!

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Eric Triplett
"Electronic ignition, the greatest thing that ever happened to carburetors."

1968 High Compression Engine, Dual SU HIF-4 Conversion, Peco Header and Exhaust, Pertronix LU-147, MSD Blaster 2 Coil. Advanced Distributors Re-Cruve 45DM

True, Carl. I wasn't really thinking about Hap's labor rate, just my own! ;^)

Joe, It looks nice, but I'm suspicious of distributor-mounted electronics - the ones the factory put in from 75-early 80 wouls hardly last 25K miles. Heat? vibration? they just failed early. Plus this system is a bit pricey. Looks purty, though.

Joe, I looked at the 1-2-3 as well, I hadn't seen any MGB retailers offering it yet, but knew Seven Enterprises and Mini Mania offer them for the A-series car (same part number for the MGB) they seem to have more wiggle room on settings but were more money than the Petronix dizzy. Yep when it comes to our own self, we can piddle for hours trying to make something work, but yes in shop world, sometimes replacing is alot cheaper and better than palying with old stuff and trying to get it to work. Oh trust the customer would have love to fiquire out a way to get the stuff he already had to work, we tried, no reason to cheap out at this point, if you want a hot rod, you gotta pay to play. We need something dead-on reliable, since with x-flow head, you have to pull the intake and carbs to extract the dizzy, #1 reason I would never own a x-flow head.

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Hap Waldrop
Acme Speed Shop
864-370-3000
Website: www.acmespeedshop.com
hapwaldrop@acmespeedshop.com

Hap,
I used the 1-2-3 on my race car when I was having all the distributor, ignition problems and it worked great. I don't know why you take off the X-flow intake and carbs ... I just reach under and can change the distributor without removing anything, except the air filters. It is a little tight working conditions but have done it many times.
By the way, fixed up the crash damage, raced in Gimli Vintage weekend on Aug 12th and won 2 of 3 races. Spun an axle spline (I think) and missed Sundays races.


Still having great fun ... not much time for forums.

Mike Adams

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Mike

the SuperB the Blower

Mike you must have a different intake, this set up would be impossible to do that way. The Petronixs dizzy came into today, looks nice, this unit was decided on more than any for the price (aprox. $200).

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Hap Waldrop
Acme Speed Shop
864-370-3000
Website: www.acmespeedshop.com
hapwaldrop@acmespeedshop.com



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2006-08-18 04:54 PM by Speedracer.

I still say if performance and not money (twice the cost of the Pertronix) is the issue that this is the way to go. Replacement parts are GM HEI which everyone carries.

http://www.performancedistributors.com/mgdui.htm

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Thom Houser
Craftsman
'78 B 38/38 Weber, headers, Pertronix dizzy, mild cam

A question that sometimes drives me hazy :
am I or are the others crazy ?

Update: I recieved the new Petronixs dizzy on Friday, the guys at Moss did a great job by getting it to me by Friday ( ordered Weds.) with 2 day air, which saved me/customer $30 on what next day would have cost. I looked at the dizzy out of the box, looked nice. David installed on Saturday, maybe he can elaborate on installation as I was gone with the car club. But the most important thing is Darryl and orange MGB are on the road again. All in all for 2 bills probably the most bang for the buck in a new ignition system, I guess time will tell.

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Hap Waldrop
Acme Speed Shop
864-370-3000
Website: www.acmespeedshop.com
hapwaldrop@acmespeedshop.com

The Petronix units are hard to beat in my experience.

Once that guy gets used to his engine for awhile and he's wanting more out of it, you should talk him into porting the head, it'll be like a whole new engine...Again.

Sean

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sean@flowspeed.com

Mike Adams said " ... I just reach under and can change the distributor without removing anything, except the air filters. It is a little tight working conditions but have done it many times. "

The intake runners are very long on this manifold, plus HS6s. So long that pancake filters are all he can fit on it. I suppose it is doable without removing them, but I wouldn't want to do it.
The install of the Pertronix distributor was very simple and straightforward. The instructions didn't mention oiling the shaft, o-rings and drive dog before putting it in. I recommend that you do that. Electrical hookup was simplicity itself. Red wire to coil(+), black wire to coil(-). It comes with plenty of wire length (for a change). I didn't measure but I think there's enough wire without having to splice to reach the shelf next to the heater if your coil is mounted there.
This engine loves 4000+ rpm. The crossflow cam, head & light flywheel makes the power come on fast and keep on pulling. I hope he can keep his foot out of it long enough to seat the rings. It's very tempting to just hammer it and feel it pull.

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David