MG MGB and MGB GT Tech Talk
My '76 has keeps flooding (assuming needle valve) so am torn as I getting sick of this carb, or should I replace with the earlier twin carb setup as I am going to want to upgrade soon anyway (finances a little tighter than a carb replacement requires but could be squeezed from the wallet at a push) you you recommend the upgrade (or is that downgrade) to the earlier carbs?
What have you got now? If it's the Zenith, the earlier carb setup or the Weber is a big improvement. I, for one, will vote for the SU's every time. The HIF4 is good, and the HS even better. I find the Weber a little weak off the line; the SU's have a lot more grunt and are responsible for a lot of the car's character, IMHO.
What Brian said. If you have a ZS, there is NO downside to a swap, other than clearance can be tight around the brake booster (which I'm not sure if a 76 has anyway). The Weber 32/36 is good, but SUs are probably better all-around. The Weber 38/38 may be an awesome option, but we've got no reports yet.
If you're going to change it out soon anyway, take this as a sign from God and do it now.
The HIF's are my favorites. I'd take them anyday over the HS's. Going down the list I'd then go to the downdraft webers, the non-progressive 38/38 first and then the progressive 32/36 DGV second. Notice that the Zenieth is not even on the list? Lot's of the MGs personality comes from the SU sidedrafts. Without them, you may as well have a Pinto or Vega
replace replace replace. doesn't matter hif's or hs's or weber.... a good rebuilt pair (or new) hs's (or hif not new) will run 300-400$. get old iron header...roop had them 95 bucks WITH new bolts...that makes it almost worth it. shop around. webers are $300.
dizzy...well...go to autozone or autozone.com, get the A1-Cardone dizzy...it's a 25D nicely rebuilt for $61 if your on the cheap. can spend the extra $100 for pertronix set-up. but if cash is strapping, just get the carbs. OR you can send the ZS to Tom, he'll do a beautiful job with it. But it'll still run you 300-400$.
LOTS of choices! Just decide if you're gonna swap. Then go down the list.
weber 45 DCOE, but with a header as well, then just set it a forget it...it has precise metering items in it, you can get richer or leaner jets, but it will usually arrive all ready jetted for the MG. Don't forget the manifold for the weber also the one you now have will not work. My 45 DCOE has never failed or faded....
I'm not gonne get into this...but, if you do decide to replace - send me your old Zenith...I'll rebuild & use it!
Now wait. At great personal expense and curiousity, I have followed Tony's line of thinking on the 79. There were sets of both HS-4s and HIF-4s just waitng to get into the game.
With the manual choke conversion, the Z/S isn't that bad. You won't win a race, but you will go down the road, and in style. When you hit the top end, it goes.
Some day you will be king of the Z/S empire.
If you build it, they will come.
I've had my fun!
Jerry, you really recommend the sidedraft? Wow. Thus far I'm not all that impressed. Like the power, but I've got lousy cold driveability. That said, when I got the car mine was so gunked up it couldn't go at all, and I don't have it dialed in fully. Maybe there's hope. I know the downdraft never ever gave me a bit of trouble. I never touched the thing. Every 10,000 miles I'd break out the colortune, just itchin' to turn a screw somewhere, and I was always disappointed. With the electonic ignition, I never got to set the timing, either. Man, tuneups on that car were dull!
