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I finally got a chance to drive my 1952 MG London Roadster (replica) yesterday.See ROYAL, I am learning the lingo of MGs. Thanks to you, Royal.
After I bought the car, I had my mechanic fix whatever needs to be fixed to be sure that it is safe to drive. According to him, engine is great, he had to fix the fuel leak in the carburetor, put new tail pipe (?), put 4 new tires, fixed the 2 rear axles, fixed the emergency brake, and charged me $900. However, he said it is leaking oil, and fir me to just check on it regularly. He said it will cost me more to have the oil leak fixed. He test drove it around the block, and it was great.
He dropped of the car yesterday and today I wanted to test drive it myself. So, I idled it for a minute or two, revved the gas, did a reverse, and 1st gear..it ran smooth for another minute,turned a corner and then I hit a traffic light and the engine went dead after 5 seconds. I tried to turn it back on several times, it will only make vrrrm sound, but won’t really go all the way. My mechanic’s shop is closed for the day, so I had it towed to my place, another $65 ( it was only a mile), and if it doesn’t start until Monday, another $65 to tow it to the shop.
I checked the internet about the problem, it says:
“If it DOES turn over, but doesn’t start, then it is a problem with the Ignition or fuel delivery system (coil, distributor, Sensors, ECM, Fuel Pump, etc)” …that is a lot to zero in on the real cause of the problem.I wonder how much more do I have to spend to enjoy my baby! Any cheap solution to my problem? I just wanna enjoy it through summer and put it back in the shop. 😉  Â
Thanks to anybody who would chime in..
Maricar19 2015-04-11 10:50:17 Marilou,
First, does the car have a fuel filter? If so, replace it. $3.00. It may have 2 fuel filters with one under the hood and another in the engine compartment. Replace them both.Â
Try to start again.Â
If no start, then check for spark. Remove the wire from the top of the distributor (the one in the middle) and, with help of a friend, holding the end of the wire very close (1/8″) to a good ground on the engine, have your friend try to start the engine. It won’t start, but did you get a spark? If yes, put the wire back on the distributor cap. If no spark then you have a problem with the ignition, either the coil or the points. Go to (or buy) your John Muir copy of How to keep your VW Alive, for the Compleat Idiot. (We all have one.)Â
If it started after replacing the filter(s) you probably have a gunked up fuel tank from sitting too long with ethanol in it. If so, do a search here and find suggestions. (Mine is to replace the tank.)
If you are familiar with starting fluid, you could squirt a small amount (one second) into the carb throat and if it fires, you know that you have a fuel problem. (This could be the fuel pump, filters, or the carburetor itself.)Â
Don’t be discouraged. Once you get the problems ferreted out, these VW engines are relatively trouble free. Good luck.Â
Tell us a bit more about the problem. Also, it might help if you told us about yourself (esp your experience “under the hood” of cars).
Had the same problem with my LR . coil good ,fuel filters good , coil good . I’m assuming u have a pct34 carb . Remove the top of the float bowl . The part you removed has a pin that sets on the float that controls the gas height . Work it up and down a 100 times put it back on the float bowl as you are tighting it tap the top with a screw driver briskly until tight. There is a U tube video look up How to rebuild a pct 34 carb it will tell you what I just told you . Good luck
Royal and GP, thanks for responding. My auto mechanical background, nothing much other than I know how to fix a flat tire and do oil change and But my husband has some “inkling” and I will make sure he read your responses when he comes home from work. I really would love to drive it.
Marilou
get AAA for towing  its the cheapest value you can do ! .That’s the first thing I did before I even bought my London Roadster !I have a 1986 LR . It was towed probably 5 times in the first  year  to my  VW air cooled (only)mechanic  as I worked out the bugs.it has run smoothly  with no issues for the past  2 years .The guys here are brillant gear-heads with nicely  equipped garages to work on their MGTDr..So fastor that into the comments and conversations …If you have a factory  built London Roadster  you are lucky …. trust me!I love to drive my London Roadster MGTDr but not work on it (I only work on the dumb stuff);)welcome to the clubÂ
jebarry2015-04-11 15:21:57
Jberry is right. Make sure you have some kind of towing package . Either AAA or maybe your collectors insurance company . There was a lengthy discussion here about the one that is the best . Something that happened to me . I broke down called insurance company, they sent a tow truck where I was told we couldn’t ride in the truck . I called my insurance company immediately where the tow company was told that we either ride or they would get no more business . We rode home in the truck Me to 5 tows the first year none since . Another possibility is vapor lock . When car engine gets 200 degrees plus this might happen . Instead of gas you have vapor in fuel filter . greg press2015-04-11 15:47:45
Marilou! So sorry for your trouble. You’d think after dumping $900 in it . . .
But the guys are right: These old babies usually need a little TLC to get them back into fighting form.The very good news is, it’s not going to cost you anything like another $900 to get going. Maybe not even $90. Don’t lose heart. This is normal, and it will subside.Mine quit on me just like yours about the third trip I took. I was on the way to work, no less. It was gunk in the gas tank. It had settled down there and as the tank got down to about 1/4 full the gunky stuff got sucked over the fuel outlet and she conked out about two miles from the house and would not re-start.I got lucky that morning: a couple dudes took pity on me and towed her back to my house for nothing.Roy likes doing things the right way. He’s an old nuclear sub guy. And he’s right. But I didn’t replace my tank; I replaced my fuel filter and my old fuel hoses and never had another problem with the gunk tank (which is now feeding a fuel-injected Subaru engine without complaint).Two years later though: stranded again. This time I was 100 miles from home, on the way to a Beetle show. Again, lucky: a member of our sister club, the Speedster Owners, came to my rescue.ÂThat time it was a bad ignition coil. They get old and conk out–there is no way to look at one and see it’s about to fail.ÂMy friend gave me a new one and I drove home.ÂI now have the deluxe, long range AAA membership anyway. Better to have it and not need it….Again, though, do not despair. You will be cruisin’ pretty in no time.Could be battery. If by “vrrrm” sound you meant engine didn’t turn, you only heard the starter spin, it might not have the power for the starter motor to engage the flywheel (very large gear attached to engine).
When the battery sits a long time, not being charged, voltage can drop enough to shorten its usable life.I actually had to replace mine soon after getting the car even though it started and ran the engine the first few weeks. Just wasn’t able to hold a charge anymore. Lights dim and engine struggles to power engine.Don’t know if you have generator or alternator but both charge in different ways, too. I know it doesn’t seem likely but if the mechanic checked for correct charging its possible the battery itself got overlooked, although it’s an easy test.Welcome to our club!
I just wanted to add my two cents to the discussion. I had a similar problem and a stupid mechanic that caused me to use up all 4 of my AAA tows in a year. The last time I broke down on the freeway with no tows left when I called him to ask for mobile help he said I was out of luck. This was one day after I got it out of his shop. The problem was a clogged fuel jet in the carb. The other problem was that I needed a booster relay for the starter for more power to turn the engine. I upgraded my fuel lines so they wouldnt crumble with modern gas. It was the fuel line that was clogging the jet.
Good luck and keep us posted.Hi everybody…. My “baby” runs great now.. Bought the car back to my mechanic, he fixed it, replaced the carburetor , cleaned the gunk in the gas, changed into an electronic ignition and some other things that I don’t understand, returned the 4 tires, and didn’t cost me anything extra (tire credit). Although, he had it in his shop for almost 2 months…it was worth all the wait…
I guess my question now is how do I restore the sparkle of my car? Also the “bird” emblem on the hood broke and I can’t find the same kind of emblem in the internet.
Happy Father’s day everybody. https://www.facebook.com/artmarilou/videos/10153446834698653/Maricar192015-06-21 12:50:02
Glad to hear you’re rolling again! Congrats!
It is not very likely you’ll find a replacement “bird.” I’d just keep hitting ebay or other auciton sites until you see something similar.
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
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