bstark

I'll second Jigsaw if you need a new diff for the Ital axle Best off getting someone who knows what they're doing (and with a bloody big press) to do the work and inspect the bearings and halfshafts. Bob Stark Supersprinter

...at 8am this morning in freezing conditions. Ok, hood up but still a bit of a nutter 😬 Bob Stark Supersprinter

Just wanted to second Jon's comments re: the Megajolt. I'm still running the safe map that 7 Indulgence installed having fitted the Trigger Wheels kit, and the improvement in performance and driveability is HUGE . (and that's on an engine that was previously nicely set up on a rolling road with the dizzy / Aldon). Really looking forward to seeing how it goes after a rolling road session. Bob Stark Supersprinter

Hmmm.... doesn't sound the best way to get a rev limiter. I just fitted an Omex unit to mine. Now changed to a Megajolt instead of the dizzy - huge difference to the way the engine goes. 😬 Never occurred to me that the dizzy might need maintenance in the 9 years I've had the car but unless it was one of those jobs the nice men at the garage did at service time I didn't get any problems. Bob Stark Supersprinter

Agreed - it's a feel thing. Experiment! 😶‍🌫️ Bob Stark Supersprinter

Puremalt - yhm re: costs. Graham - Jon used his own safe x-flow map ("'cos its better" - so far I can't argue as it's great). Pretty sure they set the rev limit at 6800rpm but I can change that with the software. I haven't had the front off to see how they secured the trigger wheel. they did show me some lovely triangulated fabrication to stop flexing in the trigger sensor. Bob Stark Supersprinter

Just enjoyed my first weekend with the Megajolt fitted to my X-Flow ( really nice install by 7 Indulgence ). Wow - really impressed with the difference. Way smoother, revs cleanly and quickly from low down, and pulls like a train straight past the point where power used to tail off. It's also much happier in traffic, pulling away from little over tickover, and seems completely untemperemental. It's already quicker (especially noticeable two-up) and that's with a safe map installed. Be interesting to see what a rolling road session will bring . Sanspeed in Bexley have been suggested - anyone know them? Bob Stark Supersprinter

Came back from lunch and found it parked next to my suddenly under-endowed looking red Supersprint Bob Stark Supersprinter

Gordon - no problem 7 Wonders - same width, same car. It's not that A021Rs are bad, just that something like an R888 is better in that circumstance as it's designed for dry track use. A021Rs in 70 section are still my road tyre of choice - perfectly suited for my car / engine combo Bob Stark Supersprinter

Time difference for me was around 2 seconds (88secs down to 86 secs) back to back at Lydden when sprinting going from AO21Rs to soft R888s. Biggest difference I think in my car is that roll when pressing on pushes the 70 section 21Rs onto the sidewall (feels that way anyway) where the 888s keep gripping and. at 60 section, move around less. Bob Stark Supersprinter

Cheers Paul - that's a very kind offer Think it's going to go to the garage though as the car is now hibernating at SWMBO's mum's house given the sudden deterioration in the weather. Bob Stark Supersprinter

Ok - the starter swap was straightforward but now have some different issues - probably timing related - now its all back together. The car has a 123 electronic ignition (effectively replaced the dizzy wholesale), but when I went to take it out I found the cap moving relative to the dizzy body, as well as the dizzy able to move relative to the block as the mounting screws were finger tight and the holes elongated (by design looking at it). So, I'm going to get a new cap and rotor anyway as the contacts look pretty worn, and it surely shouldn't move like that. Would the timing explain the following symptoms? (worried I might have done something else): - Car started VERY easily and pulled really strongly from idle, tailing off as you got close to 4500rpm (too retarded?) - As the day went the idle speed slowly increased until it was hunting from 1200-1400rpm (it's been pretty high for a while though) - (dizzy moving from the torque of the drive?) - Running slightly hotter than usual (Still only 72 degree) until you hit traffic then it climbs rapidly. SWMBO panicked as it reached 95 and still climbing so we switched off and let it cool down (it NEVER does this - still has an engine driven fan). Other thing (could be a red herring as I had also repaired several splits in the pipe that feeds outside air to the heater through the engine bay) - the heater output was much lower than usual My plan is to change cap and rotor and get someone who knows what they're doing to set the timing and idle again, but just wanted to check if it all sounds ignition timing related? Bob Stark Supersprinter

aaah - joy Brian - with you on that, but its the only available route - the others are all blocked by chassis members / engine / oil filter and housing / brake lines / the steering column etc. It's a right pain 😔 Bob Stark Supersprinter

Doug - that sounds alarming - is it likely? How do I avoid that? Bob Stark Supersprinter

Thanks Oily - will give that a go Bob Stark Supersprinter

I won't bore you with the details (other than to say MG Midgets have a LOT of stupidly placed items to make removing a starter motor a right pain 😔) but the last thing I need to do is remove is the distributor. I've unbolted the mounting plate from the block (but kept the clamp tight and marked it all so hopefully will be able to avoid mucking up the timing when I put it back together) but all I can do is spin the thing - it doesn't want to pull out. Is there a key involved or something that I need to align to free the thing up? Bob Stark Supersprinter Edited by - bstark on 26 Sep 2010 10:16:28

Simon, This is what 7 Indulgence did for me when I had the same problem: here. Scroll down and you'll see the lowered floor on my side, which I drop a foam seat into. I can swap between that and the bench seats in my car about two minutes Bob Stark Supersprinter

I'd second that - also on a live axle xflow. From memory I think I've got 270lb front and 105lb back (whatever Redline recommended as a good track / fast road compromise - it was a few years ago now). If its grip you want I'd be looking at tyres and dampers first. I was amazed at the difference a set of GAZ adjustables made compared to the old Spax, which it turned out weren't working at all at the back . Everyone told me live axles were a bit lively so I just assumed TADTS - explained several hairy moments sprinting at Lydden. A tad more controllable when the back is damped If the car is rolling too much and that needs controlling then the springs are your friend. FWIW my car is now a delight on the road (on AO21Rs) and won its class in the local sprint championship (also on AO21Rs, but I found several seconds through experience, switching to R888's, adding working dampers and an ATB) - all with the above spring rates. Bob Stark Supersprinter

Yep - you'll be surprised how much fuel you get through 😬 If your car is a crossflow then expect it to throw a lot of oil into the catch tank - I end up with a full tank after each session, which then gets poured back into the engine (they breathe heavily). If it's a live axle, overfill the axle. If you have a wet sump, keep an eye on the oil pressure gauge on tight / long bends - the longer you are out the more likely you will have an issue. Re: tyre pressures, a quick check you can do is jump out as soon as you are back in the pits and walk round the car checking the temperature of each tyre across its width (so you can see which bit is doing the most work). Hot in the middle and colder on the outsides, let a bit of air out. Hotter on the outside, add a bit of air. Most of all, don't forget you're not really racing anyone so just build up your speed and enjoy it. As principalgreg says, you'd be amazed the difference knowing the circuit and just how fast you can corner at speed will make to lap times, and a very ordinary hatch can be made to go surprisingly quickly in experienced hands so no shame if one comes past you. Bob Stark Supersprinter

Or... if you like your hood (if you've got one) and boot cover to still fit then you could go lower floor - works really well for me Bob Stark Supersprinter

Not HT leads as it doesn't have any - looks like an individual coil pack for each cylinder. Played with all the connectors anyway, just pulling them then reconnecting and it suddenly drives like a different car. Much more willing, smoother and faster spinning. The missing has virtually gone, as has the rough idle . I'll have another look tomorrow and give the contacts a proper clean - would WD40 be ok for this or am I better off getting a specific electrical connector cleaner? Bob Stark Supersprinter

Thanks Peter - I'll start there Elie - engine is a 2 litre and a friend has a similar one without any problems. Bob Stark Supersprinter

I recently bought an 06 plate Mazda 3 Sport as a daily driver (having had company cars for years). It's in very tidy condition and mostly drives like a new car but the engine often feels like its missing slightly with the aircon on. Doesn't seem to matter if its a light throttle or hard acceleration. Other symptons are a slightly rough idle that occasionally hunts up to 700-750rpm where it is smooth before dropping again to 600-650rpm where it jiggles the car (aircon on or off, but worse with on). Only other sympton is that the car sometimes starts instantly (like most modern cars) and sometimes takes 3-4 seconds of churning... Any ideas? It's due a service in 2,000 miles but if I can do something before that without incurring a main dealer that would be great. Bob Stark Supersprinter

Other thing to check is if there are any unsealed gaps through the bulkhead - for example where the steering column passes through, pedal box if uncovered etc. Does your passenger experience exactly the same? Bob Stark Supersprinter

Eeek!