MGB GT Rustoration-Repower-Modernize

[horchoha]

Can't help but notice that thermostat housing stands pretty proud
It looks more excited than you are Chuck about getting that sexy looking engine together.......ok I'll quit now

[rx7locost]

Perry, Perry, Perry. I'd bet that you were the class clown in grade school. It sure does look like that though.

Engine is all put together: Intake manifold, throttle body, A/C compressor. I am now working on reviving the 6 fuel injectors. Need to order a refresh kit for them.

Next up on the list is to clean the grime from the Auto trans.

Question: WRT refurbing the leaf springs, should I disassemble them or leave them together for cleaning/paint? I don't think I should paint between the leafs. Maybe a dry lube? I think they have the plastic pieces in the stack. I'd have to check for that. It has been a few years since I looked at them.

[Miatav8,MstrASE,A&P,F]

Unless they are like new, I'd take them apart and use an angle grinder with a flap wheel, phosphorous metal prep, brush-on rustoleum "heavily rusted metal" primer, then aerosol black satin. It should be easy to reassemble with a c clamp.

[rx7locost]

I'll do that. Thanks.

A couple of my original injectors were fairly corroded. I picked up an extra set of used injectors a while back. Time to check them all out, select the best 6 of the 12, refurb them and get them installed. First was to remove the O-rings and microfilters. The latter was a problem I eventually succeeded in destroying 10 of the 12 filters in the process. Not a problem since I was replacing them with new.

I first cleaned the injectors in my wife's sonic jewelry cleaner with some water-based purple cleaner. It's Okay. I asked her first. I cut a 3" piece of fuel hose, stuck it over the input end of the injector and then filled the hose with 50:1 gas oil figuring that the oil might help to free up any sticky solenoids and applied 20PSI I then applied 12V to see the spray pattern. Only a few injectors had a good spray pattern. To rectify that, I then used the same process to backflush the injectors. Followed by another check in the forward mode. All sprayed nice patterns this time however one would not shut off when voltage was a̶p̶p̶l̶i̶e̶d̶ removed. Good thing I checked them. I selected 3 from my original injectors and 3 from the extra set matching them to each bank of cylinders. Installed the filters and O-rings then put them in the engine. The engine is now complete. I bolted on the engine mounts and other ancillaries. Temporarily added the headers. I declare this engine done and ready to set aside for the next project to work on.

engine.jpg

I am working on a stainless steel cover to hide the injectors, their wiring, PCV hose etc. I will be adding an offset in that panel to follow the step in the intake manifold. I have yet to find a way to mount the panel. I'm thinking of using velcro to keep a clean looking cover.

messy top.jpg

cover.jpg

[Miatav8,MstrASE,A&P,F]

Maybe a typo, but current flow opens the injectors. They usually have keyed power from the battery (full B+) and a difference of potential from the ecu to pulse them open. Testing should be done with a 9 volt to limit current flow when hand pulsing.

[davew]

The engine looks great! Excellent job

[rx7locost]

Maybe a typo, but current flow opens the injectors. They usually have keyed power from the battery (full B+) and a difference of potential from the ecu to pulse them open. Testing should be done with a 9 volt to limit current flow when hand pulsing.

Yes, a typo. Thanks. I meant to write when voltage was removed. The injector can handle 12V for short durations. I powered them for less than 5 seconds at a time. Not a problem. Their resistance is around 12.3 ohms which would equate to ~1 amp current. 60 watt-seconds, (60 joule or 14.3 calories, with a small "c") which would/did cause no damage. I wouldn't apply 12V and then take a lunch break. It likely would survive though. I suspect the magnet wire used is likely 125deg C rated minimum. 9V would half the power dissipated, but again, 12V was no problem.

[rx7locost]

Thanks Dave.

[rx7locost]

More progress. Next up was the transmission. My intention was to replace the rear seal and the seal by the shift shaft. That went well. The case was power washed and painted. New filter added. I found that my electrical connector had suffered the same fate as many other 4l60E transmissions, the connector tabs. As it came from the factory, the internal harness included the connector to the outside world. This is installed from the inside, thru a hole and latches on tabs are supposed to hold it in place. When the car's harness is installed, the holding tabs break off, and the connector just gets pushed in making a big leak. The GM solution is to replace the entire internal harness, leaving the same poor design to occur again. An aftermarket solution was devised. A simple br@cket was designed to be bolted to the transmission valve body which presses against the back of the connector and then tightened in place. It did a wonderful job and feels very secure. I could have easily made it myself but decided to just buy it.

Then I closed everything up and bolted it to the engine, hopefully to never be separated again.

[horchoha]

The engine/trans look mighty fine Chuck, mighty fine.

[rx7locost]

Thanks Perry. My only hope is that both the engine and the trans do what they are supposed to when asked.

[Miatav8,MstrASE,A&P,F]

Looks great. Very nice headers. Impressive.

[horchoha]

Hey Chuck

I can't tell in the pic. Is the speedo drive traditional or electronic?

[rx7locost]

Looks great. Very nice headers. Impressive.

Thanks. I cannot take credit for the headers. They are from a supplier of the engine swap kit http://www.classicconversionseng.com/

[rx7locost]

Hey Chuck

I can't tell in the pic. Is the speedo drive traditional or electronic?

The reason you can't see it is because the drive is on the other side. The 4l60E uses an electronic sender. I'm not sure if it can be retro fitted with an earlier TH700 mechanical drive. While the transmission will be sending speed info to my PCM, my speedometer will not be using that information. I have a GPS speedometer. I'm fairly sure that the GM cruise control unit uses the speed data from the PCM to prevent engaging at too low a speed. It has been a while since I checked out the cruise wiring.