Heat Miser

Well the battle continues…   This little guy is fun if your a kid, sucks if your fixing up an MGA.

The plan for the weekend was simple enough, do all that I could think of to solve the temperature problem.  The check list was as follows:

1. Drain the radiator *and* the engine block
2. Make sure I get two gallons of coolant in to her
3. Install a shroud around the fan to increase air flow
4. Replace the thermostat and install a blanking plate to force all the water through the radiator at all times
5. Install some of the missing heater hose lines to be sure the the hot air is getting out of the engine space
6. Install the missing felt piece under the hood to help force air through the radiator

I know, I know…  Pretty long list.

I also want to get a peak under the valve cover so I could see what was going on there.  Last week when I added some oil I noticed that under the cap was looking a little funky and that there was some rust there.  I had visions of all the valve assemblies caked in crude and that wouldn't be good!

I also had plans to update the oil filter with a new modern screw on type after having such trouble with the original last weekend.   Since I was going to be into the oil system anyway I figured an oil change would also be a good idea at this point.

The first two projects went without a hitch.  I was able to locate and replace the thermostat and I was also able to completely remove the radiator and install the fan shroud.

Getting the radiator out also required that I drain the coolant first.  With this done I also drained the oil.   Still batting a thousand.

I then decided to really up my game and take off the valve cover.  This could have been the moment that brought down the hole house of cards.  Online I was reading about blow-by and all sort of nasty thing that could have caused the gunk under the valve cover.  With a little coaxing all was revealed…

Not bad!…   There was some rust under the valve cover itself but from what I could tell the valves themselves looked in pretty good shape.   I also have a new tool now that allows me to adjust these valves but that’s for another day…

So, with items merrily dropping of the list I was on to simply drain the rest of the coolant out of the engine block.   The MG has a convenient cylinder block drain tap that you simply turn the lever and the coolant comes straight out.  Or so the original 1960 owners manual says… 

I had been forewarned online that it doesn't really happen that way.  I appears that this a also a convenient place for sediment to settle in the water column.   Most people recommend that you remove this part, toss it in the bin, and replace it with a proper plug.  As you can see from the illustration above its *really* not in a convenient spot to get a wrench into.   I decided that the best plan of attack was from the bottom up.  I would have to remove the starter motor *again* but I had done that last weekend and was an old pro…   With the oil filter already removed the job was half done. Just for kicks I was able to get the drain tap moving but no coolant came rushing out..  Wouldn't that have been nice!

So I went about getting that drain tap out.   Its a fairly sizable little piece and has a 5/8 inch nut on the back side to grab onto.  Even from below this wasn't easy.   I was having trouble getting the wrench between the engine block and the drain tap.  After a bit of futzing I realized that my open wend wrench was too thick to fit between the block and the rest of the plug to get a good hold.   Figuring that I probably had *good* wrenches I just needed a thinner (cheaper) one.  Off to the hardware store, and nothing… OK maybe the auto store?  Nada.   Lowes? nope…  Finally at Home Depot I was able to find a cheap set of wrenches on the bottom shelf that were a bit thinner than mine and should fit up in there.

I rushed back home, back under the car and low and behold it fit.   It was just a bit to long and would have been better if the whole wrench was on a bit bent to the right.  No problem, off to the basement, put the wrench in the vice and whacked the crap out of it until it bent over 30 degrees.   Now I have a custom made, 1960 MGA, cylinder block drain tap remover.

Back under the car and it fit perfectly.  I put the wrench to her and pushed with all my might (on my back, left handed)…

And…It moved!   After about 5 hours I was never so happy for a 1/4 inch of movement…  

Wait…  what’s that saying?  Righty tight, lefty loose…

Crap.  I had just *tightened* the damn thing!

With a bit more force and luck I was able to get it moving the correct direction and with my bucket at the ready I finally got it removed… 

Unfortunately, no coolant came rushing out of the cylinder block…  So I got some other problem I need to investigate.   There must be some more crud up in there that I need to loosened before this project is finished.  As dusk set in that’s where I finished this weekends work.

Some progress…   But Mr. Heat Miser is still alive and kicking…