That awful colour MGB GT

[Eddie Honda]

Classic ignition systems. Wonderful piles of shite.

[Hooli]

Failed capacitor? that's classic of how they fail when warm.

[SiC]

It's a good quality capacitor on it. Plus the points assisted unit takes all the load off the points. So you don't actually really need a condenser.

Recovered and back home now. Wasn't too bad all in. About 2.5hrs.

[LynehamHerc]

At least you're back safely.
Let us know what is was won't you?

[SiC]

Well there is spark when we put a spare plug against the block on a lead. Points didn't look burnt up. Fuel filter full of fuel. Pipe from filter to carbs maybe blocked but it's genuine Gates Ethanol resistant hose. Had oil pressure. Oil pressure when cranking too. Distributor was tight and didn't move when twisted. Engine turned over reasonably well, so would imagine it had enough juice in there (i.e. not alternator).

Really had everything to allow it to fire. Only thing is that timing could be out. But why did it run for a bit after I removed the points assistant unit?

[BenHar]

You have now fannied about with so many things that even when it runs again you won't know the cause of the problem.

Ben

[LynehamHerc]

This is probably totally irrelevant but bear with me for a little while.
A couple of years ago I got an autoelectrician to finish a couple of rewiring bits off that I couldn't solve.
The MG ran fine before the started. After a couple of hours it wouldn't start, everything seemed ok but he said that it'd run out of petrol so I paid him and he legged it. Next day, in the light, I checked the fuel pipe to the carbs and petrol was going through. Everything else seemed fine but it just wouldn't start. Cut a long story short he'd left the ignition, and therefore the fuel pump, on and a lot of petrol seeped through the carbs to the sump. Now I don't know why it wouldn't start, you're a lot more knowledgeable than me, but once we'd changed the oil a few times it was back to normal.

[Scruffy Bodger]

Was the dizzy loose and it's vibrated itself round and altered the timing?

[SiC]

Was the dizzy loose and it's vibrated itself round and altered the timing?

I tried turning it once we got to the garage. Rock solid locked into place.

Going to see it again in a minute to take the battery out. Pretty much flattened it with both hazards going and many cranking attempts.

Any suggestions feel free to throw them over and I'll try quickly. Otherwise I'll go see them tomorrow and let them properly diagnose it.

[SiC]

You have now fannied about with so many things that even when it runs again you won't know the cause of the problem.

Ben

What a silly thing to say. Firstly the only things changed are the spark assistor removed, of which it than ran for another mile. Then the coil swapped over but it wouldn't fire still. Only one variable changed at a time.

Garage would have done stuff but I don't know exactly what they would have touched. Hence why it's gone back to them now for looking at, diagnosing and hopefully sorting.