Your expert guide to MGB & MGBGT

electronic
substitute are
This is the first in a new Auto-Doc TM series covered. There
is not so much
of vehicle maintenance books from Veloce
on the
Publishing which aims to provide a single
mechanics of
publication that covers the majority of faults
removing and
and problems enthusiasts are likely to
encounter with a particular model. This book refitting the
covers the MGB and MGBGT but not the V8, pump though.
but of course there is much common to both Paragraph 5MGB and V8 so the book should be useful to 5.1 breezily
both groups of enthusiasts. The book aims to says “with the
provide an expert reference source on all the fuel pump off
the car” so with
MGB’s common faults and foibles
a pump down in
enthusiasts are likely to encounter and on
the offside
how to fix them. So what does it cover, how
wheel arch you
do you use it, how good is the fault finding
will welcome
and fixing information, and is it good value?
In terms of coverage, it is first worth noting the help the
workshop
the approach used in the book is to identify
manual
the symptoms by sight, sound, vibration,
appearance or smell and then establish what provides.
Similarly the
fault that represents and how serious the
problem is so it can then be dealt with in the refitting is an
operation where
most appropriate way. So the layout of the
the useful tip of
book is based on key symptoms – low oil
pressure, fuel smells, overheating and water priming the
loss for example – which are set out in large pump with fuel
red text on the top margin of each page. This is well worth
helps with scanning the book for the sections noting to avoid
the pump
you need for particular symptoms or faults.
pumping air and sounding like a
In general the structure of the book follows
machine gun when firmly reinstalled –
the workshop manual structure which is
you are then faced with another removal
sensible as most enthusiasts will have their
to prime it. It’s these practical tips the V8
copy to hand. The book is designed to be
used to check symptoms by reading through Workshop Notes series has provided for
more than 25 years. The section on
particular sections of the book – it’s not a
book that many will read cover to cover. One either replacing the set of points with a
new electronic control unit or using a
surprise is the frugal index, not an
replacement electronic pump is
uncommon feature with many books these
particularly good. Personally the
days, which is barely more than a page in
electronic replacement unit seems most
three column format. However the structure
sensible – something I did a few months
of the book lends itself to being browsed as
ago. Externally there is no difference
though it were an index and the contents
between the two units, so the originality
section at the front is very detailed with
useful headings like “hood leaks” or “coolant purists can stay with their set of points if
that is important! Another common
is being lost” and even “jingling and
problem area with the model is with the
thumping beneath the car”!
original “top-hat” battery terminal
How does the book cover typical
connectors and the book very sensibly
problems? Well just looking at a few typical
suggests that “if your “B” still has the
problems. First faced with an SU fuel pump
obsolete cap-type cable connections
which does not operate, or more likely is
they are best discarded in favour of the
becoming erratic, how does the book cover
clamps”. It also describes the popular
that? The bold heading “fuel pump does not
operate” of the fifth chapter take you straight modification of replacing the twin six
volts with a single 12 volt battery.
there. It is here where you see that the
The format of the book is three
approach of the book is one of focusing on
columns on gloss paper with a clear font
the diagnosis of faults and then it provides
which many enthusiasts who glanced
very useful information on how to fix them.
through the book received for review felt
The various options of repair of the pointswas getting close to too small but it is
controlled unit or replacement with an
Your expert guide to MGB & MGBGT
problems and how to fix them
www.mgcc.co.uk
1
Expert guide to fixing MGB problems 22.10.03
certainly acceptable. Older enthusiasts
may need to get out their reading
glasses but I could read the text without
mine! The photographs are exceptional,
clear and very useful. At a guess there
seem to be between 25% and 50%
photos across the pages but because of
the three column format, they are 6cm
wide with a few 12cm wide across two
columns.
Roger Williams is well known for his
earlier books in Veloce’s Speedpro
series on “How to improve an MGB“,
“How to power tune an MGB”, and “How
to give an MGB V8 power” and with this
new Auto-Doc TM book he has a very
useful addition. At £19.99 it’s cleverly
pitched just below the £20.00 pricing
step but most enthusiasts who looked at
the book seem to feel it would be a very
welcome buy for an MGB enthusiast,
and even for those with V8s. Yes it
would be a particularly good Christmas
present.
Your expert guide to MGB & MGBGT
problems and how to fix them
by Roger Williams
Veloce Publishing £19.99 UK US$29.95
USA pp 175
January 2008
See Veloce o the web at www.veloce.co.uk
www.mgcc.co.uk
2
Expert guide to fixing MGB problems 22.10.03
January 2008