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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - flippin throttle cable!

hi folks, first post.
We've had 1500 midget for 6 years now & done v few miles BUT we've always had problem with notchy throttle cable i.e. difficult to move pedal then it goes suddenly... makes it quite difficult to drive.
Anyhow, decided to buy new cable few weeks ago from MGB hive and it's MUCH WORSE . just seems the cable and outer casing friction is too high .
Made sure the routing of cable is as gentle as possible and that the carb linkages/springs and pedal are not to blame . They aren't. is this a common problem , and if so what's the remedy?


d cronin

Check methodicaly
Disconect the cable on all sides.
Now feel by hand if the pedal operates smoothly.
Then feel by hand if the carbs and linkage open smoothly.
If both do the problem is in the cable (I don't think it is)
If so try a bike brake cable with teflon inner coating.
Othewise it is clear where the problem is (pedal or carbs)
Onno K

It is a common, infuriating, problem with the 1500.

After trying a replacement new Midget cable (2 of them),and a Triumph Spitfire cable I then made my own up using a teflon lined pushbike brake cable.

It worked fine but was a bit lightweight so I ordered the parts I needed to make a more robust lined cable from an on-line supplier: http://www.venhill.co.uk/.

So far (some years later) it is still giving a smooth drive.
JB Anderson

i have the same prob with mine also.pedal fine linkage fine and cable seems fine when off the car but not on. i want to take the teflon cable route but how do you do it with the nipples and adjustment screw and all that.
regards bob.
bob taylor

Look for motorbike throttle / clutch cable kits.

http://www.venhill.co.uk/Cables_-_Components_&_Kits/Universal_Cable_Kits/U01-1-100_UNIVERSAL_CLUTCH_CABLE_KIT.html

The universal kit comes with a whole range of adjusters, adapters, tensioners etc for just over a 10er. You can see the throttle adjuster in the parts details picture and it all fits a treat and works great on my 78 1500.

Tried a standard replacement before that and it made mine worse; just like yours.
Dave Squire (1500)

Hi welcome,
this probably isn't one of them but you get a lot of problems through lack of use

the outer cabling JB refers to will be slightly thicker and stiffer but not problem and to give you an idea looks like in photo

the black cable is the 1275 standard outer and the standard inner 1275 is show inside the Teflon(?) inner sleeving and the red is the thicker outer cable

bear in mind the 1275 inner cable is only ended at the pedal end of the cable


Nigel Atkins

The problem with a bicycle cable, is its hard to find a good quality cable...anymore the bike cable is to lite weight and is more of a temp...it seems all the pro bike shops sell the same Kmart bike cable kit....there good for a year

Id expore a motor bike cable and ive seen universial aftermarket throttle cables in auto parts stores like auto zone...that can be made to work

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Mine is made up of a rotax aero engine outer and a Teflon bicycle inner it seems to work fine put a bigger than average bend in it to keep friction down


mark (1977 1500 Midget) Preston Lancs

ordered venhill universal cable same as you dave.
thanks for all your comments (& so quickly too!)
d cronin

Your photo of the engine bay and throttle cable route puzzles me. Perhaps it's the angle that the photo's been taken from, but the throttle cable appears to emerge between the two carburetors and loops round to the bracket. Whereas the correct route is behind the rearmost carb.

On my own 1500 I have the standard cable fitted which is a sloppy fit where it passes up through the bodywork allowing it some movement at that point and gives me no problems with a sticky throttle.

Dave
D MATTHEWS

My 1500 is stock, attached image may help.
Rod


R W Bowers

I don't know if it might be the same for a 1500, but my 1275 had a throttle cable that was slightly too long. When you closed the bonnet, the arched cable would be pushed to one side, putting a sharp bend in the cable at the carb end and increasing friction significantly. I cured it by buying a standard cable (which was exactly the same length) and then modifying it by chopping a small amount off the outer. By the way, the underside of the bonnet had a telltale mark where the cable had been rubbing.

Jonathan
Jonathan Severn

hi rod.
have you a clearer picture of where the cable fits to the bracket on the carb linkage.
thanks bob.
bob taylor

is this what you after sorry forgot photo
mark (1977 1500 Midget) Preston Lancs

here it is


mark (1977 1500 Midget) Preston Lancs

sorry Bob a bit too dark, Dave's picture is good showing it coming in almost horizontally across the rocker cover
R W Bowers

ah Dave, it's the picture! you're seeing the choke cable !. throttle runs aft of carbs.
i fitted the new universal cable from venhill as recommended in thread and all is well.
the kit doesn't come with all you need really. It has two endpieces but only the narrow one fits into the carb bracket end.
I removed the endpiece from the old cable to fit into the bulkhead housing. the new cable outer is a bit too wide to fit in so endpiece had to be split open a little... a bodge but it works.I suppose you could do without the endpiece but then there would be a kink in the inner cable as it leaves bulkhead & probably would wear prematurely.
Rich
Rich Cronin

on that site you can make up your own 'kit' by ordering separate parts, that's what I done for my 1275 with a couple of bits spare as I ordered different size ferrules - http://www.venhill.co.uk/Cables_-_Components_&_Kits/Cable_Components


they seem to have expanded their product range a lot, I've not seen their brake and clutch hoses before, I wonder if they're any good(?) - http://www.venhill.co.uk/Hoses_&_Cables_-_Car/MG

Nigel Atkins

Hi, just to add my 2ps worth, I have had all these problems with my 1500 so I know where you are coming from.
Have a close look at the throttle spindle, you will see that the lever points down, so when the accelerator is pressed it tends to try and lift the spindle until it reaches the horizontal and at this point it suddenly becomes a smoother action. I had a rummage round and I found a shorter drop link, I think it came from some carbs from a dolomite. this moves the lever to a horizontal resting point and makes the cable action a whole lot smoother.
It wouldn't be difficult to make a drop link or Burlen fuels may be able to supply a suitable alternative. I am sure that you will also see quite a lot of wear at the 2 contact points which won't help either.

HTH
Alan
A Pritchett

good call Nigel . I didn't see that when I was looking .
Rich Cronin

Glad it worked Rich!

The reason I didn't suggest the cable kit from Venhill was that I found from experience of making up trials bike cables it didn't have all the bits I needed so I just ordered the individual items I would need, plus extras of some bits, in case I messed it up!

Even then a bit of ingenuity is needed, as you found.
JB Anderson

Rich,
I had to order different size ferrules because I couldn't work out nose sizes of the ferrules I'd need for the car so I bought 3 lots of two and good job I did because one size didn't work as I intended and I found the two ends of the cable need two different size ferrules

I had a nice arc on the new cable (conduit) but as it was now, compared to the standard cable, thicker O/D and sleeved inside the new cable was stiffer and rubbed the underside of the bonnet when closed (I used blue-tac to test), I had to keep cutting the length until it was shorter and tighter across the fresh air vent hose than the standard cable was before, hey-ho
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 13/06/2013 and 19/06/2013

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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