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MG MGA - Pinking

Hello,
Should I be able to get my standard 1500 MGA to pink. I keep advancing the timing by 1 degree at a time but so far there is no evidence of pinking and the car is running very well. I am accelerating from 30mph in top gear which I have read is the thing to do - when you can just hear pinking when you do this then the timing is set correctly. Any thoughts on this please.

Many thanks
Phil

Phil
Yes you should be able to advance the timing untill it pings. Then back it off untill it stops. Using a timing light to set it first then advance the timing untill it pings. Dumb question but are you sure you are advancing the timimg and not retarding it. Turn the dizzy clockwise to advance. Mine was almost 20deg. retarded and it still ran fine.
Kris
Kris Sorensen

Not necessarily. I can't get mine to ping under any circumstances. If I advance the timing too far it starts to shake and runs bad, but still doesn't ping under load. Some engines can have the timing so far advanced that they burn valves at road speed, and still not ping.
Barney Gaylord

I agree with Barney. Pinking or pre-ignition can be caused by a lot of things besides timing. If your car has good clean combustion chambers, the correct heat range plugs and relatively low compression ratio for the fuel grade used it will be a lot less apt to pink. A similar car with any of the above items in question might rattle like mad at the same load.
Bill Young

Yep also agree, whoever wrote that as to suggest it is the way to set the timing correctly is a fool!
Timing is correctly set when it is between 32 and 34 degrees advanced at revs above 4 thousand and vacuum disconnected.
Bob (robert) I am turning? yes I once owned an MGWasp!!

I think I remember a thread that said John Twist insists that 20deg at 800 rpm with everything connected is the right setting. I set mine that way and it runs great.

But then, setting it anywhere seems of work and run great. I've tried a lot of setting and never had a ping. The Twist method is very close to Static timing. Works for me.

Jim

Jim Ferguson

I wish I had this problem. I can't get mine to stop pinking. I have new carbs, a rebuilt distributor and timing set by John Twist himself. When the car gets to operating temp 180-190 it starts to pink in 3rd upon acceleration. This pinking causes it to heat up even more and then increases the range of pinking experienced. At highway speeds I can't keep the temp under 200 - 210 regardless of outside temp but temp comes down at slower speeds and the pinking becomes less. I've tried retarding the timing but it doesn't seem to make a difference. I use Sunocc 94 Octane fuel, it is an unmolested 1600 engine and I use a lead substitute as the head has not been converted.

Any suggestions ....... rad is new ....... did not have this problem before installing the new SU carbs and rebuilt (by John Twist) DM2 distributor.

Mike
1960 MGA
Michael Hosier

Your last comment is a worry to say the least Mike. Do you have at your desposal a dial in type timing light? I would certainly want to check the full in timing to see what it was at 4K! I think if you have not the ability to sort this out yourself then John surely should help you sort it!
Bob (robert) I am turning? yes I once owned an MGWasp!!

Thanks Bob ..... while I do not have a timing light to help sort this out someone within our club does and they have offered to help and do just what you suggest.

My intent with my previous comment was not to critize John or his work at all. If anything I was suggesting that since the things mentioned had been done by John directly, then it must certainly be something else causing the problem. John is a great friend of all things MG and has helped me sort things out on more than one occasion !!

Mike
Michael Hosier

The best mechanic in the world can't live with your car like you do (and get anything else done). Fiddle with it yourself until it sounds and works well.
Tom

Michael
It's probably running too lean, try richening the mixture a bit if you didn't adjust the timing with the new carbs.
dominic clancy

Phil
As Dominic says you may need to richen the mixture setting. Check you have the correct No 6 needles in your new SU's.
I suggest you back off the advance to just below pinking (as we call it here)
The possibility of pinking will very much depend on your actual compression ratio, pistons, valve seats, etc. Can you be sure your cylinder head is the original for your car and hasn't been reground? If it has a later head, say an MGB head, it would have larger compression chambers, which would reduce compression and might never pink as mentioned elsewhere.
Pete
Pete Tipping

This thread was discussed between 28/08/2006 and 08/09/2006

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