British-Cars.org

Welcome to the DMR Site for British Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite General - i figured out why car likes to howl like a wolf

I dont know if you guys remember me mentioning my car was howling or moaning while drivinfg really fast under acceleration a couple of months back

I figured it out to day.... Well sorta

Its comming from the exhaust... Right around the muffler area ...


But im not sure what that actually means, its not leaking on the outside, nor does the sound come from closer to the engine...it seems right at the muffler

Is this an indication its worn out on the inside of the muffler...like the baffling...the muffler came with the car 10 years ago...looks orginal... Well newer orginal stock ill call it

It only does it as around 2500 to 3000 rpm and under acceleation

Any thoughts

Thanks guys

Prop
Prop

drive below 2499 or above 3001

my previous Spridget had a faultly recon g/box installed it after the existing one broke, the replacement box used to sound terrible between 50-70 mph

so I drove it at 49 mph to save noise, sanity and even petrol

this was a time when I regularly used the car on a daily 100 mile round trip taking in 6 junctions of the M1, M6 and M42

driving at 49 mph on the inside lane meant lorries could get by me

I actually overtook things at this speed and coming back on the M1 often I'd have about a quater of a mile until the next vehicle on the inside lane whilst the other two lanes were nose to tail and I'd sometimes have to slow down from 49 mph on the inside lane to prevent me undertaking the other two lanes of traffic and still have a quarter mile space on the inside lane !

it took weeks or 2/3 months to get the issue sorted, can't remember, but it did teach me patience on the motorway
N Atkins

Now that great advice... Probably better would be not to drive below 50. Period... Just keep it at 90....hahaha

To be honest ... I had forgotten about the moaning howl till today when i was fine tunning the car and it started doing it in the driveway...

So i figured id get an opinion as to if it is wearing out i can start thinking what muffler to go next

Im thinking the harly motor cycle or a cherry bomb or even revisting the duel chrome side pipes i was working in 3 years ago for the midget

But its low on my priority lidt... Heck maybe the muffler .is resonationg with the engine tone...im not sure what to think

Prop
Prop

Prop,
If it only happens under hard acceleration at 2500 to 3000 rpm how do you get your ear close enough to the muffler whilst driving to be sure ? Visions of you attempting some pretty extreme driving positions !

Maybe its a wheel bearing ?
Guy

Or your diff. I drive mine to work over a speed controlled stretch of road by hearing how fast I go by the tone of the diff.
Alex G Matla

does it only happen when the moon is out?
N Atkins

Sometimes, but then only when I'm on the night shift...
Alex G Matla

Prop,

My sprite howls like a B at certain revs. It has a hollow sound just like a B. It's definitely caused by my rear silencer.

I rammed a steel rod through the centre, right through the baffles. :). Sounds great.

And when I am at medium to high rev's, and slowing down with the throttle off, there's a lovely girgle type of sound. Just like reverse cone meggers used to make on '60s british bikes.

Lawrence Slater

Prop, your muffler can't be worn out - it hasn't done many miles ;o)
D O'Neill

"actually overtook things at this speed and coming back on the M1 often I'd have about a quater of a mile until the next vehicle on the inside lane whilst the other two lanes were nose to tail and I'd sometimes have to slow down from 49 mph on the inside lane to prevent me undertaking the other two lanes of traffic and still have a quarter mile space on the inside lane !"

seriously?

You do realise it would only be making normal progress in your lane don't you? I don't know any Traffic Policemen who'd even consider treating you as an offender for that. Deliberate "undertaking" is quite a different offence characterised by dropping sideways and flooring the pedal usually, then pulling back into the second/third lane to take advantage.

Prop I'd suspect a transmission issue for your noise.

But here I am thousands of miles away trying to work out stuff I wouldn't be able to work out on my own car

LOL
Bill 1

I'm afraid that I'm going to lean down on the gearbox one as well - I'm having a similiar problem, although, the wolves must make a very strange sound in Missouri if it sounds like that .... that's why I HATE it when people say "my car is making a funny noise"!

Bill - do get on with Lara :P!!!!!!!!
rachmacb

Rach

she is sitting warm and oily in her bedroom at the moment

Other fishes for frying before I do the sealy/gasket job

Bill 1

Bill,
it was an indicated 50 mph so probably less, lories that wanted to get by could, I'd flash for them to pull back in

there was no point me closing down the gap on the inside lane as same as the rest I'd get no where quicker and very occasionally someone would move in from the middle lane instead of continuing to ride the next guy's rear bumper

plus if you undertake those in a moving queue they dislike it

some one who knew me from the local MGOC club passed a couple of times in an ordinary car without me knowing and was he was very surprised as at club events I'd normally be moving pretty quick

actually got a plastic award at that year's club AGM for using the car for that commute and others

even 15 years ago it was unusual for Spridgets to be daily drives
N Atkins

And yet - 50 years ago - it wasn't :P!

Hmmmm Bill - I'll believe you!!! Looking forward to seeing you soon :) Then we get to make the big announcement!!!!
rachmacb

Exactly. All that has changed is perceptions. Maybe for understandable reasons (debateable), some people seem to think that a Spridget is not suitable for everyday use.

It seems the only people who know different are the people who always use(d) their spridets daily. :)
Lawrence Slater

Im sorry guys... I should have mentioned i found the noise while stationairy in the drive way... Id rev it up while tunning in the carbs and notuces the howling moaning sound but just slightly and only randomly... Which makes me think its the muffler baffles
Prop

The wheels are hurricans from the 70s made by american racing... I had to have them modified to fit...wasnt easy but well worth it

The heat issue has reversed its self... Now running way to cold ...but i think the summer heat issue is resolved with the oil cooler. I think the issue with the chip is it was.just dying, ive gone back to points and condensers and it now runs fine indefinatly and restarts right off the key even after an hour running at idle

So it was a great evening

Btw ... Im guessing the muffler is at.least a 2nd muffler looking at the weld quality, it looked old and abused when i got it 10 years ago, so im guessing the muffler has got to be a soild 15 to 20 years old
Prop

Clarity.... I mean this muffler is the second muffler the car has had... Not that the muffler was.used

Sorry about that
Prop

Prop,
"howling moaning"?

Prop this is normal behavior for your girl friend, if you're doing it right. :)
Lawrence Slater

It must be baffling....
P Ottewell

More "restrictive " then free flowing
Prop

Hi Prop
Be carefull if you go the Harley muffler
You will need an early Harley muffler as the later units have cat convertors built into the front section of them and on a Midget it would be too far away from the engine to get the cat. working ------
I've been thinking of going this way on my Elan
I think I'll have a Y piece with a pair of them mounted side by side at the back as that is how the original muffler setup was and I just can't find any other car type mufflers small enough in the body to fit-
Cheers Willy
William Revit

This thread was discussed between 08/11/2011 and 09/11/2011

MG Midget and Sprite General index

This thread is from the archives. Join this live forum now