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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Alloy Valve Covers

Since I don't have Daniel's new book that probably devotes a chapter to the subject, I figured I would tap into the accumulated knowledge here.

I have a SwifTune SW5-07 cam kit with 1.5:1 roller-tip rockers waiting to be installed. They assure me that these will not fit under the stock valve cover. I am sure there are also any number of aftermarket alloy covers that will not fit. Will they fit with the Moss alloy cover?

Also, they tell me that it would be a good idea to use steel shims under the rocker shaft pedestals to protect the alloy head. Any thoughts on this? Anyone done this and found that a specific thickness was preferred?
TIA
David "trying to minimize the number of new spares floating around my garage" Lieb
David Lieb

Who are "they" that's giving you all the advice? Surely they should have all the answers.
Cheers John
JOHN HALL & JULIE ROBERTS

Hey David,

I got the Ally cover, the one everyone else uses Its a close fit, and should handle the shims as well, but wont fit the black one I was using....well unless you use a double cork gasket,,,,if you want it, your well come to it...just needs new rubbers, cork gasket is still good shape....you might be able to modify it, I think it just barly misses

Btw...Thaanks for the info on the crankshaft pully and the other advice, meant to write back, but had to work today

I think pacific northwest has the best price on those ally covers


So when do you plan to pull the engine to do the work? hopefully it wont take 6 months to do like me...LOL.

Prop
Prop

I have a 310 cam with MED 1.5:1 roller rockers and they fit fine under a stock valve cover
John Collinson

731 cam with 1.5:1 roller rockers anf they fit fine onder a chromed std cover
Onno Könemann

"They" would be SwifTune. Or do you say "it" in Anglish? As mentioned in some other posts in this forum, it feels like extracting teeth at times when attempting to get concrete answers to some of these kinds of questions from some British companies, so I figured I would poll the assembled multitudes here.

Prop,
I think I will take you up on that offer. If it doesn't fit, I will take it back to you.
I am hoping to start the project any day now. I am going to be renting a garage as soon as the owner has finished selling off a bunch of stuff he was storing there. I have been waiting in hopes of moving the Bugeye there and being able to keep the project in my garage for the duration of the operation. Yes, I have my blinders firmly affixed to avoid having the project mushroom as yours has ;-) At least my lower assembly is already balanced...
David "it's the top of me that is unbalanced" Lieb
David Lieb

David, this might help. This is a link to a photo of the mod needed for Harland Sharp roller rockers and an alloy cover done by Hap Waldrop. http://www.raysmg.com/rays_mg_midget_62_sprite_engine_build_log4.htm
Bill Young

It's a pity you don't have Daniel's new book as it tells you how much further apart the valves are compared to an iron head and it is this factor which can cause problems with alloy rocker covers.

There isn't a whole chapte on Alloy rocker covers but I'm informed he wrote a magazine feature for MG Enthusiast on the subject.

Course if you bought his book I'd bet he'd e-mail you with all kinds of useful snippets of information.

There isn't that wide a range of alloy rockers available for the A-series if you include only covers available new and these can be relieved as required for 1.5 Rockers but that won't be your problem using the Pierce head.

I'm a Weslake user myself, convered to a Monza flip cap .....


Daniel Thirteen-Twelve


I'm a Weslake user myself, convered to a Monza flip cap .....


Admitting to the problem is the first step..
;-)
Toby Anscombe

I tried that with Daniel's last book and it didn't work.
David Lieb

I bought Daniel's book last week (in good spirit of returning the kind help he lent last race) and it is absolutely fantastic.. You are missing out, David.
Rich Amos (1 Sprite 1 Midget!)

Rich,
It's either walking round with a sandwich board advertising the book or helping out. Did I mention my purple hoses?
John Collinson

David you have mail!
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

David, you haven't got mail because it's been bounced back to my in box. But if you want mail let me have a valid e-mail address for you.
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

John,
If you are walking around with a sandwich board and purple hose, I am sure people are noticing, no need to mention it.

Daniel,
I was holding out til I could get the author to sign it for me so I had a matched set, but it hasn't happened yet. Yes, I did change my email address, but you eventually found me out.
David "Is there a sale on Weslakes?" Lieb
David Lieb

David,
I think the A series cover on the left is the one your looking for.


Phil

That would look perfect with a set of purple silicone hoses :-)
Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

http://www.weslake.co.uk/



And they are going to do an 8 port head to.........
d brenchley

What does a two tier head actualy mean?
Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

If the pic of their head is correct, with plugs on one side (similar to original), then the 8 ports must be 2 rows of 4 on the opposite side, either stacked on top of each other or offset (more likely) - hence 2 tier...

Normally an 8-port head would have each set of 4 ports on opp sides... and plugs down from top/middle of head (at least if head is hemi or close).

A
Anthony Cutler

Anthony, I think you're confusing an 8 port head with a cross flow unit. The 1500 Midget head is an 8 port head with the intake and exhaust ports on the same side and the plugs on the other. A cross flow indicates that the intake and exhaust are on opposite sides of the head, but doesn't necessarily mean that it has 8 ports, but that's usually the case.
Bill Young

Bill

I have no confusion on cross-flow heads.

The Triumph head indeed has 8 ports on one side. I assume this is because it has the space (volume) available, easier if the push-rods are on the other side.

The A series isn't so fortunate.

If an Aseries has 8 ports on one side, then there's a real challenge, esp if the ports are on the pushrod side.

A
Anthony Cutler

There are 5 more pics of the 8-port head on the news page of the Weslake site - three towards the top and two at the bottom. The configuration is exactly as Anthony describes.

It is however barking to maintain this head "came out at the end of the fifties", and that it was used by Doc Shepherd "during the 1960 season". It wasn't, as is plain in contemporary photographs - he used the Weslake 'deep loop' head, which was quite different. The 8-port head surfaced much later.

This recently-formed company's interest in the 'Weslake heritage' appears to have more to do with marketing than with any real respect for history.

Tom
Tom Coulthard

I understand, sorry about the confusion. You are quite correct as to the limitations imposed by the pushrod location on the A series engine. From the old photos I remember seeing of the original head it is indeed a two tier design, and the photo shown indicates that as well from the angle and height of the intake runners.
Bill Young

This thread was discussed between 13/04/2009 and 14/04/2009

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.