MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG 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 Technical - Elephants Trunk and Oil Cooler Hoses

Hello again everyone.

Can someone tell me: in the real world do you real *need* the elephant trunk that fits onto the heater box?

You see, the big hole in the front valance would be ideal for me to run my oil cooler hoses through :-D

Malcolm
M Le Chevalier

Malcom,
The fan in the heater is only of limited effect for the air flow through to the interior. Its OK -ish up to about 25mph but after this the ram effect of air being forced up the elephant trunk from the front of the car is far more effective. Given that as speed increases the general draftyness inside the car also increases, then you really need this ram effect for the heater to keep up, at least in winter.

On the mud shields on my car ('71) there are two other holes which I always assumed were there specifically for oil cooler hoses. They are clearly original, and look to be about the right size.
Guy W

There should be 2 holes sealed with big grommets you can run oil cooler hose through.
Daniel Stapleton

It is a 1500 if that makes any difference Daniel.

There are two oil hose sized holes, but if I use both of them, I have nowhere for my wiring to go... right?!

Malc.


M Le Chevalier

Also, thanks for the heads up Guy. I was thinking more about unpleasant smells/being gassed etc. But getting cold is no fun either :-)
M Le Chevalier

Hi Malcolm.
For what it's worth my elephant's trunk broke in three pieces and so I just took it out.
The inside of the car always smelled oily and exhausty with the hood up after that, so I put it back, held together with duct tape.
It's still like that and the oily smell has gone.
There are ways thru for the oil cooler hoses and the wiring with the trunking in place as mentioned, but I recommend some spiral wrap around the wiring to protect it from sharp edges.
RS Hughes

Malcolm

You have a nice rectangular hole that seems to be doing nothing ;o)
Dave O'Neill 2

I did away with the heater trunking on the Frog as its difficult to mount an oil cooler with a steel bonnet. I fitted the cooler vertically next to the radiator. I haven't found it problem.
Bob Beaumont

Hi Malc,


It is best if you can keep the heater trunking as it's far better for the heater to be drawing fresh cool air plus the ram air effect is far better.



When I fitted my cooler many years it came with very long hoses which I have tie wrapped to the steering rack so they cross to the rh side of the car. They then run underneath the bottom hose do a u turn and attach to the cooler via right angle unions.



Regards Steve
SR Smith 1

I made a second hole myself.

For my new cooler(13 row instead of 10row) im not going to bother and run the pipes as Malcom has them in the heaterpipe hole as I never have used the heaterpipe anyway.


Arie

I forgot to mention the new hole made by me gave the oilpipe enough clearance from the wiring.


Never had any use for the heaterpipe/elephanttrunk, my heater lets thrue air from the enginebay.
Never cold in winter and never warm in summer (by which time ive shut off the heater/tap anyway).
Never smelled any oil thrue the heater and I run 99.9% of the time with the hood down anyway.
Have smelled coolant tho but was du to serious coolantleaks. :)

I only switch on the fan when the engine gets warm in a trafficjam to suck out the warm air from the enginebay.
Like Guy says, its not a very powerfull fan anyway.

When driving air is being pushed thrue the grill in the enginebay en there it looks for a way out and partly pushes air thrue the heater (which is one way among other ways out)

Btw mine is a 1500 body too
Arie

Arie,

Thats a 7 point deduction for midget non factory orginality....tis tis tis

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

This thread was discussed between 11/05/2015 and 15/05/2015

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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