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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Heater tap seal

Does anyone know where I can get a new seal for the heater tap (the round rubber one that keeps the water inside the tap instead of bubbling out of the top where the knob is)?

Thanks

J.
Jeremy Cogman

assume (always, always dangerous) you mean tap for midget 1500 in which case have a look in the archives as (I think it's an 'o' ring) and the size is given
Nigel Atkins

if you want to be sure you could order the repair (and s/s) bracket from Ashley Hinton - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-Midget-1500cc-STAINLESS-bracket-tap-repair-heater-CHA374-/251352639267?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a85c8e723

I also noticed at the moment he also has 'HEATER TAP ELBOW FLANGE AND TUBE CHA349 RARE PART' - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-Midget-1500cc-HEATER-TAP-ELBOW-FLANGE-AND-TUBE-CHA349-RARE-PART-/291006084746?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item43c150768a

Nigel Atkins

Not 1500, '63 mk2 Sprite though it has a 1275 fitted.

The tap is the tall early type with the nice cast pierced alloy knob, see attached (image nicked from the net).






Jeremy Cogman

in that case, I think I've seen somewhere, possibly here possibly not, someone do a strip down of these

the complete taps that Ashley Hinton sells are the only ones I've found not to leak but they are the later design (and a spacer washer needs adding for the round box heater)

if you take your tap apart you might find it's just a rubber o-ring but I can't remember
Nigel Atkins

I think its cheaper to just buy a new heater tap then to rebuild

The easy approach is to remove the tap, install an elbow on a pipe thread and by pass the heater until you need heat, then plumb it back in

Cheap, easy, fast and very little BS


Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Prop,
depends what's in there, it could be very inexpensive to rebuild

if you replace then in my experience the new ones leak - unless you get them from Ashley Hinton - so you're no better off replacing one that already leaks
Nigel Atkins

Yes... but has anyone been able to rebuild one that dosnt leak

Well...without alot of silcone :-)

If you go the AH tap... it will last a good 20 years, so there not that expensive when you think about plug and play plus no further issues

The only easier guaranteed to not leak solution is replacing the tap with a pipe fitting elbow like I did and just replumb the heater matrix in winter....truning a knob takes 5 sec. By passing the heater matrix with 2 hose clamps and piece of 3inch long pipe takes 3 minutes with a cup of tea break included.


Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

"I think its cheaper to just buy a new heater tap"

Well done Prop, much of what's wrong with the 21stC. in 11 words.

The taps are very low tech., the tap itself is brass on brass and the seal that stops water migrating up the shaft you turn appears to be just a square section rubber ring (effectively a short length of pipe) squashed by the nut at the top (gland nut???). Much more gratifying to repair than replace surely. If I can't source the correct item I may experiment with short lengths of fuel hose carved to fit.
Jeremy Cogman

it's not the bit I was think off

Jeremy,
just to let you know Prop is not the sort to look for the easy way out for the sake of it, quite the reverse in fact, like some other posters here, taking very simple things and processes and making them unnecessarily complicated and time consuming just because they can do it (or think they can) and Prop pushes the boundaries (or envelopes) further than anyone else on here (in all sorts of ways) :)
Nigel Atkins

Thanks for nigal....(I think ???) Hahaha

I only offer my comment of replace the heater tap, as repairing mine didnt go well

For me It comes down to time or should I say so little of it

Namly a huge issue ive had to deal with on my cly head

If a good quality new tap is $30 and rebuilding a tap is going to take 3 hours and $15 to tear apart, find the problem, drive to 3 differant hardware stores find a similar part, modify the part to fit, reassemble, and instal, remove because it still leaks, and rig it then reinstall, then leave with the dread for tbe next 200 miles it could come apart agian....with a cost $15 in parts and gas... not to mention what your time is worth

So for me... order a good quality leak free one and shipped ups to my door...bolted on and go...NO B.S. plug and play

Or remove the offender part and work around it if there is not a lot of BS time and money wasted

Sometimes its just more human to just buy a new $2.99 fuel filter then it is to cut the old one in half, find a suitable material as a filter at the hardware store, rebuild glue the filter back togather, wait for the glue to cure... just to save the planets land fill and 54 cents


If your time is not worth much, and your living on loose change found at pay phones ....then yes, rebuild it....otherwise its a maintance item like spark plugs, thermostates, air filters and tire air valves

Its just a matter of perception and the path we have to walk

See lawerance 1970s electric drill... for lawerance it works, for me not so much
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

This thread was discussed on 04/11/2013

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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