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MG MGA - cleaning air filters

Hi All! I can't tell you how happy I am to find this and all the other links to all things MGA.

I just bought my 2nd MGA, a 1957 in really good condition. My first '57 was waaaay back in 1967 when I was in high school. I paid all of $600 for it, my first one, so you can guess the shape it was in. The new one was a tad more dearer.

My new MG, called Diana because she's gorgeous,is all original and I'm the third owner. I have all the paperwork from the sales sheet May 1, 1957 to the tool kit to documentation of all the work that's ever been done. Only 95,000 original miles. Which is why I'm writing.

Just took the air cleaners off and the original ?sheeps wool and metal filters were coated with grime. In the original owners manual it says to clean the filters with petrol. Not in 2007, no way to dispose of the dirty petrol, not environmentally safe, etc. So, how do I clean the filters? And all the other bits that call for petrol as the cleaning source? I'd prefer not to replace the filters, in the manual they were not meant to be replaced, just cleaned as needed. Any suggestions on what I could/should use?

Thanks for any and all help. I'm sure you'll be seeing me here often.

I'd like you to meet Diana




Jacqueline Peabody

Hi Jacqueline, your car looks lovely, it looks like a good restoration, can't help you with your question though you might try Barney's site http://mgaguru.com/
if you had a photo of the tool kit perhaps you would be kind enough to post it here


gordon
g c pugh

Jacqueline

There are all sorts of environmentally cleaning materials these days. Your local workshops will all have a cleaning machine using this - suggest you take the filters there and ask them to put them through the washer.
dominic clancy

Beautiful car - congrats!
$600 bought a pretty decent A in '67 though...

Clean them just like any other thing with greasey grimeys - hot water and dish washing soap. Or there are various "environmentally friendly" water based cleaners available at parts stores. Then re oil with engine oil. Best might be the K&N cleaner and oil, also from parts stores. May take some soaking and repeats, but it will work.

FRM
FR Millmore

Nice car Jacqueline! I imagine that the filter elements have been replaced at some point in the last 50 years, and, unless cost is a factor, I would not be too concerned about replacing them again. You can purchase original-style filter elements from one of the usual part sources (moss, scarborough faire, etc).

M.D.
'57 Coupe
M. D.

I have a picture of the tool kit from when the car was for sale. I'll try and post it.


Jacqueline Peabody

Sorry, have to add that there's a spare fan belt in the middle of the picture. All the other tools and notice the hand crank!! came with the car. I also have a book that the first owner kept on Diana's quirks, repairs, etc. Also someone made a needlepoint of his name and the model of the car. I assume he used it when he showed the car.
Jacqueline Peabody

Jacqueline

Could you tell me the markings on the jack in your tool kit photo.

It looks suspiciously like the rare Shelley jack issued with very early MGAs. If it's an LJ23 could you post a couple of detailed photos.

Many thanks

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve, I have what looks like a (Shely jack)looks like the last jack in the list of photos on Barney's web site but it has no markings on it at all, What is it? I added a photo to help ID the thing.
Thanks: Cliff


Jones

Hi Jacqueline, many thanks for the photo of your tool kit


regards gordon
g c pugh

That crank handle has got me out of trouble many many times, so don't forget to carry it with you. I do wish all my other cars had them.

Splendid-looking MGA, Jacqueline.
Nick

Steve, I think it's the jack that you're talking about. It has Shelley on the front written vertically and on the back below where the jack handle goes are the numbers LJ23 vertically and 56 written horizontally right below. Do I have a rare jack? I've been reading where other owners have been writing about whether or not they have an original Shelley jack. Lucky me, I think that's what I have!
Jacqueline Peabody

Jacqueline

Eureka. Yes I think you do have the rare early MGA Shelley. Well done. Can you post some photos for us very sad jealous gits?

I am trying to gather information on Shelley jacks. See here: http://www.mgaroadster.co.uk/shelley_jacks.htm

Steve
Steve Gyles

I'm trying to send some pictures of the jack, but every time I click on upload nothing happens. Don't know what's wrong, I'll keep on trying.
Jacqueline Peabody

File is too big, you need to make it smaller
dominic clancy

Jacqueline,
Your car is beautiful. I only wish mine would look so nice after I finish it.
I know you have been given several methods of cleaning the air filters, but if you wish to use gasoline, just put it into your lawnmower after you're done. That's what I do whenever I use gas for other than ignition related purposes.
mike parker

Mike,

My flymo just went up in smoke. I followed your advice with the old petrol, but when I plugged it in and switched it on - bang!
Neil McGurk

Neil,
don't feel too badly about it. You can now purchase a better mower. If you're lucky, insurance will take care of it.
I know somebody who was painting his ceiling and spattered his brand new carpet with paint. (his quote: "I'm a man, I don't need a dropcloth")
After painting, he saw white spots all over the carpet and went to the garage to get some naptha. He went over the carpet, and cleaned up all the paint. Did I mention that the carpet was new? The carpet pilled up, and he had to clean up the loose carpeting. So, he got his brand new Electrolux 75th anniversary vacuum and proceeded to vacuum up the pilled carpet. Do you know that the Electrolux vacuum pulls all its air through the motor, which is cylindrical and contains the motor inside the cylinder? Ka-Boom! Now the vacuum is expanded in the middle with the ends blown off. He put it on his workbench, hoping to look at it before his wife got home. No good, she came home through the garage and going into the house says, "Bob, do you know what happened to the vacuum?"
True story,not me though.
mike parker

Great story Mike! I had a really good laugh reading it! The classic "but wait, it gets worse!"

Ralph
Ralph

OK,I think I finally have the problems with my downloading worked out. The problem was in my photo program. I just took close ups of the name and numbers plus the shape of the jack's bottom. I saw a sort of figure 8 shape on the bottom of one jack that you thought might be a Shelley. If you want I can take another picture of the whole jack, but I think there's a picture of the whole jack in with the tools that I posted earlier.


Jacqueline Peabody

Hi,

If you are at all concerned about dust intake I would ditch the old filters and install K&N filters instead. I have attached a picture of mine and you can see that they still have the period look.

Cleaning and re-oiling is easy with the maintenance kit that K&N provides.

The original filters were designed to keep out rocks and pigeons...JFB


John Bendell

I'm using original type air filters and whenever I clean and re-oil them I end up with oil dribbling from them for ages and making a mess of the inner wheel arch. Any tips to avoid this?
Keith Morris

I second John's advice about using the K&N filters. My decision to change from the original filters came during the drive to Gatlinburg for GT-31 when we took the Skyline Drive through Virginia, and found sections to be a gravel/sand mix, with traffic in front of us making a dust cloud, with no exits for miles. Pulling off didn't help, as the traffic was rather consistent.

- Ken
Ken Doris

Jacqueline, Your car is very nice indeed. Thank you for sharing her with us. Also thank your for the pictures of the tool kit. It would be wonderful to also see more details of the car, as it is original and would provide a wonderful historical record and perspective for those of us doing restorations. Thank you also for the picture of "jack's bottom".
James Johanski

This thread was discussed between 20/09/2007 and 03/10/2007

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