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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 MGA - Differential Rebuilder

Many years ago I rebuilt my diff to 3.9 and changed the splined gear wheels to take the WW shaft splines. I never really got the backlash to my satisfaction. I may get the diff out and onto the bench to give it another go but I am unsure of my capability in getting the set up correct. It may have simply lacked the correct shims. Only inspection will tell.

Other than that, can anyone recommend a rebuilder in throwing distance of me - Fleet, Hampshire?

Steve
Steve Gyles

I used Heathrow Transmissions for my MG TD diff. Very pleased with their work and would use them again. Lionel.
L.F. Thorne

Thanks Lionel. I will give them a call.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Contact made with Heathrow Transmissions. Spec looks good.

To overhaul diff unit.
Clean diff repaint if required satin black.
Replace all bearings (branded type).oil seal.
Reshim sun and planet gears.
Reset crown wheel back lash and pinion pre load.
£395.00 plus vat. providing cwp sun/planet gears and carrier are serviceable.
Turn round 10 working day.

Despite their name suggesting a visit to the Heathrow airport using airport transfers sevenoaks area they are in Chichester on the South Coast!

Steve
Steve Gyles

Just collected my rebuilt diff from Heathrow Transmissions down in Chichester (moved from Heathrow!). Looks a good job. Will report back once fitted.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Seems an excellent job. Just done test run and she felt really good. Thumbs up to Heathrow Transmissions.

As an aside, quite a job find some EP90 oil. All the local stockists have gone over to EP80/90. I would welcome comments on suitability. I guess it's a bit like the manual saying grade 30 motor oil.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve. I'm pleased you are pleased.There is always a sense of responsibility
when you recommend someone! Lionel.
L.F. Thorne

EP 80W/90 is fine.

I've used Comma EP80W-90 GL4 Gear Oil for years.

Jim

J N Gibson

Jim

That's good. I ran out of EP90 when filling the diff then spent the entire afternoon going round the suppliers. Eventually I succumbed to 80/90. I had only got about a dessert spoonful in when she overflowed!!

Lionel, many thanks for the tip-off. I certainly join you in the recommendation. I noted that they are MGOC approved. Their blurb says BMC specialists. Only a small business of father and son but the father, Gary, told me he was BMC trained on the gearboxes and diffs.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Just be wary of the oil level Steve,
I topped up my diff last year until it overflowed from the filler hole.
Then, a few weeks later, I discovered that the Rt rear hub oil seal was leaking oil onto the brake shoes and had ruined them. (They were brand new, expensive Mintex M1144 shoes too).

I have since read that the diff should be filled with two and a quarter pints (Imp) of EP90 oil.

When I refilled it with 2 1/4 pints oil after the oil seals were replaced, there was no overflow from the filler hole.

Cheers
Colyn


Colyn Firth

Originally they did fill to the filler hole but they found thye had a seal leak issue and the sophisticated solution was just reduce the quantity.
Paul Dean

I've always filled it to the overflow during the last 25 years and never had a leak.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Reminds me of the story I once read that occurred during the development of the 1800 version of the B series engine. The engine guys were having issues with oil frothing and oil pressure. They asked Sydney Enever to come over to Longbridge to have a look. Sydney Enever determined that the markings on the dipstick were inappropriate and they were over-filling the sump.
Once they dropped the oil level the issue was resolved.
It seems improbable that experienced engineers working in their field would overlook such a seemingly simple problem, but apparently it's true.

Mind you, this in turn reminds me of another story, (though I clearly digress), that relates to recurrent camshaft breakages on the camshaft/s of a Ferdinand Porsche designed Austro-Daimler racing car. It took a Hungarian mechanic who was helping out at the Austro-Daimler works with the problem, to discover and solve the underlying design error.
Porsche was so impressed with the visiting Hungarian mechanic, that he wrote the mechanic a glowing full page reference.
The mechanic was my father.
T Aczel

This EP90 oil was just recommended on the midget BBS
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/373537080798
Dave O'Neill 2

This thread was discussed between 21/05/2021 and 10/06/2021

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