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 MGA - Installing a Judson blower - HELP

I am trying to install a Judson MG-A blower on my '61 MGA 1600 coupe with somewhat difficulty. It seems I have to move the radiator 1/2 inch forward, which, at least in my car, "aint gonna happen" as it already fits flush against the sheet metal from the nose. Is this a coupe problem, because the instructions say nothing about modifying the sheet metal to do so? Any and all feedback appreciated. Jim
Neil McGurk

Hey! I didn't post this!!!

I'm not really installing a Judson, wish I was. How did this thread start? Thanks to the following I guess:

http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/read.php?2,725817

Neil
Neil McGurk

Yes

I had to do trim the radiator duct panel on my car too, otherwise I couldn't move the rad forward either. The steering rack also had to go forward the same amount to avoid the pulley rubbing on the rack under braking.
dominic clancy

you have given away your identity Neil
Neil McGurk

If you post a link copied when you are logged in, the BBS then gives the link all your user log-in credentials too.

You will have to change your password to get back to being sole owner of your account....
dominic clancy

Dominic, How far forward does the radiator have to move? Does it have to move down also? If it moves down is the hand crank blocked?
James Johanski

The hand crank will still work. TRUST ME. I had to use it last year when the car failed to start. In the kit there should be two spacers to bring the radiator forward a little. It is a very tight fit. I made a bracket to move the steering rack foward to prevvent rubbing and to make it easier to change the belts. The original kit says nonthing about haveing to cut the front panel to make it fit. I did cut mine as I put in a larger radiator with 5 rows for better cooling.

Jeff Becker
61 MGA Judson Supercharged
ZZZZZZZZZZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
JEFF BECKER

The radiator spacers that I obtained from George Folchi were 3/8" thick aluminum. The stock radiator is about 1" from the edge of the front panel. There is no mention in the Judson installation of any modification to the front panel. The spacing may be affected by whether an MGB engine is installed which affects both the length of the water pump and the thickness of the crank pulley. Anecdotally, many installation accounts I have read indicate that the installation involves modification of the round carburetor vent tube and, in some cases the top radiator support gusset on the left hand side. As previously posted, some owners have had to move the steering rack forward slightly. I have often wondered if having to move the rack was due to either variations in the frame/body as a result of the build up process or wear of the engine mounts and/or frame/body damage since no mention of that modification is made in the Judson installation literature either.

These comments are based solely on my research during the time I was contemplating installing a Judson, but I have since sold the unit and have no personal first hand experience with an installation.


Steve
Steve Brandt

Well, where do I start.

1. The hand crank will not work with a standard Judson install. This is not because of the radiator, but because the standard Judon setup uses a second pulley that sits on the front of the standard Crank pulley. This needs a mch longer bolt to mount to the crank, so the special dognut is no longer fitted. This means there is nothing to engage the crank handle, so it becomes an ornament.

The solution I used is to fit a custom 3V pulley that allows use of the stanard crank bolt. No idea what Jeff is using. On a standard Installation, no hand crank.

2. The radiator has to move forward. I found that when I did this, the lip of the bonnet / hood then fouled the top of the header tank on the rad, so I also had to lower the rad about 10mm (roughly half an inch to those still working in 15th century units of measurement!)(and yes I know metruc is 18th Century).

3. In some cars (mine included) the radiator duct panel is too cose to the rad to allow it to be moved. In my case because the duct panel was a repro item installed when the car was restored (the old one was more holes than metal). It then has to be trimmed to allow the rad to be moved forward.

4. I also had to move the steering rack forward because there was less clearance between (standard Judson) pulley and rack housing than movement in the (new) engine mountings under braking. This meant that when braking the pulley rubbed on the rack.

I did this with some modified steering mounts, and then had the tow in readjusted. It makes no difference to the steering geometry or steering effort. I know of other cars where this has also been necessary.

Doing this also has the benefit that you can chage a belt without unbolting the rack. This is not possible with a standard installation (there really is NO space between pulley and rack in a standard installation)

5. On my car I did have to adjust the cuff on the carb side of the rad bulkhead. I just removed it, made it shallower, and welded it back in place - see my site for the final result. I have seen two cars where no alteration was required here at all. This step is mentioned in the fitting instructions.

There is very little clearance all round when fitting a Judson, It makes a big (positive) effect on keeping the engine cool, and brings quite a noticeable increase in torque and acceleration.

When fitted, make sure you rotate everything by hand a few times to make sure everything is free, If your fan is out of true it WILL hit something (probably the idler)!

Don't overtighten the idler - they are known to crack.
dominic clancy

This thread was discussed between 04/02/2008 and 06/02/2008

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.