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MG TD TF 1500 - Best source for complete carb rebuild kit?

Searching through the archives I either see recommendations to send carbs out or most others just buy the Moss Master kit. I don't really see a kit from Abingdon. I want all gaskets for the jets, new GOOD needle valves, all gaskets for all the banjo bolts and float chamber bolts, gaskets for manifolds (both sides). Basically everything to make them proper.

I like to do all my own work as I want to fully understand this beast. I've rebuilt countless motorcycle carb sets so I'm not afraid of these SU's. I seem to have a very slight bit of play on the throttle shafts. Can a person just get the bushes? Do they come with a full kit? The Moss Kit doesn't seem to have just bushes.

If the Moss Master kit is the best then so be it. I see a number of people recommending the Moss Video, I might do that on DVD and have it in my shop while I'm working on these.

Just looking for some input.
l rutt

An awful lot of play is usually in the throttle shafts themselves. Pull the shafts and see how tight they are when partially extended. It can be surprising how much wear is on the shafts only.
Sandy
Sandy Sanders

Try contacting Joe Curto...the SU Guru.

http://www.joecurtoinc.com/

Also, if you don't mind...what's your first name...kinda weird thinking of you as l rutt all the time.
Gene Gillam

I rebuilt the carbs in my TD by myself, without any previous large experience. Bought a kit from Burlen www.burlen.co.uk, and also installed new spindle bushes. The reaming procedure is very simple. I just followed the instructions in the excellent article by Ann & Jake Snyder “Just a Simple Wrench”which could be read in the Chicagoland MG Club website www.chicagolandmgclub.com. You can also find some good visual advice in the short videos of University Motors in YouTube. Do a search in www.youtube.com for “University Motors”.

I learnt that the simplicity of those carbs requires some important and often neglected details to work properly. The sealing of all the surfaces, which rely on a simple copper washer requires perfectly smooth contact surfaces. Otherwise, leakages are guaranteed. Another issue is the sealing and sliding of the jets. I tested vitton o-rings, as recommended in the archives, but could not avoid the jet sticking. Now I have ordered some teflon-encapsualted o-rings, which seem to be the best. However, in the meantime, I have gone back to the cork sealing, with good results.

I would conclude that the success in rebuilding the carbs depends on ones ability and patience, but also on the condition of the different parts. If the bodies are distorted or show excessive wear, new parts could be required.

Jesus
J. Benajes

I rutt,

You sound like you have the mechanical apptitude and the willingness to rebuild your carburetors yourself, so I say, have at it! I'll add to the advice that proper fuel level in the float chambers is critical to tuning the carbs, so set the float level carefully.

Also, after this much time, your parts may have been swapped from carb to carb, and you may have to do some piston drop tests in each dashpot to see if those are consisitent. If they aren't, swap them and try again. Don't use any abrasive in the dashpot or the piston. I think this information is in one of the YouTube videos which Jesus mentioned.

I've had good luck on HS carbs with just replacing throttle shafts, but it seems that by the time I see a pair of H carbs, the shaft and the body is worn. However, careful centerline reaming to oversize and using oversize shafts is a good repair if the body isn't too far gone, imho.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Oh, and to your main question, I use the Moss master rebuild kit. I have MGA float bowl to body neoprene washers, so I ususally need to exchange that portion of the kit, but my local MG shop is willing to help on that. Also, the float bowl needles in some kits are suspect. So install the new ones, but keep the old ones handy in case you have to swap the new ones out.

dave
Dave Braun

My $0.02,

The decision to order a master kit or not depends on the condition of the carbs. If you price out the pieces of the kit it makes sense to only order what is needed and order the parts from the best supplier for each. When I did my carbs, I went with the master kit. If I were doing it today, I would order piecemeal.

I would recommend Joe Curto for needles and Tom Bryant for Teflon coated O rings. I ordered from both after using a master kit.

Good luck,
Evan
Evan Ford - TD 27621

You can buy any or all pieces that you need online from the source/maker Burlen Fuel Systems. I have ordered from them and they are very fast. They send things from the UK by Royal Mail (air) and it takes a week or 10 days.

http://www.burlen.co.uk/

I see that they are offering 5% off if you register online, as well as some free metering needle, with certain purchases.

Larry

Larry Ayres

I was really looking at that Burlen site and they also have the electronic conversion kit for the fuel pump as well. Kill 2 birds with one order. And their prices aren't bad with the exchange rate either.

Got them bookemarked for sure.

Thanks guys. I'll get through this old bird yet.
l rutt

Ivan I. D'entity-Crisis? Good thread though.
J.P. Hall

More support for the Teflon O rings (they are not actually Teflon, bot some other similar sounding chemical.)

I took my jets apart to replace the cork seals yesterday. These were installed 4-5 years ago and worked fine until I winterized the car last fall. Anyway, the old cork is now brittle and cracking. I real ticking time bomb. I will finish the second carb today. I'll take pictures.
Evan Ford - TD 27621

I also bought replacement parts from Burlen and found them ok. One of the issues I spend quite some time on was to figure out the correct angles and position for drilling these tiny holes in the new shaft to fix the levers. This must be pretty precise otherwise the levers will not allow the needed adjustment possibility. Greetings, Huib
Huib Bruijstens

This thread was discussed between 22/04/2008 and 23/04/2008

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.