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MG TD TF 1500 - Fuel line shut-off valve

Whilst my TF1500 was being checked over today by a local garage for its annual MOT (UK fitness for the road test) we found a significant leak at the fuel pump, caused by a split in the elbow nut that screws on to the outlet side of the pump. New one sourced and fitted, so that problem is solved.

However, there was no way of stopping fuel gushing out of the tank, other than to drain the tank, but that was not possible at the time. Seems to me the obvious thing to do is fit a mechanical shut-off valve in the copper pipe from the tank to the pump.

Has anyone done this, and if yes, what fitting did you use?

Thanks, Neil.
N D Wallace

Neil...

A quick and easy way is to open the gas cap and fit an airtight plug in the opening. A small amount of petrol will leak out at first but will stop long enough to swap out a fuel pump.

To be quite honest though, I've never had that problem when changing a fuel pump. How much petrol did you have in your tank?

Gene
Gene Gillam

Hi Neil,

Here is a link to an archive thread called "Fuel Pump Problems". A little ways down in the thread I discussed how we put in a shutoff valve as you describe, for the same reason as you describe. There is also a picture of the valve.

I have never put a link to a thread in here, but hope it works. (If not, just search on Ashworth/Shutoff/Valve.)

http://www2.mg-cars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs&access=&mode=archiveth&subject=8&subjectar=8&thread=2013030617231222866

Good luck,

Safety? Fast?

Scott Ashworth - '54 TF
S. R. Ashworth

Neil - See the article, Back up Fuel Pump in the SU Fuel Pump Articles section of my Homepage at: http://homepages.donobi.net/sufuelpumps/ Cheers - Dave
D W DuBois

I installed an older SU type fuel pump and a new Facet down below the tank in the rear of our TD. Nice to have a backup pump to switch to when the old one peters out or we run low on gas- the Facet serves as a reserve to finish draining the tank. I did screw an old style sediment bowl into the bottom of the tank to feed the old pump. This way, I can see if there's any water in the bottom of the bowl; any dirt or crap in the bowl; there's also a magnet in the bowl to catch any rust; it serves as a convenient drain when the time comes; it has a tube and screen strainer sticking up inside the tank; If the needle valve is opened less than 2 turns, it passes fuel only through the strainer and tube a couple inches above the bottom of the tank; it also functions as a reserve system, so one can open the valve farther and drain the rest of the tank (about 3 quarts); and YES, it is a postivie shut off, too!
We normally run the old pump and leave the needle valve set to draw through the tube; when the green petrol light has been full on for a while, and the air/fuel ratio meter starts dropping into the lean range, it's time to switch to the Facet- we don't have to pull over to open the needle valve.
JRN JIM

Thanks Guys for your thoughts, very helpful indeed.

I hadn't thought of also adding a spare in-line or parallel pump as a backup but will put this idea on my list of things to consider next winter. My line of thought about backup pumps was to replace my mechanical pump (only a year old) with an electronic version next time I had a failure as they are apparently much more reliable. As TF owners know the fuel pump is virtually inaccessible at the roadside owing to its location above the back axle - especially if it is dark and raining and your pump has failed at a busy road junction - which happened to me!

With regard to the shut-off valve, the one I have seen appears to be identical to the one used by Scott Ashworth and, in the UK, also inexpensive.

Unfortunately, the tank was nearly full when this failure occurred - it is now only half full lol!!

Cheers, Guys.

Neil.
N D Wallace

I have a ball valve shut-off valve just as the line leaves the fuel tank on my TF 1500.

NO MORE having fuel run down my arm while changing a fuel pump on the side of the road while hoping passing motorists don't flick a cigarette out as they pass!

I think this is a must for all TF's

Makes a good anti-theft device also!
Don Harmer

Get a Dave DuBois electronic pump and you'll probably never need to change one again!

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Neil, see http://www.ttalk.info/LockePump.htm for another idea. Bud
Bud Krueger

This thread was discussed between 23/03/2015 and 24/03/2015

MG TD TF 1500 index

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