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MG TD TF 1500 - Fuel Sending Unit installation

My fuel tank is now completely restored inside and out and I'm ready to re-install the ancilaries. When re-installing the fuel sending unit is it recomended to use the cork type gasket or the plastic/rubber type gasket. If I use the cork type it should be soaked in oil first,no glue/sillycone, right? If I use the pls/rbr type gasket does it get used dry or with sillycone sealer.
As a third option is to use 'gasket-in-a-tube' like the modern cars do.
Looking for some opinions.
Moss replacement screws are #8-32 which is WRONG! Luckilly my originals are fine and cleaned up real well so I can reuse them. Upon dis-assembly the DPO had fitted them with NO washers at all. Is the opinion to use flat and split/star washers?
Greg & Grimm
52TD/65BSA650
G.J. Cenzer

Search archives- much discussion in the past. My personal experience: The rubber gaskets turn to jello shortly. Cork better, but Abingdon Spares has the best ones made of some type of greenish fuel-resitant material. Used on a friend's car some months back (for the post seal/back plate and tank to sender), still really dry. Used Permatex aviation sealant (in a small bottle with brush in cap).
George Butz

In addition to George's suggestions, smear the screw threads witht he sealant to keep them from leaking and don't overtighten the screws. Overtightening will cause the flange of the sending unit and/or the flange around the tank opening to distort and make a good seal almost imposible to obtain. Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

OK, I have finally finished reading the archives on "fuel sending unit".
The link that Gene Gillam had didnot work for Gasoila, however, a google search found a source for item. It is available at:http://www.gsasupplyco.com/index.html
Pretty reasonable stuff and comes in fuel proof non-hardening and harding. They also have some other interesting products.
By the way nobody in the archive mentioned that MOSS #323-728 SCREW SET sending unit to tank (6screws) ARE #8-32 WHICH IS NOT WHAT"S IN THE TANK (not my tank anyways)
Greg & Grimm
52TD/65BSA650
G.J. Cenzer

I picked up a "set" of gasket material... there was a material stamped "fuel/oil"... Just cut it out of that and haven't had a problem... when doing the screws, i went round and round as opposed to reefing one down at a time....(seemed reasonable)
gordon.b.lawson '53TD

Hi,

I had also problems with the bolts sold by Brown&Gammons in UK. They do not fit to the threads in my 53 TD tank.

As far as the gasket, I used the cork gasket, previously soaked in oil, and Hylomar Blue sealant on both sides of the gasket and on the bolts.

I haven't filled the tank, but I hope to have no leaks.

Jesus
Jesus Benajes

The bolts (screws) for the sending unit to the tank are 2BA (not 8-32 or 10-32 US thread) cheese head, slotted.
Moss and others seem to have gotten the wrong screws.
Don Harmer

I was told that 2BA is same dia as 10-32 and 4BA is same dia as 8-32. which is correct.
G.J. Cenzer

I just finished resealing the gas sending unit on my car. When I did this during the total restoration in 1995 I used the cork gasket from Moss . It held for about five years, but began to leak, as mentioned above it turned to mush. I tried other gasket material from Napa but most leaked either through the gasket it self (between the layers of rubber and paper center) or from the screws. I ordered a gasket from Abingdon Spares which took care of the problem. It is made to hold back gasoline and does not dissolve with exposure to gasoline. One of the screws had bad threads and I had to replace with 8/32 from the local hardware store. I had to re-tap this hole as 8/32 screws would not screw in. I think the gasket from Abingdon Spares is a perminate fix and not just a temporary fix. Hope this helps, John
John C. Hambleton III

It would seem that both 2BA and 4BA were used on the senders. I would have bet on the 2BA, but as John and Greg point out, the hole appears to be the correct diameter for the 8-32, but with a different thread, which would make them a 4BA. 2BA and 4BA are the two most common machine screw sizes used in the cars, expecially the electrical components. The 2BA threads are so close in pitch to the American 10-32, that the two can be used interchangably (I've not seen a 10-32 in a cheese head version, but all other deminsions are such that the screws are interchangable). The same does not hold true for the other American/British machine screws. As I stated before, BA screws are redially available from British sources, so it seems strange that Moss and the others do not carry the correct screws. Greg, I'll e-mail you the length of the 4BA screws that I have in stock to make sure that they will work for you.
Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Hmmm. Timely thread.

Unfortunately, I've added a new problem to this fuel sender issue. I was installing a new (Moss) sending unit on a replacement tank I bought off ebay a few years back. Everything was going well until one of the screws seemed to bottom on something and broke off! Darn! I didn't chase the threads because I figured my US thread taps would ruin the holes. Now I have a new fun project to work on!

On the gasket, the Moss sender came with a thick black plastic gasket. Does anyone know if this material is ok to use? I coated both side of the gasket and the screws with gasoila.

Thanks...
Evan
Evan Ford - TD 27621

In my opinion- forget about the black Moss gasket- see my comment above. Abingdon Spares lists 2 types of screws- for original and replacement tanks-obviously different threads. The Moss screws I saw last were like self-tapping at the end, and not correct for the orig. threads I have seen. The car we used the Abingdon gaskets has 3 different types of screws- a couple are sheet metal screws. They had been there for years-we just made sure they went back into the same hole!
George Butz

PS- if your new sender has the black plastic/rubber back plate and terminal seals, ditch those as well. This is based on my experience with two sets, most recently 4 or so years ago, so they could have been changed by now. George
George Butz

Evan - You might want to go to British Tool Company at http://www.britishtool.com/index.htm and order a 4BA tap to clean out the threads once you get the screw removed. I would also recommend getting a 2BA tap while you are at it. That way you will have taps for about 99% of the machine screw threads used in our cars. You can also get a recoil kit from Uni-Thread at http://www.uni-thread.com/ to restore the threads if you damage them while removing the broken screw. Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

Thanks guys!

George,

Good point, I didn't think about the terminal and back seals. I've got a bunch of gasket material around. I'll try and make a set, if not, I'll call Abingdon.

Moss might have changed material by now, I bought this sender 6-7 years ago during dissassembly.

Dave,

I'm going to try my smallest screw extractor later today. I've got my fingers crossed even though it's hard to hold the drill that way.

I've got a 8-32 tap, I might try to gently run it through the hole. If I get too much resistance, I'll order the 4BA. (& 2BA.)

Evan
Evan Ford - TD 27621

Success.

I used a 5/64" drill bit and a #1 extractor and it came right out. There was some type of obstruction in the bottom of the hole. The 8-32 tap cleaned all of the holes with minimal resistance.

I used some FELPRO 3/32" gasket material (marked as rubber-fiber suitable for fuel pumps) to make new gaskets for the sender. I coated everything with Gasoila and it went together fine.

On to the next project...
Evan Ford - TD 27621

This thread was discussed between 16/10/2004 and 18/10/2004

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