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MG TD TF 1500 - fuel system, OMG!

I have been getting the MGs ready for GOF 95 in Middlebury Vermont next month. I have been trying to get dad's TC running.
No start. Click, click, click, no fuel to the pump.It last ran in 2003. The fuel tank was sealed with a sloshing compound from Moss in the 1990s. The fuel had desloved the sloshing compound and it plugged the outlet at the bottom of the tank. I had to remove the fuel from the tank and clear up the gunk to open up the fuel lines.
Next, I blew out the fuel line, more hardedned sealer there. Both carbs overflowing out the overflow tubes. cleaned out the float bowls and the needle valves. Still no start.
Here is the interesting thing, both carbs were seized, the mixture jets were frozen, I could not move the choke lever at all. I tried to remove the pistons, but the chambers were frozen to the carb bodies on both sides, and the pistons were frozen to the chambers. I had to remove the caps and tap the pistons out of the chambers with a hammer and a punch with the chambers in a vise.
I had to tap the jets out of the carb bodies with a hammer and a punch. Once I cleaned everything up and reassembled, it finally started and ran well, but it smoaked quite a bit. thats it, full day of work.
Tomorrow I will let it run until it gets hot and I will change the oil and adjust the valves.
D. Sander

Dave - When was the sloshing compound put in the tank? I had a similar situation with our TD 6 or 7 years ago - the valve disks were glued firmly to the seats of the fuel pump. Got that cleaned out only to find the next morning when leaving for the Elks yearly car show, that the needle valves were glued to the seats. At that point I cleaned the carburetors, pulled the fuel tank and took it to a place in British Columbia and had it dip stripped and treated with thick application of zinc phosphate. Nor more problems since then. I suspect that the sloshing compound from the early 80s was not formulated to hold up to ethanol. Of course, with the dip stripping, zinc phosphate and repainting the tank, it was a rather spendy proposition, but the results have been very good. Cheers - Dave
D W DuBois

This thread was discussed on 25/05/2014

MG TD TF 1500 index

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