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MG TD TF 1500 - Generator - removal tips?

OK - what's the secrete for removing and reinstalling the mounting bolts for the generator on my '55 TF-1500?

I have small hands, but -
> I can't get a wrench on the lower-front bolt.
> I dread trying to reinstall the bolt and nut at the rear.

Even if I don't need to remove the generator, it looks like I will need to remove the bottom bolts at the front and rear, plus loosen the top bolt to allow the gen to swing and tilt enough to remove the old fan belt and install a new NAPA 25-22393 notched belt.
http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx/Belt-Fan-Gen/_/R-NBH2522392_0212075023

A 1/2" SAE wrench fits the bolts better than a 1/4" Whitworth. Did previous owner install wrong bolts?

Reason for removing the distrib ...

This weekend, my charge-light started staying on all the time, in fact - it gets brighter at higher RPMs. Sometimes it goes out about 1100 RPM, then comes back on around 1800 RPM. No charge indicated by ammeter - but it has never worked very well.

I have a few more tests to do tomorrow after I recharge the batt. If the tests suggest a problem with the generator, then I want to be able to remove it. Right now - I am stopped dead by the bolts.

The inside of the voltage regulator does not look like the one in the WSM, so I probably won't attempt to fix if the tests indicate a problem with it.

Getting down to the wire regarding driving the car to the GOF next weekend about a hundred miles from my house.

Thanks,

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

Typo:

Meant to say
" Reason for removing the GENERATOR ..."
not
"Reason for removing the DISTRIB ..."

Guess that I'm still thinking about my distributor problem that I had last week.

Wonder what new problem will surface next week?!!!

- Lonnie
LM Cook

On my own TF 1500 I had the same challenges. Access to the lower bolt is fairly good when you remove the access cover under your LH wing. Even better if you jack up the car and remove the LH wheel as well.

With an assortment of spanners, open end, ring and sviwel headed the job was then fairly easy - that is - firly easy by TF standards.

regards

Jan
Jan Emil Kristoffersen

Lonnie, I might be thinking about the regulator.
Don TF 4887
D J Walker

Lonnie - First of all, the bolt for the adjusting link is correct (almost). That bolt was originally a true 5/16 Whitworth bolt. Over the years the original bolt was probably lost and replaced with a 5/16 NC American bolt, which will take an American wrench. The two bottom mounting bolts, which were originally 8 X 1mm bolts with Whitworth heads (1/4W as I recall). To get the generator off, loosen all three bolts, swivel the generator as close to the engine as possible and remove the upper bolt from the generator and adjusting link. Remove the fan belt. Remove the nuts from the lower two bolts, rotate the generator out so you can hold it with both hands, the slide it forward, off the two lower bolts and lift it out. Remove the bolt and the spacer from the front attachment hole in the bearer plate and the rear bolt from the bracket on the engine. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Well, I removed the generator. I cut the belt because I couldn't remove it with the bottom bolts in place. And I couldn't get to the bottom front bolt with the belt in place. The new belt is a little longer, so I hope that I can get it on with the bolts in place. No u-joints needed on the wrenches and I didn't have to remove the side panel.

Dave - you were right. Looks like the lower bolts had been replaced with American bolts - each a different thread pitch. The gen is not an original TF generator, so the bolt on the adjustable arm is not Whitworth.

Don - One of the fingers of the commutator was separated. I hope that the wayward voltage and amps didn't damage the regulator.

I'm looking for a rebuilt gen in an original C39PV2 (serv #22265B) case. I'll confer with the rebuilder. Perhaps I can send my regulator to him so that he can configure it to match the new generator.

Any suggestions for a quality MG generator/regulator rebuilder?

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

Lonnie:

The ginny currently in my TD is a Moss repro from LBC. Not a perfect match but has worked well for about a year and LBC's service was very good. I've kept the almost-original old one that I'll take to a local ginny shop to be reconditioned. That way I'll have a back up on the shelf for if and when needed.

BTW, I don't know if this applies to TFs but there is an article on T-Talk (I'm pretty sure that's where it is) about using a readily againable Gates belt from NAPA and, very importantly, not over-tightening the belt. I used that belt on the TD with success. May be worth a read.

Jud
J K Chapin

Jud, you've got the right church, but the wrong pew. I do talk about the loose belt on http://www.ttalk.info/Holcombe.htm , but the real source of all the good scoop is Dave DuBois. There's a link to his belt info on that page. It'll lead you to Dave's article found at http://www.omgtr.ca/technical/tdtf_fan_belt/loosen_up.htm Bud
Bud Krueger

Lonnie - "The gen is not an original TF generator, so the bolt on the adjustable arm is not Whitworth."
If it is a real Lucas generator, regardless of the car it was used in, the threads in the front mounting plate are Whitworth. That said, it would be a real find if the bolt were also a genuine Whitworth bolt. Over the year, that original bolt has been lost or thrown away because knew why "why this bolt has such stupidly large head" and a standard NC bolt fits just fine, which is true, because the Whitworth bolts and the National Course (American) bolts have exactly the same thread count. The only thing that differs between Whitworth and NC threads is the thread profile and they are so close that the two can pretty much be interchangeable, particularly when the female threads have seen a lot of wear (now you know more than you ever wanted to know about Whitworth threads). Cheers - Dave
(Ive got to kick this pneumonia bug so I can get back to the basement and work on fuel pumps instead of spouting trivia)
David DuBois

This thread was discussed on 07/04/2014

MG TD TF 1500 index

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