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MG TD TF 1500 - Head gasket question

My mechanic friend just got a TD owner in who needs a head gasket.... he has a block with round holes and a head with bannana openings....what gasket does he use????
gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

Elongated hole (early or banana) gasket.
Jim Merz

Jim is correct. To expand: The rule of thumb is that you always use a banana gasket unless you have a round block WITH a round head, then you use the round gasket. Otherwise, you can have coolant leak into the oil.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

thank you...passed it on and the gasket is ordered...
gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

Gentlemen:
There does seem to be a little on this subject in the archives; however, I am a little confused with the answer given above, and I don't wish to cause confusion if something has changed since Schatch wrote his book on restoring the TD. On Page 88 of the book he states that the head gasket MUST follow the hole pattern of the head. When I bought my TF it came with a wrong motor and gearbox which I am replacing with an XPAG that came with the deal. The XPAG had no head and I bought one and had it done with hardened seats etc. It has round holes and based on Schatch I bought a gasket with round holes. Based on current thought was this wrong and now do I need a banana holed gasket to match my block?
Many thanks
Rod Murray 54 TF
Rod Murray 54TF 3006


If the holes are mismatched, use an oval gasket.

This is from the excellent book
ENGINES for M.G's
Their Story after 1935.
By Neil Cairns

"For the more powerful midget TD Mk2 the engine had its waterways improved to help cooling. Whilst the TD Mk2 had both the new head and block, the normal TD and YB had to use up existing stocks. The new items are termed 'round-hole' blocks or heads, and carry
casting numbers for the head of 168422 head and 168421 block. There is no octagon cast into
these blocks, as they were also used on the Wolseley 4/44, and have an extra boss for the 4/44
dipstick. This was un-drilled on the M.G. 'oval hole' heads are casting number 22952, and
M.G. XPAG oval hole blocks are 24146 and 24445 with octagons. (See casting number
identity for more.) The round hole cylinder blocks were now being fed onto the production
line, the oval hole ones all used up. Alas there were still lots of oval hole heads left. At
SC2/17463 and TD2/17969 the round hole block was fitted to the YB and TD, note how the
TD numbers are now ahead of the YB, the TD was selling rather well. With an oval hole head
and a round hole block, or visa-versa, an oval hole head gasket must be used, part number
X24481. Round hole head gasket is part number 168423."

Dallas
Dallas C Congleton

Rod,

If your coolant and oil are staying on the proper sides of the engine and you have good compression, you don't need to change. NOT EVERY case of round head, banana block with a round head gasket will leak, but enough do that the information Cairns provides is considered good practice.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Good Evening Dallas

I am currently listing a partially dismantled XPAG engine on E-Bay. On the block there are two labels, one numbered "factory reconditioned Part No. SA2445/2R and indicates standard bore and standard crank" The head is marked 1514K2 and 22952.

I have stored these since before 1974 in case of need for a spare for my second YB (now sold)and I think it came off a TD with a number of spares of unknown origin, but cannot be sure of this. The head does have Banana holes.

Going from the part numbers is there anything you can tell me about this engine please? I would like to ensure that it is described accurately.

Many thanks

Clive Evrall
J.C. Evrall

This thread was discussed between 05/08/2010 and 22/08/2010

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