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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - I've got an oil filter!

My engine (15613) is late enough that the horizontal oil filter canister with a replaceable element was fitted. I knew I was missing the internal parts for my oil filter assembly. The spring, washer, felt seal and the filter plate and clip which holds it all together. Still, I've always known that I would rebuild my engine as it had low compression in cylinder 1 from day one of my ownership.

I'm not exactly sure why I've always changed out the filter each year, considering that it probably wasn't doing anything. First, I had the pleated felt style, and in the past 10 years or so, the metal cage surrounding the paper pleats. The Moss TD catalog showed the parts as unavailable. Even the seal under the bolt head was a kludgey mess, something out of a chemistry set.

Lo and behold, I turned to the MGB catalog that I have for a friend's B and the purolator filter looks just like our T series. Randy down at Quality Coaches ordered a bunch of parts, springs, plates etc. and I took them home and assembled them tonight. What a difference. The filter assembly spins on almost as easy as a spin on filter.

http://mysteryship.photosite.com/MGTDRebuild/engine/oil_filter_assy_parts.html

I've been waiting for the filter to come together so I could try spinning my rebuilt engine and build up some oil pressure. If I have my gravity feed worked out for my carbs... I could even try starting it.

tomorrow might be the day...

dave
Dave Braun

Dave - Just dip a feed line into a can of gas along side of the car and let the pump pull it into the carbs. The SU pump isn't picky about where the gas comes from. Dave
David DuBois

I thought of that Dave, but I don't have a place to mount the pump (no firewall). I was thinking of just setting the pump on a cart, but if I were going to do that it might be easier and take up less space to just set up an IV stand, know what I mean?

I don't have an electrical harness as of yet either!

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Dave B.
Do have a fire ext. standing by! Not trying to be a "Wise A**"...Closely watch the carbs....the little "tickle" valves are notorious for sticking (at least mine were after sitting for extended time) more than once mine "stuck" and before I extended the run-off tubes (DPO had cut them too short)....the fuel comming out made a great "eye-wash" and sprayed all over the exhaust manifold. Add to that a few tools liying around on a car that is poss. ground and you have a great formula for a fire! (Nice warm fuel vapor & potential for spark ....uh, not a good thing!)
Cheers & Best Regards,
David 55 TF1500 #7427
David Sheward

I incinerated my Alfa Conrero with a trick like this. I was damn lucky I didn't burn the house down too. Managed to push the Alfa into the driveway, where it lodged against my wife's new Volvo. Total bedlam!

I still have the Alfa (almost finished after a 20-year resto), I don't have the wife, and the next owner of my house was more successful than I. It too has been rebuilt.

I also found that insurance companies don't look too kindly on this.

If you are absolutely driven to do it, do it OUTSIDE with a few willing friends and a big CO² fire extinguisher at hand.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.

Gordon A. Clark

David, thanks for the advice. Yes, I bought a fire extinguisher for the project... and since I don't expect to use it, it will find a permanent spot in the car when it is finished. The carbs are freshly rebuilt, and I have the overflow valves properly installed and the access holes for checking the floats JB Welded up. Since the carbs are 'new' I'll examine them carefully for leaks before turning the engine over. I'll build oil pressure before introducing fuel to anything.

Gordon, you have such a way with words. I can well imagine the possibility of doing the exact same thing. With new carbs, whether I gravity feed them or pump feed them, the possibility of uncontained fuel exists. But I think the possibility with gravity feed is more severe (besides lowering the feed, how do you shut it off and if it is burning would you dare get close?). I will set up the fuel pump with an isolated switch so I can cut power separatly to the pump if I need to.

I think I'll wait a week and schedule a party so as to have more than two or three of us there. I can asign everyone a simple job... and cooridante it from there.

So... anyone going to be in Minneapolis?

Dave, David, and Gordon, Thanks for the helpful advice!

dave
Dave Braun

Dave S. and anyone else having problems with carburetor overflow after they have been sitting for long periods of time - I have a solution for that problem. What is happening is that the fuel in the float bowl has evaporated and the float drops to the bottom of the bowl, allowing the float lever to drop so far that the needle in the needle valve gets jammed against the lever, keeping it and the float from rising with the rising fuel level as it is pumped into the bowl. There is an easy, no cost solution for this problem. send me an e-mail and I'll return pictures and a write up on the solution. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

What's in Minniapolis besides the Lakers?

BTW, how many points did George Mikan score last night?

Who's going to Gatlinburg? (1,000 miles one way for us - we are 6 MGs so far).

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.

Gordon A. Clark

Dave B. :
You might even want to consider fuel cut off as part of pemanate wirring! I have done this on my "toys" since the early 70's and it has saved at least one of them not only from fire...but is a great anti-theft devise! Face it our LBC's are poster children for "easy to hot wire". A hidden toggle switch on the fuel pump allows somebody to hot-wire and get about a block away before the floats run dry. My theroy behind this is when they steal it and it runs out of gas in the middle of the road they will get out and run. If you use a theft devise that won't let them get it started, they will come back with a trailer and roll it away. We had this happen with an Austin years ago and as I was collecting the car from the middle of an intersection somebody stopped and pointed out what bar the two thiefts ran into. They went to jail and I have been doing this ever since. Some insurance companys will even give you a discount for it!
David D. : I haven't had the problem with sticking since re-built the carbs ...but wopuld still like to have a look at solution for that problem if you send it to me. Thanks

Cheers,
David 55 TF1500 #7427
David Sheward

George, Gene and Rod - In the picture with the info that I sent you on the float lever drop (the one with my thumb so promenant), ignore that fact that there is a gross jet installed. I changed over to gross jets several years after solving the problem with the float lever drop while still using the standard needle valves. Gross jets are completely unaffected by the amount of float drop.

Dave S. A fuel shut off is nor really necessary on a TD as the pump is ont he firewall and doesn't give the woner a bath in fuel when removing it. As for an anti-theft device, our cars already have the best anti-theft device known to man (at least for cars in America) - it is called a flyaway hand brake. There isn't a Yank around not familiar with old MGs who can release that brake. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Dave S,

My car had a toggle for the fuel pump installed by a PO because they neglected to wire the pump on the ignition side of the switch. I guess it was SOP to flip the toggle off... when I replaced my fuel pump years ago I discovered the problem and rewired the pump but kept the switch.

Here is the real news though.

My engine wouldn't prime even though my pump was PACKED with vasoline. My oil pump lacks the priming plug. I tried pressurizing from various points using compressed air, I had filled the filter through the small plug, and I pumped oil into the oil gauge line and succeded in getting oil from the rockers under air pressure. The system simply would not prime, and I pretty much ran down a fully charged battery (with the spark plugs removed). I had anticipated this, and had two more batteries charged and standing by. Lacking any wheels and having the car on jackstands, I finally blocked one rear drum with a 2x6 across the studs, and took a shorter 2x6 and used it as a lever to rotate the drum backwards in 4th gear as Diane pumped oil into the oil gauge pick up line. No results. We removed the external oil line and primed it directly into the lower hole, and tried again... with a nice glob of oil bleching out of the hole. We hooked up the gauge and built up about 40 psi after some cranking.

Whew.

dave
Dave Braun

Davr;; I made a simple primer for all engines. I have been using this idea for 25 years.. I took a garden sprayer and modified the end to suit whatever end was needed to fit in where the oil pressure gauge is fitted. I put the required amount of oil in the can, pump up the presure and open the valve. After all the oil is in the engine reinstall the gauge and start it up. You will have pressure right away and all parts of the engine and valve assy will be pre=lubricated.
Sandy Sanders
Hudson Florida
Sandy Sanders

I did the same thing with a "gravy baster" ... and I "burped" the oil filter case.... (after priming, loosen the case and you will hear a little "hiss" of air...then tighten it down again).
gordon lawson

Yep, that's a great idea Sandy, and Gordon, I think I burped the oil filter case by accident when checking that I indeed had enough oil in the case. The air pressure from the compressor was fruitless, but it did get oil (and air) throughout the system. I should have gotten out the bulk oil / grease gun but it is such a PITA to clean... in retrospect it probably would have worked just like Sandy's suggestion.

I can see why filling the oil galley just above the pump and running the engine backwards worked. I bet I previously expelled the vaseline I had filled the pump with installing the distributer, because I turned the engine over several times without oil in it to find TDC on compression for one.

This site is priceless. Thanks for your help.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

This thread was discussed between 21/01/2006 and 22/01/2006

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