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MG TD TF 1500 - Oil pressure on resurection

After a five year rest, the widow's 51 TD is starting to come back to life. With plugs out, fuel pump disconnected, a fresh battery and an oil change, I decided to give the motor a spin. First, I hand cranked with my left hand while feeling for pressure in each cylinder with my right index finger via the sparkplug holes. Not scientific but each cylinder seemed to put out good even pressure so I'm assuming there's no stuck valve issues.

As this car is relativly early, the oil pump has no priming bolt/orface. So I decided to take a chance on the starter motor and see whether the oil pressure would register and presto--within seconds it shot to twenty five pounds! Is that sufficiant oil pressure to give her a start up? I've read as much as I could find in the archives put I couldn't find this one. Thanks for the advise.

Paul
Paul Hanley

While I advocate not bothering too much about oil pressure, I had the experience of having to rebuild my engine and I did what you did, cranked it up without the ignition key on, to see the pressure. I think however that 25 psi is not enough, I'd expect about 40, taken at the head, and 50 if taken below. Remember, however, that what you read on the gauge may not be the actual value, for instance if you have some loss in the line going to the gauge.

Denis
1950 TD
Denis L. Baggi

Paul- start the beast! A Nissan L-28 motor when hot idles at less than 10psi. You need around 10psi/1K rpm, more or less to keep the metal apart. 25 with the slow turning starter is great.
George Butz

Thanks fellas. Tommorrow, I'd having the csr flat bedded to my shop where the fun will continue! Only this time, I don't have to pay for parts! Feels good to be building cars again. Good luck with the weather George--hoping for the best for all down your way.

Safety Fast

Paul
Paul Hanley

Paul, please keep us up to date as you progress -- and pictures if you can. We have all enjoyed watching Gordon Lawson bring back his barn find.
Also, agree with George, 25 registering with hand crank shows you haven't lost prime.
Regards,
Dennis
D F Sexton

She runs!! Fresh midgrade gas and second pull of the starter and zoom zoom! Idles warm at a smooth 1000rpm, oil pressure doesn't seem effected by rpm at a constant 45 psi. No fuel leaks at the carbs. Water temp gauge inop as well as ignition warning light and a few other electrical issues to sort through--turn signals, wiper motor, etc. Ammeter doesn't seem to do anything. So now it looks like a few days of piddling with it, maybe a clay/polish/wax treatment for the paint. The plan is to have most everything done while its rolling before total replacement of the entire braking system--possibly including new pipes. Will send everything to Whitepost for resleaving/rebuilding. Hate to start the big brake fluid debate, but I'm leaning towards the silicon side of things as my fear is that the car won't get much use after a year or so of driving by the widow of 70+ years--after the novelity wears off or other inevetable factors come into play.

BTW, I have an original shop manual and I've seen in the archives that one of the brake diagrams is wrong as it pertains to the front leading shoe situation. Anyone know anything about that?

Thanks again

Paul
Paul Hanley

WTG Paul:

Don't believe the Widow will be racing the TD, so I would go with the silicon. A lot less potential for problems for her - especially if it will sit around.
Bruce Cunha

I don't know, I may be repeating myself (old folks do) but My Rover 3500S 1970 was converted to Silicone fluid in 1983 when I redid the cpmplete system. It then was a daily driver until 1986 when I was (forced) to drive a compny car that I didn't (no matter how free) so my Rover sat in various stages ofdissassembly for repainting and other stuf until 1999 when I retired from working for a living. The only thing on the while car mechanically that DID NOT GIVE A PROBLEM were the brakes. So I swear by silicone and have conerted my 52 TD to silicone. Greg & Grimm (can't convert my '65 BSA toobad)
G.J. Cenzer

Main reason i went with the silicone was the all new brake lines... Only had to clean out all the T joints and replaced the brake switch (which started sticking on down in Watkins... seems to have sorted itself out now). The cost of the silicone isn't enough more to worry about and i assume i won't have to do it again.
One of my rear cylinders was pretty bad and the honing wasn't enough to prevent a small leak... will have to replace that one).
gordon.b.lawson '53TD

Paul,
Too late ,,, it's started,,,,>>Hate to start the big brake fluid debate, but I'm leaning towards the silicon side of things<< Silicone in our TD for over 55,000 miles,, not problems soo far !!
SPW
Steve Wincze

Great job! Silicon convert years ago. White post used to not like it, and I did have one wheel cyl. they sleeved that leaked- was never sure if between the sleeve/cyl metal or where. See archives for many discussions of this. Don't remember the shoe thing, also in the archives? Think I have looked at the picture in the manual before- have to figure out R or L. So far latest hurricane well offshore. Roads still lined with tree trunks/branches/filth from last two, minor flooding. Now a 50mph wind for a day with 7 inches of rain and no power seems routine!
George Butz

Paul, congratulations. She will really appreciate what you have done and the feelings you get will be a great reward.

You may not see much change to the oil pressure until the car warms up and you have it on the road -- above 2500 rpm.
Regards,
Dennis
D F Sexton

This thread was discussed between 12/09/2004 and 14/09/2004

MG TD TF 1500 index

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