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MG TD TF 1500 - One thing leads to another

While returning from a car show, about a 100 mile round trip I notices a new clacking noise at idle coming from the front of my 53 TD. Investigation revealed one of the slats in front of the radiator loose at the bottom end. Pulled radiator and found 3 of the studs on the inside of the shroud with broken solder joints. Repaired same with epoxy/steel. While radiator out why not a quick trip to the shop for a check. Found radiator flowing at 12 gallons per minute. Shop reference said 16 gpm so gave her a good flush and by golly she flows at 16 gallons per minute. Pressure testes at shop recommended 3 psi and no leaks. So far so good. Reassemble, reinstall, and fill with 60/40 water/antifreeze and water wetter. Walk around to start car and humm, ignition key is in on position. Must have been me bumping switch. No one else touches the car. Battery stone dead. Jumper her off and let her idle while temperature comes up. Cooling system seems to be working fine, top up radiator and off for a test drive. After a mile or two notice oil pressure drops unusually low at a stop light. Pressure is eratic when revs increase. Back home by most direct route. Check oil which was last known to be down 1/2 quart. Now oil level is way over full. After some though check the fuel level which is down considerably from where I remember it should be. Figure out that key levt on pumped gas to carbs until battery died.
Gas leaked into intake and into cumbustion chamber then down cylinder wall(s)into sump.
Well it was time for an oil change anyway.
Try to remove drain plug. Try and try and try with every tool available. Use mototool to recut rounded plug to next smaller hex size. Even try inpact wrench with no appearent movement of plug. Conside buying a sump pump of the type used to change oil in inboard boat engins. Too late at night, nothing open. Drill 7/16 hole through brass plug as near bottom edge as possible leaving room to cut threads. Find missing gas. Tap hole for 1/4-18 brass pipe plug. Go to bed. Next morning fill with Castrol 20W-50 oops only 4 quarts on hand. Spin engin on starter motor and wow, plenty of oil pressure. Turn key and she is purring like new. Off to buy case of oil. Top up sump in parking lot of parts store. Oops rapid drip at drain plug. Home be most direct route suspecting my drill and tap job all the way. New plug is not leaking its the old plug which must have turned a bit under the attack of the air wrench. Still can't budge to retighten. Drain oil and clean area stretch teflon tape very thin and work behind plug flange. Finally, no drip. Coat seam between old drain plug and sump with epoxy steel. Watch ball game. Recoat joint watch race on TV. Refill sump and wow, no drip. Go for test drive. Zooming along listening to that wunderful exhaust note that makes owning an MG worth all the work and stoping for the same light where first noticed oil pressure problem. This time notice rough idle and on pulling away rough exhaust note with some hesitation and missing. Back home by most direct route. Quick look at carbs but nothing to out of kilter there. Pull dist cap and wipe out, check points and gap, seem ok, pull plugs which are very sooty. Clean and reinstall. Off for a test drive. Still rough but not as bad. Take a different route this time that traffic light is a jinx. After a mile or two roughness clears and exhaust note is pure again. Head for a back highway and let her streatch her legs. Running better than I can remember. Back home by very indirect route through a rain storm with top down and a big grin. Going to take nap. Laugh if you want. Comment if you like. MG for ever.

Safety fast
Jimbo6
J. M. Haskins

This thread was discussed on 15/06/2003

MG TD TF 1500 index

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