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MG TD TF 1500 - Parting a TD engine

If you had a spare TD engine, what are the parts that should be kept? What is know to fail in/on these engines? I may be getting a spare TD engine and would only wnat to keep what was needed in the event I had failure with my TD.
I have so many parts laying around I need to purge to offset the price of a potential project I am looking at. This post will help me determine what is best to keep on the shelves.
VWP Pina

Vince,

Since the known failures are crank shaft, tappet/camshaft due to poor lubrication or improper aftermarket parts, gudgeon pinch bolt, valve and piston... most of which could take out the block or sump as well... I would put the whole engine on a trolly and keep it.

If you are talking about ancillary parts (distributer, water pump, carbs, dynamo and the like, they don't take up much room, and are pretty available.

The only things I would sell are the manifolds and air cleaner system, as you can reuse those from almost any catastrophy.

I could thought about this harder, but engines are something that if you have a spare, it seems easier to keep it in one piece.

dave






Dave Braun

I agree with Dave, blocks are very hard to get,,,,

SPW
Steve Wincze

Dave nailed it...keep the block and everything in it...it's a nice tidy package with everything you'll ever need in one place.
Gene Gillam

I agree with the team... keep the entire thing if you are financially able to at all. Make and engine stand and keep it running. go out there every week or so and crank her up. Most of us would LOVE to have a spare.

Sid
Sid Orr

Vince,

The only part I would actually discard, would be the camshaft. Newer designs, newer materials, and not too expensive. Ditto possibly the cam followers and probably the timing chain.

Anybody building up a new engine, will almost certainly put these new in the engine.

As for the crank; if its a TD engine and original, expect the crank to be of nodular iron, which if taken care of will last. TF engines used a slightly better iron. New cranks are steel and are very expensive.

If I were buying a used crank, I would insist on a crack-testing certificate and of straightness. Unless the journals are burnt, I would grind all surfaces and give the buyer something he could install with confidence.

If you were really ambitious, you could build it up yourself, and sell it as a short black with the confidence of good workmanship and quality parts.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.

Gordon A. Clark

Vince
When my TD engine threw a rod, I was able to find another engine. I took every part of the cracked block. Sold things that were duplicate such as valve cover, timing chain cover, side tappet cover, breather pipe, front engine plate, exhaust and intake manifold. The things that normally do not break or wear out.

I kept the oil pump, crank, cam, rods and pistons (well the three that survived), and the head, starter, generator.

If I did have a spare, I would rebuild it and keep it together.
BEC Cunha

Clean it up well as it sits...paint it red and use it as a coffee table or corner sculpture.... The day (gulp) you put a rod through your block (heaven forbid) you will thank yourself you saved it whole!!!!
gblawson - TD#27667

Vince, if you plan on keeping the TD in your family till the end than I would't let anything go from it. I think the day is going to come when were not going to be able to open up the Moss or Abingdon catalog and order a new crank or pistons etc. Unlike most of us you appear young enough in your photos to be capable of wearing out a couple of engines in your life time . If I had the dough ( and I don't at this time) I'd rebuild it and store it for future use.

LaVerne
LED DOWNEY

All the above, do not take it apart. You won't save much space, and things go missing, get damaged, and if you get rid of one part it is always the one you need. If you can't spare the space or need the cash, sell it complete or give it away, and scratch for parts as needed. There's a million bits of things out there that will never go anywhere but a scrapyard, because sooner or later, nobody knows or cares what it's for. Whole cars or big assemblies strike most people as something worth asking about. Like all the Magnette grills that are separated from their cars, while all the bodies are long gone. I expect the same is true of TDs. I knew a guy who took the lenses off of every B or Spridget he could find (including mine), left the lamp bases on the cars to rot - when he died, the boxes of OE Lucas lenses - and God only knows what else that fit in boxes - went dumpster.
FRM
FR Millmore

Keep it whole. I think you would get a lot more for it whole than parts from what I have seen on ebay. As the guys above say, the covers, manifolds, etc. likely would never wear out or break. But, the whole thing tight, sealed, and assembled would be better. You would not believe how many times my spare/junk parts collection has saved me. Just recently broke the end of a starter end plate retrieved one from my "junk". You could need any and everything, which may or may not be available down the road. I needed a new head, as one of the valve guide bosses was broken and the guide loose. Luckily never a whole block like David. George
George Butz

Vince, in addition to the above, my car's exhaust manifold was burnt through and had to be replaced, so you had better keep that too. Remember Murphy, what you throw away, you'll eventually need.
Regards, Richard.
R Payne

Wow. I figgerd there'd be sumtin. We'll see if I even get it but I will have to go with the consensus and keep it whole. I'll just have to rely on selling all my midget & B - GT parts to raise the cash.
VWP Pina

This thread was discussed between 27/04/2007 and 29/04/2007

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