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MG TD TF 1500 - Rings - Reassembly

I am going to be re-assemling the engine parts I removed. Rings, pistons, rods, lifters, head etc. I need some advice on lubricating during re-assembly.
In preparation I bought Moss parts;
221-565 Lubricant, Engine assembly
220-805 ZDDP Plus oil additive
220-806 ZDDP Assembly Lub
I have Valvoline VR1 Racing oil, Marvel Mystery oil and WD40 on hand.

What goes on the connecting rod bearings?
What goes on the rings?
What goes on the cylinder walls?
What goes on the lifters?
What goes on the rocker assembly?
What goes on the the head?
What did I forget?

Thanks,
Mort
Mort Resnicoff 50 TD (Mobius)

My advise:

What goes on the connecting rod bearings?
Assembly lube

What goes on the rings?
Engine oil

What goes on the cylinder walls?
Engine oil
What goes on the lifters?
Assembly lube
What goes on the rocker assembly?
Engine oil
What goes on the the head?
Nothing.

That's my $.02

-David.
D. Sander

I'll second David's suggestions. I was once an advocate of the use of a copper spray on the head gasket before assembly. No more. It's virtually impossible remove all uneven traces of the material if you have to redo the installation. Bud
Bud Krueger

Mort, Bud is right about about copper spray use on head gaskets. I have always used chassis grease smeared on both sides of the head gasket and never had head gasket leak. Gerard
Gerard Hengeveld

Nothing under the bearing shells, clean & dry.
Len
Len Fanelli

If you are going to start the car within a few months I would also recommend as Dave S does above. I would pack the oil pump with grease or Vaseline, just to be safe.

But assembly lube is thin enough that it will run off over time, leaving unprotected surfaces. I recently disassembled an engine that had been rebuilt and left sitting for years, and all the assembly-lube surfaces were completely dry.

If an engine is going to sit for longer than 6 months I use a mixture of engine oil and Lubriplate, which will remain in place for literally years, and which will provide good start-up protection.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

I have always put a thin smear of lubriplate on the face of the bearing shells, but be careful, lubriplate is a dirt magnet. Wash hands very well, work in a clean environment and assemble before any dirt can be attracted to the grease.
-David
D. Sander

When we rebuilt my TD engine 27 years ago I coated all the moving or sliding or rubbing surfaces, liberally, with STP. It did not run again until this summer.
About 3/4 years ago we pulled the head and everything that I could see, inside, was bright shiny and well lubricated as the day we closed it up.

The oil pump was filled with Vaseline.


Jim B.
JA Benjamin

About priming the fuel pump:
The car is not going into storage and I will start and run it as soon as it is assembled.
I have the older style pump with the separate vertical oil filter. Since it was working fine I have not removed it. I am sure it is out of oil due to all the rotations of the cam shaft.
If Vaseline is the best method of priming, how do I get it in the pump?
Do I need to open it up?
Is there a way to prime with just oil?
Thanks,
Mort

PS: The photo is old and before I put an adapter on the filter for a spin off.


Mort Resnicoff 50 TD (Mobius)

Yes, Mort, you'd have to open up the oil pump. There is no need to do the Vaseline trick unless you have pulled it apart. (And, many people get no advantage out of it anyway.) In all likelihood you'll be able to simply put in the oil, remove the plugs and spin it with the starter until you see oil at the rockers. This usually happens within about 30 seconds. This is especially true if the filter hasn't been removed. There are many threads about methods for getting quick primes. Bud
Bud Krueger

I'd pull the pipe off the pump and pour oil in to the pump, just to be sure. These engines can be a real pain to prime.
-David
D. Sander

Mort, I've never rebuilt an engine and have no advice to offer. I just want to thank you for starting a new thread at each stage of your adventure. This series will be a very valuable part of the archives if (when?) I do become an engine rebuilder. Best of luck. I know you will prevail.

Jud
J K Chapin

Mort,
Did you check the ring end gap before mounting the rings? Check at both the top, and bottom of the bore, using an inverted piston to square the ring and push it down the bore. I'm curious to see how worn the bores are. Don't forget to get a good 60' 40' cross hatch with the hone.
-David
D. Sander

David, Yes I checked the end gap. I was advised by Moss technical support that it should be more of a gap than the WSM indicates. This is due to more modern ring materials. The WSM shows .006-.010" I run about .016-.020" and fairly consistent throughout the bore.

I have about a 40 degree cross hatch. I can see but not feel some vertical scratches in the cylinders. They are very minor and don't seem to be a concern. I did not want to over hone the cylinders to try to remove them. I don't think they will noticeably effect performance. (Said by the backyard mechanic).
Mort
Mort Resnicoff 50 TD (Mobius)

This thread was discussed between 08/01/2014 and 09/01/2014

MG TD TF 1500 index

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