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MG TD TF 1500 - S&H air cleaners

I ran across a set of Stellings and Hellings chrome air cleaners in a box of old parts. They are about 4.5 inches in diameter. They are for a set of 1 1/4 SU carbs based on the bolt pattern and bore size. They appear as if they will fit my TD however, there seems to be opinions on this forum that they are useless and limit the air supply vs the stock air cleaner. Can anyone give me any clarification as to whether they are better or worse than stock? It would appear to me that the "filter" area would be larger than stock in total without doing any calculations. I wouldn't mind putting them on my driver if they are better. I'm not into period correct on it.

Mark
Mark Strang

I believe the originals were probably not that bad as far as air flow restriction. The reproductions being sold for at least the last decade on the other hand would barley be suitable for a 3.5 hp lawn mower IMHO.
L E D LaVerne

Thanks LaVerne. I think I'll just leave them in the parts box. Mark
Mark Strang

These original Hellings from 1952 breathe as well as running no filters. A bronze material (like an organized steel wool) acts as the filter media, between the steel rounds, when kept clean and oiled. On '49 TC H2's. Still work as good as new.


D mckellar

All installed


D mckellar

How the air gets in there


D mckellar

Mine are identical to yours shown in the photos. Maybe I'll rethink the issue, clean them up and try them. What do you do as far as the breather port in the valve cover? Where do you duct the fumes and vapors?

Mark
Mark Strang

They look much too restrictive to me. Firstly the ironwork around the carb inlet is going to restrict air flow, then there is the narrow gap between the filter and the cover, and finally the small inlet area. I think a pair of Vokes filters would be better, but its your choice.
Dave H
Dave Hill

I don't think Volkes won't fit. I've got a TD and there is no clearance that I can see for them to allow me to close the bonnet.
Mark
Mark Strang

And here are the ones I was talking about.


L E D LaVerne

Laverne,

Mine are domed shape about 2 inches high. I can see what you are talking about on the newer units. I agree with you. Seems to me as if the amount of the air entrance on the stock air cleaner is probably less than the openings on the S&H units. Also the distance the air has to travel and the number of bends the air has to make has an effect on the volume. I wish I could remember my fluids class from college. I guess when I have time I'll do some simple area checks to see which of the two has more surface area. If the old S&H units have more area, then it seems obvious that they will improve the flow to the engine. The reality is that we are talking a very small improvement at best but it is fun to play with the idea. Certainly not taking it to the track but it might be nice when we travel the mountains/hills of Western Virginia.

Mark
Mark Strang

If I were looking for something other than the stock oil bath, then I think this would be the way I would go myself.


Part # Price Description Application Qty
Rqd Qty
223-010 $107.99
air filter Assembly - K&N
1 1/4" SU (1 3/4" deep) 2
2
Add
L E D LaVerne

Might be a good alternative. On the other hand mine are free. I'll check into it.I need to see about the diameter. I think that I have some similar to the Moss offerings but they won't clear the stay rod for the radiator. I really like them and if I wanted to, I guess I could make a new rod to allow them to fit. Moss claims they will fit the T series cars so it might be worth the effort to try them. Worst case, they go back.

Mark
Mark Strang

Mark, it is always interesting to figure ways to plug the hole in the valve cover, yet allow it to breathe. One method I think Moss still sells is a sort of alum. slug that fits in the hole. It has a center vertical hole from the engine side (not all the way through) that meets a cross drilled horizontal hole, so it vents only out the sides. There is always a standard sort of push-in breather cap that can be made to fit. I have never been a fan of letting the oily vapor go through the carbs. My XPAG does not burn any visible oil, and likewise no blow-by. I like the easy access with the Hellings sort of filters, to allow fiddling, fine tuning, inspection of the throats, etc. I have heard numerous reports of the K&N filters being too restrictive on (only) the H2 carbs. The TC has a tight fit with bonnet on the front carb, but the Hellings fit fine. To clean up I soak in gasoline if they have got real dirty. Be sure and wire the inner and outer steel rounds together so the bronze in kept in between them. You rarely see a complete set of these early H2 Hellings on Ebay, etc, usually all or parts of the inner filter mechanism are missing. Seen something similar to the bronze media sold for old Harley D's air cleaners. Of course you do not get the micro-filtration like a paper filter would give.
D mckellar

Thanks for the ideas! I might have a go at it this winter. As I think back on it, I recall that when I got my TD about 25 years ago there were pancake type air cleaners on it. I'll have to search my photos to verify this and try to locate them. It'll be interesting to see what was on there when I got the car.

Mark
Mark Strang

I put them on my TD a few years ago, hated the sucking noise they made on acceleration. Took em off and sold them '
TRM Maine

Aside from the noise did they work well?

Mark
Mark Strang

@ Mark Strang, re: "What do you do as far as the breather port in the valve cover? Where do you duct the fumes and vapors?":

My TF currently has a pair of the thinner S&H air filters as shown in L E D LaVerne's latest picture. My father drilled a hole in the back plate of the rearmost backplate, then sweated in a copper elbow pipe to allow crankcase porting somewhat similar to the original setup.

I also have never been much of a proponent to passing the crankcase vapors back thru the carbs. I'm considering foregoing this setup & plugging the hole for the catch-can system discretely located on the frame rail similar to the commercially expensive MishiMotor oil catch can system.


T.A. Sirp

This is a picture of the S&H filter assembly. The pair I have are early 1970s versions of the "thin generation" using a washable foam filtering element.


T.A. Sirp

Regrettably, my TF's OE Vokes are long gone, but I do like the S&H looks. I've done baseline clearance research using the front filter assembly's constraints.

I plan to extend the cover mounting studs so I can use a thicker commercially available pleated paper filter from NAPA & still get the cover on & operating functionally without side panel interference.

I've got it written down out in the shop, but IIRC, this will allow a 1/4"+ thicker filter & be more in line with the OE Vokes dimensions.


T.A. Sirp

For whatever it's worth I tried these out on my TF and I'd reckon they filter far better than the stock ones and flow better than the repro S and H. It's also pretty easy to remove the filter element once install in a TF.


L E D LaVerne

Now that's a sexy filter assembly! Nice.
T.A. Sirp

Well its all in the eye of the beholder, but for me a definite no!
Dave H
Dave Hill

This thread was discussed between 03/12/2016 and 04/12/2016

MG TD TF 1500 index

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