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MG TD TF 1500 TD Operating Shaft Cap BBS discussion at MG-Cars.net
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MG TD TF 1500 - TD Operating Shaft Cap
| I am new to my 53 TD. There is a hex cap on top of the "remote control assembly" (shift housing), located a few inches in front of the shift lever "bowl" It is a cap, spring and plunger (Moss drawing call out #45) Moss Part 443--020. This cap is just finger tight on my car. I have no idea what these parts do and how they should be adjusted. Help please? Steve Hess Rochester NY |
| S Hess |
| Steve It is an anti rattle device. John |
| John James |
| John The wonders of the Internet. I post a question while getting ready to consume too much turkey in the colonies and minutes later a helpful response from across the "pond" Thanks so much. I think my totally restored TD lacks this assembly because I don't think the plunger and spring are under that cap. Would you suggest I ignore it all or buy the parts from Moss? Steve Hess |
| Steven Hess |
| Steve I would fit it for authenticity, but I don't think it makes much difference on my TF. The parts are very cheap anyway. John |
| John James |
| John That is my intent. I will order the parts from Moss after I digest our National Turkey dinner today. I have had the car less than a week and have a year's worth of reading to do to get to know this machine. I had an MGA back in 1962 and what I remeber most was replacing water pumps on my $212/month slary as very junior Navy ensign. Thank you again. Steve |
| S Hess |
| Steve If you are going to maintain the car yourself I can fully recommend the New England MG T Register T Type Restoration Handbook. It really explains how to set up the SU carbs etc. John |
| John James |
| Welcome Steve. I have had my TD for 30 years. I also have had a Bug Eye Sprite. 68 Austin sprite, 68 MGB and am currently restoring a 67 MGB GT. You found the right place. The people on this web know just about all there is to know. I always use this as my first reference when a quesion comes up. Asking is the only way to learn |
| Bruce Cunha |
| The spring/plunger fit sort of up into the female extention of the cap, but the plunger must stick out. If spring/plunger are missing, replace them. Just tighten the cap down. It will reduce the gear lever chatter/rattle. |
| George Butz |
| Thank you all for your kind and helpful remarks and suggestions. I suspect I have no choice but to maintain this fine car by myself...where do you go these days in the US to find an MG shop...not in Rochester, NY anyway. |
| S Hess |
| Check out the western new york british car club... they will have contacts...... you will be surprised how many british auto mechanics will start to surface once you make some contacts |
| gordon lawson |
| Steve, A good start would be to contact Charlie Searles who is the Events Coordinator for the New England MG T Series Register, and who lives in/near Rochester - Phone [716] 588-2800. For the record, the New England MG T Series Register is a uniquely MG T club ~ no MGAs or MGBs - they have their own registers. Then you’ve also got:- MG Car Club of Western New York Center 411 Seneca Park Rochester, NY 14613 USA Contact: SPOKES Editor at - <spokes@mgcarclub.com> Membership: Jim Priestley, 251 Bronx Drive, Rochester, NY, 14623-1005 |
| Gordon A. Clark |
| Gordon Thanks so much. I have been in touch with Charlie since the day the TD was delivered by Geoff Wheatley last week. Charlie promised to have me and "Teddy" (the TD :) )over as soon as possible. He has ben very helpful and the first job is to get the car inspected so I can be on the road with a NYS sticker. I have also sent in my check to the NE Registry. I did not know about the Rochester MG club but will contact Jim today. I have also bought every book offered by Moss and the Registry but it is a lot to absorb from scratch. The car runs great (if I don't compare it to my modern Mercedes) but I am nervous about doing what needs to be done to ensure the MG starts up come next spring. Charlie promised to help and I look forward to his counsel. I am fortunate to have bought this car from Geoff Wheatley. His reputation is such that I closed the deal without ever sitting in the car or moving it an inch (it was blocked by his other gorgeous cars in his garage). The hour after Geoff was kind enough to deliver the car a few days later (a 130 mile trip, each way), I "borrowed" a plate from my Liberty and took a 50 mile round trip jaunt to my office and back. It was, as they say, a blast from the past but I quickly thought better of it and spent the rest of that afternoon in line at the Motor Vehicle Bureau to get plates. Thanks again to all who have been generous with comments and suggestions. Steve |
| S Hess |
| Steve I fitted a pertronix electronic ignition unit in my TF. No more points to fiddle with and guaranteed first time starts. I got mine from Chip Kelsey of Shadetree Motors. http://www.shadetreemotors.com/ It is very easy to instal inside the distributor and worth every penny. Getting bored with cold turkey by now? John |
| John James |
| Steve, I strongly suggest that your first thought is of Abingdon Spares when you think of parts for your TD. They're at http://www.abingdonsparesllc.com/. IMHO they are far superior to Moss. |
| Bud Krueger |
| You folks are great. this site is a PhD inb MGTD Thanks so much. Will get the ignition Monday Steve |
| S Hess |
| John My caf is positive ground but how do I know if the the distributor cam is symmetrical or assymetrical to order the electronic module?? Steve |
| S Hess |
| Steve According to the N E MG. T type Restoratopn Manual all engines after XPAG/TD2/24489 were equipped with disitributors with high lift cams. This change was introduced in Jan 1953 so if your car has it's original distributor it should have a high lift cam which has four gently curved sides and four sharpish corners. There is a clear diagram showing the three different cam shapes. Basically the symmetric has four markedly straight sides with four round corners whereas the asymmetric is far more rounded with no straight edges. If you are unsure about what type you need I suggest talking to Skip Kelsey. He is very knowledgable and most helpful. John |
| John James |
| Steve, here's a page showing the installation of a Pertronix into my negative ground TD: http://home.earthlink.net/~budkrueger/Pertronix_Into_TD.html Skip Kelsey is, without doubt, your best source. |
| Bud Krueger |
| Bud... is that polarity specific... or do you still run positive earth? |
| gordon lawson |
| Gordon I fitted a positive earth version, which comes with the relevant instructions. Bud's car has had a sex change! John |
| John James |
| To All, While I have heard many good reasons to switch to the Pertronix and have heard of many trouble free miles,, I have also heard of a few instances where the Pertronics Ignition has failed,,, leaving the car inoperative till a new unit could be recieved,, where as if the points or condensor fail, its simple to put in a spare set and be on your way,,, SPW |
| Steve Wincze |
| Steve The Pertronix unit comes attached to it's own base. Installation involves removing two screws holding the condenser/points baseplate and swopping the plates over. A very minor alteration to the wiring is easily reversable, so replacing the points could be done at the roadside in the unlikely event of a failure. John |
| John James |
| Who knew that a sid benefit of buying a 51-year-old "used car" introduces one to so many like-minded, knowlegdeable, kind and helpful people. I learn more each day from you all and this site. Thank you all so very much. I now understand the three-different cam lobes and will order the electrnic ignition. Keeping a set of traditional points in the tool box should not be a problem just in caes Steve |
| S Hess |
| sorry for the sloppy typos...trying to eat breakfast and type at the same time :( |
| S Hess |
| Bud's installation link is fantastic. Look at it if you have not done so. |
| S Hess |
| Thanks for the kind words, Steve. SPW is right about the possibility of failure, but as John pointed out, the original points plate lifts out with the connecting wire still attached. I keep mine in a small box in the toolbox. The re-configuration takes less time than installing a new set of points would. Yes, I have converted to negative ground. I can blame a long career as an EE for that way on thinking. I go back to the days of 'valves' (tubes to you youngsters). |
| Bud Krueger |
This thread was discussed between 25/11/2004 and 28/11/2004
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