MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - tough nut to crack

I am having difficulty unscrewing the drain plug nut to drain the oil from my TF. I have finally gotten the engine mounted on an engine stand and with the drain plug nut easily accessible, I thought it would be a simple task of unscrewing the plug and draining the oil (had not been able to unscrew previously).

For the life of me I can not get this nut to loosen. This nut has been pretty much stripped, prior to my acquiring the TF, and so sockets won't work. I have tried channel locks and vice grips, but still can not get this blasted thing to budge. I'm I simply missing something here? Is there a tool that will grab hold and not come loose?

TIA for any suggestions -- John
JL Brickell

Hi John, it's probably a fair bet to suggest that the thread in the sump has been stripped in the past and the P/O has used some kind of two pack like Devcon or similar to permanently attach the plug.

The sump thread is very fragile and this has always been a problem with these cars.

I would remove the sump and have a look from the inside as well.

To get a grip on the plug you will need to file the edges of the plug down to the next socket size that you have available, be it SAE or metric. This is a bit of a mission but should be possible.

Hope this helps,

Paul.
Paul van Gool

John - If all else fails after removing the sump to work on the plug, start drilling an ever expanding hole through the plug as far as you can without getting into the threads. From there work slowly with a Dremel tool to cut wide slots in the remaining material until you can use a punch to break the plug out. As Paul suggests, some previous owner probably put the plug in with something like JB Weld or the plug has corroded in place, so don't be overly concerned with the threads. If the threads turn out to be destroyed, you can get a Recoil kit to put new threads in the sump. If the threads are just filled up with JB Weld or whatever, contact me, I probably have a tap that we can used to clean the threads out. Cheers - Dave
PS - good to finally meet you Saturday.
David DuBois

I had this same problem when I got my TD. I removed the sump, put the drain plug (or what was left of it) in the bench vise and heated the aluminum around the plug. Then used the sump itself as a breaker bar and wound the plug out. The threads in the sump came out ok I am still using them without retapping or using a Helicoil.

I put the plug in the mill-drill and cut a new hex on it 3/4 in. SAE. But that is a spare now, I also made a new plug from stainless steel. This is an example of what happens when you put brass and aluminum together in the presence of water. In oil it's OK.

Cheers,

Bob
R. K. Jeffers

Mine was 'so in there' the p/o had drilled a small hole behind and above it and put in another small drain plug...with very few threads.... We got the old one out with heat and persistence... and sealed up the small one!
gblawson(gordon)

As always, the advice and input are very helpful and much appreciated. I now have ways of proceeding, and nice to know that I am not alone in confronting this problem.

Cheers -- John
JL Brickell

John, if the edges are already gone, then I would use a pipewrench. This thing really bites into the nut firmly (you will see the marks clearly) and at least some of these tools have really long legs allowing you to bring forward an enormous torque. I added an example as an image. For me, if nothing else goes and as a last step before drilling, I use this one. Also some heating (with a hort-air blower, no flames down there and only if the oil is out). Greetings, Huib


Huib Bruijstens

For my last TD oil change, I used a marine oil suction pump. It has a tube that goes in through the dipstick hole. It has a collection chamber and a built-in hand pump (costs around $50). When I did remove the sump plug, there was only a couple of ounces of oil left. I did this to save what always turns out to be a mess. I have been doing this for years on my marine diesel engines, where one has no access to the bottom of the sump.
I think that, in the future, I won't even deal with the bottom plug. If there were any metal chips, they would show up in the filter-which I always check.
One thing to keep in mind-you need to get the oil pretty hot in order to get it to flow through the thin tubing. This is good thing, becuase it insures that any ugly stuff gets suspended in the waste oil and gets removed.
Steven Tobias

John

As it appears you are going to replace the plug. You may want to take a cold chisel, put it on the edge and hit it with a hammer in the unscrew direction.

The chisel should get a bite and hitting it may break the plug loose.
Bruce-C

WITH THE OIL PAN REMOVED YOU CAN TRY HEATING IT UP AND MELTING CANDLE WAX ON BOTH SIDES OF THE THREADS. WHEN HOT THE WAX WILL PERMEATE THE AREA AND SHOULD ALLOW YOU TO UNSCREW IT.
ONE THING TO REMEMBER IS WITH ALUMINUM YOU SHOULD NEVER ROCK THE NUT ETC BACK AND FORTH, THIS WILL CAUSE GALLING AND LOCK IT UP PERMANTLY.
SANDY
conrad sanders

This thread was discussed between 21/01/2009 and 22/01/2009

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.