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 Midget and Sprite Technical - Timing cover gasket /oil seal replacement

Hi all ,

due to an oil leak on my midget 1500 ,which i think is coming from the timing cover, i intend to replace the gasket and oilseal.
Just a couple of questions which may sound daft .....

1/ Do i need to drain engine oil before removing cover?
2/ Do i need to put gasket sealant on both sides of timing cover gasket ?

thanks



















































D Stratton

1. No

2. Yes. Use Blue Hylomar.

However it is unlikely to be the gasket but the more likely the lip seal pressed into the timing cover.
Deborah Evans

Thanks Deborah,


any tips or tricks to make the job run easier ?
D Stratton

When re-fitting the cover with a new oil seal, be sure to fit it in position loosely at first, then turn the engine over 2 or 3 times to centralise the oil seal on the crank before final tightening of the fixing screws. If you don't do this the lip on the new seal will wear quickly.
Guy

Nice one , thanks
D Stratton

You will need the Rad out.

Undo the engine mounts and (with a block of wood under the sump) jack the engine until the front pulley is clear of the steering rack. Then remove the front pulley - to get the pulley nut off you need a 46mm socket (or whatever the AF equivalent is - I've just checked my tool rack for you and mine is 46mm) and a feck off big breaker bar (the nut is torqued to 150 ft.lbs).

Stick the car in gear, handbrake applied, wheels chocked, and break the torque.

You may or may not need a 'puller' to get the pulley off - I use a wooden lever I made up years ago to lever it off.



With regards to what Guy says about centralising the lip seal, I've never had a problem with this in 30 years of working on these engines. What I do is to press the seal in half way using a socket and a vice, fit the timing cover sans gasket, fit the pulley nut and rotate the crank through a couple of revolutions. Remove the timing cover, press the seal all the way home, then refit the timing cover with the gasket.

Make sure you record which timing cover bolt and setscrew goes where, since they are different lengths. Also be very careful with the bottom central two bolts because these engage in an alloy block and it is easy to strip threads here (with predictable results).
Deborah Evans

Thanks again Deborah
D Stratton

This thread was discussed between 05/07/2011 and 06/07/2011

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.