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 MGB Technical - Small L bracket on sump?

One of the holes for the sump bolts near the middle of the engine (on the manifold side) isn't tapped but is rather a straight through hole. I have a small L shaped bracket and a bolt to attach through this hole but I don't know what the bracket is for or exactly how it bolts on. Any ideas? I'll check my GT and see if it has one too.

Simon
Simon Jansen

Simon,

Is it for an SU carburetter overflow pipe?

Mick
Mick Anderson

Ah, could be. When I got the car it didn't have the overflow pipes. I need to make some from some copper tube or something.

I can't see on my GT since I can't get underneath it to look.

I should add this is on a 78B.
Simon Jansen

Simon,

It was usual for the "B Series" engine to have the SU overflow pipes held by a single bracket fitted to one of the studs holding the cover over the opening where a mechanical fuel pump was used on non-MG applications.
Early mga twin cam engines had 2 brackets fitted to sump bolts on the carburetter side, which held the overflow pipes.

Mick
Mick Anderson

I have a set of pics I took of my cars overflow pipes, taken when this came up before. I can e-mail them , or post them somewhere if u like
S Best

Email would be great. I think I figured out how it goes but a pic would let me know for sure. My email is on the message.
Simon Jansen

I'd appreciate that photo as well!

Cheers!
Rob
Rob Edwards

The purpose of the straight through hole and bracket on the later models is as another bracket/brace to hold the top end of the exhaust pipe to help take the strain off of the catalytic converter. This is in addition to the lower bracket which attaches below the bellhousing. If you still have the Zenith Carb, manifold, and catalytic converter, then this additional bracket helps to prevent the manifold from cracking. In that case there should be a circular clamp around the exhaust pipe to which the L bracket attaches. If you no longer have the original manifold/converter and exhaust, then just ignore it.
Joe M

That makes a lot of sense Joe. My car was originally from California and would have had the cataclysmic converter (according to Clausager). That is long since gone now though.
Simon Jansen

Rob,

The email address as shown on your web posting does not work.

Mick
Mick Anderson

Nailed it in one Joe! Simon, Joe is absolutely correct on the larger straight-through hole and the L-bracket. The L-bracket was missing on my 79, and when I replaced the exhaust system, the header pipe cracked circumferentially along the weld. New bracket solved the problem.

Paul K

This thread was discussed between 26/02/2005 and 28/02/2005

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGB Technical BBS is active now.