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 - fuel line

The line leading from the tank to the fuel pump on my '51 TD is a very functional but ugly copper tube. I would like to replace it with a more attractive braided line at least long enough to be run out of sight under the car. Is the inlet thread on the fuel pump a standard sized tubing connection, or do I need something special?
J. McLeod

MOst of us have polished up the line leading to the fuel pump at least down to where it disappears under the car. Doesnt take much time and looks real nice, especially if you take the time to straighten out the line.
TRM Maine

It is a standard BRITISH sized flare connection for 5/16 tubing.
I think the braided line from the pump to the float bowl has the correct fitting.

You might be able to cut off the float bowl end of a braided line and just slip it over the shortened fuel line, securing it with a hose clamp.
Not sure about the inside diameter of the hose on wheather tis would work.



Don Harmer

it is your car, go for it. especially since this is the kind of mod the next owner can easily return to correct configuration. regards, tp
tom peterson

The fitting is a 1/4 BSP threaded nut with a nipple or an olive that fits to a 5/16" OD line. See Figures 2 & 11 in the chart, Fuel Line Fittings in the SU Fuel Pump Articles section of my web site at: http://homepages.donobi.net/sufuelpumps/ for description, pictures and part numbers of the fittings. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Thanks for your comments. Here is what the existing unit looks like.


J. McLeod

You might want to try polishing the copper, it looks very cool and gets lots of comments. George
George Butz

Polishing is effective. Spray it with a clear coat afterwards to preserve the finish. The correct routing is looping off the pump, along the firewall to a clamp on the upper radiator stay, across the lower firewall support (A-Tower) and then tuck around and under the frame.

You can reform the fuel line pretty easy with patient thumb pressure.

Incidently, the fuel line is the ground for the fuel level sender, so if you slice and put in rubber hose for a fuel filter or some such, you have to provide a new ground.

Here is an image of the routing.

warmly,
dave


Dave Braun

Dave, Is that a Lotus Elan in your garage? I am so jealous!!
Steven Tobias

NO NO NO!

Steve, the 'garage' is actually the workshop of a friend of mine who helped me in repairing my tub after the 'professional restorer' made a mish-mash of my door fit and paint. It's HIS Elan. We talked about it this weekend while visiting the local Street Rod show, the head was barely salvageable when he rebuilt the engine, but the rebuild was successful. I think he would let me drive it sometime if I only could fit in it! So for me, it is tantalizingly close yet far, far away.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Dave, Its too bad that we don't live closer...I am only 5'9"....You could drive it vicariously through me!! When I was young and these cars were new, a new '69 Elan was very close to the price of an XKE-around $6000, and an MGB was around 1/2, as I recall. I used to go around to all of the local dealers and waste their time test driving. Shameless!
Steven Tobias

My brother owned an Elan in the late '60s...(traded it in for a wife)... that was one amazing little car... the acceleration just went on and on...!!!! 'Sigh'!
gblawson(gordon)

Hey Gordon, You probably remember what a difficult little car it was to drive smoothly...It felt as if the driveline was made out of rubber bands! The rubber doughnuts in the halfshafts joints would wind up and the car would lurch forward like a slingshot!
Steven Tobias

J. McLeod,
Here is a pic of a red TD like yours with a clean copper fuel line,,, IMHO, it looks better than a braided line,,,

SPW


Steve Wincze

This thread was discussed between 07/02/2009 and 10/02/2009

MG TD TF 1500 index

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