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 - Head Thickness

There is a note in the Moss catalog on page 5 about cylinder head thickness.
They say the original head was 3.022". I found a note of mine from a couple of years ago that said mine measured "just under 2-15/16"". So I am about .090" short. I'm thinking this could be contributing to some of the excessive heat I have been battling with.
Although my heat problem is under control thanks to a 4 core radiator I would like to improve the geometry of the combustion chamber.
Moss offers a solid copper gasket at .032" that I could double up with a standard composite gasket.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Mort
Mort Resnicoff (50 TD-Mobius)

I personally wouldn't use a double gasket. I think Tom Maine has a source for solid copper gaskets cut to the thickness you might desire. Your gonna lose some horsey power if you go that route.
L E D LaVerne

Mort, it is not uncommon to remove .100" from the head, i.e., leaving it at 2.922". I've done that to mine. The result is a compression ratio of about 8.9:1 Is that too high for your blower? Bud
Bud Krueger

Hussey copper in PA will make a gasket for the XPAG for you. Call them and ask for BOB he has my pattern for the banana head engine. Mort, I think you are running a supercharger and you may be over the compression ratio on the car which should be under 8.0. the folks at hussy were really good and Bob has a B. no intrest in the co. but they are really good and fast.
Tom Maine

Mort,
Like Lavern mentioned, your are going to loose some power if you go back to a more standard head thickness/chamber volume,,, I guess you could also remove the supercharger to lessen the heat,, but that is going backward,,, more power is going to = more heat,, As long as you have that "Super" rad to deal with the heat that your motor generates,, I think you should leave the head alone,,,,,

Going to Oneonta in Sept??????

SPW
STEVE WINCZE

If going back to original head thickness is not the best idea, is there another thickness that would be desirable? Consider supercharger, 5 speed, 4.55 rear.


Steve,
Right now I am planning to go to Oneonta but I still haven't seen any details. Registration form, schedules, places to stay, etc.

Mort
Mort Resnicoff (50 TD-Mobius)

If you have the heat issue solved and you don't have any sign of valve knock, then I don't see the need to go to a thicker gasket. Bud says you have almost a 9 to 1 compression ratio. So thats asking a lot when you add the 6 lbs of boost I'm guessing the blower is giving you. Most street engines can barely get by on premieum pump gas with that ratio without some valve knock. Running a thicker gasket will bring that down. I'd think 8 to 1 would be a better ratio. With it down you will be able to advance the timing somewhat but you will be losing a little zip off the line. If you do that and want to play with it a little you can bump things back up by running a smaller blower pulley which will give you more boost. Not sure if Moss has one available but Tom does for his. It may work on your set up. Requires a longer belt. Do that and then you may be back to where you are now.
L E D LaVerne

Mort, for the sake of comparison, I am running a M-N supercharger with a pulley set up that gives me about 3 to 4 pounds pressure. Differential is 4.3 with a Datsun 5 speed transmission. The head has been milled to provide about 8.2:1 CR but I don't have the exact thickness number available. The pertronix ignition, a distributor reworked by Jeff Schlemmer and a 4 row radiator core completes the set-up. It runs just great and big trucks don't run over me on the highway.
Jim Merz

Mort,
You should have recieved all of the registration stuff in the June Octagon,,, Are you a member of the New England MG "T" Register??
Also here under "events"

http://www.nemgtr.org

SPW

STEVE WINCZE

Hussey just told me, and rather rudely, that they are no longer in the business of supplying HG for MG engines. Harumph!
John Redman

Steve,
Thank you. I just missed it. I am now registered on line. 9/11-9/15.
See you then.
Mort
Mort Resnicoff (50 TD-Mobius)

Gene Fodor is doing the registrations for the Oneonta GOF. They are trickling in, and he has several survivors already.
-David
D. Sander

Dave, Mort,
We are going up on Thursday,,, bringing along two "First Timers",,, They are unable to get away on Wednesday,,,,It's a nice trip from over here going through the Catskills,,,

SPW
STEVE WINCZE

I am going on Thursday as well. I should be bringing a freshly restored TF and a survivor TF too. (that was also what I did in North Conway, I brought a restored td and a survivor td, kinda my thing now). Now all I have to do is finish restoring the TF. Hummm. Head thickness to the Oneinta GOF? It is official, this thread has been...Hijacked!

-David
D. Sander

Back to the original thread for a moment:

I'd suggest that you folks get a copy of Hal Kramer's Article "Tuning the Head of a T Type Engine" in the June 2001 issue of TSO. Bud
Bud Krueger

Just got THIS from Gasket Works:
Can do...

.043? or .050". Same price $120.00 ship is about $12-15.00 ups


Mordy

M.N.Dunst
Gasket Works USA, LLC
www.Headgasket.com
John Redman

This thread was discussed between 16/07/2013 and 17/07/2013

MG TD TF 1500 index

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