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MG TD TF 1500 - oil drain plug leaks

1954 mgtf: The oil drain plug leaks. There is a lot of oil under the car in the garage. I bought a new plug and it leaks. Do I put plumbing tape around the threads and screw it back in or is the oil going to eat the tape?
Ed Eastman

Ed - Did you get a new copper gasket along with the plug? If you have the old copper gasket you can try annealing it by heating it until it is bright red, then let it air cool. This will remove any work hardening that has developed over the years. Also, are you sure that the plug is leaking? A leaky front seal will let the oil seep out and run back along the sump, to drip off of anything that projects from it. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

if daves suggestions for the plug gasket don't do it for you...DO NOT use teflon tape. use an automotive thread sealant compound. napa sells it. regards, tom
tom peterson

Ed, I have a copper gasket from Moss. I have found that it slips way off center when I tighten the plug. This happens because there is an undercut on what I would call the shank of the plug, between the last thread and the sealing surface. I found that if I hold the washer approximately centered with a thin blade until I start to tighten it, it seals much better.
steve tobias

I gave up on the copper washer 50 years ago. I have been using a fibre washer ever since, with success; and more recently in conjunction with a magnetic plug (good decision).

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.

Gordon A. Clark

Somewhere in the archives is a picture of an original drain plug with a round wire or clip that circumferentialy fits in the "groove" under the threads and the flat part of the plug, which is should center the washer. You can also slightly snug the plug and manually center the copper washer. I second no teflon tape- some years ago had repeated steam trap failures in an autoclave- finally cut one open and found bits of teflon tape fouling the ball/seating area- could do the same with oil galleys I think. George
George Butz

One method I have found to keep the washer centered if the circlip that George mentions is missing, is to put an "O" ring over the threads, and it will fit into the groove, keeping the copper washer centered.

Dallas
D C Congleton

George, that's on the gearbox drain plug.


Bud Krueger

This thread was discussed between 23/12/2008 and 02/01/2009

MG TD TF 1500 index

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