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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 - oil leak location?

Just getting used to the 52 TD I am caretaking for (and selling). I brought the car to my home yesterday from it's owners place about 15 miles from here. When it got home there was oil on the right side wing where it had blown through the louvers. The engine block has a few areas of oil on it and I have not had the chance to clean the block yet. This is my first experience with the T series. I am very used to B series blocks. Is this a front mail seal situation? There does appear to be some from there. I do not know the exact mileage on this car and I do know the car's engine has not had any work done to it in the last few years (Very low annual mileage). Looking for ideas from the peanut gallery.
Carl W French

Carl - One has to realize that the XPAG engine is rather primitive (designed inthe 30s) and is about one step up from the old open valve train engines, so even though it was considered an extremely dry engine in it's day, today we consider it to leak like a seive. The oil you are seeing could (probably) comes from the front main seal (a graphite rope seal). It could also just as likely come from leaks around the tappet inspectin plate, the rocker cover or the oil pump. If you clean the engine off very well, one poster on this BBS suggests spraying the block with Arid Extra Dry deororant to detcet where the leaks are coming from. Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

Carl,I had similar problem with mine after restoration and rebuilt motor. Although it looked like oil I found the gaskets/seals at base of carburetors were leaking. Carbs had been rebuilt but seals were dried out. new seals might fix it.
Gordon Wright

Ahhhh a loverley day for "cornoring robustly" here in Ohio today. I had fitted some fresh gaskets to valve cover & tappet inspection plate prior to an oil change and in anticipation of the nice weather forcast for today.
Anybody besides me notice replacement cork gaskets keep getting smaller? I thought I was having a "senior moment" the other day when I put them on...but on returnning home with oil pooring from the bonnet lovers I confirmed this by looking at some of the old ones I had removed from the car. (True obsesion when you throw absolutly "nothing" T related away)
Under speed the valve cover gasket got "sucked" under the lip and made a real mess of my engine compartment, and the side of the car.
I have finally come to the end of my collection of replacement cork gaskets and I know there was some talk of "alternate materials" being offered somewhere. Anybody have the contact information handie for those? Comments on experance with these? As I recall they were quite costly due to shipping ...anyone interested in a "co-op" purchase on quanity buy to help defer the cost state-side?
Cheers,
David 55 TF1500 #7427
David Sheward

Dave,
I questioned this earlier in the BBS ,,, did a search for Nitrile Rubber Gaskets,,, the contact info is
Rob Grantham
Perth Western Australia
grantham@internetexpress.net.au

I haven't tried them yet, but am thinking about doing so,,, I supprised that they are not carried by Moss or Abbingdon...

SPW
Steve Wincze

Steve,
Thanks...I sent an inquiry to them today.
Once I get an answer I will start a nue thread and see if others want to go in on a quanity purchase.
Makes sence to me that if we can get a bunch over here we can distribute via priorty mail stateside and we can all save some $$.
Cheers,
David 55 TF1500 #7427
David Sheward

Last I knew, Skip Kelsey of Shadetree Motors carried them.
Bud Krueger

This thread was discussed between 28/03/2004 and 30/03/2004

MG TD TF 1500 index

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