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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 - TF Radiator Cap.

Does anyone know where to purchase the CORRECT Radiator Cap for an mgtf(1953-1955) ? As you all are no doubt aware the cap is a 4 lbs. pressure cap,BUT many of the suppliers seem to generally sell caps that are too short in 'neck' length.The rubber seal on the cap barely(if at all) reaches the base of the radiator's upper tank opening. The short 'neck' cap may be suitable for an MGA but not TFs.

Cheers for now.
Rob.Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos".
Rob Grantham

Hi Rob - interesting point. Do you have any measurements so we can all check out our existing caps for comparison?

Cheers John.
J.C Mitchell

Rob, this problem is also common with the Healeys. It usually occurs when someone goes to a local auto supplier, (such as Napa) and buys a generic replacement cap. Most of the American caps of the period were 3/4 inch depth, whereas the ones for the Healey were 1 inch depth. The regular Healey suppliers are aware of this and generally have the correct ones. Seems the TF suppliers would also?

Dallas
D C Congleton

Rob:

FWIW...

I bought one from NAPA about 5 years ago. When I asked them if they carried any 4# caps they asked me what type vehicle I needed it for. So I thought I'd humor them and tell them, since I was SURE they wouldn't have a listing for the MG. To my suprise they actually did have the MG and the year listed in their catalog. They handed me a STANT brand 4# cap. It fits properly and has worked well ever since.

Cheers!

Jim
Jim Rice

In Stant's catalogue (pdf), they list their model 10205 (4#) for the MGA 1600, the TF and the Magnette (early).

Unfortunately, their very usefull 'Lever-Vent' cap is not available for a 4# cap. They can probably justify it on MGs that require 7# caps.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A. Clark

Moss claims to carry the correct cap/

Don Harmer

Hi all,

Thanks to everyone for their prompt comments on the TF cap. I did some measurements as requested by John M. and found that the cap on the current car,which I believe to be an original one,has the 'long neck' with a distance of one and one sixteenth of an inch from the plate directly under the cap body to the bottom edge of the rubber gasket and seems to seal well. I have procured another new cap recently(Made in England) which I believe also fits TR2s and TR3s,which has a very similar measurement of one and one thirty second of an inch.This just makes a satisfactory seal. I suspect many TFs don't have the 'long neck'as supplied originally and therefore lack the necessary pressurisation?

Cheers for now.
Rob.Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos").
Rob.Grantham

Hi Rob - have checked my existing cap - Quinton Hazel make - 1 1/16" depth which correlates with yours ! I suppose if anyone's cap was not sealing well an extra circle of rubber on top of the existing would work by taking up the slack ?

Thanks for bringing up the issue,

Cheers John.
J.C Mitchell

This thread was discussed between 20/10/2007 and 22/10/2007

MG TD TF 1500 index

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