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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 - TF1500 engine alignment / Volks air cleaners

For too long I have been reading on here the advantages of running the stock Volks air cleaners for my TF. (Mainly how the S&H choke the airflow.)

The car came to me with the S&H on it, but the Volks were in the boot.
Biggest problem is that the S&H barely fit in my bonnet.
(It is so tight that I have to remove the bolts on side panels and the air cleaner mounting flange from the front carb to remove the carbs.)

Qusetions:
1: Is the spacer between carbs & manifold in this picture abnormally large?
(Car had no spacer when purchased this was added years ago when battling vapor-lock issues.)
2: Does my engine need aligned better?
3: Best place to start on adjustment for that?
4: Has anybody found a K&N filter that will fit the Volks?
(Part number?)
I am a big fan of K&N and run them on my other cars.
Moss sells a kit using these. Anybody know if the elements supplied with it will fit stock Volks?
(Part number?...don't seem to sell "just elements".)

If someone has a good picture of Volks in place showing how close they are to the side panels that might be a great help.
(simular "view" as my pic)


David Sheward

I monkeyed with trying to use a K&N with the S & H but gave up. No way to fit the front unit. I've wondered about the fit of one of the sloped units but with the blower I had no further pursuit. I would like to have one one the blower as compared to the pancake type I have now because I believe it would give better flow. I never had the stock jobs but what I did wind up using was the bumble bee type that I had on the B and put the K & Ns on the B. Not the best but better than the repo S & H I believe. Another thing I did with the K & Ns is cut the bolt spacers down and inserted a B stock filter base in side. I believe that the radiused entry does a lot for the air flow into the carb. A good thing about the bumble bees is it is very easy to remove the filters.


LaVerne

Is this any help?


Mike Sutton

Or this? Gap is half inch between filter and body at top


Mike Sutton

And this one from inside the engine compartment.
The front bolt air cleaner to carb is a s.o.b to secure. You need the fingers of a six year old!


Mike Sutton

This is not the stock set-up as the carbs. are from an MGA 1500. The spacers are also MGA. Can get a calling card between the front of the filter and the side, but that's about it.


David Werblow

Mike,
Thanks that helped a lot.
As I suspected ...your "spacers" seem to be about 1/3 the size of what I have on the car now!
(note that mine are about the same size as carb body flange)

My "other reason" for wanting to try this is to re-install the vent tube from valve cover. I have tried all kinds of "wadding / baffles / caps", but short of plugging it (not a good idea!) still sparys oil into the engine compartment at high RPM.

When I first got the car there was a pvc valve installed on a rubber hose on the vent.
(Very "hookey looking" set-up.)

Different valve cover than on the car now. That one was for a TD... "vertical vent" tube. Traded that one off for this one.
Have several covers ...but really like the look of the finned one I am running now.


David Sheward

David, It is hard to see from the pictures, but the backing plate on the Volks is stamped and angled, so the angle of the cleaners matches the side of the bonnet. I think!. George
George Butz

George,
You are correct "stamped & angled".
Still have a feeling my "spacers" are too big.
Looking at the pic DW posted ...maybe I have MGA spacers?
Will be a little while before they go back on. Shipping my exhaust manifold back to Jet-Hot for a re-do.
Cleaning up the carbs and found a little surprise under one of the floats. Somebody's dremell tool polishing bit has been in there for about 10 years.

It's mine now! LOL


David Sheward

David
I could ask my contact at Moss to measure the spacer they sell if that would help.
Mike
PS A very nice cover-especially the red with the alloy


Mike Sutton

Duh....Just dawned on me that the Volks won't need that "mounting flange" like the S&H use.
Bolt through the front with a nut on the back to hold in place?
My S&H bolt from the back into a threaded flange, then a small nut on the front. I think to Volks will actuallly fit closer to the carb's necause of the angle.
David Sheward

TF 6688 has the thick spacer and original air filters, such as they are "screen for rocks and bugs"

The front bolts to remove the air cleaners are almost impossible to re-assemble. I think it took me 2 hrs, including time to make a special very thin wrench to get the front bolt in. I did have to loosen the stabilzer bar and rock ther engine over to get job done......an expletive job.
As such I dont't take them off very often.




Colin Stafford TF6688

Thanks Collin...was hoping to hear from you, cause I know yours is right!

So anybody ever find a K&N that will fit these?
Hunting around on their site and found E-3310
6.25 x 5.25 x 3 ".
Thinking about buying 1 of those, cut in 2 pieces (down to 1.25 and scrap) then setting the rough end in a tray of "tool handle dip" and I would have 2 K&N filters for around $30. Next closest thing I found was E-3290 (6.25 x 5.25 x 1.5"...too "fat") They are about the same price but would need 2.

Anybody got a better idea?
David Sheward

Colin
I don't have your patience; I gave up on the front bolt after an hour. Then the guy who was servicing my house alarm asked to see my car and when I explained why I was so pi...ed with the stupid thing he produced a pair of surgical forceps and a pair of long nose pliers and fixed it in 30 seconds. Don't you just hate these smart 20 year olds?!
Mike
Mike Sutton

Mike ,
Anyway you could ask your contact for dimensions and/or the part # for the K&N filter kit they sell?

After doing some comparison measurments yesterday I no longer think the spacers will be an issue.
The Volks are going to give me nearly 1/2" more room than the set-up on there now!

Now I really feel stupid waitng for so long to do this!
David Sheward

David

If you go to:

http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/Pdfs/MGT36-55/MGT-11A_1_COVER_AND_PERFORMANCE.pdf

you will get the europe parts list. Page 10 has the K&N filter kits with sizes. They are VERY expensive!

Mike
Mike Sutton

David, & Others

The front bolt thru the flange to the air cleaner is a special bolt.

it is a 5/16 BSF Hex head bolt but with a 1/2 inch deep head,
It also has a screwdriver slot so you can do most of the install removal using a screwdriver from behind the carb, instead of a wrench in the tiny space.
but the deeper head makes it easier to get a 5/16 BSF (1/4 W) wrench on it ( a ring or closed wrench gives you more room) for the final tightning or initial loosening.

Don Harmer

Don Harmer

Don

Thanks for that. My bolt does not have a srewdriver head and the head is not 1/2 inch deep;it must have been changed by a previous owner.The Moss replacement is only £0.77 (about$1) so I intend to phone them tomorrow to see if it comes with a srewdriver head.
Mike
Mike Sutton

Mike ,
Yep, that is the one I saw (KN56-9121).
Called Moss US, but they did not know "what" K&N filter was in there. I suspect by those dimmensions that is K&N #E-3290. (or "fatter")

What I am looking to do is run a K&N "filter" in the Volks canister. That would allow me to use the breather pipe again. All the aftermarket ones ellemanate the pipe.

I did find a Jeggs about 40 miles from me that has the 3" tall one (E-33100) so I think I'm going to make a run over there with my canister to "test fit". If it looks like "do-able" to mate to the hole for breather I'll buy it. Think I can cut that one in two pieces down to the 1.25" size of the orginial "rock-filter". That should give the 2 I need for about $15 ea. (I'm cheap!)

Don,
Thanks ...I have that strange bolt...always wondered where it was to be used!
David Sheward

Some where in the archives I found a number of a K&N filter that was supposed to fit the Volkes units, E-3180. I bought one to see if it would fit, no, too fat/thick....if anyone does find one that fits, please post it.
Thanks
Terry in oakland
Terry Sanders

I bought a set of repop Vokes filters from Moss last year. Expensive, but beatiful. The valve cover ventilation seems to reduce engine oil seepage, possibly due to a slight negative pressure due to the suctio effect of the air streaming in to the carb. Highly recommendable !

Regards,

Jan
Jan Kristoffersen

Picked up K&N E-3310 filter today.

As far as being a "drop in replacement element" for the Volks ...to put it mildly ...it is not!
(Took my Volks with me , so I know that for sure.)

As far as being "do-able" ...I think I can make it work. Next couple days I'll get working on it and post some pics along the way of what it is going to take.

Basicly : Cutting it in half and removing the "rubber rings". I was hoping to retain 1/2 the rubber on each "half", but that is not going to work. (too large).

$30.00 to end up with 2 "re-newable filter inserts" did not seem like too much ...so I am going to give it a shot! After seeing how filthy the carb throats were after only 3000 miles (after last cleaning) with the S&H I have to try something.
David Sheward

Here's a shot of my 1500 carb spacers and I believe they are original. They seem much thinner than yours. PJ


P. Jennings

I am a new MG TF 1500 owner and brought my car home in pieces last month.
I went through the old garage where it had been dissasembled and stored, but I'm missing one of the Volks Air Filter outer covers (the one that says "Volks" on it).
Would any of you gentlemen have an extra one you won't be using that you would be willing to sell me?
Thanks, David
DW Burdette

David,
They do come up on fee-bay every now & then.
Prices may be more reasonable now that they are making "re-po's".
10 years ago if you could find a set they cost about as much as the car did when new!
It's one of those little things that people seemed to "not like" about the TF (and other LBC's), lots of companies making "better looking" filters so these got re-placed in droves and the stock ones thrown away.
Working as a kid on my dad's car lot I remember him having boxes of shinny new filters and discarding old filters from lot's of LBC's.

Have you tried to contact Moss to see if they could odrer/sell outer cover only?
David Sheward

I did call Moss, and they will only sell the whole setup for around $250 I think.
I have one, so I guess I can use it as a pattern for fabrication of the missing one.
The only problem is that I have no way to reproduce the stampped letters.
I have checked ebay several times.
I will keep looking.
Thanks for your fast reply.
David
DW Burdette

David I know the back plates are different as well as the mesh but I have the front plate off an MGA that I think might be the same that your welcome to for shipping cost.
I'd suggest we see if any one knows or pehaps get some measurements so I can check it.
LaVerne

LaVerne,

Yes the outside plate is the same in size, but I think he'll have to angle the bolt holes to match the angle on the inside plate.
David Werblow

David,
I think I have one that I could sell. email me.
James
J K Barter

LaVerne,
Thank you for your very kind offer.
I have taken the measurements, 6 5/16" outside diameter and the diameter measurement inside the small lip is 6 3/16".
I have also taken a picture of what I have, and it's obvious what I am missing. The bolts are angled.
Does it look the same?
Thanks, David


DW Burdette

If this helps any:
Both "front" plates are the same...angle is on "back" plates.
OBTW: The K&N E-3310 filter , cut in half, remove the rubber (too big) but then dip in tool grip works great. (see other post on it!)


David Sheward

David W.
Yes, the rear plate is angled at the mounting surface and the front plate is angled at the bolt holes.
A flat plate won't work.
Thanks, David B.
DW Burdette

DW, Here's a shot of the front Volks back plate. These are new repos from Moss. The special bolts, which I guess are on the originals with screw driver slots, are welded on mine and separate bolts goes in from the carb flange and two on the cover. PJ

Please excuse the dust! Grin.


P. Jennings

The bolts on mine are 1/2" deep ,but no screw driver slot
and I don't see how one could get a screw driver in that space very easily. Are the bolts in my photo the ones being discussed?
Thanks
JB


J K Barter

James,
Yes, the bolts P. Jennings was referring to are the same as the ones I have on mt TF.
Did you receive my email to you in regard to the air cleaner cover you may be able to sell me?
Thanks, Dave B.
DW Burdette

Dave B.
Yes I did, did you not get my email response?
JB
J K Barter

James,
Yes I did get it.
Thank you very much!
I wasn't able to view the Image.
Could you send to me again?
Dave B.
DW Burdette

This thread was discussed between 13/02/2012 and 01/03/2012

MG TD TF 1500 index

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