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MG TD TF 1500 - valve cover question

We are finally getting out of winter hibernation! Will be driving in a St. Patty's parade tomorrow. Temps in the 40's.

While getting Bessie (named after my late mother-in-law)ready, I decided to check the compression. Everything was between 150 and 160.

Anyway, while removing and reinstalling the plugs, I got to wondering about the two bolts on the left side of the valve cover. They thread into raised coupelings on the side of the cover but do not go in side. What are ther for?
J. McLeod

The valve cover was used on other models. Not used on a TD. Keep the bolts in place.
Have a great parade!
Jim Merz

Jim's correct. Here is a picture of a YB if this link works so you can see what it was about.

http://www.rmmgtr.com./01%20MAIN%20PAGES/classified.htm

LED DOWNEY

Link doesn't work but it will if you cut and paste. Scroll down to the last picture.
LED DOWNEY

J Macleod. They were used on a YB to brace the end of a long horizontal tubular air filter. It had two strap braces from the central post on the filter and down to those two bolts on valve cover.
Sandy
conrad sanders

Conrad You have just proven one of Murphy's laws of auto mechanics. Any dropped tool will roll to the most inaccessible place under the car. And yours. All dropped parts will magically disappear only to be found once the replacement has been purchased.
Bruce-C

I put one of my valve cover bolts to good use. I made some copper heater pipe plumbing so as to get the hottest water from the engine. The later TFs had the fitting on the thermostat elbow which I copied. When the car is enclosed, the heater will run you out of the cockpit. I installed an in-line heater flow control valve just behind the heater. All is well.


Jim Merz

Jim - You didn't say what kind of a shutoff valve you installed behind your heater. I rummaged in a wrecking yard when I was installing the heater in our TD and got a valve out of one of the import pickups there, that I mounted behind the heater and ran a shortened choke cable to a bracket on the front of the heater. It gives us control of the amount of heat we want within easy reach. See attached photos. Cheers - Dave


David DuBois

And the second picture.


David DuBois

Dave, we were on the same wavelength. I used a NAPA straight in-line mechanical valve that I picked from their catalog. It is controlled with a choke cable from a homemade panel. I dont have the NAPA number but it might be in a pile of papers. I dunno.


Jim Merz

Control Panel


Jim Merz

Is that your dimmer switch behind the heater Jim?

I think my valve was from a Toyota pickup.


LED DOWNEY

My controls under the drivers glove box. I'm think about using the toggles for the wiper and the other to kill the fuel pump.


LED DOWNEY

Yes LaVerne, that's the headlamp dimmer switch. Stock location for a RHD TD.
Jim Merz

Dave, Ahem, that switch is from an Austin Healey! Gad's, in an MG? Sorry, maybe early B also. Bob
R.AF. Robert Finucane

Jim, that "copper heater pipe" looks so thin. Can you tell more about how it works and exactly where and how you connected it? Greetings, Huib
Huib Bruijstens

Jim,
Slightly OT but where did you mount the sending bulb for your oil temperature gauge? (Beautiful car, BTW) I have the same one that I'd like to install in my late TD. Many thanks, Robert
TD 14649
TD 26273
Robert Rutschman

Huib, the 1/2" copper line is the common type used in home water plumbing. The fittings and pipes are joined with solder. I had a fitting welded on the elbow just below the thermostat. A very short piece of rubber heater hose joins the fitting to the pipe that parrallels the rocker cover. There is another piece of rubber heater hose that connects the pipe, through the firewall, to the heater control valve. The return line is on the opposite side of the valve cover and connects to the branch pipe at the lower end of the radiator. I have more pictures that I can email to you if you wish.



Jim Merz

Robert, the oil temperature sensor is installed in the lower part of the oil pan. The wall of the pan is thin so an extra piece was welded onto the outside of the pan before the hole was drilled and threaded. The hole and thread is the same size as the drain plug so if the sensor has to be removed for whatever reason, an extra drain plug can be fitted. There is a brass adapter that fits the pan hole and also allows the fitting on the end of the sensor to be installed.
The welding was ground down and I used a two part plastic type body filler to make the edges smooth before refinishing.
Obviously, as a retiree, I have plenty of time in the winter.


Jim Merz

Jim,
Without really thinking about it, I just expected a much bigger pipe to "fuel" the heater. But yes, such a pipe already can host quite a flow of hot water (coolant). Would be great to receive more pictures.
You mentioned: a fitting welded. How precisely did you do this because the elbow is cast iron (isn't it?) Thanks in advance and greetings, Huib
Huib Bruijstens

Huib -- Just to through in my 2 cents worth, when I put a fitting on the elbow of my TD I silver soldered it into the cast iron so as not to have trouble because of the cast iron. There should be pictures of it in the archives.
Cheers,

Bob
R. K. Jeffers

Huib, I drilled the hole in the elbow, then inserted a steel plumbing coupling which was brazed into place. I was told brazing or silver solder is the best way to secure it. The coupling has the same thread as the copper stub pipe and its adapter. It has to be a short length pipe because you cannot rotate the complete long pipe assebly. I used the wrong verb when I said "welded".
Jim Merz

Photo


Jim Merz

Photo


Jim Merz

Thanks Jim. One more question: did you install an additional pump to make the water flow into the heater. I mean, why would the water enter this 1/2" pipe when straight-on there is a big hose to dive in. Greetings, Huib
Huib Bruijstens

Huib, there is no additional pump for the heater. I assume the hot water flows through the heater as a result of a push-pull action by the engine pump. With a closed car, the heater will make it uncomfortably hot without a flow control valve.
Jim Merz

This thread was discussed between 13/03/2009 and 20/03/2009

MG TD TF 1500 index

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