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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 Midget and Sprite Technical - Oil, and where to put it

I have 2 unopened, 1 litre bottles of
Comma EP75W80 Plus.
Where can I use it?

Selection limited to:
A series engines (1275 and 1098)
Rib case gearbox
Type 9 Gearbox
Back axle

I am ignoring smaler capacity things like dashpots and dampers because there would be just too much of it to use up in my (remaining) lifetime.

If all else fails, it would probably eventually go somewhere in the aged Fiat Punto.
GuyW

personally none of them (apart from the Fiat!)
Bob Beaumont

Yes,I should have had a
"None of the above" option!
GuyW

Fiat.

Or if you wanted you could put it in the ribcase, but as you're in the frozen north and use your Spridgets over winter I'd avoid it, same but more so with the T9, back axle would be fine except for winter, but with all you could do better.

Or give it away to someone that will use it.

Nigel Atkins

Frozen North, Nigel? Its sweltering today! Following two dull overcast days this week the sun has finally appeared and its now up to 23deg C - too hot for me!

Keeping out of the sun, I have now got round to reading the Fiat Driver's handbook and its actually what is specified for the gearbox. Well, not the brand name, but the rest of the numbering. That must be why I bought it at some stage, but just forgot to use it.

I also need to replenish my Wanner grease gun contents having used up the last of my Castrol LM grease. That doesn't seem to be available any more though there are people offering empty plastic castrol LM tubs for £10! Must be a collector's item!
So what is a good equivalent to the Castrol LM grease?
GuyW

This is what Demon Tweeks have to offer

https://www.demon-tweeks.com/uk/castrol-high-temperature-grease-cas1503ad/
Dave O'Neill 2

Cheaper than an empty Castrol LM tub!
GuyW

oil will be fine in the axle
David Smith

Until my clumsy edit I put and meant what David put, I was really just trying to say the T9 gets fussy about it's oil particularly in winter.

I can't take the heat either, it was 31 (with 'feels like' 35c) here yesterday and I caught way too much sun for me over the last few days, only 29c ('feels like' 33c) at the moment here but expected to rise a few degrees more this afternoon.

I was polishing the midget's paint at about 10pm last night as it was a pleasant temperature then and no sun. The sun does little to help the Midget's red paint that sits outside 365.
Nigel Atkins

I use Carlube LM2 grease.

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/carlube-lm2-lithium-multi-purpose-grease-553996660?gclid=CjwKCAjwltH3BRB6EiwAhj0IUMGuMnhCgLX2tl1J9t_Bu6CCW3auOg0LQwhLvFTZFMbfiLKmg4GHCxoCPf8QAvD_BwE
Chris at Octarine Services

<<oil will be fine in the axle>>
David, I thought diffs needed an EP90 grade oil.
GuyW

Guy, I hear so many conflicting reports from both professional preparers and actual day-to-day users that I no longer believe the very prescriptive information in the manuals from the period.
The ribcase is supposed to be run on 20/50 mineral engine oil but many run it perfectly well on EP90 gear oil. The diff is spec'd at the same EP90 but I'm confident EP75/80 will work just as well. Many say it needs to be GL4 as GL5 has additives that are harmful to the brass/bronze washers but I can't say I've suffered premature wear or failure due to using GL5 oils. Similarly I ran my race gearboxes on fully synth Mobil 1 20/50 or 10/60 for more than a dozen years with no wear issues (IIRC only the selectors are bronze).
BUT as our cousins are fond of saying, YMMV.
David Smith

Mix the oil with something else in the garage to thicken it up and use as cavity wax?


For example this recipe, but substitute the parafin for your oil:
https://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/homemade-waxoyl.33278/



Chris Madge

I do have a reason for approaching this often discussed lubrication issue from the "other end" as it were.
One thing that has become very apparent to me in the last 3 months with spending more time at home sorting things, is that I just have TOO MUCH STUFF. Like most, I guess, I just keep things in case I need them. But clearly if some of it has been saved for 40+ years without finding a use, then one has to begin to suspect that it isn't really that useful after all!

I have given lots of things away on Freecycle and am making a concious effort to use up what I have if I can, rather than buying new. I know two bottles of oil don't take up much space on the shelf, but its not just to do with space.
GuyW

Apparently, if you haven’t found a use for something yet, you haven’t kept it long enough.
Dave O'Neill 2

Ha ha!

I do keep coming across some wheel nuts for an Austin 7 mixed in with a tub of random sized nuts. I recognise them as they have a flanged edge and are different to anything else. Last time I owned an A7 was in 1971
GuyW

Guy,

Shouldn't you use those nuts as the start of an Austin 7 restoration project.
David Billington

Funny you should say that David . . . .

I have a real hankering for an Austin Seven again!

I also have an original A7 wheel brace, so I am well on the way to a complete car!
GuyW

Dave O'N
LOL really must remember that one - reminds me of the line from 'Marigold Hotel' will be all right in the end - if it isn't its not the end ! (or something similar).

R.
richard b

This thread was discussed between 24/06/2020 and 25/06/2020

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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