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MG TD TF 1500 - Carb Overflow Lines

I'm rebuilding the carburetors and want to redo the overflow lines with longer tubing while I'm at it. What size tubing is needed and are the originals just lead soldered in the banjo or silver soldered? PJ
Paul S Jennings

Paul,
I silver soldered mine,, took the banjo to my local hardware store and matched up the size,,

SPW
Steve Wincze

Steve, did you unsolder the old line or have to drill it out? PJ
Paul S Jennings

I just had to unsolder it,,,

SPW
Steve Wincze

I did the same as Steve with unsoldering the old lines but installed the correct length with solder as original. It has not been a problem. (Didn't have silver solder.)
Jim Merz

Thanks guys, Good time to go to Lowes and see if they have copper this small. PJ
Paul S Jennings

Try NAPA as they sell it by the foot-not a reel.
Sandy
ss sanders

I don't believe the original lines were copper based on what I have come across over the years. They were all cut down ..but they were all steel. Thoughts?
MG LaVerne

Example


MG LaVerne

Must admit that I have seen some that were 'silverish', rather than 'yellowish'. But I have never seen any had rust on them. Limited sample size, but I don't think they were ever steel. But, that's just my guess. Bud
Bud Krueger

Mine don't appear to be copper, They look like a cad coated steel. Just out of curiosity, next time I go to the shop I'm going to put a magnet on them to see. PJ
Paul S Jennings

The replacements in the 70's were some type of gray metal, including the banjo. I think TC's were all copper, as were those on my Oct. 51 TD. LaVerne's picture sure looks like an original line/banjo, maybe they changed later? George
George Butz

My 1952 TD is still original and has never been restored. It has just 30138 mls clocked and the overflow lines on the original H2 carbs are definatly made of copper pipe.
I estimate they are 1/4" OD.

Ralph
R.S. Ralph Siebenhaar

I have 4 original - or mostly so - cars here right now, and all have copper pipes, FWIW.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

MG, it's hard to tell but the line that I've put an arrow to appears to be from the rear carb to the front carb and it appears to go via the lower route whereas mine goes the high route. Is the lower routwe "correct"? Jud


J K Chapin

Mine attract a magnet but I have no idea if they are original. Jud
J K Chapin

Jud - that appears to be a rear 1-1/2" carb. The fuel line is not stock - it is a rubber hose, held on with a hose clamp, pointing the wrong way and therefore uncomfortably close to the exhaust manifold.

It should be a flexible metal-covered hose running from the fuel pump to the rear-pointing fitting (so which there needs to be re-positioned), then the other male fitting attaches to the fuel line to the other carb.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Thanks Tom, that's what I thought I saw. Sort of asking for excess heating of the fuel I guess.

Jud
J K Chapin

The overflow line in the photo looks exactly like mine and a magnet sticks to them! Mine are steel and look to be cad plated. Naturally their getting replaced with copper. PJ
Paul S Jennings

Paul,

If we are talking TFs,originally the overflow pipes
were steel,not copper.

One point to watch when silver soldering the pipe into the carb brass fitting,ensure the inside of the pipe is in fact clear of solder after brazing in.I know of one TFer some years ago who rebuilt his carbs a second time
because his new motor was running rough.Turned out only to be a solder blockage in the overflow pipes!

Cheers
Rob Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos").
R GRANTHAM

Thanks Rob for that bit of info! Just for clarification, I'm running the new lines to the front and down in front of the motor mount. Were the original lines laid out that way? Mine ended right over the exhaust pipe! Shows the intelligence level of some previous owner. PJ
Paul S Jennings

Paul,
There is a wealth of info in the archives about the routing of these lines,, even one with a union to disconnect them for easy removal/replacement,,,, and another with a threaded section soldered to the fuel bolw top ,, again for easy removal,,T-Talk has a great pic of how they supposedly came through the hole in the front mounting plate,,

SPW
Steve Wincze

Paul,
I chose not to go through the hole in the front plate as it would make it difficult to remove them,, I wrapped the ends with a spiral cut rubber hose to eliminate and rattles and movement,,

SPW


Steve Wincze

Here is a view from the side


Steve Wincze

See http://www.ttalk.info/JeffersPipes.htm and
http://www.ttalk.info/td_pipes.htm for the items that Steve mentioned. Bud
Bud Krueger

Rob's info on the material used on the TF's looks pretty accurate. Here's picture of 9052 and the lines do look to be steel - not copper.

Lines went through the hole in this picture. Viewing other survivor cars I've seen both methods used going through the hole and over the plate.

I went over on mine.


Frank Cronin

Thanks guys, T Talk site explains it very well. Steve, The threaded banjos, were they purchased that way or were the originals modified with the threads cut in? PJ
Paul S Jennings

Paul,
Bud posted the link to T Talk which explains how Bob did it,,,,, were you able to open the link??????

SPW
Steve Wincze

Steve, Maybe I overlooked that part, but the links Bud showed, both opened. I'll look again. Thanks. PJ
Paul S Jennings

GOT IT! Thanks Steve, don't know how I missed that. Easy fix! PJ
Paul S Jennings

Paul, here's Bob's Text:
I have come up with a modification that makes the overflow pipes easy to handle when problems rear their ugly heads. I removed the cutoff stubs left by the PO. Then silver soldered a flare fitting onto the banjo. Now the overflow pipes can be disconnected and the carbs removed without the long overflow pipes getting in the way. It has proved it's worth several times when the fuel shutoff gave me trouble.

Bud
Bud Krueger

This thread was discussed between 31/08/2014 and 01/09/2014

MG TD TF 1500 index

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