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MG TD TF 1500 - Float Bowl Leaks:

Rebuilt my carbs but have leaks coming from the Float Bowl mounts and also from the banjo fittings. Is there some type of sealer I could use for these leaks or is there another cure for this problem? I'm afraid to overtighten these fittings. Thanks, Charlie
ckf Plaidman

Charlie

What gaskets are you using?
Bruce-C

Tighten the banjo fittings "slightly", run the car and check for leaks. If still leraking tighten "slightly" again, and run and check for leaks. The leaks should stop.

Cheers

Larry
L Karpman

The castings on the float bowls are relatively soft. Over the years they probably have deformed so that the washers no longer can contain the fuel. DO NOT over tighten the mounting bolts as a lot of perfectly good bowls have had their threads stripped by doing so. File the mating surfaces perfectly flat and try again, but do not over-tighten the bolts.

Cheers,
Lew Palmer
Lew Palmer

Bruce, I'm using gaskets from an SU kit from Moss. Are their any others I should be aware of? Thinking about trying the filing method Lew spoke of.
ckf Plaidman

Charlie,

The MGA used different mounting hardware for the float bowls requiring neoprene washers, not fibre washers. Some TDs have been converted to them as an improvement by a PO. You can look at my website in the mg td15470 Restoration » Engine XPAG TD2 15613 » Carburetors for pictures of the carbs and gaskets hidden among the general carb pictures.

There is also a plug in the float bowl arm that plugs the transverse hole from the outside. If that plug is not tight, the carb can leak from that point, and it looks just like a leaky set of float bowl gaskets.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Charlie, check the archives for a thread about banjo washers. The banjo washer must fit inside of the recess in the banjo fitting, otherwise they'll leak.
Bud Krueger

Charlie, from the thread called "Fuel Line Leak at Carbs":
David, I've run into this before. It's caused by a wrong parts issue. The banjo connections require properly sized fiber washers to work properly. The washer that the banjo bolt first goes through has to have a small enough outer diameter to fit into the recess in the outer side of the banjo fitting. The washer that is placed between the fitting and the float chamber can have a larger o.d. with no problem. I ran into this problem a couple of years ago (7/04). The o.d. of the gaskets that I had received was .885". The originals were .867". Joe Curto sent a new set to me that measured .877" o.d.. Problem solved.
Bud Krueger

In addition, as Bud and others said, ensure you have the correct size washers, and that the outer banjo washer fits in the recess of the banjo fitting, read the section of this article from the Chicagoland MG Club titled, "Leaks Around the Carbs" It near the very bottom of the page. Worked well for me.

http://www.chicagolandmgclub.com/techtips/mgt/tune_up2.html

Cheers

Larry
L Karpman

First, Happy Thanksgiving to all. I was wondering if I have the right order of fitment of the fibre washers for the float bowl mounts. Should there be a metal(aluminum washer) first on the float bowl mounting bolt, then a fibre washer followed by the float bowl mount and then another fibre washer?
Dave B., should I look into using those neoprene washers instead of the fibre ones?
ckf Plaidman

No wonder it leaks with your washer arrangement! Going from memory and way too much food, there is a stack of three washers- fiber/aluminum/fiber on one side of the bowl (I think between the bowl and carb body), and just one fiber on the other, for sa total of 4 washers. I have never had a problem with them leaking. Now the banjo bolt at the top deal has driven me crazy. As above, a lot of junk washers out there from various suppliers. As Lew says, the face of the float bowl lid has to be perfectly smooth. You can gently sand it using 400 or finer sandpaper on a perfectly smooth and flat surface to refinish (a kitchen countertop works well if wife is gone!) Someone please correct me if I'm wrong about the bowl washers please. George
George Butz

Charlie, I'm at a loss as to whether you need the MGA style parts or not, I've only had the MGA style apart on a T-Series. I could tell immediately that the fibre washers supplied in the kit wouldn't work, and then I remembered that I had the MGA set up (it had been since 1987 for my carbs to last need servicing). If the fibre washers seem all wrong, and if you have slightly cupped washers for the float bowl fittings, then yes, perhaps you too have the MGA fittings. The arrangement you are describing is as mine, except substitute the MGA neoprene washers for the fiber ones.

There is a blurry picture (too close) of the arrangement when I was looking at the leaking transverse plug, and there are pictures of my fittings elsewhere in the carburetor section of my site.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Dave, my dilemna with what type of washers to use stems from the fact that one float bowl had one neoprene washer on one side and a fiber washer on the other side of the same float bowl. Come to think about it, the bolts might also be different. I'll have to check that.
Thanks,

Charlie
ckf Plaidman

http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=32749
George Butz

Charlie,

Here are the parts on my car from the MGA diagram, http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=29218#top

88, 89 and 95 for the banjo bolt system. Notice there is an alternative stud and nut system shown.

Your other choice is to order the correct parts from the MG TD catalog, including the correct banjo bolt if you are not so equipped, as George has pointed out.

warmly,
dave

Dave Braun

This thread was discussed between 27/11/2008 and 28/11/2008

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