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MG TD TF 1500 - No Start

Hello all, I am back after a long break. A combination of illnesses and other distractions have kept me away.

I do have a question which I believe must relate to a fuel issue. The car does start with starting fluid but dies as soon as the fluid is expended. The red light for the ignition system no longer comes on when the key is turned on and there is no ticking sound from the fuel pump. There does seem to be power from the white wire to the pump, though. There is also no gas smell from the vicinity of the carbs. When I first began to work on the car again there was gas coming from the tickler on the carb nearest the fire wall. I replaced the tickler and spring as well as the needle and seat with parts from Moss.

Any thoughts about where I might go from here? Thanks!

Bill
Bill Reid TD4618

If the fuel pump doesn't tick, then fuel isn't being delivered. You might start by banging on the pump with a wrench and see if starts running. You can also manually fill the carburetor float bowls with gas and see if it runs.

The ignition light is likely a separate issue. If the car runs on starter fluid then you're getting spark.
Steve Simmons

FYI I have fuel pump issues from time to time. They like to be run and my car just does not get enough exercise.

BTW have you checked both fuses?

Like Steve says give it a tap with the ignition on. Also you might want to try to remove the cover and sand the points. You can also try to manually force the diaphragm to move to help free it up too.

The red light could be as simple as a burnt out bulb, but as Steve says, get the fuel pump working first, then open another thread on the red light if the bulb is OK.
Christopher Couper

From the MG TD operating manual, regarding the fuel pump: "Cleaning the contact points every 3000 Miles, the contact points should be cleaned by drawing a strip of clean note paper (paper money) between while they are lightly held together"
BTW for SU fuel pumps that are still points operated I supply Bipolar TVS diodes. When one of these is installed, the points will never need to be cleaned again, I have not needed to do any maintenance to the fuel pump in my car for 14 years, after installing one of these diodes!
Len Fanelli

Thanks all, The pump is solid state.
Bill Reid TD4618

Pull the output line from the pump; stick the end into a jar; turn on the key; see if gas squirts out.

Jud
J K Chapin

I know the manual says to, but I've never had to clean the points on any SU fuel pump that was used regularly. If they sit for a long time then yes, they may need to be cleaned. But I've had pups in service for 20 years of regular use without ever touching them.
Steve Simmons

Bill, where in NC are you? I'm in upstate SC near Landrum.

Jud
J K Chapin

Jud, I am in Oriental, near New Bern, on the Pamlico Sound not far from the Atlantic beaches.
Bill Reid TD4618

I have run through the fuel pump checks. The pump is getting power, the output port is pumping with line disconnected. Fuel is getting from the pump through the rear and front fuel lines to the carburetors. So fuel is getting to where it needs to go. all four plugs are getting spark (I have four spark testers connected to the plugs) I have an adjustable electronic distributor with the setting on two blinks.

So it seems that the problem lies with the carburetors or (possibly?) the timing.

Note: the car has been sitting without running for several years. The last time it ran it ran hot very quickly, which I assumed it was the timing. The distributor was set on seven blinks at that time.

Carbs are freshly rebuilt but that was several years ago.



Any thoughts?
Bill Reid TD4618

Do the plugs show wetness? Could be lots of fuel going in but too weak a spark to ignite it. Give it a try without the spark testers.

Air, fuel spark and timing. If you have those it will run - maybe not good but it will run. Does it cough, spit or do anything?

Jud
J K Chapin

How old is the fuel, maybe it's dead , does it smell like petrol. Maybe spill some on the workshop floor and see if it evaporates (ok) or just sits there for ages (dead)
William Revit

I have seen cars that sit for a long time have the float needle get stuck in the seat. I know you said you have fuel to the carbs but have you removed the bowl lids to see if there is fuel in the bowls?
L E D LaVerne

clutching at straws, are the pistons free in the carbs?.
Also the rubber/plastic seated float needles have a habit of sticking after lack of use.
Are both carbs opening ? shaft slipping ?
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

If there is fuel in the float bowls, maybe consider removing it and filling them with fresh fuel. Old gas can make a car very hard to start.

If you have gas and spark, then the car should at least try to run. It's also possible the timing is way off. If you get coughing or backfiring then that would be a good sign it's timing.
Steve Simmons

I remember Mike O’Connor suggesting a spark plug replacement is his go to solution for the problem you are experiencing. You have nothing to loose. Good luck
gl rombough

I have had many issues with the needle valves. They can stick even when they appear to be working fine on inspection. Even new ones can be bad. Just replace them.
J Barry

Fresh fuel in the tank as of today. By the way, the car will start with starting fluid, but only runs until the fluid is consumed, about 20-30 seconds. I have ordered new NKG plugs and new carb needles. Will look at the float bowls tomorrow to see if there is any gas after attempting to start again. It seems to me that if the car starts with starting fluid sprayed in the carbs, but not with gas alone, then the gas from the pump is not getting where it needs to be for combustion.
Bill Reid TD4618

Probably. And the first place to look is the float bowls. Nothing is getting sucked into the carbs if there is no fuel in the bowls. This little needle valves could stop that as was pointed out by many above.
Christopher Couper

Well, I drained the tank, even though the gas was only four or five months old. Replaced it with fresh non ethanol. After a few hiccups, she started and ran. I knew that fuel from the pump these days has a short life, but it didn't occur to me that it would be that short. Anyway that's a major hurdle cleared and I very much appreciate the ideas I received here.

The idle is somewhat high, the connection between the manifold and exhaust pipe is leaking and the timing still needs some work, but at least I have a way forward now.

Thank you, gentlemen!
Bill Reid TD4618

Wow! That's interesting, Bill. Good to see that you got a result in the end. I'm sure many of us as fellow custodians follow this bbs with interest; it's a great resource as we enjoy (most of the time) keeping our dreams alive. John.
J P Hall

It's really weird how some cars are effected by fuel going off and some aren't. I have one car here that can sit for years and yet it starts up first go and then we have my friends semi-racer MGB- If it sits for more than a couple of months we have to tow it down the road for ages before it fires up, and it then runs cranky until the tank gets topped up with fresh stuff then away it goes. I think the old days idea of putting your car into storage with a full tank of fuel isn't such a good idea any more---better off almost empty and throwing fresh fuel at it when it's fire up time.
willy
William Revit

Maybe we need a new thread on old gas. I have a '72 MGB, a '62 MGA and a '53 TD. I drive at least one at least 100 miles every week but that means that the each sit on average for 2 to 3 weeks and occasionally one will sit for over a month. I use E-10 gas because I burn it up pretty fast. They all start pretty quickly. Turn the key, listen 'til the clicking slows and hit the starter. The TD requires the choke (enrichener is too long a word for common usage) but the MGA and MGB (probably running a tad rich) start even in 30 F weather with no choke.

I have a back-up generator that sits for 4-6 months and it always starts. GrANTED, WHEN i SHUT IT DOWN i DO SO BY SHUTTING OFF THE FUEL VALVE AND RUNNING IT TIL THE CARB IS EMPTY. (Sorry, accidentally hit caps lock)

So, is bad/old gas a real thing? Is it a regional thing (I'm in South Carolina, USA)? Could it be really cold temperatures and not really age? Am I just lucky and tempting fate? Inquiring minds want to know.

Jud
J K Chapin

Gas can go “off”. I use sta-bil . Never had an issue

Regards, Tom
tm peterson

Just to add to the old fuel comments...on the Canadian series Ice Pilots, (great reality series if you like old airplanes) two mechanics were sent to an airport using airport transfers tunbridge wells to get at DC3 ready to be put back in service. It had been sitting for a number of years.
They could not get the engines to start. Avgas is refined to have long storage life as it often sits in barrels for years in remote areas.
Finally they drained some fuel, pored it on the ground, and it would not burn. They could not light it.
Drained the tanks, and fuel system, added new fuel, both engines started right up.

Joe
Joseph D Hine

This thread was discussed between 14/04/2026 and 08/05/2026

MG TD TF 1500 index

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