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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 TD TF 1500 - Plug to seal temp gauge hole in TF water outlet

What size and type of plug do I need to plug the hole in my TF water outlet when I remove the temperature gauge?

Installation tips? Teflon tape? Fiber washer? Is it a common item that I can pick up at U.S. auto parts stores or hardware stores?

I want to remove my TF gauge and seal the hole with a plug. I installed the gauge for the startup of my XPEG rebuild. Probably won't be running it for a few months while I finish the wood and fittings before paint. Too easy to damage the tube and gauge.

Thanks for your help,

Lonnie
TF7211
TF681
LM Cook

this one:




J Stone

Abingdon sells a plug for this application ... https://abingdonspares.com/products/plug3 for $22.04 each.

McMaster Carr also sell this :- https://www.mcmaster.com/9491N138 for $3.10

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gord Clark

Lonnie, the only thing Teflon tape should be used for is plumbing in your house or place of business. The little flecks and strings of Teflon can and will migrate. Use a permeated or equivalent paste thread sealant if required.

Regards, Tom
tm peterson

Fibreb washer is probably another good option.

Gord Clark
Gord Clark

I found this plug at my local Ace Hardware. Fits into a spare TF water outlet.

Ace Hardware
JMF Company 3/8 in. Flare Brass Plug
Item #41210 Mfr #41210
$2.99
https://www.acehardware.com/departments/plumbing/pipe-fittings/brass-fittings/41210

Don't know if it will thread in far enough to use a fiber washer, so I'll use paste thread sealant.

Thanks everyone for your help,

Lonnie
TF7211
TF681


LM Cook

Lonnie:

The bolt taper should act the same as the taper on the temp bulb. Thus...you would not need to run it down like trying to make the bolt head sit flat against the housing. It should bottom BEFORE that happens to seal. I used Locktite 545 (thread sealer) just to be sure. It's not like the other locktite products that make it so you can't remove the bolt later.

Jim
Jim Rice

3/8" SAE 45° flare is the standard mechanical temperature gauge fitting, pretty universal, Stewart Warner and most others.
It is a type of compression fitting, a mechanical, not a gasket seal
Cool that it was at Ace hardware!
J Stone

I screwed the tapered plug into a spare water outlet. It seemed to seat against the tapered bottom of the outlet, but I didn't see any marks on the tapered end of the plug. So, I didn't know if it actually could seal. That's why I will use plumber's paste thread sealer when I install the plug. I want use sealer when I reinstall the temperature gauge bulb.

Interesting - the TF Service Parts List shows a plug for the single-hole TF water outlet (prior to XPEG1000) that is short and flat bottomed like the Abingdon Spares plug. It uses a fiber washer to seal.

Lonnie
TF7211
TF681
LM Cook

Take care with the TF housing with heater outlet.
The thermometer tappping is SAE but the heater is BSP. They look the same but are not compatible.
ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Thanks Ray,

I'm aware of the different thread pattern for the two holes. My XPEG977 was built with the one-hole water outlet for the temperature gauge only. I purchased a two-hole water outlet so that I can connect an Arnolt heater when my restoration is completed. I have the correct size plug in the heater hole (AEK122) and washer (AEK123).

FYI -
The two-hole water outlet (AEG123) was first attached to XPEG1001, which was installed in TF7179 that was built on the same day as my TF7211 with XPEG977. Six TF-1500s were built on that day with engines before XPEG1001, and thirty-four built with engine numbers 1001 and higher. Engines before and after 1001 were installed in TFs on the previous day and the following day.

Lonnie
TF7211
TF681
LM Cook

This thread was discussed between 15/07/2022 and 17/07/2022

MG TD TF 1500 index

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