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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Oil Strainer Repair

On removing the Sprite's sump, I was a bit surprised to find a hole roughly the size of a 5p piece in the bottom of the oil pick-up strainer.

Either it wasn't a problem, because I didn't find anything solid in the oil from the sump, or anything lumpy had already been ingested!

Replacement was the obvious option, but they don't appear to be available new and a photo of the only used one I could find on the 'net showed that it had an even larger hole.

Repair or leave well alone?

I decided to have a go. The strainer has a washer welded inside the bottom, and this had torn out to rattle around inside the strainer. I managed to remove the washer and used my Dremel to re-shape the lump of weld that had held it to the mesh so that a suitable washer would sit round it.

The washer went back in the strainer with its weld lump located in the hole in the mesh. The new washer was attached to form a washer sandwich on the bottom of the strainer.

I considered tack welding it in place, but, with my ham-fisted technique I would probably just blow bigger holes in the mesh, so decided to try brazing.

My big propane torch wasn't hot enough, and neither was Mrs. M's Crême Brulée torch, so I dug out my ancient arc welder and carbon arc torch. Rather a clumsy set-up and not the most elegant result but it seems to have worked. Only time will tell - and I'm hoping, if the new washer drops off that it will stay in the bottom of the sump!

I would have preferred to use oxy-acetylene but don't have access to a kit. I also looked at the current versions of MAPP gas but couldn't justify the cost for such a small job on top of all the other costs of this rebuild. However, Tool Station has a kit on offer for around £55 - does anyone have any experience of this sort of kit as I rather fancy having a go when this engine job is all done and dusted.

Colin


C Mee

Colin

I was going to ebay this.

Let me know if you're interested.

Dave O'Neill 2

Also might just pay to have a measure up and make sure the pan clears the strainer ok
The pan should sit on and clear without a gasket without touching the strainer
Your pan may be flattened a bit on the bottom and need reworking back out
William Revit

Colin

I was looking at MAPP gas, only a couple of days ago. The Toolstation torch did not get very good reviews.

Searching online, I found a very reasonably priced Rothenberger. I’ll see if I can find the link.
Dave O'Neill 2

I seem to recall discussion some years ago here on the BBS, or maybe elsewhere, about positioning a disk on the strainer at that point. The theory being that it causes the oil pick up pipe to suck in oil laterally, drawing it through the wider area of the gauze, rather than slurping from directly below the pipe end and possibly ingesting gooey sediment from the sump.

I don't recall if this was a recommended modification, or if it was an explanation of why some oil baskets have this. So it may not have originally been done as a repair.
GuyW

Here's a link to the Rothenberger

https://plumbingsuppliesdirect.co.uk/rothenberger-super-fire-2-blow-brazing-torch-mapp-gas-welding-plumbing/
Dave O'Neill 2

Thanks for your comments. I'm pretty certain the washer was original rather than a repair as the mesh beneath the weld blob is visible through the hole in the washer.
With regards to clearance, there are no signs of contact on the floor of the pan and the blob of weld stood proud of my new washer before I ground it back a bit.

Dave, thanks for the offer of your strainer - an un-repaired one with no risk of my brazing failing leaving a washer rolling around in the sump is very attractive! Can you email me at meecclspa at aol dot com?
Thanks also for the Rothenberger link, that's really helpful. I hadn't got as far as checking reviews for the Tool Station one.

Colin
C Mee

Hi Colin,

I have a similar hole only a little smaller.

There is a round disk rattling around in mine also. It looks like there is a little bit of mesh attached to it. So I wonder if the disk was attached to the bottom of the mesh as mentioned.
It guess it can come away and take the mesh with it leaving a nice hole that can get bigger over time.


I wasn't sure what i was going to do to fix this one. I certainly didn't fancy trying to open it up, but might try it, or somehow brace or glue more mesh over the top of it.

Kind regards

James


James Paul

Here's the best close up photo I can get of the disk inside.

James Paul

Hi James.

The washer is slightly larger than the hole - but I found a way!

With the strainer head removed from the pipe and bracket, I managed to 'catch' my washer and grip it with pliers while I filed a small flat on the edge. Then it came out through the hole and I cleaned it up.

I also turned the blowlamp on the mesh to burn off the residue before cleaning it up for brazing.

With the washer carefully balanced on a piece of 15mm copper pipe, I lined it up with the hole and clamped the pipe in the vice. This set it up nicely for brazing, but it was very delicately balanced so I had to be very careful not to knock it out of place while barely able to see a thing through the welding mask!

Not the most elegant of jobs and more bodger than engineer but it seems to be OK.
C Mee

This thread was discussed between 11/01/2020 and 15/01/2020

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