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MG MG Y Type - FITTING A 5 GEAR BOX IN A Y TYPE

Guys,

I am mindful of Tony Slattery's recent thread on modifications to Y Types and decided that an item of the fitting or otherwise of a 5 Gear Box would be useful.

Having owned a TA with an XPAW engine for 13 years - and soon to be sold and replaced with an MGA - I have enjoyed the experience of having a 5 Gear Box fitted to the car. It does make an immense difference providing a smoother ride and not stressing the engine, whilst also enhancing the fuel consumption significantly.I reckon that on a run and averaging around 55 mph I achive between 34-35mpg per gallon, compared with around 28-30 in standard format.

When I drive the YT I always searching for the 5th gear and I am considering changing to a Hi Gear system. I guess there will inevitably be some modifications to to be made(which i believe are easily reversible) and more so than compared with the TA. However, I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has gon down this route and the differences that they have perceived, and any difficulties.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely

Jerry
J P BIRKBECK

Yes Jerry I have fitted a 5 cog box to my YA but yet to test it on the road. I did have the engine out when I did the conversion but found it was better to loose fit the engine first with the mountings removed and bring the gearbox forwards inside the car. It is a bit tight getting the top of the bell housing to clear the bulkhead but by removing the mounts and tilting the engine it just went in. Everything else went OK. Having fitted a 5 cog box to the TF I also noted a much reduced fuel consumtion and 4000revs gave 70mph insead of 60mph. I think the YA should also cruise at a comfotable 70 at 4000 revs but I have fitted a TF camshaft and valves. The fuel consumtion should be I hope around 35mpg [we will see] Bryan

PS you know that the later type 9 box has a electronic speedo sender and so not suitable, my one is fitted with both mechanical and electronic speedo drives.
B Mellem

You can see that the bell housing is a little tight
Bryan

B Mellem

Jerry,

Article on this subject on IMGYR site follow link by pasting in your browser;
http://www.mgcars.org.uk/imgytr/pdf/yb5speed.pdf

Also on historic thread found this may be of use to you;

http://www.mgfivespeed.com/t-series.htm

Richard
R E Knight

Hi Guys
We converted our YB a number of years ago with the sierra box and found a big improvement. In the driveability and comfort of the car. No problems in fitting the Hi-Gear Kit. But take note of the close proximity of the propshaft U/J to the tunnel. We would recommend you fit a new speedo oil seal* before fitting the box to the car. If the oil feeds up into the speedo it will then require stripping and cleaning. (Thought there was something wrong when it read 100 mph) * Oil seal available from Ford dealership very inexpensive.
Regards
Keith and Sandra Harris ( who typed it )
YB0988
k harris

The dear little oil seal Keith refers to. Yes I made the same mistake with the TF and the speedo suddenly wound itself around the end stop. It is a devil of a job to fit the seal with the gearbox in situ, make a point of renewing it while the box is out, and the transmission O/P seal as well.

By the way after fitting the box fit the prop shaft as soon as possible otherwise your very expensive gearbox oil will drip away. Bryan

B Mellem

Is it not possible to fit an overdrive?
Apart from the shortened proshaft that would be needed,it would seem to be less damaging to the originality, and easier to revert to original

Michael
Michael Nicholson

It is feasible Michael ... just that there isnt one out there in the market place that fits.

Paul
Paul Barrow

I don't consider fitting a 5-speed Ford Gearbox to a 1940's MG all that acceptable. Not quite in the spirit that Cecil would condone.

There are some more suitable diff ratios you can fit from other Morris cars that can make the Y-Type a suitable highway cruiser, yet still climb steep grades when required.

You will have to modify the original diff housing, but this may be inevitable as one day there will be no original diff centres left - the pinions are so small that their failure will happen.

My YT has a modified diff ratio and will tow a small trailer weighing 350kg and easily cruise at 100km/h at 4100rpm.

The Y-Type gaerbox is very strong and if rebuilt properly, will endure forever.

And Jerry, you have toatally missed the point of my other thread - I was asking for comments on a standard of car design that has evolved over the years and what we could do about it - I never suggested modifying for any other purpose was going "too far".

A L SLATTERY

I agree with you, that to fit parts from another manufacturer is regrettable. but I have taken the view that driving on British roads at slow speeds is so hazardous that traffic closing from behind are taken unawares, and so often need to take sudden avoiding action. With my 105e Ford Anglia I can fit a whole range of rear axle ratios from later models, but with the YA the design of rear drives changed and so no more variations in ratios were availble. Never mind even William Morris must have cast his eye at Henry Fords production methods and he certainly used a French engine in his cars. Bryan
B Mellem

Dear All

Sorry Tony if I misunderstood your other thread - hey ho!

However, I would have thought that Cecil Kimber would have well appreciated and encouraged development of his models. Addmittedly, he would have prefered quite possibly to use OHC models and of course was I believe discouraged from doing that by William Morris and we ended with T Types and other cars - including the prototype Y - with engines and parts from other cars in the Morris. Wolseley etc family. Sadly of course by the time the Y emerged in production Abingdon was really no more than a sophisticated assemebly plant.

So I think Kimber would have taken the opportunity to fit either overdrives or eventually a five gear box.

I feel that to often we seek the quest of so called 'originality' at the expense of using our cars on a regular basis. One of the problems of driving in England, more than the rest of the UK, is of course overcrowded roads, poor driving etc and not forgetting the high cost of fuel, which is of course a world wide phenomena.

Any means to enable Y owners to keep up with modern traffic, including of course the features that I touched on in your thread, must surely be welcolmed. The installation of a 5 gear box will ensure less stress on the engine, more pleasant driving and an enhanced fuel consumption of around 5-6 extra mpg whch is not to be sniffed at in the UK,

I guess that such problems, except in the major cities, may not be such an issue in Oz!

Inevitably it comes down to what you want and whether such modifications can be easily reversed. I would say that over10 years of driving with a 5 speed box in my XPAW fitted TA, is fantastic and in comparison I always seem to be searching for that extra gear in the YT.

As they always say - each to his/her own!

Sincerely

Jerry
J P BIRKBECK

I fitted a High Gear box to my YT about 4 years ago. I did it because my YT box had been rebuilt twice to cure slipping out of gear (expensive) and after a few thousand miles it was doing it again. Yhe cost of the High Gear was only marginally more ihan another rebuild which from expeirence I didn't trust.

Anyway the High Gear is a revelation 40 MPH @ 2000 rpm anf 60 @ about 3500. There is no problem with small hills @ 2500 rpm or more.

I considered a change to the rear end ratio but in this part of the world they are not available and anyany I am in mountain country and the High Gear leaves me with 2, 3,& 4 unchanged. Terry
Terry O'Brien

I fully agree with those who seek to retain originality, it is however a very different world now to the 1950s and modern drivers only see the car in front as in their way. From personal experience in the 1950s there were large numbers of bubble and mini cars on the road which could'nt even make 40mph, most cars were pre war like Austin 7s, Morris 8s some lorries restricted to 20mph, occasional steam Foden and Sentinal lorries even horse traffic [my driving test included understanding whip signals]. The Y type in that enviroment was a rather fast car. If only we could enjoy those road conditions there would be no need to constantly watch the rear view mirror. I only hope there will be those who can retain the originality but I'm afraid my nerves can't stand it. Bryan
B Mellem

I am also in favour of the 5 speed conversion, I carried out the conversion on my MGTD during restoration and will be carrying out the conversion on my YA as my body off restoration progresses. I also fitted a brake servo and seat belts and will do the same on the YA.

I find the extra gear enables me to cruise at
65-70(3500rpm) and keep up with modern day traffic without thrashing the balls of the engine.

In our green and pleasant and often wet! country causing tailbacks due to tootling along at 50mph often causes road rage by those of us who think they need to be there yesterday.

Having driven in Australia I was utterly amazed how few cars there appear to be on the highways, unless of cause in the suburbs of towns and citys. I live in Yorkshire, out in the sticks, as they say, but still often have to queue at the road end patiently to get out.

I like most, have no problem with those of us who believe the cars should be just as they left the factory. However I for one, want to be safe and enjoy driving my TD and YA and not feel intimidated by others using our road.

What was that motto again ah yes SAFETY FAST I can now drive safely and faster!!!!!!
















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This thread was discussed between 29/07/2011 and 01/08/2011

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