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MG MG Y Type - Newbie questions

Hi all :

Newbie here with a number of questions :

I just acquired a 1949 YT.

Is it normal to have to remove the bonnet (engine hood) in order to replace the battery ? Is there a smaller battery size that would eliminate this bonnet removal please ?

Does anyone have a picture of where and how the Altette horn should be mounted please ? At the moment it sits on the badgebar, which I have been told is not correct.

Also the jackal system does not appear to work. I can move the pumphandle but the length seems much shorter than what I see on pictures....does anyone have the correct length for this handle please ?
I can feel some resistance at the end of each pumpstroke but no jack moves whether front, rear or all are selected on the selector valve....

Is the bootfloor removable to get to the spare wheel well ? On some YA or YB models I have seen pictures where the bootfloor can be lifted up ?

Is there a better windshield wiper motor please ? This one seems to only scare water droplets, not wipe them off sufficiently fast....

I hope someone can shed some light on these queries.

Sincerely,
Woody

Bjlp De Saar

Hi Woody, greetings from Australia. Welcome to the YT club. Excellent choice!

Yes, it's normal to remove the bonnet to remove the battery. The battery box is centrally placed to facilitate RH and LH drive. But you should be above to remove the box lid easily from either side to access the battery terminals.

The jackall system likely needs a complete refirb. Others in this group know more, but it's likely you'll remove all 4 cylinders from the car to service them on your bench, including replacing the seals. The pump may need overhaul too. Not sure about the length of the pump handle but when in place it should be tall enough to need the bonnet open. Maybe 18"?

My boot floor is fixed in place. Not sure why you'd want to remove it. The spare wheel is accessed through the rear panel hatch, and there's enough spare space for a tool kit and some spare parts.

The original horn would have been under the front valance/apron, in front of the steering box. Only fancy chromed horns tend to migrate onto a badge bar.

The standard Lucas wiper motor is all there is. Same as any MG T-Type. Replace the wiper rubbers is the first thing. Old rubbers are hard and cracked. You might also put a stronger spring in the wiper arm to increase pressure on the glass. Or keep the springs you have and insert a second set of thinner springs inside the originals (co-axial springs). These changes help, but the wipers will never perform like modern wipers. The rubber warms up after a few minutes running and the wiping improves. Otherwise, welcome to the 1940's!

Happy travels,
Rob
R Ades

Many thanks, Rob !!

Would anyone have a picture of how and where to correctly fit the Altette horn on my YT please ?

Sincerely,

Woody
Bjlp De Saar

Woody, here is a photo of the horn on my YT. Attached o cross bracket below the Steer rack.
Don't know why it turned 90°.

Stuart


ps. There are 4 YTs and 3 Ys attending the Pre-War & Pre-1956 MG Rally, I am running next week in Northern NSW (Australia).

Stuart Duncan

Many thanks, Stuart.

It seems I am possible missing a mounting bracket on my chassis crossmember...

Many thanks for the picture !!

Sincerely,
Woody
Bjlp De Saar

Bjlp

Please register your ownership of the YT with us at https://www.mg-cars.org.uk/imgytr/registeryoury.shtml. Even if we already know the car it is helpful for us to keep current with owners details.

The Altette bracket is https://www.ebay.com/itm/195674958582 and there should be a bolt hole in the frame. Cannot remember what thread size it is off hand but you will also want a washer and lock washer on it too!

The Jackall handle is indeed 18 inches not counting the finial at the top.

Yes the bonnet has to come off to change the battery but you only need to remove the hinge receiver at the windscreen end. If the screws are rusty, drop some penetrating oil down and gradually work them loose as they are square nuts in a captive box and a pain to replace (although easier on a YT than a Y or YB).

Access to the spare wheel, if a standard 16inch x 5.25 inch, should be through the spare wheel compartment as has previously been noted.

Wipers on any 1940s car a useless. Use Rainex on the windscreen - it is better than relying on the system.

On the Jackall pump - is the black release valve tightened all the way down? If not, tighten that down. Also, how much fluid do you have in the system ... and what is it? We suggest you use Non-foaming motor cycle fork oil for the Jackall system. There are a couple of documents too you should look at on https://www.mg-cars.org.uk/imgytr/jackall.shtml.

Paul Barrow
Registrar and webmaster - www.mgytypes.org
Paul Barrow

Hi Paul :

Many thanks fro your reply to my questions on the BBS.

I did send you an email a couple of weeks ago with the details of the car (Y/T/2913 EXR/K) and the change of ownership (there is now again 1 YT in Belgium). Plenty of pictures of it on the net apparently. The car is not yet registered in Belgium since it has not passed its inspection yet. To be done when I am back at home in the next couple of weeks.

Found the Ebay horn bracket. Many thanks !!!

Removing the bonnet hinge screws is best done at the windscreen side or at the radiotor side ? Is it fixed at the radiator side with captive nuts just like at the windscreen side ? Or is the fixing different there ?

The jackal pump black central knob was tightened down (by hand) all the way, yes. There is fluid in the reservoir. I have not checked yet which fluid this is (colour/type). I will do that when I am home next.
I did read and download the jackall information on the website before. Very comprehensive info but I could not find anything that looks to be amiss on my Jackall system on the car. To be continued....

Many thanks for the RainX tip. I will apply it when I get home.

Most sincerely,

W De Saar




Bjlp De Saar

Hi Bjlp

Thanks for posting back. I suspect that you may be confusing us with the MG Car Club Y Type Register of the UK. We are the International MG Y Type Register - a completely different and independent organization. As of today I have not had a registration from you. Please use the link https://www.mg-cars.org.uk/imgytr/registeryoury.shtml to register the car with us as the last owner of record we have is a dealer in The Netherlands.

As to the bonnet removal, the radiator end has exposed nuts underneath the chrome radiator shroud and if the screws at the windscreen end are seized then the radiator ones are your best bet as they are easier to get at. Lifting the bonnet off though is best done with two people to avoid damage to the paint on either the bonnet or wings.

Glad you were able to find the horn bracket and hope that helps you.

With respect to the Jackall system, have you tried just lowering the FRONT jacks? If they go down and hold I suspect that you may have a leaking rear flexible pipe. If they do not go down then I would suggest your seals are worn out in the Jackall pump itself and need replacing.

Best wishes and look forward to receiving your registration in the fullness of time.

Regards

Paul
Paul Barrow

Hi Paul.

Thank you for your reply.

I thought these two registers were identical. My mistake obviously.
I have now filled out your registration form.

The car is now residing in Belgium and is (AFAIK) the only YT in the country now.

Thank you for the bonnet removal tip. I am thinking of making a captive nut plate for both screws at the radiator end so I don't loose the nuts when taking them out to remove the bonnet for battery replacement.

As to the Jackall system : I tried lowering just the front or just the rear jacks when "both" selected did not work. All to no avail. A dissection of the pump and/or system seems to be needed....
How often do these seals perish, I wonder, and if they are, probably the jack seals may be expected to be perished as well ? This system seems to be prone to a lot of maintenance then ? I was thinking with the little use it gets it should be almost problem free ? One needs to be able to count on it in case of a flat tyre on the road....

Most sincere thanks,

Woody
Bjlp De Saar

Cool Idea Bjlp if you can make up a capture for the front nuts. I just put a spanner on them and as soon as they are loose put my finger on the nut instead of the spanner and slide it out with the nut, but whatever works for you.

Like anything else that is nearly 80 years old, stuff wears out. I have only refurbished my Jackall pumps once and I would start there. It does give you the opportunity to drain the fluid from the tank too so you might as well slacken off the system at each ram and drain flush the entire system when you put the pump back on. I thin there are enough details on our Jackall page to assist you with all of that and again use non-foaming motor cycle fork oil for the refill.

There is also a reprint of the SMITHS JACKALL SERVICE MANUAL on our Y/YT Manuals USB available from https://www.mg-cars.org.uk/imgytr/stores/yzpublications.shtml.

I also confirm receipt of your registration with us too so thank you for that. Unfortunate confusion there but yes we are completely independent from the MG Car Club and any fee paying club. We are entirely free of charge to end users in all respects and are supported only by voluntary donations and the profits from YZ Publications Inc which I use to subsidize some of the costs I incur to provide the free services.

Paul
Paul Barrow

Many thanks for your reply, Paul.

Has anyone used silicone fluid in the jackall system ? I have used it on other classic cars for the braking system with great success (totally maintenance free and trouble free for more than 10 years), but don't know if anyone else has used it on the jackall system yet ? I am thinking it may be longer lasting and less maintenance-involved , but don't know if the seals are compatible. I do know however it will require draining and flushing the entire jackall system, but it is a fit-and-forget thing after that.
Anyone with some input on that please ?

Sincere thanks,

Woody
Bjlp De Saar

I put non-foaming motor cycle oil in my Jackall system in 1997 ... and have done no further maintenance on it since then. Admittedly I had also rebuilt my pump prior to doing that.

Bjlp I would say stay with the recommended solution as there isnt much point in silicon to be honest.

Paul
Paul Barrow

Hi all,
probably muddying the waters, but this is the horn in my YT.
I have brought the loom to the back of the horn then fitted a relay (covered here in plastic shroud.) more or less on the mounting bracket.
The wiring is such that the relay coil is given an active from the horn supply, and returns to earth via the horn push. The relay contacts provide the earth return needed by the horn directly to ground at he mounting bracket, rather than through the horn push,
Reduces the current that has to flow through the slip rings and horn push, and avoids the line loss that would otherwise occur in the earth return up the column. (I married all the slip rings just for extra reliability)
cheers KGM
(PS Tried to get photo of the horn's output, so you could judge if it sounded any louder. But my arms aren't long enough to depress the horn button, and hold the phone camera. )


K G Mills

This thread was discussed between 07/05/2026 and 21/05/2026

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