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MG MG Y Type - Oil leak at speedo cable connection

Our YT has an oil leak from the gearbox at the speedo cable connection with the internal driving gears.

Overfilling the gearbox oil has been suggested as one possible cause but not so here.

As there is no seal the problem seems insurmountable.

This problem has the potential to rear its ugly head on any contemporary MOWOG gearbox so I am hoping someone has found a cure. It's getting messy underneath the care!

I shall post this thread on the T Register website for any help from the 2-seater brigade.

Any suggestions anyone?

Thanks

Rob
Rob Dusnterville

I seem to recall something about a felt washer ... but I may be wrong.

Post a query to the Technical Advice page on www.mgytypes.org to grab the attention of Neil Cairns and David Pelham as I am sure this has come up before but cannot find the answer on either the Technical Advice page or the Hints and Tips so it would be good to have it there too.

Paul
Paul Barrow

There should be a felt washer - mine had one - which I managed to lose and meant to put back on - this thread has just reminded me. Also re the other thread on the pedal box - what a job messing around in there - Paul B. is right about skinned knuckles .......
David Mullen

One suggestion in addition to the felt washer question: check that the vent in the filler plug on the top of the gearbox is working properly. If this is blocked it's possible for pressure to build up in the 'box when everything is warm, and for the only escape to be via the speedo cable. As a check, remove the gearbox dipstick so that that there is a vent - perhaps insert a piece of rubber pipe so that oil is not thrown out and the 'box can vent. Then see if the leak still occurs.

There was a thread here a while ago where the oil was finding its way as far as the speedo head! I hope that's not your problem, Rob.
Tim Griggs

Tim is correct Rob. If oil contamination has reaced the speedo head, it is rebuild the speedo time - see the Hints and Tips on Speedo problems.

Paul
Paul Barrow

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I'll try them all out and report back. Rob
Rob Dunsterville

Rob - the only way to fix this endemic problem, common to all MGs with the brass speedo drive assembly that the cable screws on to (T-types, pre-war SVW, etc) is to put a seal in the drive. I can send you an image showing how one person did this. The original system uses a reverse thread on the drive body, supplemented with the felt washer on the cable already referred to, but in the end this system always fails and the oil pours out. If you are lucky it runs out the of the cable through the outer, if you aren't the oil can reach the speedo. The solution is for a competent lathe operator to machine a groove inside the body to take a small an o-ring. My machinist did it at the point where the mounting flange is (there is more brass there), about halfway down the body.

I've just had this done on my SA and am pleased to report that there are no leaks from that spot anymore (there are still plenty of others!).

Malcolm
Malcolm Robertson

Malcolm, why dont you send in the details to Hints and Tips too please?

Paul
Paul Barrow

The late YBs, TFs, and all Wolseley 4/44s had a modified connection. It has a tiny rubber 'O' ring inside it. On late manuals there is a picture of it and how it is built up. It also appears the the 'XPAG Gearbox' booklet available from both the MGCC Y Register and Harry Crutchley of the MG Octagon CC.

NC.
Neil Cairns

This thread was discussed between 25/08/2006 and 05/09/2006

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