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MG TD TF 1500 - Choke Control Worst Job in History

I dismantled the choke knob/shaft to replace the inner bowden cable. Unfortunately I lost the VERY small, half moon pawl that fits under the collar spring and prevents the choke knob returning until it is twisted. I have been trying to make a new one out of a piece of broken hacksaw blade. The thickness is perfect but holding such a small piece with pliers whilst trying to grind it to shape is a nightmare. I have tried at least six times and I siply cannot grip it securely and the ginding wheel flicks it in the air. It is so small there is no way I can find it on the workshop floor. Has anyone else made up one of these half moons? A replacement knob and sheath is very expensive. I am almost at the point of using the 1960s trick of keeping the choke out with a crocodile clip.

Whilst on this subject is the shaft on an original starter knob half round to prevent it rotating so the "S" stays vertical? Mine is circular and I am hoping that the bowden cable will keep it in position but I am not confident.


Jan T
J Targosz

wow, I don't have / never have had this piece and frankly never found a need for it. Actually didn't know I was missing it until you mentioned it here. The cable is stiff enough to hold on it's own.

I have a 53TD. Is there something different between years or something?
L Rutt

Jan,

How about using a needle nose vice-grip plier.

Jim
James Neel

Try sandwiching it between two hardwood blocks in a vice.
Regards
Declan
D Burns

hi Jan, I checked my old stuff but unfortunatly my old cables have been removed to clear the space long time ago.
I would solder such tiny piece of metal to a somewhat larger piece, for instance a strip of 2 mm thick iron and something like 10 mm wide. That strip makes it easy to hold and the soldering means that you can watch your object whilst grinding its contours (together with the contour of that strip-end). Probably resolder and turn you object one or twice
I would use hot air from a paint stripper to do the soldering, just to avoid that a flame would heat up your timy little sawblade-piece. Good luck, Huib
Huib Bruijstens

In a previous post I showed the one I made.
I used brass so it would not wear down the cogged teeth

As a note only the teeth on modern hacksaw blades are tempered.

The blade is usually soft so files work well. I just filed off the corners and blended the top in. I would have held the work in a small machinist vise.

Jim B.

Red on the brass is layout dye.

JA Benjamin

Jan
The replacement choke control cables are different than the originals.
The spare I have has no ratchet on the shaft at all and the round spring that holds the pawl against the shaft is all that will hold the shaft position. There is a groove in the shaft now. So I suspect this is to facilitate the return by removing the tension on the pawl.
Once you have pulled it out, you twist it slightly to put maximum pressure on the shaft by the spring retainer. If that makes sense?
It is almost the reverse of the original.
Those you pulled out and it held on the ratchet teeth in the shaft and to return it you twisted the knob a tad and it slides back in by rotating the ratchet away from the pawl.
These new ones work ok though - if you remember to twist after pulling out.

Rod


Rod Jones

Eventually junked the idead of a (hard) hacksaw blade and used a washer which had the correct O/D. This being softer let me file the flat in a vice rather that trying to hold the sliver of hacksaw blade, against a grinding wheel with pliers. Don't think the soft washer will wear away with the limited use the choke gets.

Jan T
J Targosz

Jan,

That is exactly the approach I used, and 22,000 miles later, it still works fine.

warmly,
dave

Dave Braun

This thread was discussed on 04/12/2014

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