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MG TD TF 1500 - Fuel sending unit; gasket; Moss' new gasket materi

My existing TD fuel sending unit is not working and I want to repair or replace it. There is a cork gasket between the existing sending unit and the fuel tank and the existing gasket is not leaking. When I reinstall the new or repaired sending unit, I'll have to replace the circular cork gasket between the unit and the gas tank. This cork gasket and the Moss ethanol resistant gaskets have the reputation of failing and have been the source of a lot of BBS threads and controversy. I talked to Moss today and they said that in 2015 they started selling a new gasket made out of viacom (sp?). They strongly recommend it over the cork gasket. One MG mechanic told me that the older Moss rubber gaskets don't work very well and recommended to me to stay with cork.
Has anybody had any recent experience installing this new Moss gasket for the fuel sending unit? Do they work?
Milton


Milton Babirak

I would highly recommend the part number GA230 sending unit gasket that "From the Frame Up" sells.
Cheers,
Roy
Roy Challberg

Roy,
I called From the Frame Up and they say they just got a new batch of these gaskets in stock. They say that the new batch is bad and it will take about two months to get more made. They report the previous batches were fine and worked well.
Milton Babirak

Milton, I make my own gaskets for many things, this being one of them. For this gasket I used blank cork material from NAPA and then used my gasket punch set to cut the holes. The material holds up fine and because they are custom cut, they often fit better than the ones you buy.
Kevin McLemore

The gasket from Abington Spares is working just fine for me. Two years on. It was not cork.

Jim B.
JA Benjamin

Kevin
Cork is the material originally used for the gasket. Then people started to notice leaks, attributing the problem to ethanol in the fuel. Hence many vendors are selling rubber gaskets that are supposed to be ethanol resistant. Have you had any problem with the deterioration of your handmade cork gaskets due to ethanol? A well regarded mechanic told me he still uses cork for this gasket because the specially formulated rubber gaskets don’t work. Your thoughts?
Milton Babirak

Jim
Thanks for your comments. I plan to call Abingdon Spares next week and talk to them. Glad to hear your gasket works.
Milt
Milton Babirak

Milton,


The Sender Unit on TCs ,TDs,and TFs notoriously leak around the gasket !

I purchased a neoprene type double lip gasket from Peter Edney(UK) many years ago for the TF 1250 and over the past 15 years there is absolutely no sign of fuel leakage.

I did use a smear of 3M fuel resistant (yellow coloured ) sealer on the gasket as well just as further insurance although I suspect this was not really needed.

It pays to look carefully at the outside 'plate' which is set screwed to the main body of the Sender Unit. It is often distorted i.e.. not flat. This area,
including through the setscrews, are other leak points. Retrue the plate to flat. Rather than use the original pure cork gasket, I use a neoprene impregnated cork ! Works well.

Finally, it is a good idea to use small paper gaskets (with sealant) under the heads of the plate setscrews.

Before doing the above, CHECK that the surface of BOTH the Sender Unit flange and the petrol tank panel are indeed perfectly flat. The Sender Unit flange is particularly easily distorted from POs over tightening !

If attention is given to the above factors, I guarantee that you will achieve leak free seals.

Cheers
Rob Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos").
Rob Grantham

Milt, I did my gasket when I first got my MG TD about 5 years ago. No leaks yet.

I believe the cork you get from NAPA is different than the original cork. The original cork was JUST cork... it was easily cracked and broken. The stuff from NAPA has what appears to be neoprene bonded into the cork. It is somewhat elastic and holds up well in many applications.
Kevin McLemore

Rob
My existing sender unit is not leaking. So, I think I'll be OK except for the round gasket. I'll need to replace that. I've heard about the gasket with a double lip. I think that is what was being sold by "From the Frame Up" in Arizona or New Mexico.
Milton Babirak

Abingdon Spares sender gasket kit is on sale for less than $4. The gaskets are some type of stiff almost cardboard material. I used them 12 years ago with Permatex aviation sealant and they are still leak free. My concern with all of the rubber ones is warping the thin flange of the sender. If replaced, make sure your new sender has a metal float as the plastic ones rapidly fail. There is a current thread about senders somewhere on this or the other board . Put sealant on the mounting screws also. George
George Butz III

The rubber material is Viton, not viacom.

Just to clear that up...

Gene
Gene Gillam

The cork gasket worked well for me- I seem to recall from previous discussions that the real problem was using the wrong screws which were supplied for years by the usual suppliers. (maybe still are)
J K Barter

Peter Edney, in the UK sells an improved seal for the sender.

https://www.mg-parts.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=3_10_68_162&product_id=213

He also sells the screws with plastic sealing washers.

https://www.mg-parts.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=3_10_68_162&product_id=878

John



J Scragg

Those are what I used and they sealed perfectly.
Dave H
Dave Hill

The link that John posted with the improved gasket for the sending unit looks exactly like what you'll get from FTFU. I got from one from Doug and so far so good!

I used Seal-All for sealant and also used it for the threads of the screws.

Frank

TF1414
Frank Cronin

I use the normal joint that Moss sells to which I add joint sealant for motor, fixed without definitive tightening and the next day I give the final tightening, this procedure helps the adaptation of the assembly and prevents the loss of sealant.
Gabriel Martínez

I used Dougs gasket, but lightly coated it with Permatex ultra copper and coated the screw threads with it also, NO LEAKS! PJ


PJ Jennings

I forgot to ad, I first had a cork gasket on it and then a thick paper type gasket, they both leaked! The one FTFU doesnt. PJ
PJ Jennings

Most of the cork gaskets are not pure cork but silicone and not neoprene impregnated. Petrol will dissolve silicone. I make my own gaskets but from Viton.
Regards
Declan
Declan Burns

I fitted the Moss "rubber" gasket kit, the round one and the rectangular one to two of my Morris Minors and have had no leaks or escaping fumes for the three years they have been fitted. Admittedly, the sending unit in these cars is in the top of tank so not continually exposed to liquid fuel, just when the tanks are topped off. If they were leaking I'd smell it in the trunk.
John Quilter (TD8986)

This thread was discussed between 31/05/2019 and 04/06/2019

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