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MG TD TF 1500 - Heater bottom hose take off wanted

I'm going to fit a nice round Smith's heater into my TD and was wondering if anyone in the UK or Europe has a bottom hose fitting with a take-off already welded in they might be interested in selling or trading?
Cliff Harvey

Here's an interesting picture I found from Rod Jones on another forum, his installation has the return hose fitted higher up into the bypass hose, is this a better place? Of course I still need the fitting ... as I type I'm wondering if a 1in piece of copper tubing with a half inch take off would be about the right size, I can sold copper?

Cliff Harvey

Cliff, I just replaced my hoses and the branch pipe on my TD. There does not appear to be room to put a fitting between the bottom of the branch pipe and inlet to the bottom of the radiator. It does look like you could put a fitting between the arm to the branch pipe and the elbow from the thermostat housing housing. The picture attached is the branch pipe I replaced. I suspect you could cut it down and clean it up and put it there. It's groady but it's your for the cost of postage to the UK (probably high but maybe less that what Moss wants for a branch pipe). Jud

J K Chapin

Hi Jud,
Thanks for the offer but I should be able to find one 'over here' somewhere for less postage.
I've included a picture with the position of the take off for reference.
But while looking at images I found the one above, I've never seen a take off from that position.

Cliff Harvey

Here's a picture of the copper T-piece I had in mind, it's 22mm dia, just short of an inch, but probably close enough if the first picture is a viable position that is?

Cliff Harvey

Cliff, where is your other fitting? If this is for your return, where is your source? Bud
Bud Krueger

Hi Bud,
The pics are all other people's installs. Reading other posts I like the idea of coming off the back of the head, although it is slightly cooler, I may be able to get hold of a Wolseley rear head plate and take off and returning the cooled water to the bottom hose.
Cliff Harvey

Hi Cliff,
Yes, you found my rather untidy return for my Smith's heater in my TD.
It has been like that since 1974 and the heater works great. I live up in Maine and it is cold up here 6 month of the year Heater is kind of necessary.
The actual take off (supply) is on the back of the head. This helps keep the plumbing to a minimum and if you put a tap there you can turn off the supply of hot water for the Summer (I have the fitting but have never turned it Off) Once, when driving in Spain in August I needed the heater on to help with the cooling - Did not help the cockpit temp though. But that's why you have the hood down right?
Have you thought about the arrangement for the Arnold heater which has it all coming from the front? Makes for more plumbing but that can be fairly tidy. The pipe is actually restricted between the two take offs so the bypass function still works.
Others on the forum have this installation fitted and could post details for you. I want to go this way but have yet to obtain one.
Rod.


Rod Jones

Cliff, et al, you can get the exact fitting that Rod has shown from Ben Corsden, an Arnolt Heater expert - he's restored over 100 of them. I just bought one from him the other day. He charged me $39.50 for the bypass fitting with the correct size restrictor hole and $10.50 for an ARNOLT decal for the front of the heater box, including postage. You can get hold of him at sculptart on the hotmail - dot - com system.
Kevin McLemore

I know their different but, here's how my TF return is. PJ

Paul S Jennings

The same as i have. It needs a restrictor in the bypass tube to divert enough hot water through the heater. Original part from Y type or Wolseley?

Regards

Jan
Jan Emil Kristoffersen

Jan, Are you saying to put a restrictor here on the TF? Or are you speaking of the TD? PJ



Paul S Jennings

That’s where I would put it PJ.
The heater hose is 1/2" and the bypass tube is larger - right? You want to make the water flow through the heater and no just scoot through the bypass. With a restrictor in that position, more water will definitely go through the heater.
If you close off the heater and it is not in use. You still need a small amount of return water to the head and block to get the Stat to open quickly once started. To get up to operating temps. After that point you don't really need any bypass flow at all.

Rod.
Rod Jones

Rod, would you say your return pipe position works well, I've never seen anyone else position it there plus it would be very easy to use that copper fitting in the picture I uploaded also the pipe would be closer to the block?
Cliff Harvey

yes Paul, that is where I have a restrictor, a brass insert with a 4 mm hole. Made a major difference!

regards,

Jan
Jan Emil Kristoffersen

Cliff,
I believe this position is at the pressure side of the pump. Lots of folk here have the heater takeoff at this point. The return flow in my case is via the back of the head. Anywhere the suction of the pump is felt would be OK.
The Arnaut heater attachment does it the best way. [Which is a very efficient way to go and the return is to the suction side of the pump via the bottom of the Radiator not the head.]
Most have said that the hottest water will be felt just before the thermostat - which is correct.
The down pipe of the bypass is under the influence of the pumps pressure So my return flow from the heater goes to the back of the head [for less pluming]
The amount of water going through this loop does not have to be huge. I have always had the heater set up this way and have never thought the heater was lacking.
If you change your coolant fluid, it is wise to bleed the heater circuit with the engine running. Just remove one of the pipes and let the coolant flow into a bucket to remove any air. It will flow remarkably fast with one side blocked off as the pump pressure will be felt full stream and not as a parallel loop.
I have no thermostat fitted at the moment but do have a restriction plate in the bypass pipe. I believe the least path of resistance is to the header tank. The last think you need is really hot water being delivered to the pump without going through a radiator, be it the heater or the front Rad.
4mm is a good size to pick - you can make a gasket plate and mount it at the elbow at the top of the bypass pipe. Or the best fix would be to get one of the Arnaut devices and fit it into the bypass tube and add the extra plumbing. It has the restriction plate inside it and good water flow goes to the heater.

Hope this makes it little clearer.

Rod


Rod Jones

This thread was discussed between 06/10/2014 and 08/10/2014

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