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MG TD TF 1500 - How best to install my engine and gearbox

Finally after a 3 year wait my engine is back has the gearbox attached and is about to go into my TF.
The engine and gearbox was originally gold as it's a Gold Seal replacement engine. It looks very blingy especially with the chromed rocker cover but I feel this tells the story of the engine. The rocker cover was chromed by my farther and at this point I don't plan to change it.
At some point early in the cars life there must have been a problem with the engine and rather than fix it MG replaced the engine and possibly the gearbox as was their way.

I have stripped down the front of the car taken off the sides and bonnet and the radiator.

I have access to an engine hoist. As I have never done this before I don't want to drop it at this point.

Would someone maybe explain where best to support the engine in this process.

Thanks in advance


Darryl Lamb

The engine on the chassis 30 years ago when 1st dismantled

Darryl Lamb

I appreciate the colour may not be everyone's cup of tea. Certainly the engine builder was against it and I had to go over and paint it gold myself but I do think it tells the story.

Darryl Lamb

Why not if its a Gold Seal engine - it looks good to me.
You can lift it using the head stud fixings or its possible with a couple of slings, but the head studs are better and much safer. You want some metal rings that fix under them and ideally need four. Better still get a spreader beam that hangs under the engine crane with 4 chains and hooks and has a purpose made fore and aft adjustment. This enables you to easily adjust the angle the engine will hang from the crane, so that you can get it in safely and without damaging anything.
Dave H
Dave Hill

This is the method and the home made attachment I use. I use it and the same method on the MGB as well.

L E D LaVerne

When done this way it forms a rigid structure very capable of supporting the weight. You would not want to use something like this if didn't bolt it together tight as you would risk bending the studs.

L E D LaVerne

Put the gearbox rubber and bracket on the gear box before you put the unit in the car.
L E D LaVerne

LaVerne is absolutely correct. The rings that I use for lifting, clamp down tight onto the head, so there is no possibility of bending the studs.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Thanks guys this is great help
Darryl Lamb

I think your decision to stay with the gold is a good one. Since the motor is not "original" (I am assuming the car plate still lists the old engine number?) the gold clarifies it is a factory replacement.

I recently got a 57 Magnette running and sold. It also had a Gold Seal Motor in it.
Bruce Cunha

Hi Darryl,

I don't know if you have an attachment for your hoist to change the centre of gravity of the load. They are excellent bits of kit and enable you to tilt the engine/gearbox to insert it into the transmission tunnel and then lower it onto the mounts. I have removed and replaced engines and gearboxes single handed using one. I suspect you could hire one.

Jan T
J Targosz

Darryl,
If your toeboard is in place you may have difficulty getting the engine and gearbox in together.
TF's seem to differ one to another. We took the engine/box out of a friends car yesterday. On my car I sling the engine/box move it forward then tilt up the front move it forward again until it will lift out at a steep angle. On my friends car no way would this happen so we had to put it back and split the units.
As for lifting I use wire strops fabricated with wire clamps and wire fence turnbuckles to allow the angle to be changed.
I got them from Toolstation and Screwfix (I don't know if you have them in Eire but you should have similar)
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Hi Guys I managed to this in Sunday. A little less straightforward than I had hoped for. The hoist I had was not the greatest.
We had no special kit so we used to toe rope under the front supporting plate and then also where the bell housing joins the engine. We reckoned this would avoid the rope fouling the firewall.
My first problem was the hoist wouldn't move easily with the engine lifted so we had to move the car to the engine.
Then the wheels wouldn't go either side of the hoist so we disconnected the stearing arms from the wheels and splayed the wheels to get it past the legs of the hoist.
Next we had to remove the bumper to allow us to get the hoist in far enough.
We also had to remove the right had steering column as the starter motor bracket was fouling it.
Finally we needed to remove the metal and rubber front engine support.
This all allowed us to manure the engine in.
Of course then the gearbox had to be brought up with a trolley jack to manure it into its mounting point.
Finally we had to take off the engine mount supporting bracket that attaches to the car to get the rubber and metal mount in. The supporting bracket then went on easily.
The final complication was that the gearbox had moved the supporting rubbers and these needed to be manuvered into place with a long flat head screwdriver.
All in all it took us both about an hour and a half with a great feeling of satisfaction afterwards and a cup of tea!
Thanks again for all your advice.

I have also posted pictures and chatted about this on the Facebook group..MG Octagon Car Club


Darryl Lamb

Darryl,

Nice effort on your TF. Looks a beauty.

I like your Red body colour too !

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

Thanks Rob that's the Autumn Red. I like it too 😊

Would you know what's the right engine oil and spark plugs to use in the engine.

Thanks
Darryl Lamb

Hi Darryl,

I suspect there will be many different opinions relating to the 'correct'
engine oil and spark plug make/type for T types.

I have had success with Penrite 30. I also have used Champion N5C
spark plugs without any issues. Originally I think Champion N8s were used.
(I also like seeing the original Champion bakelite lead connectors to the plugs).

Cheers
Rob Grantham
Rob Grantham

FYI

Mort Resnicoff

Hi Darryl,

All looks great..

Just wondering, what type of tyres have you fitted?

Doug
Doug Wallace

I think they were Blockley Doug They were the MWS wheel and tyre set from Moss. I will will get a definitive answer for you during the week.
Darryl Lamb

This thread was discussed between 01/11/2017 and 11/11/2017

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