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MG TD TF 1500 - Left and Right Float Bowl Lids for TD

I am trying to assess when and where 1 1/4" carb TD's had both left and right handed float bowl lids.

For example my own car only had right handed lids. Every picture I have of unrestored cars as well as early publications show only right handed lids.

But I have others who swear their cars or other unrestored cars have both left and right handed lids and there are also L/R handed lids in the parts book etc.

Note that cars with 1 1/2" carbs do seem to have both handed lids so I am really only concerned right now with the 1 1/4" TD carbs.

So if your car has both L/R handed lids can you let me know you car number and export status code.

Chris Couper

First, Chris - very pretty engine. Wish mine looked like that!

Yes, the TF has a rightie, and a leftie, and if memory serves me correctly, the float bowls for the TD and TF are interchangeable.

Depending which lid you have, the length of the connecting hose can cause problems. The long hose will interfere with the bonnet on the TF, if both lids have the inside connection Similarly, if the long hose is used, it won't fit, if the lids are on the outside.

As to which one came with the TD, I have no idea!

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A Clark

Chris,
Mine has lids just like yours,, I can just assume that they are original,,,,
XPAG/TD2/18626
TD18283 EXLNA


SPW
STEVE WINCZE

Chris, mine are both righties just like yours only not as shiny. My car is TD/25009 (finally found the number stamped into the dumb iron last night - once you see it, it's very clear), engin XPAG/TD2/25404 and I' pretty sure (but not home to look) that it is EXLNA.

Jud
J K Chapin

Chris

Mine has a left and a right bowl cover.

Also - The shaved off corner on the plenum for bonnet relief. Obtained the TD in 1970 and it came that way.

MG TD25928 - XPAG/TD2/26335

Rod.

R D Jones

Chris, the Service Parts List makes no mention of any such variation. Abingdon Spares lists separate part numbers for the front (AUC1160) and rear (AUC1161). They are shown as being of opposite 'handing'. Their parts diagram shows the front (1160) as right-handed and the rear (1161) as being left-handed. (Confusing!) MAybe someone can check out AUC1160 and AUC1161. Bud
Bud Krueger

Mine had two right hand lids in 1979 when I first started on him, but someone had otherwise fusion welded a float bowl arm.

I replaced the rear lid with a left handed one because it made the fuel hose fit better.

My gut feeling is that all lids were right handed and the left handed lids were for another application.

Warmly,
Dave

Dave Braun


I have had my TD since 1965. Both bowls are the of the same handed ness. The rear is a (MOSS) replacement. I broke the original BUT I still have the parts and they are the of the same handedness as the replacement.

The engine, #16052 is not original.

I had hoped to hve the old one TIG-ed but I think the cover may be White metal.

Jim B.

JA Benjamin

Interesting. My car had matching lids like yours when purchased in the early 70s. At restoration, I ran across some info or pictures that show the 1161 for the rear, so I located an original one and changed to that. It puts the banjo really close to the horn, and really stretches the carb to carb fuel line. Perhaps they were the same on earlier cars? TD 10835. George
George Butz

My early TD #3157 which was stored in a barn from the late 60's has two "righties".
Joe Holtslag

Rod: Is your car an EXL NA car?
Chris Couper

Does not say EXLNA. Bud


Bud Krueger

Hi Chris

My TD has a right and left hand bowl lid, It is the original engine and a late car may 1953.

TD 27905
XPEG/TD2/28277

Cheers Chris
C A Pick

Good day all:

Probably going to be for it after this, but both my TC6768 (1948) and TD3191 (1950) were shipped directly to Canada during their respective operational years. Both cars have float chambers and lids that are handed.

The rear carburetters have float chambers # AUC 3495 and corresponding lids # AUC 1160.

The front carburetters have float chambers # AUC 3496 and corresponding lids # AUC 1161.

Now I am given to understand that later succession numbers for the respective lids are as follows:

Front Lid: AUC 1160 -> AUC 4260 -> AUE 996
Rear Lid : AUC 1161 -> AUC 4261 -> AUE 997 or AUE 999

I also believe the tickler pin # AUC 1149 (brass) or later # AUC # 1249 (steel) and spring # AUC 1151 at some time during the later lid configurations changed positioning from the top of the lids to a lower region.

In my SU Lucas carburetter specification sheet Ref: # AUC 9512 for the H2 carburetters # AUC 429 TC (M.G. 5- Issue 2) both separate chambers and lids are noted.

Oddly enough for the TD, SU carburetter specification sheet Ref: # AUC 9515 (M.G. 2-Issue 2) for H2 carburetters # AUC 549: both separate float chambers are listed but only the one lid, # AUC 4260. Which, if the above part # changes are correct identifies the rear chamber lid as being used front and rear.

Hope the above has some validity, as once more the imparter must emphasize that he is no M.G. Expert or Guru-Right then, there it is.

Emdall: Halfmoon Bay, British Columbia, Canada

kernow

Right Then:

To correct my cock-up, the front float chamber lid, # AUC 4260, if all the supersession numbers are right, is the common lid for the front and rear chambers, not the rear lid as previously submitted.

Wrote that I am no expert and my brain does not always catch what is being typed, in time that is, to expose an awkward faux pas before it is transmitted!
Emdall
kernow

kernow: That is interesting information. I would ask you for a copy of the SU spec sheet if you could scan and email.

What is the date on Ref: # AUC 9515?

That is great information and unless I miss-read your two posts it sounds like there were times when both were lids were used? But we have a few folks with later car numbers that have both too which seems to go against the reference,

And it seems like it make be regional too which also stumps me a bit. Was your TD an EXL?
Chris Couper

Well to make matters worse. I have two parts books. One from 1951 with a typed supplement from 1956 and another from 1958 from BMC. Both only show right handed lids on the illustration. I don't see a parts breakdown for lids, bowls etc in the TD parts book, but I may be miss reading it.
Chris Couper

G'day Chris:

The specs. sheet for the TC AUC 9512 lists both the front and rear chambers with the corresponding front and rear lids.

The specs. sheet for the TD AUC 9515 lists both the front and rear chambers, but only the one lid AUC 4260.

As I wrote AUC 4260, I believe, is the supersession # for AUC 1160. The new lid, if I recall correctly had the tickler pin and spring relocated from the top of the lid. The boss was still there, but not drilled (blanked off).

As for a printing date, the SU spec sheet is sans any data. It was printed by Nuffield Press and that suspect code, on the bottom of the last page, reads as: 24/176 (25506) 6m.

I have never really been able to fathom any of those coding lines.

I will try to scan and e-mail a copy but my skills are sorely lacking. If all else goes pear shaped I can print and "snail mail" you the sheets.

With regards to the TD service parts manuals, 1950 and 1958, the former has "X" numbers for the carburetters (complete). The latter lists the same but under the newer AJH numbers. And, as you wrote, there is no further break down by bits.

Cheers Chris, et al: respectfully:
Jack Emdall




kernow

kernow: Somewhere in my archives I may have the carb manuals.

Is this one of the manuals you were looking at? I probably need to go into the closet and see what it has in it.

I have stuff squirreled away I can't even remember I have. :-(

Chris Couper

TD 4139 Has two right side and has steel tickler pins brass piston and no spring.

Bruce Cunha

G'day Chris, etal:

The SU manual, in the accompanying image, is the same four page publication that I sent you scanned copies of (well I hope I did) ?

Reckon you can jettison them if they get through.

Cheers then:
Jack Emdall
kernow

The original service parts list shows them both being the same, on the right hand side.

John
J Scragg

The TD (chassis no. 6201, UK Home Market car) I owned until a few weeks ago had 2 front lids. The SU Carburetter spec. sheet (AUC 9515) for MG TD H2 type commencing at XPAG/TD501 shows only one lid, part no.4260. Roy
R.E. Miller

Jack: I did not get the scans :-(

Try this email instead:
ccouper at fastkat dot com.

Roy. Thanks. This is essentially what Jack pointed out too.

Its still baffling why we are getting reports of LH and RH bowls and I wonder if its because the 1 1/2" carbs do seem to have them so people might have 'fixed' some other cars, or perhaps the factory used both unofficially periodically during supply situations. i.e. "We don't have enough RH float bowl lids to supply you this month. Will you take LH and RH ones until we ramp up production?"
Chris Couper

Chris, I have TD's # 28332 and 29885 and both have the right handed covers. 29885 was made on the last day of production so I guess that it represents the last changes made to the model prior to TF's. As a matter of fact, both cars are identical in all of the parts as near as I can tell. I know the history to the early 60's on both of them and believe that they are today as they were shipped from the factory.
Mark
Mark Strang

My 55 TF has right and left handed lids. PJ
Paul sr

Chris,

Check with the below site they should have the some info.

mgtd@mg-cars.org.uk

Ed
TD/20709
ECS Stanfield

Thanks Ed. I started there but found their information less than complete and was looking for another opinion. :-)
Chris Couper

I found this in the TD WSM, page B.14. Not a photo... Maybe more evidence to two right hand tops.



Dean E

Dean: Yes that's the same as in the parts manuals. I really like how they have the lids skewed :-)

Of course naysayers will correctly point out that the WSM and Parts manuals were done on prototypes or pre-production cars so they are moot.
Chris Couper

Chris

No expert but my 1950 TD/3376 has the same carb float lids front and back. My car is an EXLU. Can't state that they have not been changed but other than an early replacement engine it was original.

Brian
Brian Smith (1950 TD3376)

This thread was discussed between 16/10/2013 and 21/10/2013

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