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MG TD TF 1500 - Oil on plugs

Hey all, I took the TD out for a short spring run and found that it had acquired a misfire over the winter. It has an electronic ignition so I thought it best to check the plugs. I found #3& #4 a nice tan brown. Alas, plugs #1 & #2 were sooty and even had a bit of oil on the threads. When I wiped them off I found the nice tan/brown as on the rear 2. Is it possible that oil leaked around the valves a bit over the winter? I'll take it out for another run if it ever stops raining here in New York. Thanks, Tom
Thomas McNamara

Tom,
A better possibility is that the front carb is running rich,, How many miles on the plugs??
You wouldn't get any oil leak in by just sitting over the winter.

Steve
Steve Wincze

Thanks Steve, I'll check that out this evening. Not sure about the plug milage, I am thinking less than 10K. I know I have the carb instructions somewhere! :) Tom
Thomas McNamara

Make sure that the valve cover isn't drooling, or that oil wasn't spilled when filling. It can run down and collect in the low point at the plug hole and can oil the threads when you remove it. When in doubt, change them and that may cure misfire. Check for bad gas/water contamination also. George
George Butz

Hey all, a total home run! The TD has pancake filters on it. The front carb lost a retaining bolt and the other one was loose. The filter "fell down" enough so that only 1/2 of the carb throat was open. Hence, it ran "choked" all the time. Thanks to all for their collective advice. Tom
Thomas McNamara

Tom,
Glad you found the reason for running rich on #1 #2,,

FWIW, if the mileage on these plugs is in fact near 10,000,, that's a lot for these engines and plugs,, they don't last like plugs in modern day cars!

YES, I'm sure there will probably be posts about getting 10k + on some, but why take the risk of having one foul out at a time when it is inconvenient to change them ????
JMHO
Steve
Steve Wincze

Hey Steve, I will change them as soon as I can get to an auto parts store. Is one brand not the same as the rest? Tom in rainy upstate NY.
Thomas McNamara

This thread was discussed between 05/05/2016 and 06/05/2016

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