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MG TD TF 1500 - Sump oil pickup

Good day to all,
I have a TD with the finned sump pan and the centered pickup. From reading the forum, it looks like it is wise to add the "snorkel" when I reassemble. My understanding is that it helps prevent oil starvation with hard braking. Is this just a simple add on since I have the finned pan?
And, if so, does anyone have one they would like to sell?

Thanks for any help you can give,
Jim Smith TD17744
JV Smith TD17744

If you have the large capacity late TD/TF finned oil pan your pick up should already have the snorkel mounted to the bottom of the pick up. Pics of what you have would be helpful.

If by chance you have a small sump TC finned oil pan the snorkel will not work
W A Chasser

Bill,
Here are photos of my sump-oil pickup. Reading archived posts, it appeared that there were 3 evolutionary changes in the pickup. The first would be the more shallow, smooth sump pan. The second appeared to be the change to a deeper, finned pan with the pickup centered. The third was the addition of the "snorkel". It seems like you are saying that all, finned, centered pickups originally had the snorkel. However, as you can see from my photos, my pickup does not have a bolt holding the screen on. It has a spring, washer, and cotter pin holding the screen in. In this scenario, there doesn't appear to be a way to attach the snorkel. Abingdon Spares shows a bolt to hold the snorkel on.
Is there retrofit advice here?

Thanks for your help,
Jim





JV Smith TD17744

Yeah. You don’t have the snorkel. Also those two holes on either side of the windage tray opening were used to mount a strap that was welded to the top of the pick up can to prevent vibration that could stress the pick up tube. I don’t have a large pan loose to show you what I’m trying to describe. If you can’t find a pick up with the snorkel you could fashion a baffle with a spring loaded trap door to prevent oil from sloshing forward. Keep in mind also your pan holds more oil as well. Again if your not racing or planning any high revving intense fast road driving the snorkel isn’t likely needed. I can’t say for sure if your pickup ever had a snorkel but with the strap missing probably not. The snorkel was cast aluminum and a bit heavy which would have out more stress on the pickup tube.

You can likely find a sump baffle with a door from JEGS or other Speed shop. They are quite commonly used in circle track, road racing, dragsters and boats where a dry sump system is not used. Custom oil pan manufacturers such as Stephs , Moroso and others may be of help as well.

Bill Chasser
TD-4834
W A Chasser

Jim,
The attached photo shows the strap (or part of it) on my engine. Clearly broken, with one end missing.
Cheers,
Michael

M R Calvert

The early assembly without the snorkel did not have the brace to the tray.




L E D LaVerne

The bracing came along with the snorkel




L E D LaVerne

Along with the pick up, there were at least 4 different sumps used on the XPAG's. The TC finned sump, the early TD smooth sump, the TD and early TF finned sump and lastly the TF finned sump which also had the last change of the pick up assembly which changed from a two eared two bolt to the sump design to a round 4 bolt to the sump design.




L E D LaVerne

LaVerne: Nice safety wire work on last picture. Very clean.
Christopher Couper

Gee.... thanks
L E D LaVerne

Jim,

Your windage tray appears to have lost a corner. Inspect it for more fractures. There is a "linear indication" on the right hand side on the radiused inside corner which could be a propagating fracture or just a scratch. If it is a fracture, it looks like it is already branching out in a Y pattern. If that corner came loose, the crankshaft might eat it for lunch.

You might consider just leaving it out, since it doesn't stabilize the oil pickup at all. You don't need it. Most engines don't have them.

I discovered, on one of ours with a snorkel, there were about 5 fractures just starting or already propagating. I oxyacetylene welded the cracks and heated all edges red hot to soften them making it less vulnerable to fracture.






JIM N

Yes, Jim,
The tray has lost a corner, and there is at least one crack.

So, let's visit the idea of just leaving it out. I do not have the snorkel, so my pickup is not attached to the tray at all.

Is there any negative consequence to leaving the tray out completely? What is its primary (and any secondary) purpose? Non-expert logic would tell me that the tray helps to keep the oil from "sloshing" around and possibly starving the pickup. It seems like most people repair them and put them back in.

Is there a consensus here?

Jim Smith
JV Smith TD17744

This thread was discussed between 24/11/2021 and 11/12/2021

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