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MG TD TF 1500 - TF radiator & shell removal

I need to remove my TF1500 radiator & shell to get at front end crankshaft oil seal. Workshop manual suggests a procedure which looks straightforward - sort of!

However, procedure mentions two captive nuts each side, accessed from bolts fitted inside front wings. On my car there are no captive nuts, just bolts with nuts visible between chromed slats and radiator core on each side. If I remove the front bumper and apron, is it possible to then remove the bottom plate (through which the starting handle goes)? The bottom plate I am referring to is between the core and the chromed slats. I could then access the 4 side bolts and nuts from below.

Or is there another way of doing this job?

Thanks,

Neil.
N D Wallace

That bottom plate comes off with the grille and radiator assembly.
David
D. Sander

Neil, do you have this exploded view? PJ



Paul S Jennings

David; ah, yes, that is the problem! I think I need to remove the bottom plate whilst the radiator and shell are in position.

Paul; I do have the exploded view, thanks. I think the captive nuts are on the side panel (item 31) on your diagram, for the bolts that come through both wing and engine bay side panel. If I don't have captive nuts, how do I get the assembly off the car? That is the question!

Thanks to both for your replies.

Neil.
N D Wallace

I'v erecently been thru this. Do you mean the plate at the bottom as seen in this immade. If so, mine were held on with self tapping screws you get at from underneath.

A

A R Jones

Another image. The rad and grille come out together.

You need to loosen the cross brace so you can spring the wings apart to get it out. Getting it back in........!
A

A R Jones

Neil

If you remove your horns you will find accessing the nuts on the bottom radiator studs a simpler task.

Graeme
G Evans

Hi Neil,
the previous owner got them in so it should be possible to get them out.If you form a hexagonal loop out of coat hanger wire and bend to suit you should get them out.It does not matter if they fall into the cowl as you can get them out when the rad is out.
We can replace/repair the captives at the same time.
I was going to talk to you at the club meeting last night but the storm prevented me from going.I did not want to become a news item ;-)
Ray TF 2884
PS Email fault at the moment
Ray Lee

Hi Neil,

Quite common for the captive nuts to have rusted solid in the past and been removed by a PO - that was the case on my TF 1500. Not a problem - use an open ended spanner through the rad slats and then undo the under wing bolts in the usual way.

Don't be surprised to find a self tapper through the bottom corner of the wing, chrome surround et al - not a PO bodge but done at the factory - see the Eric Blower article re the TF cooling system, reproduced on page 156-7 of the T Type Restoration Handbook, published by The New England MG T Register in 1993.

Cheers,

John
J C Mitchell

Removing the front bumper as AR did will not only make working on it easier, but will save your shin bones to boot! PJ
Paul S Jennings

I recall Ray Lee (see above) advising me as a recent new owner of a TF1500 that I really must join this website and any queries I had would be quickly dealt with.

Well, Guys, you have not disappointed and I must thank you all for the various ideas and images. They really are most helpful and give me much more confidence to proceed. I was always planning to remove the front bumper and badge/lights bar because they would otherwise be in the way.

My car has the T9 five speed box, so the cranked tie bar is in the way and - in view of the front end crankshaft seal replacement job - has to be removed anyway.

Thanks,

Neil.
N D Wallace

Neil, I replaced Mine with the new type seal and it works great, no leaks! Just make sure you bed the new seal with vinyl sealer in the casting groves. PJ
Paul S Jennings

Paul.
Thanks for the advice re front end seal. I have got one of the Moss lip seals to replace Very leaky "whatever" existing seal and plenty of the recommended blue sealant. Let's hope mine works as well as yours to repay the effort required to fit it.
Cheers, Neil.
N D Wallace

This thread was discussed between 12/02/2014 and 14/02/2014

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