MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Time to change the timing chain

Lotts a clankin' goin' on when I put the TF up for the winter.

Obviously time to install a new chain, ski and spring.

However from my Ferrari days, I recall that "there are timing chains, and there are timings chains", and quality is everything.

Does anybody have any advice about buying a new timing chain?

Ski - no problem B&G sell them at a sensible price.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gord Clark

I believe Iwis (German) is a good brand but there are probably several others which are also good. Hopefully some other forum readers will offer other alternatives. You pay twice as much for a quality chain but that is still not expensive.

You are right that some brands are no good. I was surprised at the cheap price of a chain I fitted many years ago. Luckily, I had a magnet on the sump plug, because when I changed the TC oil before a big race meeting, the joiner clip was stuck to it! The clip had split. A couple of rollers also split and dropped off! Initially I thought it was cheap because it also fitted a common car (Toyota?) but later realised it was just VERY poor quality.
Good luck with the job,
Bob
R L Schapel

Gord, a few years ago, when I was rebuilding the engine of The53, I noted that Moss offered two timing chains. One was standard and the other was a higher quality, German made one, for a higher price. If you can find the thread you'll see that I got a bunch of flack over my thoughts of buying the higher priced one. I'd do it again. Bud
Bud Krueger

Hi
Peter Edney in the UK deliver a good quality chain.
Don't remember the number but it ends with an X.


rgds
Torben
Torben Olesen

One of the well known Achilles heels of the Stag is the pair of very long single row chains. IWIS (aka JWIS) are the chains of choice there if that is any recommendation.
One small point that caused me a bit of head scratching was that the split link has to be inserted from the front unless both gears have been pulled so fitting the joint clip can be a bit fiddle.l
C I Twidle

When you choose your chain ,have a look at the rollers, Better chains have one piece rollers
Not so better chains have rollers with a joint in them
I've seen the rollers with joints in them break letting the rollers drop off the pins
I had a Coyote V8 with a chain noise, and the short joining chain between the 2 cams on one side had no rollers left on it and the pins were running direct on the sprockets--All the halves of rollers were everywhere in the timing cover and in the pan--Quite a job finding them all
Renold chain is good and there is a good japanese one(or probably more) called Sugino or Sugiama or something like that
William Revit

Have look at FTFU - Dough offers two kind of quality. One is heavy duty.
W_Mueller

I am not so sure about the Peter Edney chain being "Made in Germany". I spoke to a TD owner here who told be he bought that chain and it was "Engineered in Germany" but Made in India on the box. I will try and get some more information.
Regards
Declan
Declan Burns

Without looking at the old thread Bud, I seem to remember that the issue I had was the terminology that Moss used for the quality chain as being " pre stretched" which I thought was nonsense. I bought the more expensive chain from Moss for my rebuild and would do so again. The lesser chain also came with the gear set I purchased from B and G. There were observable differences in the chains.

L E D LaVerne

and

L E D LaVerne

next

L E D LaVerne

Last

L E D LaVerne

While on the subject... New timing gear would usually go hand and hand with a new chain. I found the gears to be very poorly finished....and they were the same gears from both Moss and B and G. Abingdon may have something better? I understand that From the Frame up can supply better quality gears. These look like they were finished by some guy with a rock on a beach.

L E D LaVerne

Gord
LED Laverne is correct. If my memory is still in working condition I seem to think that your tired engine has many many miles on it.
I would find and purchase the best gears that are available as yours are certanly worn out.
Sandy in 80 degree Naples Florida.

Any news re MGB?
Sanders

From the packaging I can suggest that the gear was made by or for XRN in the UK or elsewhere, the most common supplier of internal engine parts like valves, valve springs, bearings, guides, etc. Their quality is adequate overall, but there are precious few sources left.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

I just checked my spare Iwis chain. As I thought, it has the rollers with splits and yet should be much better quality than the cheapy I had, which dropped bits off! (Despite starting with full circle rollers.) The plot thickens! I remember the old "Reynolds" chains which used to be the benchmark, I think. They were great and did not have split rollers. That should be a safe brand to buy if they are still made in England.

Bob
R L Schapel

Wipperman ' has always been a good German chain but like all manufacturers there are several chain types to choose from
They used to have a chain with two layers of roller on the pins, one running inside the other and this chain was sought after for racing bicycles because of it's low resistance---i know they make self luricating chain as well, both of which wouldn't probably suit timing chain use
I think what I'm trying to say is just because a chain is a 1/2" duplex chain and looks good on the outside it may not necesarily be suited to being used as a timing chain---horses for courses
An email to a quality chain manufacturer to get a chain type (part no)recomendation ,specifically for use as an engine timing chain could be a good choice------maybe

You USA based guys have Melling chains there which are popular upgrades with the Chev hot up guys
William Revit

I'm a long time English biker and TC owner.
When you buy a new chain don't go cheap, buy new sprockets also. The Iwis chain is an accepted good quality chain used by bikers.
American chains are not compatible with British cut sprockets. British and Japanese chains have comparable diameter rollers. American chains have larger diameter rollers.
Buy the Moss Iwis chain and new sprockets. The quality is just fine.
Charlie
c mac quarrie


If Charlie is right about American chains having different size rollers, There may a lot of people in big time trouble!... I hope someone has some chains left laying around to measure and confirm or NOT.
Richard Cameron

This sort of proves a point-----
Bob and Charley, you both mentioned Iwis chain, so I had a look at their site on the net
Bob, you mentioned that the Iwis chain you have has split rollers but I copied this writeup for their premium-ANSI standard chain---
---
"
iwis roller chains are characterized by an optimal service life due to excellent wear resist-ance, high consistency, matchless precision and a considerably higher breaking and fatigue strength than required by ISO standard.iwis’ high quality is based on each individual part being technically perfect. Solid bushing technology and solid rollers guarantee ideal sliding-contact properties and optimally dimen-sioned side plates for improved fatigue strength. All iwis chains are pre-stretched and are provided with a highly efficient initial iwis-lubrication for supreme wear life
"

I noticed in this writeup that the chain has solid rollers as against the chain you have with the split rollers which to me shows that even a respected chain manufacturer supplies various grades of chain, and that chain can't simply be bought by name alone
There is always the need to check which grade and if that grade is suitable for the required use

willy
William Revit

Very intriguing! Thanks for that info'. I even checked to see if my chain could have been switched in the box but it has IWIS stamped on each link. I must say I have had it for several years. perhaps their methods have changed?
Bob
R L Schapel

Sandy and others,

I rebuilt the engine in 2010 and have put on abt 10K miles since. At the time, I had a new chain that I've had in stock for 40 years and wasn't happy with its appearance. Now with this issue of solid versus split rollers, and US versus "others" rollers, its time time revisit my chain ... which is in my unheated shed and its -18°C right now ... will have to wait a few days

The information in this thread will be very useful. I plan to get a new 'ski' ass'y and a new chain and will insist on a quality chain.

Thanks all, for your help.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gord Clark

Hi Gord. I am sure any good quality chain will do the job even with split design. If your old one was good quality that should be ok too if it is not rusty. -18 is cold! We had +47C here in Adelaide a couple of weeks ago. A new record!
Good luck with it.
Bob
R L Schapel

Went through my inventory today for a timing chain and found one. Its a 'Rolon'. Research shows that its not a good quality chain and have decided no to use it. I've probably had it for years ... have no idea where it came from

Bought a US-made Melling from RockAuto for $16.20.

I plan to compare the two, and will report.

Gord C;ark
Rockburn, Quié.
Gord Clark


Gord, be sure and check the oil feed hole for blockage in the tensioner shoe housing. The oil hole is only 1mm , so its easily blocked by sludge etc? If its not clear, there will be a lot of chain rattle because the tensioner won't be getting the hydraulic action on the shoe.
Richard Cameron

Take a photo of the chain in place. There is nothing worse than if the motor does not fire up than the thought "did I put the marked links in the right place".
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Got the Melling timing chain from Rock Auto, and I'm embarrassed to say that it's nearly identical to the Rolon I've had in my inventory for years.

They weigh the same; the links re the same thickness, but the Melling link is a ½mm wider and I prefer the securing pin on the Melling. But hey, the Melling was $16.20

Is it possible to replace the lower sprocket without using a Speedi Sleeve?. I'm not in the mood to replace the lower seal.

Richard Cameron & Ray Lee. Tnx for the good tips.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gord Clark

The purpose of a speedi sleeve is to cover a grooved pulley seal surface. If you have been using the upgraded Front seal without a speedi sleeve be sure to note the condition of the pulley surface. They are quite easy to install.

Bill Chasser
TD-4834
W A Chasser

This thread was discussed between 05/02/2019 and 19/05/2019

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG TD TF 1500 BBS now