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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - 1275 Engine removal - mounts.

Can't remember (age thing !) can someone please remind me - when taking out the engine/gearbox as one unit - which engine mount bracket is the one to remove - near or offside.

Struggled with getting the slave cylinder off (bolt access) is it better to refit it when out + starter motor and accept the rebleeding issue ?

I must have had more flexible arms/fingers when I last did this !!

Also the propshaft whilst unbolted does not want to come off despite a little persuasion - so will remove with the unit - not sure if this is part of my gearbox issue - time will tell.

Thanks.

R.
richard boobier

I take of the nearside bracket I tend to take out the two components, engine and gearbox individually as its easier to get to the slave bolts and means it remains connected to the hydraulics. The prop sometimes sticks. A bit of careful persuasion with a copper mallet usually works!
Bob Beaumont

I take out the bolts that attach the nearside mount to the chassis and the single bolt that attaches the offside rubber engine mount to the bracket.

I've never tried just taking the engine out on it's own as I thought there wasn't enough forward movement to disengage the gearbox input shaft. Or do you do it at an angle?

Rob
Rob aka MG Moneypit

A couple of things to consider.

1) Slot the mount down to the bolt hole. This allows for the large nut on the rubber mount to be undone and nothing more this side. You can of course do both sides. Remove two nuts and lift.

2) Vertically slot the hole on the upper most flange of the slave. The top bolt just needs slackening and with the lower bolt removed the slave can be slid down.
Reverse for fitting leaving the upper bolt in situ and thus only needing a nip when the slave flange is slid under it.

3) for ease of fitting the starter motor fit captive nuts to the gearbox bellhousing.

Alan
Alan Anstead

As Bob, I remove the N/S bracket.

The only time I had trouble removing the prop, I found that the third-motion shaft was twisted!
Dave O'Neill 2

Thanks all for the advice, Alan thanks for the tip for the slave cylinder mod, have seen it before somewhere - probably by yourself in 'Mascot' - very worthwhile.
As the cylinder was still connected to the hydraulics cutting the slots looked difficult - I used a Dremel with a reinforced cutting disc, really easy to cut the fine grain cast Iron.

I have Daniels silicon hoses on the rad (1275 cross flow), but the bottom one was rubber and I have found it a bit difficult in the past to force on - it is short and about 120deg from rad to cross pipe.
Managed to a get a 'Samco' silicon replacement 120deg 25mm bore - it is so easy to fit in comparison - really worth the cost IMO.

If I have to remove the engine again I'm going to make a small load leveler to allow alteration of the load angle to ease the gearbox entry into the tunnel - seem to remember an article somewhere describing one - probably in Mascot again, but I can't find it - anyone remember it ?

The new (rebuilt) gearbox seems very good so far (test around the nearby streets only)I'm using a Penrite gear oil 'GB30' recommended for where 20/50 was originally spec'd - will see how it performs !

R.
richard boobier

This thread was discussed between 02/03/2015 and 07/03/2015

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