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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Fuel Tanks

Just a "heads up" if anyone is interested, Moss are doing a special offer on Midget fuel tanks at £72. Just the earlier 7 gallon ones but its a good price compared to other suppliers at the moment.
GuyW

Typo there I think, earlier tanks are a nominal 6 gallons.
Nigel Atkins

Is that right Nigel. It's listed by Moss at 7 gallons. Did you mean it was their typo, or mine ?
GuyW

Hi Guy,
sorry, I did think it was your typo.

One of the reasons I bought my later ('73) car was that it would have had a 7 gallon tank, as my wife would was well passed the point of pushing the car when I ran out of petrol as she had on more than one occasion with my previous earlier Spridget.

I can't remember the change over point but looking at the MGOC page is shows as '72 but there are errors as it shows both tanks with the same capacity - "Tank capacity = 5.83 imperial gallons or 25.5 Litres" which I can believe as I often fill my tank to the back of the petrol cap and struggle to get 6 gallons.

See here for the example of database/web site/catalogue error, click on the 'INFO' for the four tanks, I wonder why the 7 gallon 1500 tank cant' be retro fitted yet the later 6 gallon tank can be fitted to a 1500??

http://www.mgocspares.co.uk/acatalog/MGOC_SPARES_FUEL_TANK__MIDGET__183.html#l21
Nigel Atkins

Nigel, l think the change in 1972 was from a screw fitted level sensor, to the locking ring type, without a change in capacity at that time. There was at least one, probably two changes in size.
GuyW

I think the 1500 tank is not recommended for 1275 cars due to the lower suspension height on the 1275. I expect BL took advantage of the raising of the suspension height on the 1500 to make the tank deeper.

I don't recall there being a physical reason a 1500 tank couldn't be fitted to a 1275.

Rob
MG Moneypit

My first Midget was registered early 1972 and was an early RWA model. There was a supplemental page in the back of the handbook, regarding the increase in fuel tank size, rocker switches and a new steering lock IIRC.
Dave O'Neill 2

The one I was looking at from Moss at that £72 was listed as an NRP9Z and quoted by them as 27 litres or 7 US gallons. I calculate this as 6 Imperial gallons. The MGOC also giving the same part number, quote it as 25.5 litres or 5.83 Imperial gallons. They cannot both be right, but they could of course both be wrong!

The Moss site gives the tank dimensions, but I suspect they are overall figures so the 8" height will include the stub filler neck, and the length and width will include the flanges so it isn't giving a tank volume as one might reasonably expect.

Anyway, I still think £72 is a good deal, especially if you currently have a rusted tank!
GuyW

It is a good price, I think that's about what I paid 10 years ago.

Nigel, carry a full gallon can in the boot to save Mrs A from having to push :)
Jeremy T2

I have always carried a spare gallon can in the boot. Not because the tank is too small - having to fill every couple of hundred miles really isn't any sort of problem in the UK where filling stations are so frequent. The reason for carrying the spare is because the fuel gauge is so erratic! Having a larger tank wouldn't make that problem go away.
GuyW

Obviously if Dave can remember that it was in the Driver's Handbook (supplement) then that's an end to it. :)

I don't remember much, as you know, but from my previous 1969 Spridget ownership when I was looking to buy the current Spridget I remembered that later cars had a larger tank that I thought that was 7 gal.

Terry Horler's book has larger tank introduced with RWA (Oct '71 GAN5-105501).

Jeremy,
I already do carry a spare gallon container in the boot and my wife insists that it's full (asometimes it's only hal full but I don't always tell her that as she makes me fill up at a quarter from empty and let's me know as soon as it gets below half full.

It's a bit unfair as only once did she need to push more than about a third of a mile and it was level ground ! I spoil her!

Guy,
sorry I wasn't trying to take away from the fact it was a good offer.

Perhaps the tanks Moss and MGOC are from different suppliers (but I don't know and doubt it) but my tank would the less than 6 gal I'd guess (can't remember from empty refills).

When I'm up your way I sometimes need to refill during a day's run let alone at the end of the day, I never get near to a couple of hundred miles to the tank.

My fuel gauge seems to be quite accurate just a pity it's on the passenger's side and there isn't a remote variable switch.

Rob,
in the back of my mind I'm thinking the tank is 1" lower but I'm probably totally wrong, I'd run that on my ride height, the exhaust silencer box sits a lot lower.
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 28/03/2017 and 29/03/2017

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