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MG MG Y Type - Hard engine mounts ?

After a lenghty engine rebuild, I had my YB on the road for the first time this week. What really struck me was: the level of mechanical noise of the now fine-balanced engine and rebuilt gearbox is a lot higher than before. This begins with the starting motor: I interrupted my first starting attempt because I feared something was wrong. The engine sounds like a cold diesel from inside the car. Listening from outside however it sounds quite smooth. It seems all vibration is transmitted directly into the car ! At something like 3000 rpm the whole cabin resounds very unpleasantly. I remarked all this to the mechanic (a semi-professional club mate) who had put the engine/trans back into the car. He said he used new rubber mounting blocks front and rear, plus new rubbers on the torque rod. And he said too, that he had the impression these items were a lot harder than they used to be, and claimed to be made of a material that resists oil attacks (ironically, something supposedly no longer necessary, as the engine was converted to modern crankshaft seals fore and aft). Now I don't know the source of the new rubbers, but I think they were bought through B & G. Has anybody had similar experiences, or could there be a fitting mistake ?
By the way, is there a way to copy this text to another board ? I'd like to ask the TD/TF people the same question.
Remo Peter

To copy the text, left click at the beginning and drag the cursor over the text which will highlight it.Release and right click on the highlighted text and hit Copy.Move to the place you want to put the text and right click and hit Paste.Voila!
Michael

The Y is a closed car, so it will be a lot more noisy than an open 'T' type. Any T owner will say their engine is quiet, but may never have been in a Y type.

The engine rubber mounts are harder these days. That at the front especially so. You need to check that the engine steady bar has rubber insulators each end, both sides of the cup-washers. The steady must be adjusted so the engine sits easily, not forced one way or the other. The gearbox mountings must be the right way up, or the g'box can sit on the cross member. The most common bit to be wrong is the gearbox eye-bolt that hold the rear end down onto the cross member. There must be a rubber cup washer either side of this, or there will be metal to metal contact. As this is almost under your seat, lots of engine noise will be transfered to the chassis.

People who modify the clutch from cable to the TD's rod operation creat a metal link to the chassis, again noise will be transfered. The cable is there for a reason.

Check for any touch points on the engine/gearbox and exhaust, to the body/chassis. Sometimes the starter motor can be a bit close, as can the later oil pump/oil filter housing. You might need to fit a steel shim under the front mounting to lift it clear.

The steel sheet bulkhead between the engine compartment and the saloon area should have cardboard with felt glued to the back, clipped all over it. This acts as a sound barrier, of sorts. The fixing of the gearbox cover must be perfect, with no gaps anywhere. The gear-lever rubber gaiter is a particularly bad area to seal, lots of noise can get in via this hole. Use a thick gaiter and seal it with felt rings as well. Check the cover is not touching the gearbox anywhere. There should be no holes in the dash, all should have grommets fitted, even a tiny hole will permit noise.

The entire exhaust system must be rubber mounted, any solid mounts will transfere noise.

If, like me, you like peace and quiet, put extra felt all around the bulkhead and up under the dash, and over the gearbox cover. A bit of felt under the rear seat over the diff also aids comfort.

Remember, the Y is not a modern sealed, sound proofed, hair-dryer driver modern OHC car. It is an old ohv, chssis mounted, wooden floored, closed saloon.

Neil.
Neil Cairns

Thanks Michael and Neil for your hints. I will check all points you mention. Sure I know about the Y's character sound-wise; after all I have driven it for about 4 years until the engine went bang. Before there was audible valvegear and sloppy pistons. Now I have everything to close tolerances, crankshaft balanced - and feel like riding a tractor. Will keep you posted on improvements.
Remo Peter

Hi Remo,

Is there any chance the old engine mounts were saved? You might try refitting them. If you search for "engine mounts" in the TD-TF archive you will find some threads about them. General consent is that they are harder AND thinner.
Willem van der Veer

You can see if it is hard gearbox (especially) mounts by unbolting them, placing a jack under the gearbox and starting the engine. The ones I bought were so hard that I returned them and put the old ones back in! A friend took his TF gearbox out and dismantled it before realising the problem!
Barry Bahnisch

This thread was discussed between 09/06/2005 and 14/06/2005

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