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MG MG Y Type - Using finned YB sump with YT engine

Since I am planning to add a Shorrock blower to my YT, I fitted a "bigger" 10.5 pint sump of a YB/TF to the engine. I now find it impossible to drop the combined driving unit (engine together with gearbox) into the chassis, because the front of the finned sump rides on the front chassis cross member, whilst the rear gearbox extension rides on the centrally located chassis cross member and the rear of the cylinder head touches the fire wall.
In comparison to the standard Y and YT 9 pint sump, the YB type sump has no recess in front, that would allow it to clear the front cross member, when fitting the driving unit into the chassis.

This got me riddled - how can a unit that uses the bigger 10.5 pint sump be dropped into the chassis of a YB? I would hate the idea of having to take the gearbox off to get the engine in place. This probably would mean that whenever one wants to take the engine out, the carpets, floor boards and seats have to come out first. Also, it is a bugger to fit the gearbox from inside the car, with the engine in place.

P.S.: before the operation started, the front silent block and the rear bearer bracket with its two rubber chunks had been removed in order to not to interfere....

Looking forward to you knowledgeable inputs, but I have to say thank you in advance, because I will be leaving for a one week Holiday tomorrow morning.

Anton Piller, Switzerland
YT 4220
Anton Piller

It's a long time ago but when i changed YB3062s engine i left the gearbox in situ,it's not much of a job to take gearbox cover and front covers off, the seats seconds but of course Yt Seat fixing is a bit harder
John UMG624
JC Jebb

With the finned sump, fitting the engine/gearbox assembly into a TD is also difficult, even with the front and rear mounts removed. I found it better to remove the sump and front pulley, then after installing the engine/gearbox, refit the sump and then the pulley, obviously before fitting the rad assembly. I usually held the sump in position with a jack whilst fitting the set screws.
TF owners probably have the same problem.
R A WILSON

Hello JC Jebb and RA Wilson, I am back from Holiday again. Taking off the sump sounds like a good idea - I like it. Only problem being that a future owner (my son) will not be able to get the engine out, without knowing about this trick.

Since I do still have the original 9 pint sump, I might refurbish it with Helicoils and use it after all.

Does the bigger sump really offer such a big advantage?
Anton, YT 4220
Anton Piller

The original sump was from 1938, so if more capacity was needed it is puzzling that it took until April 1952 to introduce the larger sump - cooling must not have been a major problem as the fins could have been put on the original sump. Possibly post-war motoring eventually made both essential. It was then found with the larger sump, when braking with less than 'max' oil in the sump, all the oil went to the front of the sump, and the oil pick-up sucked in air, with unsatisfactory results to the bearings. This was not rectified until March 1953, when a forward extended scoop was fitted to the oil pick-up. Thus if your finned sump has this scoop, it would probably be worth fitting to your engine. There was an even later mod in February 1954, when the oil pick-up was secured to the sump side wall by an extra 2 bolts, making 4 in total.
You could always get your son to help you fit the engine into your car.
PS - I bet the factory employees who had to fit the engines were really pleased when the finned sump was introduced !
R A WILSON

I have realised that the engines were installed in rolling chassis before the bodies were fitted.
R A WILSON

I also had fitted the engine/gearbox assembly to the rolling chassis before putting the newly painted body on and only encountered the problem because I took the engine out again to have the crank balanced.

Anton Piller

This thread was discussed between 30/09/2016 and 10/10/2016

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