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 MGB Technical - Radiator packing strip

Can anyone tell me what the radiator packing strips (Moss AHH6320)are for and what they are made of? E.g. Do they bring the radiator forward so that the radiator stay attaches more easily, or is there a spacing issue which I've yet to meet during installation of the radiator?
Richard Coombs

Hi Richard. Great question. I would also be interested in the answer. Actually don't think I new this was there.

Since Moss lists this as A/R (As required), it sounds like it is a spacer to move the radiator slightly.
Bruce Cunha

I have an old MGB Parts Catalogue which describes the item as:

AHH6320 - Packing - Radiator - Quantity required per car: 4/2 - Quantity reduced at GHN4, GHD4-146506

It looks like these were fitted to pre-Sept 1976 cars (without the coolant expansion tank); my 1979/80 cars don't have them.
Brian Shaw

I don't think I have any packing strip? In fact what the last owner has here, is a strip of cork, about a 8th" thick. Some-one said it was to reduce vibrations? Can we then do better than this with todays tecnology? Albeit the purist and concours will want to have the real thing! Mike
J.M. Doust

My '67 had a single fiber packing strip, 1/8" thick, between the radiator and surround, on each side. To my knowledge, it was there as a vibration buffer. When I replaced my radiator, last Summer, I made up 2 new ones out of some spare redwood strips that I had lying about. They duplicated the originals perfectly. RAY
rjm RAY

Thanks to all. My query was stimulated by the fact that my radiator stays appear to be about 5mm short at the radiator end. I was going to pack them with a nut but then saw these packing strips. I think I'll follow Ray's solution.
Richard Coombs

Neither of mine have packing strips. I'd say your 5mm is as much to do with the positioning of the stay on the wing bolt and the diaphragm flexing away from it as anything else.
PaulH Solihull

I wonder if it refers to the strip of foam many owners insert around the top of the radiator to ensure better air transfer THROUGH the radiator instead of around it. I sealed off the gaps around the radiator in my car and it has helped greatly with temperature control
J H Crighton

My car still has the original packing strips and they fit between the mounting flanges on the car ans the radiator. I have no idea whatif any funcrion they perform but i never go looking for trouble so have always replaced them. There is also a foam strip that fits in a channel on top of the diaphragm to provide sealing, but it would be hard to confuse the two.
Stan Best

AHH 6320 is definitely the two strips with three holes each that go vertically one each side between radiator and mounting panel. It seems that the quantity was originally four, reduced to two at chassis number 146506 i.e. April 68 when the radiator and was modified and the 'mounting plates' repositioned. They were apparently supplied by the metre, so the shaping and holes were presumably made by the installer. Eliminating buzzing between two panels seems the most likely purpose.

There is a smooth skin, closed-cell foam strip that goes in a channel at the top of the mounting panel to seal to the bonnet - AHH 8887 used from December 67, and an open-cell foam seal comprising two strips with rectangular cross-section offset glued together, that fills the gap between the top of the radiator and the top of hole for it in the mounting panel - AHH 7205, probably used from inception until the radiator was moved forwards. My roadster always had the first seal, I didn't fit the second one for many years, but was surprised how much difference it made to cooling on a hot day.
PaulH Solihull

This thread was discussed between 09/10/2011 and 12/10/2011

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGB Technical BBS now