MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Recommendations

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 - Tubular exhaust / steering shaft clearance

Gentlemen,

Rebuidling my car, modifying it from right drive to left hand drive, new body, etc.
The exhaust manifold, the centre pipe, sits no more than 2 mm away from the steering shaft. To me this is very close. Movement of the engine hardly feasible. Expansion of the manifold does not seem possible. Has anyone of you ever come across this point? I wonder what the normal clearance would be?

Regards,


Frank
Navest

Dear Frank,

I have the same problem. My solution was the mark the place where the header (manifold) is close and using a 1" pipe, or piece of wood (I can not remember), and reform the area to give clearance for the shaft. I believe it is a common problem.

Shareef
Shareef Hassan

Frank,
Had the same problem and the easiest way was to shim the engine mount. All I did was use a large washer with a hole larger than the rubber mount bolt, made 2 cuts into the center creating a "horseshoe". Jacked up the engine and slipped it in between the rubber mount and the body.
It worked for me.
Good Luck
Mike
Mike Cook

I used a similar solution to Mike's. I took a couple old extra engine mounts and removed the rubber to make full size shims out of them. A fair amount of work compared to the horseshoe washers but you probably wouldn't notice them if you didn't know they were there. Although I don't show my car so I'm kinda sorry I didn't think of that approach. However, I did need to cut a 1"/25mm square hole out of the heat shield in order to get it to fit properly.

-Jared
Jared Snider

I dont know what yeat your car is - but if its an earlier model try enlarging the holes on the steering shaft mount under the dashboard and slide the pinion casing downwards a few mm - of course you then need to either shim up the front steering rack mounts with washers to keep the angle, or (too much hassle for you probably) add a 2nd UJ at the rack.

I would try the engine mount shims first and if you only need a few more mm, consider heating and dressing the exhaust pipe (depending on what its made of).

Finally - add an engine steady bar to restrict rotational movement under torque?

Liam
Liam H

Gentlemen,

Thank you for your moral support.

Meantime I have taken further look and have also looked at the possibility to remove this manifold.
Cut the centre pipe and move it slightly and re-weld
it. By moving the centre pipe towards the engine and at the same time towards the rear of the car more freedom can be created.

Has anyone ever tried that option?

All three exhaust flanges would have to be fixed in position, so that their location is not lost.

I was thinking of using a cylinder head as a point of alignment.

Any further ideas?

Frank
Navest

This thread was discussed between 19/04/2007 and 20/04/2007

MG MGB Technical index

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