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MG TD TF 1500 - Additional sealer for gasket (pipe to manifold)?

After a short drive I'd smeled burned paint. A look under the hood shows a leaking between pipe and manifold. Is there a recommandation for any additional sealer - e.g. HOLTS FIREGUM?
Bela

I've never felt such a need. The sandwiched gasket seems to seal things quite well. As long as the nuts are good and tight. Bud
Bud Krueger

Bela,
Is this a new gasket ?? Or has this leak developed over a long period of time ?
As Bud indicates, I also have only used the sandwiched gasket with out any problems.
What paint was burning?
Steve
Steve Wincze

Some of the pipe flanges are thin and bend. They have to be straight/flat across the face. Also make sure the nuts are not bottoming out of threads, some replacement studs are not threaded all the way up. I think the copper sandwich type gaskets are more forgiving of imperfect sealing surfaces than the thin soft type. No sealer should be needed. George
George Butz

If you have a tub of sealer on the shelf what harm would a smear do?

Jan T
J Targosz

It also helps to snug up the nuts from time to time; I sometimes get as much as a half-turn after many heat/cool cycles.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Copper/sandwich gasket with new studs and stainless steel nuts(not
brass) all good. The brass ones seem to slacken off via expansion and contraction with heat. The exhaust downpipe should not be under any 'twist' as it reaches the round clamp on the gearbox i.e.. the surface of the flange of the downpipe needs to be aligned with the exhaust manifold 'flange' area.

Cheers
Rob Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos").
Rob Grantham

Not sure about the TF XPAG but I think the TD and TC are the same until you get back to the muffler/tailpipe, though some minor differences like manifold to downpipe stud length and nuts. Then there is the MGB (early) flange gasket some prefer over the cupped washer and copper gasket, for sealing up there (manifold to downpipe). A good write up fromtheframeup:

http://www.mg-tabc.org/library/TC-exhaust.htm
D mckellar

TD and TF use the same composite brass/asbestos (originally) washer, the same length studs, and the same headpipe. The TC uses shorter studs, a headpipe with a flexible section, and a cupped washer that fit into a cupped depression in the head pipe. Modern parts are made to sloppy specs, and the MGB solution mentioned above is a good compromise for TC owners. Only TC.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Thank you guys,

it is an old gasket. I guess it has been the smell of the engine paint.

The new gasket will be copper/sandwich.

It is a little bit complicated because the PO has drilled out the studs and replaced with bolts and nuts.
Bela

Are the holes drilled to large to use a helicoil insert kit to bring them back to factory and enable you to reinstall studs?
Regards, Tom
tm peterson

Regarding donut gaskets on TC, MGA gasket fits better than MGB, which are a bit too small. Eliminate the cupped adapter and fit the donut directly, steel side down. Re-tighten nuts after the first hundred miles, and again after 500. And always ensure that the downpipe is securely bolted to the bell housing, or else the gasket will fail much sooner.

I've replaced the studs and nuts on my manifold with bolts. Maintenance so so much easier that way, and you can't tell the difference from above.
Steve Simmons

Another way to get back to a near Factory set up ,may be to use 'stepped studs' that can be turned up on a lathe. The exhaust manifold flange holes can then be re tapped to the larger diameter, with the threads on which the nuts go as per usual diameter.

Cheers
Rob Grantham
TF3719("Aamis"),TF9177("Athos").
Rob Grantham

This thread was discussed between 18/10/2016 and 23/10/2016

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