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MG TD TF 1500 - Chaoke hard to engage

Does anyone see anything wrong with my choke cable set up? The jets move freely and the choke cable moves freely when disconnected from the carbs. But when I connect the cable it takes a very considerable effort to engage the choke.

Thanks

Tim
TD12524

TW Burchfield

There is always some friction, but it shouldn't take superhuman effort. I would take out the slack in the cable and make sure the pinch bolt gripping the cable sleeve is not too tight. A little lubrication here and there would do no harm, in addition to the cable. Otherwise it looks correct to me.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Frequently the "stay bracket" (the piece that holds the outer sheath of the cable) gets bent so that the inner cable is not in direct line with the attaching point on the choke arms. If this happens, it causes friction on the cable making it hard for the inner cable to slide in the outer cable.
Lew3

I agree with the above,,, my comment would be about your overflow tubes,,, I looks like they both exit close ti the exhaust pipe ?????? as opposed to forward of the engine mount??

Steve
Steve Wincze

Remove the inner cable and lubricate it, then reassemble. Or buy a cable lube spray adapter (at a bike shop or internet), and use that. I second Lew about making sure aligned well, and no kinks. I always had issues with that until I replaced the jet seals with Teflon which totally cured any binding. George
George Butz

I agree with George regarding teflon jet seals, particularly if you are using standard bauna N 'O' rings - those should never be used. Dave H. and Lew also have have good advice. Cheers - Dave
DW DuBois

Mine is also a little stiff at rest. I found that slightly depressing the accelerator pedal takes most of the strain off the linkage and the choke pulls a lot easier.
John Masters

John,
I can't figure out why or how that works, but, if it works for you ,, so be it,,

Steve
Steve Wincze

It helps because it takes the force off of the fast idle lever, never thought of that.
George Butz

I don't know if this will help, but it has been discussed on the TR3 forum. My TR was almost impossible to pull the choke, than this came up. The following picture is out of the original TR3 hand book. It shows that the forks on the tie rod between the carbs is not supposed to straddle the choke arms, but sets behind them, on the engine side, with the pins going through the arms, than through the forks. I changed my TR over to this set up, and now it works great. I have not had a chance to look at my TD to see how it is set up. You might want to give this a try, as it worked for me, and is pretty simple to do, and change back if it doesn't work for you.

Gary

g parker

I agree with the others that centering the cable and lube are critical.

You should also move the post on your lever arm to the other side. The coupling from the accelerator should be vertical. You are straining it at that angle.



Christopher Couper

I relocated the hole in the firewall to be more in line with the choke levers and recently replaced my old single wire type cable with a new one from Moss which is a stranded cable and much more flexible.
John Quilter

Thank you everyone for the helpful advice. In addition to using some of the suggestions I bought the white, teflon seals. What is the consensus, two or four per jet. If four do you still use the brass retainers?

thanks

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

Link to info re: Teflon and Viton O-rings ...

http://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxisXBEpc-IWeXFOQzZZQnNScFk/view?usp=sharing

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

Your cable is coming out of the firewall too high. There should be a hole lower on the fire wall, inline with the cable stay and the choke bolt.
that way it will be all inline.
plus lube.
M Grogan

Thank you Lonnie, that's exactly what I was looking for.

Tim
TW Burchfield

M Grogan, I thought it was too high also. But the diagram I have of the firewall shows the choke cable coming out the hole in which I have it. I'll try it in a lower position.

Tim
TW Burchfield

If you have another hole that is fine but originally it came out of the same hole that the wiring loom and speedo cable came out of which is pretty high.
Christopher Couper

This is the hole where my cable was before I dismantled the car, after restoration, I put it back in the same hole. My cable worked stiff in the beginning but after pushing lubricant through the housing it works fine now. I found that if I push on the foot a throttle a bit it's a little easier still. PJ


Paul161

Chris, that is where my diagram shows the cable passing through, with the wiring loom.

Paul, I assume that is a TF. Not sure the holes were the same for a TD. Although the firewall diagram for the TD shows the choke cable passing through another hole I'll try a lower one just to see if that is my problem.

Thanks guys.

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

I had the same problem. Final solution was to decide that the toeboard/firewall wouldn't miss one the screws. Put the cable through a hole that's almost right at the choke cable stop on the rear jet link. Smooth as can be now.

Bud Krueger

Thanks Bud, I will try a different hole for the cable. But I don't like settling for a solution that doesn't identify the problem. I imagine there are many, many TD owners with the choke cable in the factory position. I'd like to know why theirs works well and mine doesn't. After 30 years in law enforcement I hate an unsolved mystery.

Tim
TW Burchfield

If you have the original spiral-wound cable, there is no need to remove the inner cable from the outside - just run a bead of oil all along the outside of the cable, and it will penetrate to lube the inside.

If you have the newer plastic-coated type, the inner cable must be pulled out for lube.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Tim,
It may sound unimportant but the following worked for me. Disconnect the choke at the bottom of the jet assembly. Withdraw the jet tubes without disturbing the centering nuts. Polish the tube with polishing compound or 4000 grit wet paper until mirror bright. Wash carefully. Reassemble within light coat of oil if you have the cork seals installed. It helped a treat!

Regards,


Jim Haskins 1953 TD
J M Haskins

Jim, I have the Moss o rings installed. It is almost impossible to reinstall the jet tubes without damaging them. I just purchased the teflon o rings and I understand the jet tubes can be reinstalled without damaging them. Part of the process of installing the teflon o rings is polishing the jet tubes and rounding off the edges of the holes in them. So I will be following your advice in that regard.

Thanks

Tim
TW Burchfield

This thread was discussed between 29/08/2016 and 02/09/2016

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