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MG TD TF 1500 - Choke handle extremely hard to pull/push

My TF has had a choke problem for as long as I have owned it before and after frame off restoration. It is extremely hard to pull push. The problem is in the cable itself. I've tried greasing the cable before pushing into the outer sheath, forcing grease down the sheath before pushing through, nothing seems to work. I've even bought a cable at a swap meet. The cable has no kinks or sharp bends and goes through the appropriate grommet at the firewall. it is quite long and hangs quite low before it enters the firewall. The one from the swap meet is the same length as the original so they must be a standard. any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any help.
Mike Moryl

They are usually a bit that way, but not too difficult to manage. If its not the cable, it must be the way its fitted or the mechanics associated with the carb. Is the pinch clamp at the end of the outer sheathing too tight or is there a kink there? Is the jet operating mechanism under the carbs correctly aligned, unbent and free to move? Will the jets move up and down freely if disconnected from the operating levers? Try lubricating the hinge pins. Etc.
Dave H
Dave Hill

As Dave suggests try and eliminate the possible causes. If you disconnect the cable from the carbies you can determine if the cable and sheath are the issue and also test the mechanical operation of the choke at the carbies while disconnected from the cable. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Everybody will give me a raspberry for mentioning this but (one never knows) are you giving the knob a quarter turn before pushing or pulling?

Jud
J. K. Chapin

Thanks for all of your help, and yes I am turning the knob. I am soaking the entire cable/sheath in PB blaster overnight to see if it helps.
Mike Moryl

Does anybody use graphite powder?
Peter Dahlquist

For years my solid single wire cable was stiff. Decided to change to a stranded cable and it became much easier use. I think it came from Moss.
John Quilter (TD8986)

Mike, push the accelerator whilst pulling the choke. Greetings, huib
Huib Bruijstens

Not sure how that helps as there is no mechanical connection between the throttle and the choke with SU carbs.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Graphite powder works, but you have to get it into the cable. Graphite in an alcohol suspension, like for bike cables, works best.

The bottom line is that if the cable is stiff off the car it will never be smooth ON the car, so figure out from the beginning what is wrong. The other thing to know is that you can lubricate a cable by oiling the length of the outside of the spiral-wound housing. The oil seeps in and lubes the entire cable.

It is surprising how often the problem lies in the enrichening mechanism itself (the o-rings/cork seals/jets are problems), or the angle of the cable clamp bracket. I always remove the cable entirely to see if it is the cable or the enrichening mechanism that is hanging up.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

This thread was discussed between 22/04/2019 and 24/04/2019

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