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MG TD TF 1500 - Filthy Engines

Just been trolling through CC's gallery & couldn't help but notice just how filthy some of those engines are. This got me wondering just where is the source of all that oil? A fair bit is forward of the engine breather pipe so that can't be totally responsible. Leaking rocker cover & breast plate gaskets? The bottom of the bell housing? Poor seal at the oil filler cap? Once I crank the old girl up I'd like to monitor the source/sources & try & keep it as clean as possible. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

EVERYWHERE. The front plate and the camshaft cover unless sealed really well will breath oil fumes like crazy. The tappet cover, valve cover, etc. Remember, this engine's basic design goes back the 30's. Quite primitive.
MAndrus

Wipe it all away, then add some UV tracer additive to the oil. Run it for a while, then look for the oil leaks with a UV lamp. Not my idea, but University Motors. Its on YouTube.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Paint brush cleaner which you can buy in Poundland and similar discount stores is excellent for cleaning dirty, oily parts and is much cheaper than propriety engine degreasers.

Jan T
J Targosz

Is this somthing I am going to have to get used to. Cause of alarm on my modern car!
D Lamb

This leaking oil probably preserved many of our cars. :-)
Christopher Couper

I've always attributed 581's rather weepy nature to be an "undocumented feature" as we say in the software world. In this way, there is always a modicum of fresh oil in the engine and transmission. I agree with Chris...probably kept them all running all these years
Charles Duffy

The front main is the culprit on my TF. Oddly, there is no rust to be found there.

Matthew.
M Magilton

Even though my TF engine has no leaks, yet! A couple of my old tractors do and periodically I spray them with Purple Power, let set for 15, 20 minutes, spray with water and they come clean again. Little to almost no effort at all. Just sayin. PJ
Paul Jennings

This thread was discussed between 13/12/2016 and 26/12/2016

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