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MG TD TF 1500 - float bowl loose?

Had the manifolds off my 50 TD to replace a busted exhaust stud. (tnx for the advice on that in a previous thread!) I noticed the float bowls are loose; they can be moved by hand w/ little effort. I'd like to think that the Brits designed it this way to allow easier access to the manifold bolts, but I'm thinking they're supposed to be immovable. The car is running fine & I don't see or smell any gas. Should I try & snug them up?
Bruce Haynes

My td has a MgA carb. Uses different banjo parts . See moss mga catalogue.
efh Haskell

I do not think they should be able to be moved by hand. Apply a "little" more torque to those bolts.

Matthew.
M Magilton

Bruce - Matthew is correct, the float bowls absolutely should not moved. Make sure that you have the correct fiber washers both above and below the arm on the float bowl. If I remember, it takes a different washer on either side. Cheers - Dave
DW DuBois

Some MGA and later carbs had rubber seals and the bowls did move. Many parts have been switched over the years, so that could be what you have? The original T-series carbs in order have the banjo bolt, a stack of fiber/metal/fiber washers, the bowl banjo and then one fiber between the bowl and carb body. This should be totally tight with no movement. George
George Butz

George, my MGA parts arrive from Moss tomorrow for my front TD carb float. Are you saying I should expect some movement or not on that float after I install? (My aft carb uses MGT parts and does not move).
Ed
efh Haskell

OK, here's a pic of the carbs. Should the float bowls move or not? Tnx much.

Bruce Haynes

My way of looking at it, they should not move but be set as far away from the exhaust manifold as possible. Secondly, I would make up new overflow lines so they end low in front of the engine to eliminate a possibility of an engine fire should one of the bowls overflow. As they are, the gas would go down on top of the exhaust pipe, you don't want that to happen! Photo. PJ



Paul161

Disconnect battery. Put your hand under carb, loosen the bolt a tiny bit. Your hand will get wet! Gotta be tight imo, but I'm no expert! Have your socket and 3" extension set up to tighten it back quickly! Easier to deal with if you remove that oil bath filter first.
Ed
efh Haskell

I agree 100% with Paul. You can't be too careful.
John
J Walton

Look at the Moss Motors MGA carb page. Note the longer, different lower banjo bolts and the thick Viton mounting rubbers- have seen those a couple times on T-series cars. Those move, the original T-series ones should not. Bruce, need to see a close up of the bottom of the float bowls to the carb body. Topside they look original, and if original banjo bolt/float chambers, no they should not move at all. Hope that makes sense.
George Butz

As a newby looking at pictures in a catalog, I can't tell the difference between the float bowl mounting bolt/washers on my car in the picture and the MGA set up George referenced. What do I have here?

Bruce Haynes

Yours looks original, so should be no movement. Try snugging the bolts.
George Butz

My understanding is that they should be tight enough not to leak (obviously) or to move from parallel to the engine block in general use. However as commented above, it can be helpful to loosen them and move aside when working on the manifolds.

The downdraught carbs need to have the float chamber at horizontal (so that the float spindle is truly vertical and the fork working on a horizontal float surface) to work correctly. This is achieved by having the bowls parallel to the block.
Ian Bowers

Many thanks guys! The bowls are now snugged up and parallel to the block. The overflow tube has been installed on the rear carb & routed away from the exhaust pipe.
Bruce Haynes

Bruce, what size Whitworth socket fits your float bowl to carb bolt? On mine the MGT carb is a larger size than the MGA carb. That should help you match your's to a Moss MGTD or MGA web page. Your picture seems to show the carb to manifold bolt, not the float bowl bolt??
efh Haskell

keeping this distance as much as possible helps with preventing vaporlock,, keep that heat away,,,,

Steve

Thanks for the pic Dave !!

Steve Wincze

You can see from the image above that the bowl is far from horizontal when pushed away from parallel to the block. This can affect the movement of the float and affect the fuel delivery.

Ian Bowers

efh Haskell, the carb to float bolt on mine is 18mm. The brass bolt on top of the float bowl holding the overflow tube was neither metric or standard, so I ground down an old wrench to fit it. I guess that means I now have a custom TD carb wrench. ;)
Bruce Haynes

Check the pic again,, you will see that it was taken at an angle,, look at the angle of the head,, the side where the exhaust is mounted is actually a verticle plane,


Steve
Steve Wincze

This thread was discussed between 19/06/2016 and 21/06/2016

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