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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Spark Plugs

What plug did the 53 TD come with? Where did the 1/2 inch plug end, engine no. and the 3/4 inch plug began? PJ
PJ Jennings

53 TD came with 3/4 inch reach - I believe the change over was sometime in late 52, but we are in Ireland at the moment so I don't have access to my data. Cheers - Dave
DW DuBois

PJ, it appears from the June 1958 parts catalog that the only cylinder head change for a TD started with engine #22735. Tom Lange can tell you what car that engine came in if you are interested.

Tim
TD12524
Tim Burchfield

According to Neil Cairnes (Engines for M.G.s, Their Story After 1935), and Paddy Willmer (MG T Series in Detail TA-TF 1935-1955) ... head #168422 which has round water passage holes was the first to use 3/4" reach plugs. First used on MkII XPAG/TD3/17029, 9-June-52. Phased in to TD production later that year. Possible XPAG/TD2/17969, 7-July-52.

Yes, Tom Lange can give the definitive answer.

Lonnie
TF7211


LM Cook

Car TD22504 had engine XPAG/TD2/22735

Happy to help with the Production Record questions any time.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

As cylinder heads may have been swapped by previous owners (perhaps not so often in the USA), I wonder if some photos would help Mr Jennings. The attached photo is the early oval water hole head, with casting number 22952, and which takes 1/2" thread length spark plugs.

R A WILSON

This attached photo is the later round water hole head, with casting number 168422, and which takes 3/4" thread length spark plugs. Should Mr Jennings find a casting number of 168425, with the last 5 stamped in (I do not have a photo), then the head still takes 3/4" thread length spark plugs.
I should say that sometimes the cast numbers are not at all clear.

R A WILSON

For interest, the TF1500 cylinder head AEF118, although the number is actually stamped on. It also takes 3/4" thread length spark plugs.

R A WILSON

Here's the 168425 stamping from the head that I installed onto 'The53'. Bud

Bud Krueger

Nice photos of the various MG T type Cylinder Head casting numbers/letters through the models.

Bud,I gather you changed your TD to the larger valved Cylinder Head
as in the correct TF 1250cc (1953-1054) 168425, with the '5' stamped in ?

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

Yes, Rob. 'The53' is/was Car #23816, built in very late December 1952. Still had original engine #24091. But, it had a banana port head and an early sump. In searching for an appropriate head I lucked into finding the 168425 head with the stamped '5'. More details can be seen at http://www.ttalk.info/53Engine.htm Bud
Bud Krueger

Bud,

Ouch ! Those scores/ gouges in the cylinder wall, nasty.

I like your typical attention to detail on the engine rebuild work.

Cheers
Rob Grantham
Rob Grantham

Another example of the rather irregular stamping of the number on the XPEG cylinder head.
Michael

M R Calvert

Thanks to Bud Krueger and M Calvert for the photos, which I have saved (168425 after enlarging) to keep with my other photos for my own general information.
R A WILSON

IF THIS POST IS OF ANY VALUE, I HAVE CHECKED MY
FACTORY ORIGINAL PLUGS (CHAMPION NA 8) AND IT HAS A 3/4" REACH, BUT THE CENTER ELECTRODE IS SHORTER THAN THE CHAMPION RN 5C. ALSO, THE CERAMIC (NA 8) IS SHORTER AND A SMALLER DIAMETER THAN THE 5C.

HEAD CASTING NO.168842 STAMPED WITH TWO OVERSTAMPED
L'S ON MACHINED SURFACE.

ORIGINAL HEAD FOR TF6688 1954 6688

colin stafford

With which head, was the vapour balance hole introduced? Seems to me to be a good feature. Does anyone think it could be retro-drilled?

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gord Clark

Gord, what's the vapour balance hole? Bud
Bud Krueger

Isn't that where the Framus valve fits? It used to be that you saw them on most XPAG heads, but I think people realized that they served little purpose in this day and age, removed them, and stuck those slotted plugs in there instead.

In fact, I can't remember the last one I saw!

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

This thread was discussed between 13/09/2017 and 25/09/2017

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