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MG TD TF 1500 - TD/TF bell housings

When did T-Type bell housing castings change from the type in the first image to the stronger type in the second image? I know some Y-Types (and Morris 10) had the early casting and that later TFs had the stronger casting. Did the first TDs have the early type?
Bob Schapel




Bob Schapel

Nice catch Bob. Another of those production part changes. I have not heard of that one before.

Let's see what Chris Cooper has to say about that one.

My suspicion is it changed with the change to the 8" clutch, but that's just a guess.
Bruce Cunha

I have no hands-on experience with the two bell housings, I only know what I read in MG manuals. According to the TD Service Parts List and the TF Service Parts List:

The TD Clutch Housing ("bell housing") was changed only one time ... at engine #9408. It was changed to accept the new 8" clutch. The MG part number was SA2239/4

>> Bruce - your guess was right.

Engine #9408 was in TD9133, built 18-Jul-1951.

The TF clutch housing had the same part number as the 8" TD clutch housing. The part number did not change throughout TF production.

Top image = page H.2 in the TD Service Parts List
Bottom image = engine search results on the MGCC T Type Factory Production Records

I also attached a PDF of page H.2 in case the top image isn't readable. Smart phones may not display the entire page.

Lonnie
TF681
TF7211





LM Cook

Here's the info the T Register has in Roger Wilson's 'Technical History of XPAG engines' -

-------------------------
Bellhousings fitted to engines up to XPAG/TD/9407 & XPAG/SC/16915 have a ⅝” clutch fork shaft, but at engines XPAG/TD2/9408 and XPAG/SC2/16916 the clutch fork shaft was increased to ¾”, moved back 7 mm to accommodate the 8” clutch. The bellhousing back-to-front distance was not changed, and the thrust bearing was the same. The flywheel was also changed to have a larger clutch face, and the starter ring had its internal diameter increased to 10¾”, although the ratio was still 120/9 with the same starter motor. Also, four angled drillings from the flywheel central recess, shown in the early TD engine section drawing in the workshop manual, were omitted.
-------------------------

I've fixed the missing piece of text in the factory record for TD9133, posted by Lonnie above.

David
David Wardell

Great input Lonnie, David and Bruce. Thank-you. The shaft in my stronger TC bell housing is 5/8". The evidence so far looks as if the housing I have, is a replacement part. Made after the change to 8" clutch but fitted with 5/8" shaft and front face machined to suit TC gearbox. If a few early, 5/8" shaft TD owners confirm that their housings were not the reinforced style, it would be pretty conclusive. It is not a big issue, but I have always been curious about that housing.
As a matter of interest, the paint on the housing is a deep red which matches a few "unmolested" TC gearbox housings I have seen.
Cheers,
Bob Schapel
Bob Schapel

TD 1250

L E D LaVerne

Thanks L E D. Your image shows that your TD has the earlier casting.
Thinking about David's point re 7mm shift of shaft, I had another look at the stronger housing. As the first image shows, it appears to have been cast to accommodate the shaft being further back, yet it has been drilled in the forward position. It is becoming more conclusive that this bell housing was a replacement part, made for TC but during production of late TD and TF.
I will start kneeling and peering under TDs and TFs to see when the casting changed. The suggestion it was at the move to 8" clutch makes sense.
The two images also show that some bolt holes are cast more strongly, not that they were ever a weakness.
Thanks again guys for your help in solving the issue. This forum is very helpful!
Bob Schapel






Bob Schapel

This thread was discussed between 09/09/2022 and 10/09/2022

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