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MG TD TF 1500 - Valve cover, what color?

I'm not re-installing the aluminum coffin cover that was on my engine.

I picked one up on ebay... it's silver and shows no sign of any other paint on it. It seems original.

Could this be the same cover for the TD but used on another model in silver?

What color SHOULD a cover on a very late '53 be?

Also, what are the 2 bolts on the left side for? The air cleaner that nobody has anymore? I'm thinking about removing those and closing the holes to clean it up a bit.
MAndrus

The color of the stamped metal valve cover should be the same Silver colors as the wheels. Kind of a dull Silver grey color. Some say it has a tint of green to it.
The two 1/4bsf bolts are to hold the air cleaner assembly on the Y type, the XPAG in the TD was siphoned from the Y type. These bolts are not used on the TD, but they are there. The chassis is actually a shortened Y type chassis. The TD arguably has more in common with the Y type than the TC.
Be well,
David.
D. Sander

http://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgtd/mgtd_finishes.htm#engine
Christopher Couper

Well, how about that?
MAndrus

Chris, are the two bolts that were painted black the two unused (on a TD) bolts on the left side of the cover?

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

Picture from Y-Type owners manual showing how the captive nuts were used.

Jim B.

JA Benjamin

And a picture of a real application as in the owners manual.

Personally I think the Silver is spot-on. It is a generic wheel silver rattle can and is appropriately dull.

The rest of the engine has been tidied up after this picture....

Willem van der Veer

Couple of comments. Early TD's used the front bolt on the LH side to secure the chain for the oil filler cap. This is clearly shown in the WSM. Note that there is no clear plastic tube over the chain. See pic below of the colour & the correct early install. Also been suggested that the slightly greenish tinge to the silver is caused by engine heat discolouring the paint. T Type restorers here in the M.G. Restorer's Club use Mitsubishi Dove Silver as it is a very close match to the original.
Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Pic

P Hehir

I agree with the above discussion re the colour of the Rocker Cover.

It probably is a good idea to check the flange of the Rocker Cover
for 'truth accuracy' before any paint work is performed. In this way,most leaks during engine operation are avoided.

I have written an article on restoring T type Rocker Covers on the MGTC Owners Club WA web site which may assist your current approach.

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

I think the green was most likely caused by the poor clear coating available in the 50's and 60's. They often turned green rapidly.

Plain silver paint will not turn green.

Then of course some believe suppliers provided a greenish tinged silver paint...
Christopher Couper

As stated in many previous Threads on the subject of TD and TF Rocker Cover colour,I have stripped out nine(9) original covers and taken off the brass clearance plate. Under the clearance plate,in each and every case.there was the silver grey paint !! The small original rivets were in place.

Cheers
Rob Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF91777("Athos").
Rob Grantham

Painted mine Argent Silver wheel paint. Not dull, but sort of a dim semi gloss. PJ

Paul Jennings

Chris,

I like your sensible reasoning for any reference to the dreaded green hint !

Peter, and Paul,nice work.

Cheers
Rob Grantham

Rob Grantham

Nice attention to detail on that engine Paul!

Matthew.
M Magilton

Just to represent the contrarian point of view....my TF originally had a greenish silver paint and I kept it that way when I repainted it. Now I wish that I had left it in it's original paint...
J K Barter

Not green- but green-ish!

J K Barter

Nice attention to detail on that engine Paul!
Matthew.

Thanks Matthew. I tried to get the wire clamps for the heater hoses, but when they arrived they were a tad small, so I have to get the next larger size to make them all look the same. PJ
Paul Jennings

A word about those wire clamps. I put a few on my '34 hot rod build. Half of them leaked.

2 of those on the MGA leaked.

The problem is, if the hose 'puckers' under the spot where the bolt runs though, it'll leak. There is zero pressure applied to the rubber in that spot ---IF --- the bolt tightens with any appreciable length to it. The bolt bosses must come very close to each other to cinch the hose tight 360*.

Sizing is critical on these, the shorter the space where the bolt sits, the better.
MAndrus

J K Barter, Maine, USA:

Can you start another thread to tell us a little about your car? It looks interesting.
Christopher Couper

I have the wire clamps on all the cooling system hoses, no leaks. If the clamp is the correct size, it shouldn't leak. Had them o the MGB and the TF, never had a problem. Maybe I'm just lucky. PJ
Paul Jennings

Paul,

Yes, I have had the same experience with wire clips on all water hoses on TFs.-no leaks.

The four(4) Jubilee '0' size clips on the Rocker Cover to the front Vokes Air Cleaner rubber hoses/steel pipe connector, also don't give any trouble with leaking oil. I suspect the Factory did have wire clips
here initially,however oil leaks may have arisen and they then changed to the 'Jubilees'. The TF Handbook which was structured before
TF production, depicts wire clips but the Parts Manual correctly reflects Jubilees.

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

Rob, As far as I know, Matthew has the original clips on his TF air cleaner/valve cover pipe and they are Jubilee. His being original the screws are cheese head, mine being new are hex head with a slot. Communicating with the Jubilee company, they don't make the clips with the cheese head screws anymore. PJ
Paul Jennings

Paul,

Yes, Matthew has two (2) original Jubilees (out of four(4) required) for the breather pipe connectors currently on his TF1500. As you have indicated,the originals differ from the more recently produced 'Jubilee' clips. The modern equivalents have a hex head drive and open slots all the way around the band.

I have four(4) original Jubilees on my current TF1250. With regard to the TF1500 I am currently restoring,it took a worldwide request from USA,UK and Australian likely MG related persons to finally build up a another set of four(4) original Jubilee '0' size clips. They appear to be as rare as Rocking Horse .... !

I suspect most TFs had these clips disgarded when the 'brilliant'
POs or early service mechanics decided that it would be easier to just
dipense with the metal breather pipe and rubber pipe connectors and just fit up a rubber pipe all the way !

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

This thread was discussed between 05/12/2016 and 10/12/2016

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