British-Cars.org

Welcome to the DMR Site for British Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

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 MG Y Type - Engine Number(s)

Hello, I have just stripped the cylinder block from Y4002 in preparation to have some machining work done and find I have 4 different engine numbers!
Having read David R. Lawrences' excellent book I am a little confused!

Since I have been the cars custodian since 1973 I know that this is only the 2nd time the block has been out of the car in that period.

The four numbers are: Bell housing: a square brass plate with a circular centre.
(1)Square plate "Replacement Engine - No." C24492
Circular plate "Type XPAG SC"
(2)Stamped into bell housing below brass plate 2520
(3)Morris Motors Ltd. Replacement Engine Shop Number 71179/3 (this number is poorly stamped and the number 1 could easily be misread for a 7)
(4)Guarantee Plate A77719
Block casting number 24146

From Lawrence, the casting number (24146) and the stamped number (2520) tie up to indicate a TC block (the cylinder head also has cast into it 3 May 1939)

The number on the guarantee plate indicates (to me at least) that the block was replaced, under guarantee sometime in the year 2000! not so.

Now as the Shop Number and the Guarantee plate numbers are almost an anagram of each other, it suggests to me that the "apprentice" misread the wrong number when the engine was replaced during the first year (Nov. '49 to Nov. '50)which was then stamped onto the guarantee plate.

As the number on the guarantee plate also is in the Registration Document and in the continuation (buff) Log Book dating from 1961:
Should I just live with it? or inform the DVLA and change the guarantee plate ? or am I completely up the chute and have a block that was replaced sometime between 1949 and 1961.

The paint under both attached plates is M.G. maroon.

Oh, just as an aside, the "pulls" just inside the rear doors are the rope type as indicated in the Workshop Manual, not the leatherette straps.

Happy Motoring
David
D. P. Jones

David

You are quite right - the engine you have, as decoded would originally have been fitted to an MG TC. Morris Motors replacement engines department would have simply supplied a FACTORY RECONDITIONED ENGINE - in your case it would have been a TC engine that would have been rebuilt after being swapped out of a TC. It was presumably rebuilt to TC specifications and would still have a TC profile cam in it rather than the Y profile cam.

As to the numbers:
The four numbers are: Bell housing: a square brass plate with a circular centre.
(1)Square plate "Replacement Engine - No." C24492 - this is the engine number that SHOULD have been recorded on your UK V5 registered keeper document.
Circular plate "Type XPAG SC" - This just defines that it is an XPA engine rebuilt to G (standing for MG as opposed to W for Wolsely) dpecification.
(2)Stamped into bell housing below brass plate 2520 - as you summize, this would have originally been taken from an MG TC and so would have been rebuilt by Morris Motors shop to TC spec - see my comment as above.
(3)Morris Motors Ltd. Replacement Engine Shop Number 71179/3 (this number is poorly stamped and the number 1 could easily be misread for a 7) - this is your Engine's swap out number as a JOB number for Nuffield's records.
(4)Guarantee Plate A77719
Block casting number 24146 - the A77719 is shown on the guarrantee plate simply because that would have given Nuffield the ability to trace the engine for Warranty purposes. As this number is more visible than the C24492 number, it is possible that this A77719 number has been recorded on your V5 in preference.

Do you have an old "buff" log book that lists the original engine number at all out of interest?

Hope you find the above illuminating to your confusion. Please can you complete an online Registration Form for us (www.mgytypes.org then <Registration> then <Register your Y> and attach a picture and text for Ys on Parade please too so we can all share your Y?

Many thanks

Paul
Paul Barrow

Paul, Many thanks for your reply. You have confirmed my initial thoughts. I think I'll just live with the numbers as stated, (even though the No. on the guarantee plate, recorded on V5 is not actually recorded on the engine!) I know the story!.
I only have a buff continuation book from 1961 with the current No. nothing earlier.
The camshaft is one of the components being replaced in the current overhaul due to it's condition, can't tell if it's a TC type or not (fitting a "fast road cam from MGOCC)
Best Regards
David
D. P. Jones

Hi David

Thank you for your prompt return of the Registration Form and Ys on Parade details. Very much appreciated.

If you are fitting a fast road cam, have you thought also about fitting a twin carburettor set up too?

Paul
Paul Barrow

This thread was discussed on 06/06/2010

MG MG Y Type index

This thread is from the archives. Join this live forum now