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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 - Engine Rebuilders Bad Hair Day

The saga continues with my TF engine, removed the pistons today to rectify the incorrectly installed con rods.

This is what was revealed, No 4 piston must have been fitted using a 10 pound hammer!

G Evans

Yikes! Were they thinking the car was going to be parked in a museum?

Matthew.
Matthew Magilton

Did you find the broken piece of the ring skirt or did that happen during installation?
Bruce Cunha

Thank my lucky stars "the wellas" that assembled this engine omitted to fit the cam shaft welsh plug. When I test ran the engine the oil leak caused me to pull the engine after it had only cycled for 10 minutes.

Removal of the sump revealed the crank shaft centre bearing thrust clearance incorrect, con rods installed 180 degrees out of position. Removal of the pistons to rectify the fault found the broken No 4 piston with its damaged land intact and No 3 piston oil rings fitted incorrectly.

The good news is the cylinder bores are undamaged, all rings are salvagable and I can source a new 0.020 over size piston. One cylinder has been sleeved. Fitment of new crank shaft bearings has bought the thrust clearance to the minimum specified clearance of 0.00015. Dismantling of the oil pump found all components to spec.

This exercise has broadened my XPAG engine rebuild knowledge.

It is imperative that bevels be ground on the bottom of the bore entries and the webs in the block be ground so that when using a ring compressor it will sit square to the bore axis. This situation may not arise if the engine is not bored over size, the engine reconditioner know his trade or if the engine has been sleeved.

Still waiting upon delivery of the new piston, I am confident I will get a serviceable engine by months end.
G Evans

This thread was discussed between 05/12/2011 and 06/12/2011

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