TC Problems

[James Mumford]

I am new to the list so I apologise if these questions have been asked before. I acquired a "decommissioned" TC nearly two years ago and I have spent some time getting it back on the road. I have now run it for about a year and it is almost working correctly but it has some remaining problems on which I would appreciate advice. FUEL SUPPLY. The car is fitted with the Shorrock supercharger and goes very nicely except that it tends to suffer apparently from fuel starvation when pushed hard. I had trouble with vapour locks but have replumbed the fuel supply / fitted a heat shield and it is a lot better but a minor problem still persists. It still uses a single standard fuel pump. Is this adequate or should I use a high capacity pump or double pump set-up? Are there any other suggestions? (I have noted the general advice on supercharging elsewhere on the site and I think the timing is correct) CYLINDER HEAD. The head had been severely skimmed and the engine ran very harshly. This is clearly not a good idea with a supercharger so I fitted two head gaskets which has greatly improved things. However, this is not a permanent solution so I would like advice on what head thickness / compression ratio I should aim at for use with standard UK fuels. Are solid gasgets available or should I look for a new un-skimmed head? I currently run it on standard UK unleaded (95 octane) with Castrol Valvemaster additive and I get detonation when going fast uphill (so I avoid this at present). FRONT WHEELS. It is currently fitted with 16in wheels X 6.00 section tyres all round. The steering geometry is otherwise standard but the resulting steering is very heavy. Should I give up and go back to 19in wheels on the front or can I improve the geometry (without too much effort)? Any advice would be appreciated. Incidentally, I am aiming at a fastish road car, not a racer. Regards James Mumford [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Dean Jensen]

James In answer to your first question only, many years ago, I took a hint on what MG did for the TF, they put a fuel pump just in front of the gas tank on the frame. I have two cars, I did this to both, never have any problems any more. I used a new type solid state unit, small, you can not see it or notice it unless you are under the car. You can leave the fuel pump you have. You do not have to do anything to it, the extra pump will pump right thru it. The pressure is measured against atmospheric pressure and the original pump is basically a bellows pump so it has no effect. If the new pump should fail, the original pump will still work and take over. You need a low pressure, probably the lowest you can find, solid state pump. If you still are on positive ground, and do not want to change, and can find only negative ground pumps, you can isolate it on a piece of plastic, or bakelite and use rubber hoses (no braid) to connect it up. The new pump has more capacity, it is working with cold fuel. Solves all your vapor lock problems, Cheers Dean -----Original Message----- From: James Mumford [mailto:james@mumfordj.freeserve.co.uk] Sent: Saturday, June 08, 2002 1:02 AM To: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com Subject: [mg-tabc] TC Problems I am new to the list so I apologise if these questions have been asked before. I acquired a "decommissioned" TC nearly two years ago and I have spent some time getting it back on the road. I have now run it for about a year and it is almost working correctly but it has some remaining problems on which I would appreciate advice. FUEL SUPPLY. The car is fitted with the Shorrock supercharger and goes very nicely except that it tends to suffer apparently from fuel starvation when pushed hard. I had trouble with vapour locks but have replumbed the fuel supply / fitted a heat shield and it is a lot better but a minor problem still persists. It still uses a single standard fuel pump. Is this adequate or should I use a high capacity pump or double pump set-up? Are there any other suggestions? (I have noted the general advice on supercharging elsewhere on the site and I think the timing is correct)

[joecurto@aol.com]

Jim what do you mean by severely skimmed head, I am running a Marshall-Nordac blower on approx. 8:1, the stock head was 3,022 thick, what needle are you running in the carb, I use a RH with a .100 jet in an 1 1/2 carb, one last trick is to put a float from a Frogeye/ Bugeye Sprite into the bowl, it is a smaller diameter which gives you more fuel in the bowl (Rolls-Royce V8 uses this) I have some solid shim type head gaskets for T type, these could be fitted to a sheet of copper, but maybe best to look for a big valve head without to much removed. Joe Curto [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Roger Furneaux]

hello James - Dean took the words right out of my mouth, a modern pump is certainly a good mod for any TC and a lot easier than installing a second fuel line and S.U. pump. Here in England the only person I know who makes solid copper gaskets is Mike Allison (01491 875554). You certainly don't want too high a c.r. with a blower: detonation can cause burnt pistons! As to using 6.00 x 16 tyres, I have run on these for several years and don't find the steering heavy at speed, only when parking. Try upping the pressures and see what happens, these tyres can usually run at up to 36lbs. ocTagonally Roger

[yd3@nvc.net]

James <<>> I have some solid shim type head gaskets for T type, these could be fitted to a sheet of copper, but maybe best to look for a big valve head without to much removed. <<>> Any XPAG head can be converted to big valves just by cutting. I would think that a high pressue SU for the TF 1500 or MGA-MGB would also work. These are mounted at the back of the tank. With a pump pushing the fuel to the LP under the bonnet it wouldn't have to work so hard. Have you verified that the LP pump is delivering it's specified fuel flow? Blake

[Paul Edwards]

Hello chaps, I know only wimps admit to having them fitted, but I found it made the steering lighter when I fitted those wedges (which reduce the castor angle) between the axle beam and the springs of my TC . That was with 4.50 x 19 tyres, so presumably it would be better still with 6.00 x 16s. Regards, Paul PS James also said "I have noted the general advice on supercharging elsewhere on the site and I think the timing is correct". As a newcomer, where can I find that general advice?

----- Original Message ----- From: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com> To: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com> Sent: 08 June 2002 14:06 Subject: [mg-tabc] Digest Number 870 > FRONT WHEELS. > > It is currently fitted with 16in wheels X 6.00 section tyres all round. The steering geometry is otherwise standard but the resulting steering is very heavy. Should I give up and go back to 19in wheels on the front or can I improve the geometry (without too much effort)? > > Any advice would be appreciated. Incidentally, I am aiming at a fastish road car, not a racer. > > Regards > > James Mumford >