Project: 1952 MG TD Engine Rebuild

[PDenbigh]

Pete like projects!

Project #2 in my garage at the moment is the rebuilding of the engine from a 1952 MG TD. In case you aren't sure what kind of car this is, they look like this:


The car is my Dad's. He has owned it since the late 60's. It was his college car and his real love. It broke all the time, as all british cars of the time did, so he learned a bunch about cars (by necessity).

Anyhow, 7 years ago I was driving it back from a wedding and, as luck would have it, broke something serious in the engine. I wasn't even dogging it. I knew it was delicate - but 1/2 throttle up a hill was too much for the fault-prone crank I guess.

So, a few weekends ago I went home to WV, and with the help of my Dad and a friend's engine hoist, removed the engine. For this phase, I'm getting the block refreshed, powdercoated, and then rebuilding it myself. First time for an engine build!

1250 CC engine, 53 HP and unknown torque. It's "underbored" so the stroke is much (MUCH) longer than the bore is wide. Which equals more torqe than horsepower.

It's a numbers matching car, but we're not out to make it a concour de' elegance winner. I'm doing things like updating the ignition to all electronic, improving various seals, and making it more of a driver than a "sit and look pretty" car.

For those that are interested, I'll update this thread only when cool things happen. I'm documenting everything in pictures in an experimental gallery here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://mg.85xr.com">http://mg.85xr.com</a><!-- m -->.

[PDenbigh]

P.S. Here's what made that "Strange thumping noise deep in the engine" seven years ago:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://mg.85xr.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=25&g2_serialNumber=2">http://mg.85xr.com/gallery/main.php?g2_ ... alNumber=2</a><!-- m -->

[BLINGMW]

JB WELD!

Pete, that thing is pretty badass

I assume TD does not equal Turbo Diesel.... what does it mean?

[CaptainHenreh]

I assume TD does not equal Turbo Diesel.... what does it mean?

TD Stands for Totalis Dinosaurus, which is latin for "total dinosaur" meaning, of course, it leaks a whole dinosaur's worth of oil per lunar cycle.

[BLINGMW]

:lol:

[.RJ]

Hmm... everything pete drives either blows up the engine or rear end, or blows the spark plugs into the hood... note to self, do not let Pete drive my vehicles

[PDenbigh]

Lol, yeah, they leak. A bunch. BUT, putting new-and-improved-mega-super-seals tend to help. They'er not origional, but we're willing to go w/o the oil spills...

The TD is just a series. They have a TA, TB, TC, TD, and TF. The TF is my favorite fwiw.

[ScottyB]

holy crap i didn't know cranks could do that on stock power levels :lol:

[Dan]

Hmm... everything pete drives either blows up the engine or rear end, or blows the spark plugs into the hood... note to self, do not let Pete drive my vehicles

Seriously.

[white_2kgt]

You should put the megasquirt on that . I'd guraendamtee you'd be the first.

[Maengelito]

pete, thats awesome, you need to get a scarf and goggles like mr. burns:



"attendant, i'd like 1/8 liter of petroleum distillate and re-vulcanize my tires, post-haste!"

[Steve85]

I have never seen such a bore stroke ratio. I think my valves have a larger diameter than those pistons.

Castle nuts and cotter pins on the rod bolts...too funny.

You defintely have some interesting projects going.

What is available for that MG in terms of replacement parts? Are you going to have to swap meet? internet? is there a supplier? I know MG restos's are popular, are there new repro parts available for the engine? bearings and such...

[PDenbigh]

There's a disgusting supply of parts for this car. Moss Motors has a very successful business providing parts for lots of old British cars.

The crank, new, is $2100 hock: . We found a neat used forged race crank on eBay for $470.

Yeah, the castleated nuts, etc, are wild. I'll give them credit, they used studs/nuts rather than bolts! Even for the head!

And as for bearings, there'll supply anything to .050 over for both main and rods. Never would have thought huh? I sure wouldn't have until I started digging!

[Feersty]

Peter, I need a ride in this thing before I die. Very nice project.