What Horrors Are In This 1952 MG TD Engine?
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- Опубликовано: 21 дек 2020
- Today I tear down a 1952 MG TD engine to discover why the car was parked in 1966 and not driven since. I find the the problem with the engine as well as things others have done to it since.
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This Week With Cars - Episode 0119 
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Many years ago I used to sleeve the cylinders on the old MG's back to standard. The pistons available at the time were Std and all the way up to .0.120" / 1000 oversize. If the block is serviceable, that engine can be rebuilt seemingly forever. There is a technique to sleeving all four cylinders. The total "press" on all four cylinders cannot exceed .003" or there would be too much stress on the block. Normally the "press" would be about .0015" to .002" of an inch for one cylinder sleeve. However, if each cylinder had .002" press, there would be so much stress on the block that the block could actually crack! If bored correctly for proper cylinder sleeve press the first sleeve could be pushed in by hand. The second sleeve could be tapped in with a mallet. The third sleeve hammered in a little harder. The last sleeve pounded in with the force of a short handled 3 lb. sledge hammer. Once that 4th sleeve went in, all of the sleeves were tightly held into the cylinder bores, even the first one that could be pushed in by hand. I never had a complaint about a problem. One of my competitors did crack a block. Needless to say that I was the only one to do work for that company from then on.😆
Steve, there's nothing you do here that I wouldn't like to see more of. As with other projects, I can't wait to see this one through to when it's rebuilt and running again.
Hear! Hear!
Good shout
Yes, id like to see more
Any followup to this video?
I can never find them😭😭
What is the follow up video?
Great video...reminds me of my youth..my first car was a Austin A40 1954..It was a runner but after a year it started using a lot of oil...I stripped the motor in situ in the road outside my house.! head off sump off and pistons out the top..i bought 4 x used pistons which were high compression in used condition and were from a tuned stock car..a racer...they fitted a treat and the car run a treat after that...i love your equipment in the workshop especially the engine stand that revolves..brilliant.!
So nice to see you doing this repair but i did the same refurb 50 Years ago..!!!! no proper tools in those days but i have all the tools now but being in my 70s its hard just to get up let alone fix cars..how age tells! when this motor went pop in 1966 i had just discovered Honda motorcycles and girls...dont bother with females these days but love guys fixing vehicles...and dogs and cats..from u/k...
I have been working on MGs since the mid 80's, and I have to say I was amazed that you were able to get those pistons out without breaking them. I love that you are able to bring these amazing machines back to life.
Being an owner of a British car, anything you do, I’ll watch! Can’t wait to watch this entire process! This is far better than any tv show! Thanks for doing this channel Steve!!!
I'm not a car guy, and I have no idea why this video was suggested to me by RUclips, but I really enjoyed it. I am amazed when anyone can tear down an engine and nonchalantly put the parts here and there. I would have a dozen parts left over by the time I put the engine together. Very good explanation of what parts you were examining and removing, also great analysis of damage or potential damage. I subscribed - great video.
I loved these MG TDs when I was a kid - in the movies, and I saw the occasional one. Thanks for taking us through this. Looking forward to witnessing developments. Thanks.
Thanks, Steve. As always, very informative and easy to follow. What gets me is the speed at which you work and move around the workshop. Superman would have no chance of keeping up! 😊 While I am very retired and no longer doing the 'heavy stuff', I enjoy and appreciate each of your videos.
I notice a duplex timing chain. BMW,Mercedes,Audi,VW, Peugeot/Citroen please take note. This is why after around 80,000 miles you have problems, many terminal and the owner picks up the bill for your cost cutting.
Good to see another little classic on its way back to being someones pride and joy 👍👍👍👍👍
Have owned, driven, maintained and repaired Mercs since the 60s and can assure you, if you follow the maintenance recommended by Mercedes-Benz, you have an engine which will run to over 500,000 miles without a problem.
On many of the 'cheaper' versions of the cars, simplex chains were used but, again if you follow the recommendations and replace the timing chains when advised, these engines are bullet proof too.
It's such a simple and cheap job to do, I have no sympathy for those who don't and experience problems.
All 'SE' models were duplex chains which lasted longer but still needed changing if you wanted to keep your car in tip top condition, timing etc..... just like ANY car.
This is more like a resurrection than a restoration, I will be interested to see how it progresses, though I have a (probably wrong) feeling that when the measurements come in it will be possible to restore some life in the old girl. It was such an odd mixture of near mild wear, broken and neglected close to the end of life parts, all in the same block. Glad the rod that 'let go' was stopped from causing further mayhem and did not blow the block casting. It was clearly kept within the bore so did not flail about too much. Good luck, I enjoyed the almost forensic teardown. Best wishes for everyone's end of year and, especially for a safe new year.
Rebuilt one in 1966 or 67. Was a fun rebuild. Parts guy warned me about engine becoming a water heater with .060 over pistons. Cylinder walls so bad I had no choice but to have bored that large and it became a water heater. Ran good. Saw car on road around '70 and it was seemed to be running good. Just long waits at traffic lights were an issue when I had the car.
That is the problem with making them so thin, today a hidden electric fan can ease the pain.
Thanks for the clean no-nonsense audio!
We receive a couple of engines every year at our shop that look that bad. Often, we re-sleeve the block so that stock size (available) pistons can be used when the rust damage is too excessive.
Stuck?do you not mean Seized.
If you please, bring the camera in closer. It's really too far during the long shots. Thanks.
Ya specialy eu en you show us the piston out way to far
Good job, Sir. It's nice to see an old British car being given the love and attention it deserves - you really do know your stuff.
Watching from the UK. What an excellent 'tear down', I'd really like to see how this engine progresses and as an 'engine' man myself I'd love to see more video's like this. I really enjoy the channel.
Parts Washer, Media Blaster, spares from Moss or that place in Oldbury. Fairly straightforward when you have the space to store all the bits and assemble in a clean room
Its ok... If you can follow the Americanisms.
The dude cannot even name an oil flinger ring and scroll seal there usually a leather or felt seal too
We have a place in town that restores MG's. Ive done a fair bit of work for them.
Certainly one of the better American videos. Great to see the details & without any annoying music or unnecessary padding that you get on most American videos.
@@nutgone100 It's not an American documentary if there's no constant Van Halen-type guitar solos to make your ears bleed, as well as at least three people exclaiming "Oh my god!!!" every 30 seconds or so. Quality!
That's a sweet little engine so I would try to rebuild it. I reckon that you think the same way Steve and this is why you made this video of the tear down. Nice project.
Very informative and interesting. Looking forward to the next phase.
First car I fell in love with was a 1952 MG TD in San Jose, Ca. I look forward to seeing the progress.
This feels so familiar as my first car was a 1938 MG TA bought when I was 16 for just £50, borrowed from my Dad in 1961. The XPAG engine appears the same, although mine had white metal big end bearings. I spent a year during every free moment bringing it back to life and loved every inch of it. So much fun to drive, it sort of scudded round corners, but always started first time.
The TA had the earlier engine and they did use white metal bearings, the bearings did not last too long but they were very good and the crankshaft did last well, also the engine was easy to remove and strip down so replacing the bearings after 60,000 miles or more no big deal.
They were very good cars and a real pleasure to drive. The TD had a better chassis and the handling was really good.
Your workplace is so clean and well set. It is such a OCD relief.
A good example of delayed rebuild and what 60 plus years can do to an unpreserved engine. Great video without hysteronics as some videoers do.
hysteronics, i was looking for that word!
@@Okipouros Histrionics.
Can’t believe how clean your shop is, great job!
everyday is a school day when Steve puts a new video up! That poor engine has missed a lot of love in its lifetime.
Excellent video, Im in the UK and make subcontract parts to a supplier for TDs TFs and some other versions of MGs ..A lot of my stuff goes to America..cant believe how many of these cars are still around as i have regular orders for Half shafts all sump plugs and various engine parts..look forward to seeing the rest of the rebuild...and yes its not a total loss at all. :)
These cars started with 30,000 miles on the odometer and counted backwards,when it hit 0 you park and start walking!
On 12/26/20 I began work on my 1951 TD. Fortunately, the engine turned and we had it running on New Years Day. The body and transmission are going to be my challenge. Please keep these coming!
Your channel was a referral and I am very interested in the TD engine rebuild. Thank you for your efforts to bring these to us; they are appreciated!
I wasn't expecting that rod!
I'm keen to see how it cleans up.
The idea of using a scroll to control oil leakage generally works when the oil is changed regularly and the crankcase is not over-filled. Higher oil pressures can push oil right past the device. They work well when the oiling system is not pressurized beyond atmospheric and proper maintenance is done. Standard truck transmissions often used these for input shaft oil control...using it as engine crankshaft oil control is novel, but not wise.
MG cars used mostly Lucas lighting products for their electrical system. The joke among MG owners was that Lucas Lighting was the Prince of Darkness...
Good video...
Awesome ! One would not think a person could get excited over a tear down. Think again. I can't wait to see how it turns out.
Very interesting to watch. Looking forward to the next episode. Greetings from Germany and all the best for the new year 2021. Stay healthy!
Back in 1972, I had a 59 MGA that suffered a snapped crankshaft. You couldn't start it with the electric starter, but it would run if you used the HANDCRANK ... Don't laugh. It got me HOME . I drove it over 1100 miles to get back home after it broke. I was VERY LUCKY !
A friend had a 1954 TF. Most of this looks very familiar. He was my adopted dad and I spent many evenings talking to his feet asking for advice while I fetched tools for him. His motto for that car, in the late 1980s, was to never drive it farther than you were willing to walk home.
@CPT Ivanitchyanus He hated the carburetors, almost as much as he hated chasing the constant electrical problems. He thought about having a new wiring harness made, but it would have cost more than the car was worth. He finally sold it to another masochist.
I had two TD.s and never had to walk home. I drove them on hill climbs and many other car club events. Only a bad mechanic could not get one to be reliable.
@@epistte
Like I said before a poor mechanic. Any half baked mechanic could make it very reliable.
The wiring was simple, I had to sort out the wiring on one of mine because some idiot had tried to rewire it, the headlights came on if you braked and the ignition shorted out if you turned the sidelights on, it did not take long to sort out.
My first MG TD was worth far more than any wiring loom, I paid a years wages to but it at the time but of course that was in very good condition and I did not have to do much work on it, my next one had been butchered but I soon had it running well and enjoyed it for over four years before selling it for quite a bit more than I paid for it and I only sold it to go overseas the same reason I sold my first one.
@@barrierodliffe4155 That sounds similar to the problems that he was chasing. He bought it from someone who started to restore it and then stopped. he got it running but the electrical problems were constant. He let me and my date borrow it for the prom, but I had to drive it and not my date. I remember that he had the engine rebuilt but getting the carbs in sync was a constant battle. He sold it and bought a Jag XKE and then sold that when he realized what a basket case it was. Then he bought a 35' sailboat.
@@epistte
There is nothing worse than taking on any job that someone else has started.
Really good video! I had a 1939 MG TA years back with a similar engine, though with a longer stroke MPJG engine rather than the squarer XPAG in the TD. The corked clutch running in oil was very smooth! As for the oil thrower/scroll at the rear of the crankshaft, the one on my 1970 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow had a leak recently and the thrower was full of crud. Nice and clean now.
so interesting and well presented Steve. Thanks! Merry Christmas!
Good to see a young man with such a great set of skills. Had some good teachers
Superb video. Great to see a really old British classic being restored
my high school buddy and I worked on 1952 MG TD his dad brought home from Europe after serving in the USAF in England. We managed to screw it up pretty badly. I thoroughly enjoyed this video because it brought back so many fun memories. Keep them coming.
Commenting to see more. I am amazed of the amount of professional grade equipment you have access to!
Not sure if you will see this question, but your collection deserves a museum designation of small mostly British heritage vehicles. Will the backyard mechanics of yester-year ever be able to tour your fine collection in person? Silly as it sounds, I would hope that could help generate revenue to support the facility you have. Thank you for your contribution to the preservation of fine motor vehicles.
Really enjoyed this video. Liked the way you kept the parts organized as you took them off. Looking forward to the engine’s resurrection. Would like to see what shape the body of the car is in.
Great video. I'm really interested to see how the engine rebuild goes. Looks like it will be a labour of love...!
My grandparents had a '53 TD. My grandfather spoke very fondly of how easy the engine was to work on. Of course, they bought it new and he kept it in good shape. Sure wish it was still around!
That engine brings back memories. Older brother’s friend had a 52 TD in high school. He damaged three engines and wound up with a Chevy 6 cylinder, three speed trans, and narrowed Chevy rear end. They finished high school in 1961. Brother & his friend are both gone now. I lost track of the car.
We considered these engines "tractor engines." They had lots of problems because they were in a "sports" car and the harder you drove it, the more likely something blew. Most of the time it was the engine do to over revving. My brother in law came up with an interesting solution. He made an adapter plate for the back of the bell housing. That allowed him to drop a Datsun 510 transmission into the car. Not sure if any of the older Nissan transmissions will work, but it would interesting to experiment.
That scroll we call an oil thrower Some mistake this and grind it off when regrinding the shaft,bad mistake. Great video reminds me of rebuilding old 1934 Rily Falcon - I did that 50 years ago but did ot have the tools that you have!
Mericans !!!
Very interesting . Thoroughly enjoyed the watch. I'm hoping there is a full coverage of this story to the finish.
I had a 1948 MG-YT back in the day and rebuilt that engine. This brings back memories. I wish I had had some of the tools you feature.
Aah, don't stop there. Looking forward to the next one and how those cylinders clean up.
I'm really hoping that you continue to document this rebuild as I need to do exactly this. To at least my TF engine. and possibly something similar ( fingers crossed it's not so) to my TC engine.
I once made a comment on a different engine rebuild channel that the crank should stand vertically. I received so many. Comments that I was an ignorant, crazy person for saying that. Their opinions were it was dangerous to stand a crank, was much safer to lay it down. I learned like you said to stand the crank.
There are no horrors awaiting you in the engine, it is contrived to make content for your videos. With that diatribe said, your shop is amazing and you show a lot of knowledge about these escapees from Morris Garage! Thank you for the time and effort that goes into these videos sir!
Whooo.. Diatribe? : a bitter and abusive speech or piece of writing. 2 : ironic or satirical criticism. 3 archaic : a prolonged discourse. It sounds like Jim Nichols.
Broseph, this vid is a hit, almost 10x your usual views, peeps need a part 2 ASAP ;p
Great video Steve, I'd like to see you get this engine running
This vid certainly takes me back to when my late father had me rebuilding 'A' series engines from Morris 1000's when I was 15 years old!, , , , ,Thanks for the memories!.
Dude , I give you a hell of a lot of credit to have not only the know how but the patience to work on these kind of cars ! HATS OFF TO YA MY FRIEND ........ Being an auto technician for over 30 years i know first hand how tough some of these cars are to work on ......... God Bless ya , AND I HOPE YOU AND YOUR`S HAVE THE HAPPIEST HOLIDAYS !
I suspect that "red oil" was Marvel Mystery oil, a very popular lubricant for freeing up seized parts.
I was going to say that or kroil
I'm curious how it cleaned up. I worked in an engine shop that did a lot of vintage stuff, all kinds of old British stuff like this as well as tractor engines, Ford flatheads, even the occasional 100 year old fire truck engine. Of course plenty of modern stuff too. Pretty cool to see how designs had progressed through the years
...a dream job as I see it...
Great video...really enjoyed your commentary. Looking forward to the next one
thanks. is there a follow up video on this engine?
Dude!! I’m itching to see the final build of this!!
I have a 53 TD on blocks for 25 years (running fine back then). Please follow through with the rebuild! The corrective machining measures and the eventual outcome should be quite interesting. Thx!
I'm overhauling a TD engine myself right now. Looking forward to more installments as I'm not really familiar with these engines...but am learning fast !
I love the time-lapse 👍👍
as others have said I can't wait for the next episode.
Nice to see the steam clean oven, many others on RUclips just hose down their projects 😥
Looking forward to seeing how this turns out
Well there's your problem - your mud needs replacing.
Typical MG
Fantastic video Steve. Would enjoy following along the restoration/rebuild process. Keep your videos coming...
Waiting with anticipation for the next part! Very interesting to see the craftmanship of a bygone era.
Great video. Looking forward to seeing the machine work involved with restoring it.
I did a great deal of my apprenticeship on English cars in the 1960's in Australia. It's great to see these old girls being given a second life.
Love seeing something like this brought back. I hope we can see a followup in the future.
Engine washer reminds me of a parts washer we have at work made by "Better Technology". We nicknamed it the "Rust-O-Matic". Used to wash aircraft pump gears before final inspection/mag.
Certainly no-one seems to have shown that engine too much in the way of TLC prior to you owning it Steve. Hope you can resurrect it.
Yeah that was kind of ridiculous. I mean how in the world do you get that much corrosion inside the motor. It's like they took the spark plugs out and left them out for 30 years. Good luck Steve.
love to see how this job goes. Thanks
Im a UK car restorer, I was really surprised how easily it all came apart, I've never been that lucky. In the circumstances the engine was in surprisingly good condition. Great video im looking forward to the next.
great video steve, look forward to the next one
I can't believe how fast this guy is once he gets going.
He REALLY likes his coffee.
And he's not alone, there's tonnes of youtubers that have the same power
I wonder what kind of performance enhancing drugs I'd need to reach this level of efficiency
Very clean, straightforward, good presentation! Is there a f/up?
Could use on my rebuild!;)
Good job!!?
Thx!!
Man this was a learning moment. Thank you I want more..
I'll be looking forward for your next video. This certainly looks like a challenge.
Nice video and commentary. Keep going and would like to see the car this goes in too. Good job!
Amazing that the broken rod end didn’t get free and punch a bunch of holes in the casting.
That’s one of the reasons you have to check an engine that hasn’t run in a long time, before you attempt to start it...
My thoughts as well.
they have 4 hp,& rev at 50 rpm..its worserer that pudding..
@@phantomwalker8251 what?
@@phantomwalker8251 55 bhp and max revs of about 6000rpm For the time, a decent engine.
Love it Steve! Keep up the great work.
Love the old Chevvy in the background! Astonishing what you said about the car maybe only being driven for ten years of its (now long) life, but the maths doesn't lie...
Nice tear down, you certainly know what you're doing. I rebuilt mine last year and we bored it 100 over. You can get piston/rings set up to 120 over, so as long as the block mags out there shouldn't be much issue saving it.
I really enjoyed this engine breakdown and would very much like to see more of the same :)
This engine was made out of reinforced shortbread dough.
Intersting. They must have lowered specs when they built the engine for my '58 MGA.
I'm surprised that something in this state could actually run again, but looking forward to seeing just that.
That seal system I've seen on oil free piston compressors.They were call Visco seals.It was a cast iron seal broke in half with a thread to thread the grease back toward the the front of the compressor.Worked great.
I seem to remember that in the late 50's a red painted engine signified that it was a reconditioned unit.
Can't wait to see the next installment !!
thats the trouble with this channel, individual things are interesting but there is little in the way of continuity and seeing projects though. He just dabbles when it suits.
@@yarpos ugh. It probably still has value for someone who might have to work on one of these engines, but without the money shot of a fully rebuilt engine it's just going to be frustrating for spectators.
@@yarpos w u de
@Ralph Clark, definitely need to have some completion here
Just caught your videos. Interesting stripdown. Can’t wait till next exciting instalment.
I’m sure you can get a replacement seal kit , from the UK, to change the scroll seal to a lip seal.
I've installed those on these engines and they are a terrible design.
When will we see the next part of the restoration of this engine ?!
Yeah, I can stripp just about anything...putting it together is another game,,, I agree, this is nothing, if that engine is restored and started... it's something...
Never.
@@Nrgpack sleved block & it and u it should run . !....ps is that a BMC engine ?
If it helps others a Firm in AU could make custom oversizes & have big-bore Ford Kent etc....JP Enginering & cut oddball rings too. Trev...NZ.
PS...i forgot the word " Piston' (from a casr inhouse blamk) .do t/img sets too
.Trev NZ.....
Trev
looking forward to see how it comes out
Used to recondition engines for a big british car specialist hear in the UK. Had to tear down a lot of engines like this. Always managed to get the pistons out eventually, even if you had to smash them out in pieces. Very rare we recieved an old unit we couldn't work with.
.
Rebuilt a 1952 MG TD engine, and transmission in 1958. Put a Clay Smith 3/4 cam in it, and bored it out .30 I still have scars from the transmission. Wish I had it now.
Where I come from those two centre bores would be called "Minging"!
I’m not sure there’s a ‘g’ on the end of ‘mingin’ never heard one anyway...
Do most sentences end with ‘is it’ by chance? 🤣
If you are really old it is “clarty”, if younger it is “ mingin”.
Anyone else also amazed that all the bolts came out? It seems every time I'm doing a project it doesn't matter how many bolts there are. ONE of them will be stripped or busted off...lol
Old MG self lubricate the bolts keeping them from getting stuck 🤣
@@ThisWeekWithCars It seemed to work then. I was amazed how easily everything came apart.
@@ThisWeekWithCars You could put more force on the crank by prying on the ring gear through the starter mount than you can with the pulley nut in front, though you are still limited by not wanting to break ring gear teeth, that limit is far higher than it is in front.
Greetings from South Africa 🇿🇦.. don't you just love getting down and dirty with these old engines... In my younger years I rebuilt many side valve Morris 803cc and OHC Austin 998cc engines. This brings back good memories.... thank you for posting this great video...
@@alan6832 that would be stupid
Thanks for telling me about this video, I am lucky our 1952 MG TD engine is in good shape, We drive it
about once a month to keep it happy
I worked as an MG mechanic 50 years ago and this brought back some old memories. I never did more than routine maintenance on the TD/TF series but I am happy to report that MG did eventually take care of some of the design flaws pointed out in this video. Who says companies don't learn from their mistakes? Although MG apparently didn't learn quite enough because eventually they did build a three main bearing MGA Twin Cam engine pretty much guaranteed to blow up. I know this because I bought a retired Twin Cam chassis after the engine blew up while racing at Thompson Raceway in Connecticut.