Re: help with inlet holes

[sculptart@aol.com]

To all, I'm confused...why would excess water and oil be present in the intake manifold necessitating the drilled holes mentioned by Don Phillips? My TC has a later aluminum intake manifold setup (read that reproduction) and I have not figured out a really logical reason why additional holes would be here. I know we had this discussion about 1-1 1/2 years ago and I do not remember the answers. Don't ask me to go into the yahoo archives for the text...that is way too spooky and not worth the trouble. My best, Ben TC 4260

[Jennifer and Hugh Pite]

Hi, if I recall correctly the factory originally tried the manifold without the holes. There was some problem with the carb tuning, whether it was difficult to balance the carbs at all rev's or the mixture was too rich is something that I don't remember. At any rate the story goes that the holes on the bottom of the manifold were a quick fix which was supposed to only be temporary so that there would be no delay in getting the orders out. Hugh Pite

[b]To:[/b] JohnHWSteedman@aol.com [b]Cc:[/b] mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com [b]Sent:[/b] Monday, October 08, 2001 5:11 PM [b]Subject:[/b] Re: [mg-tabc] help with inlet holes To all, I'm confused...why would excess water and oil be present in the intake manifold necessitating the drilled holes mentioned by Don Phillips? My TC has a later aluminum intake manifold setup (read that reproduction) and I have not figured out a really logical reason why additional holes would be here. I know we had this discussion about 1-1 1/2 years ago and I do not remember the answers. Don't ask me to go into the yahoo archives for the text...that is way too spooky and not worth the trouble. My best, Ben TC 4260 Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

[Monoxidemanor@aol.com]

Dear Kimberites: Our TA air cleaner also attaches to a manifold that feeds air into the carburetors and it has six holes in it. Four are located on the bottom and two are located on the sides just past the air cleaner flange (in addition to the holes for the set screws to hold the aircleaner on). If these holes are for drainage, then why the holes on the side? Strikes us that a fair amount of dirty air gets past the air cleaner this way. Of course, the air original air cleaner seems very useful for keeping large rocks out of the motor, but not much else. Perhaps these are bypass holes in case the air cleaner gets totally clogged so that the engine can still function. We sure would like to replace the steel wool affair with a modern K&N air cleaner and plug the holes. Anyone see any problems with this approach? Best, Alan & Victoria Campbell

[David and Joyce Edgar]

I was able to search the archives and found the following on the air manifold holes. It was message #3039 From: "Bob Grunau" Date: Sun Sep 24, 2000 7:00 pm Subject: RE: [mg-tabc] Re: Air Cleaner Questions The four holes appear in all the TC air cleaners I have seen. The MG Car Co. issued Service Information Sheet No.66 for the 1 /2 litre VA in October 1938, titled "ENGINE PERFORMANCE" and it states: "A modification to the air cleaner manifold has been made to improve the engine performance between speeds of 1000 and 3500 rpm". This is followed by a sketch which neatly describes the four 1/4" holes, exactly as we find them in the TC air cleaner manifold. No doubt the practice carried over from the VA to the TB and then the TC. So, they are original and I would leave them alone. Regards, Bob. Several other messages in this thread indicated one person duct taped over the holes to close them off and another indicating they are original and should be left alone. Don Phillips who posed the question this time said he had five holes and the earlier thread says four holes. I personally have a repro unit without holes but seem to remember originals had four if memory serves David Edgar, TC 5108 El Cajon California

>To all, > I'm confused...why would excess water and oil be present in the >intake manifold necessitating the drilled holes mentioned by Don >Phillips? My TC has a later aluminum intake manifold setup (read >that reproduction) and I have not figured out a really logical >reason why additional holes would be here. I know we had this >discussion about 1-1 1/2 years ago and I do not remember the answers. > Don't ask me to go into the yahoo archives for the text...that is >way too spooky and not worth the trouble. > My best, Ben TC 4260 >Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the >http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>Yahoo! Terms of Service.

[Robert Grunau]

Thanks David,

I knew I had answered this question before but do not keep my emails. And yes, four holes were originally in the bottom of the TC air cleaners manifold.

Bob

-----Original Message----- [b]From:[/b] sentto-1417284-7101-1002591289-cgrunau=pathcom.com@returns.onelist.com [mailto:sentto-1417284-7101-1002591289-cgrunau=pathcom.com@returns.onelist.com][b]On Behalf Of [/b]David and Joyce Edgar [b]Sent:[/b] Monday, October 08, 2001 10:37 PM [b]To:[/b] T-ABC list [b]Subject:[/b] Re: [mg-tabc] help with inlet holes

I was able to search the archives and found the following on the air manifold holes. It was message #3039 From: "Bob Grunau" Date: Sun Sep 24, 2000 7:00 pm Subject: RE: [mg-tabc] Re: Air Cleaner Questions The four holes appear in all the TC air cleaners I have seen. The MG Car Co. issued Service Information Sheet No.66 for the 1 /2 litre VA in October 1938, titled "ENGINE PERFORMANCE" and it states: "A modification to the air cleaner manifold has been made to improve the engine performance between speeds of 1000 and 3500 rpm". This is followed by a sketch which neatly describes the four 1/4" holes, exactly as we find them in the TC air cleaner manifold. No doubt the practice carried over from the VA to the TB and then the TC. So, they are original and I would leave them alone. Regards, Bob. Several other messages in this thread indicated one person duct taped over the holes to close them off and another indicating they are original and should be left alone. Don Phillips who posed the question this time said he had five holes and the earlier thread says four holes. I personally have a repro unit without holes but seem to remember originals had four if memory serves David Edgar, TC 5108 El Cajon California

To all, I'm confused...why would excess water and oil be present in the intake manifold necessitating the drilled holes mentioned by Don Phillips? My TC has a later aluminum intake manifold setup (read that reproduction) and I have not figured out a really logical reason why additional holes would be here. I know we had this discussion about 1-1 1/2 years ago and I do not remember the answers. Don't ask me to go into the yahoo archives for the text...that is way too spooky and not worth the trouble. My best, Ben TC 4260 Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>Yahoo! Terms of Service.

[Tombutlercpa@cs.com]

I recall reading in TCs Forever! that it is possible for the valve cover case to fill with oil if their are problems with the fitting of the rocker arms and shaft. Should this happen oil would be pushed out the breather hole and into the air cleaner thence down to the aluminum manifold. Without the holes this non-compresable fluid would get into the combustion chambers causing engine damage. I have seen this happen in a marine application. The piston comes up, hits fluid, and stops. The rest of the engine keeps running and parts break. Very messy.

[Victoria Vernon]

Hi Bob,

my car's manifold has always had these holes blocked, at least since before I purchased it in 1981. Following comment should I open them up in order to run leaner or at least have more latitude on the carb adjustment?

I was in England during the terrible events of 11th September so have been off line but as I'm back in South Africa and have access to my computor I wish to, belatedly, express my sorrow and condolences to all the Americans and anyone else effected by this ghastly act of terrorism.

Clem

TC 7218