Wilsons Sandbox

Ron: I agree with Joe Curto. If you have hotted up your HP with high compression, cam, bigger bore, and maybe an extractor exhaust, then I would recommend EL needles with the 1 1/2 SUs. This works quite well. On my own car with the above, I will burn valves with the GJ needles. The engine is just too efficient for the stock TF needles. Skip Kelsey.........................................................At 09:21 PM 4/25/02 +0100, Benson wrote:

>Also what jet size and needle for 1 1/2 SU carbs?

On Sat, 27 Apr 2002, Benson wrote:

> I thought all XPAG heads used 1/2" reach plugs, the one that I have > modified is not the original head and I am not sure what it is off. Is > it just a case of measuring?

XPAG heads use either 1/2" or 3/4" thread length plugs, depending on age. The heads used on the TB, TC, and early TD use 1/2". The heads used on the late TD, TF, and TF 1500 (XPEG) use 3/4". There is no need to measure, as there are several other indicators. If the head is on the engine, look for a casting number on the top surface of the head, right front corner. If it is "22952", it's an early head. If the number is something else (I forget what) or nonexistant, it's a late head. If the head is off the engine you can tell by looking at the small water passage holes that carry coolant between the block and the head. If they are oblong (some say banana-shaped) it's an early head. If they are round it's a late head. The early head is sometimes referred to as a "banana head" and the late head as a "round head" due to the shape of the water holes. XPAG engine blocks also have either oblong or round water holes, again following the "TB through early TD" and "late TD and TF" pattern. It's okay to use a late head on an early engine or vice versa, as long as you use the appropriate head gasket. If head and block both have oblong water holes, use a gasket with oblong water holes. If head and block both have round holes, use a gasket with round holes. If you use a head of one type on a block of the other type, use a gasket with oblong water holes. -- Chip Old 1948 M.G. TC TC6710 XPAG7430 NEMGTR #2271 Cub Hill, Maryland 1962 Triumph TR4 CT3154LO CT3479E fold@bcpl.net

Chip: I have been running a "bannana" block, bored .100, and a "round" head for the past 40 years, using a TF-1500 head gasket. Due to the overbore, and not wanting the gasket to overhang the cyls. It has never given me any trouble. The current rebuild,now has 55,000 miles on it, and is heading for Durango,Co. in June to the GoF. SKip Kelsey.................................................. At 01:27 PM 4/27/02 -0400, Chip Old wrote:

>holes, use a gasket with oblong water holes. If head and block both have >round holes, use a gasket with round holes. If you use a head of one type >on a block of the other type, use a gasket with oblong water holes

On Sat, 27 Apr 2002, Skip Kelsey wrote to Chip Old and MG-TABC:

> Chip: > > I have been running a "bannana" block, bored .100, and a "round" head > for the past 40 years, using a TF-1500 head gasket. Due to the overbore, > and not wanting the gasket to overhang the cyls. It has never given me > any trouble. The current rebuild,now has 55,000 miles on it, and is > heading for Durango,Co. in June to the GoF.

Yes, if the amount of overbore requires an XPEG head gasket, then you don't have much choice unless you get a gasket custom made. The problem I used to run into with a round-hole gasket and a banana block or head was due to the way one copper layer is (or at least used to be) wrapped back over around the edges of the holes. If the edges weren't crimped together between head and block, coolant would gradually seep into the core of the gasket. Eventually the core would disintegrate. Maybe I just bought cheap gaskets. -- Chip Old 1948 M.G. TC TC6710 XPAG7430 NEMGTR #2271 Cub Hill, Maryland 1962 Triumph TR4 CT3154LO CT3479E fold@bcpl.net