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Midget 1500 5-Speed install (aka OSHIT 1500 5-speed)

To: Spridgets@autox.team.net
Subject: Midget 1500 5-Speed install (aka OSHIT 1500 5-speed)
From: "Larry B. Macy, Ph.D." <macy@bbl.med.upenn.edu>
Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2002 00:38:24 -0400
Hey Listers!!
This is LONG, but I hope not boring.

I am sending this to the MG list as well as the Spridget list and 
Philly MG Club. Don't want the MG folks think I completely vanished ;-) 
(lurking, too durn busy)

There are some pics at http://homepage.mac.com/lmacy/5-speed to follow 
along. I don't have as many detail pics as I would have liked since I 
ended up chasing parts and engines while some of the work was being 
done and I forgot the camera on Monday (Labor Day).

Anyway,

I bought a T-9 Tranny from Frontline Spridget in the UK in August. Over 
Labor Day Weekend I got together with Dave Yealy, Allen Hefner, Kevin 
Valentine and chuck christ of the Spridget list to do the install. It 
was planned to be a day - day and a half install. Well Murphy was out 
in force ;-)

The kit arrived safe and sound from "Bloody Old" in early August. It 
consisted of a refurbished T-9 tranny from a Merkur or Scorpio, an 
aluminum adapter plate, an steel crossmember replacement, 2 box 
sections to fit into the jack box tubes, a "Quick Shift" shifter (extra 
$), a fiberglass cover for the tunnel, a piece of black tunnel 
carpeting, a new drive shaft, throwout bearing, clutch and pressure 
plate, and an assortment of bolts and nuts.

Basically the procedure is to remove the bell housing, remove the guide 
for the throw out bearing, cut off the 5-speed throwout bearing guide, 
grind out the one from the 4-speed to fit the splines, attach adapter 
plate to tranny, cut out the jackbox from the tranny tunnel, reinstall 
bellhousing and clutch, bolt to engine and stuff back in car, then 
install new crossmember and bolt into place. Then modify tunnel for new 
shifter location, attach shifter, drop car off jacks and go.

WEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLL

I drove the car up Friday night so it wouldn't be hot when we went to 
work. Sat AM Dave, Allen, chuck and I dug in taking the engine and 
tranny out. Took about an hour. I had rebuilt this engine last spring, 
and missed a gasket seal so I wanted to pull the pan while it was out 
to fix an oil leak. Kevin V showed up ad helped us yank the 
engine/tranny combo. As soon as we got the pan off chuck noticed some 
metal in the block (the engine was upside down on an engine stand at 
the moment) we started looking and spotted one of the thrust washers 
hanging out of the bearing cap. Or should that be "bearing OH crap"  
Well it was Saturday of Labor Day weekend and the first thing we did 
was start calling trying to find some thrust washers. I found some from 
a really nice British guy that works on LBC's in Chalfont PA. It was 
about an hour drive there so I jumped in my car and took off to get 
them. He had a beautiful MGA in the driveway, just put a new 2nd gear 
in it. and one more in the garage.

While I was gone Kevin, Allen, Dave, Kevin and chuck worked on the 
tranny. Separated the bell housing, bolted on the adapter plate. If you 
look at the pic you will see the nose that has to be cut off there in 
the pic, it had to be removed and cut and reinstalled. There is some 
grinding and drilling to be done on the bell housing to accommodate the 
adapter plate.

A lot of that was done while I was on the road. When I got back I did 
something I should have done BEFORE I left. I pulled the main bearing 
cap. Well, not only was the thrust washer gone, but so was the rear 
main bearing cap. Ground off to an angle that should not be there. So 
we spent some tie trying to figure out what to do next. Kevin has a 
friend in Tamaqua, PA that is into Spit's. He happened to have a 1500 
in  storage he was willing to part with. So off another cruise for 
about an hour and a half to go grab that. We had discussed pulling the 
crank out of that engine to put in mine, but the more I thought about 
it, the less happy with that solution I was. I called on my cell and 
had the gang remove all the ancillaries, so we could just stick this 
unknown engine in and hope it ran. Then I could rebuild my engine at a 
later date. Oh the thoughts going through my mind. Plans to go to Stowe 
on the 19th, getting the engine done in time, Frustration, anger, 
sadness.

Anyway, when I returned Dave and I unloaded the engine hoist again to 
get the engine out of the trunk of my 82 BMW. Then off for the night.

Sunday woke up to rain, rain, rain. Fortunately Kevin had a 10x10 popup 
we put over the work area. Rob V (Kevin's son) sat in the engine 
compartment and cut out the jack box/crossmember, Well now I was really 
committed. A little trimming around the hole and I was ready to put the 
engine in. You have to put the engine/tranny back in to get the 
placement of the new cross member right before drilling etc. So we got 
the engine and tranny put back together and stuffed in the car. Welll 
once again I missed a step. there are these two square tube boxes that 
have to be fitted to the jack box to support the new crossmember. Well 
I forgot to stick them in. So chuck and I had to pull the engine/tranny 
again (by ourselves, everybody else had left). Fortunately, not all the 
way out. Stuff the supports in and then try to get it all lined up.

Now for a bit of the tricky stuff. The new crossmember has to be bolted 
in between the rails that hold the fuel line and he brake line. You 
need to hold it up in place with a jack and then drill and bolt. Well 
in this case it was about 1/8 inch too wide. So out it came and back to 
the grinder. It is really close to the fuel line, so don't squish it. 
Jack it into place and drill 6 holes and bolt in. Some of the holes are 
really close to the tunnel, so be careful. Also, in this case, the 2 
that were supposed to go through the jack boxes and new supports were 
not quite in the right spot. Easily solved, drill new holes in the new 
crossmember.

At this point I slapped in the new drive shaft. Probably the easiest 
job of the whole thing. Well except by now it was dark and the folks, 
whom shall remain nameless (initials AH & DY) that pulled the drive 
line had "misplaced" the bolts that hold the diff to the drive line. Oh 
BTW the new drive line fits with a splined shaft, like a ribcase, 
instead of the normal 1500 style of bolting to a flange on the tranny. 
But with all the holes it was easy t get together. A few more odds and 
ends, including modifying the exhaust pipe so it fit better,  and the 
second of 2 14 hour days were to come to a close.

The next day, Monday, I had to bolt on the manifolds, set timing, get 
the tunnel cut, restore the interior, blah blah, blah. (this is where 
did not have a camera, chuck took a few pics but I don't have them 
yet). Well then we find the fiberglass didn't fit right. Cut to fit. 
just dandy. Finally get it all in place and the moment of truth.

Will it run. NO. Why?? some dummy with a pony tail put the lines on the 
fuel pump bassackwards. Fix that and SHE RUNS!!. Oh yea, gotta bleed 
the clutch. Get that done, then put the seats back in. bolt a few 
things together, and off the jacks.

Into the street and hoorraay, got a 5-speed. A little cleaning up and I 
am off towards home. Well about 15 minutes down the road this old 
engine, that is really running good, I must say, is getting really hot. 
  Stop, tighten the fan belt, turn on the heater and fan and try to go 
some more. Oh BTW the thing is running 60 lbs oil pressure, hot, at 
speed. Since I don't have a speedo (the cable is coming, not here yet) 
I am not sure haw fast, exactly I am going. But it appears that 4th - 
5th is good for about 1000 RPM at highway speed. I was keeping up with 
traffic on the turnpike running about 3200 RPM. Normally that would 
require at least 4000 - 4500 RPM.

I have driven the car a bit since Monday, but not a lot. What I can say 
is the first 3 gears are about the same as the 4-speed. 4th and 5th I 
am not real sure about. I think the heat issue can be cured with a good 
flush of the cooling system and a cooler thermostat. I am really 
surprised at how well this "borrowed" engine runs.

As I said, this should have been a day and half or so job. Took nearly 
three days. But We lost a lot of Saturday as I was running for a thrust 
washer I did not need, and an engine I needed but did not want.

Would I recommend the swap to somebody else, I can't say at this point. 
I am committed. But I also do not have my engine, with the cam, the 
high compression pistons, the feel of it I was used to.

I do know that for most of the 19 years I have had this car, I always 
was reaching for 5th.

Now I can get there.

Larry

BTW I WILL be rebuilding MY engine, as soon as I figure out what 
exactly I want to do. I have a few options. And may be some more 
improvements.



-- 

Larry Macy
78 Midget

Keep your top down and your chin up.

Larry B. Macy, Ph.D.
macy@bbl.med.upenn.edu
System Manager/Administrator
Neuropsychiatry Section
Department of Psychiatry
University of Pennsylvania
3400 Spruce St. - 10 Gates
Philadelphia, PA 19104

  Ask a question and you're a fool for three minutes; do not ask a 
question and you're a fool for the rest of your life. 

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