Stuart,
That's perfectly normal. You figured it out correctly.
Gene Gillam
Saucier, MS 39574
1949 MG TC 7872
----- Original Message -----
From: "Stuart Keen" <simbafish@home.com>
To: "MG T Digest" <mg-t@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, November 13, 2000 9:16 PM
Subject: Petrol Tank Sender Light
> A year and nine months ago when I purchased my beloved 51 TD, I noticed
> fuel leaking around both inner and outer gaskets of the sender unit. I
> was not surprised since the TD had been virtually garaged for the past
> twenty years and the gaskets probably dried out and/or lost resiliency.
> So I replaced the gaskets and all seemed well.
>
> When I returned from the Great Circle Tour in August, I noticed the
> sender unit was again leaking, rather badly. The car had been driven
> approx 15,000 miles since installing new gaskets. Upon inspection, I
> found the outer chamber, which contains the wiper contact from the float
> for sending voltage to the petrol light, flooded with fuel. It had
> probably been that way for a long time.
>
> Is this normal? I am of course concerned that there is always 12 V DC on
> the stationary pole and there could be a small spark as the wiper makes
> contact when fuel is low - approx 200 ma current flows. Of course, if
> the chamber is always flooded, there probably could not be a spark. But
> I am still concerned. Is it normal for the outer chamber to be flooded?
> I suspect fuel is coming through the pivot point between the float and
> the wiper.
>
> In a way, I am now answering my own question. If the chamber was not
> flooded but filled with fuel vapor, this would be a more volatile
> situation. The fact that the chamber has a gasket on it seems to
> indicate it is expected to be flooded. Am I thinking properly?
>
> I have successfully stopped the leaks by tightening down securely on the
> ten screws.
>
> Any ideas or replies about the flooded chamber will be greatly
appreciated.
>
> Stu Keen
> 51 MG TD MkII
>
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