MGF water level sensor kit in a TR-7?

Cobber · Postby **Cobber** » 24 Jul 2012 06:44

I recently fitted a water level sensor kit to my MGF from Brown and Gammons: http://www.ukmgparts.com/product.aspx?CID=a6438a2a-06ce-45d6-a18f-943e9e1c4240&SID=ebec95df-7260-440a-8983-8643a1d15510&PID=91827d9b-18de-491e-b074-a1f29941307a also available from Rimmers: http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-RP1477

This is a bloody good bit of kit, as it gives you peace of mind in being able to shut down the engine if a sudden loss of coolant were to occur due to say a ruptured radiator hose etc. and it occurs to me that it should be easy to adapt to our Triumphs.
It features both a warning light and audible signal, it also has a test function every time you start the car and a delay to prevent false signals from the float bouncing about. It's basically plug and play, in the MGF it just connects it to the reversing light wiring, so you could probably do the same with a TR-7/8.
I'm seriously thinking of ordering another for this very purpose, I have the old expansion tank from the MGF to use as a mock up for making the mount and adapting it, as easy as crapping in bed and kickin'it out with your feet. (a bloody lovely Aussie turn of phrase that!)[:D]

"Keep calm, relax, focus on the problem & PULL THE BLOODY TRIGGER"

80'Triumph TR7, 73'Land Rover (Ford 351. V8),
'89 Ford Fairlane
'98 MG-F, 69'Ford F250.
76' Ford F100

HowardB · Postby **HowardB** » 24 Jul 2012 09:24

Doesn't yours have a sensor on the header tank to warn you of loss of coolant? It was most certainly fitted to the later models with the header on the exhaust side of the engine.

Cobber · Postby **Cobber** » 24 Jul 2012 11:14

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by HowardB

Doesn't yours have a sensor on the header tank to warn you of loss of coolant? It was most certainly fitted to the later models with the header on the exhaust side of the engine.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

No there is no low coolant sensor on my TR-7, just a grotty looking metal header tank without any provision for a sensor. My car is a 1980 build, 1981 registration. It's entirely possible that Australian spec cars did not benefit from this feature, it would be a typical feat of Leyland logic that would have cars bound for a hot climate with inferior protection equipment for the cooling system than those cars bound for cold climates! 

"Keep calm, relax, focus on the problem & PULL THE BLOODY TRIGGER"

80'Triumph TR7, 73'Land Rover (Ford 351. V8),
'89 Ford Fairlane
'98 MG-F, 69'Ford F250.
76' Ford F100

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 24 Jul 2012 12:53

Being a later model TR7 it indeed should be fitted with a low coolant warning light and sensor.
Maybe a PO put in a new header tank, one without the hole for the sensor?

Looks like this ...

Maybe the wiring is still there.

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My full Weblog[/url]</center>

Cobber · Postby **Cobber** » 24 Jul 2012 13:17

Nah looks nothing like it I'm afraid, and it's located on the other side of the engine bay.
And I doubt you'd find one worth having here in Oz.
Remember here in Oz we didn't get any of the good stuff like Sprints, V8s or DHCs, so they probably off loaded all the left over rubbish here. At least they didn't inflict those bloody awful steel wheels and their hideous hub caps upon us, so we should be thankful for small mercies I s'pose. [:D] 

"Keep calm, relax, focus on the problem & PULL THE BLOODY TRIGGER"

80'Triumph TR7, 73'Land Rover (Ford 351. V8),
'89 Ford Fairlane
'98 MG-F, 69'Ford F250.
76' Ford F100

FI Spyder · Postby **FI Spyder** » 24 Jul 2012 13:38

The expansion tanks on the right side of car where 1978/79 cars didn't have the low coolant sensors. The tanks on the left side of cars 1980/81 did have the sensor as per Beans photo. Is it really an '80 or a 79. Yellow TCT is registered as an 80 but the build date is earlier 1979 and doesn't have the sensor so it is actually a 1979.

Either the PO had a leaking tank and rather than re-solder it or buy a new tank (expensive) he had access to '79 tank and bracket and adapted it OR they said "hey, this car is headed for Oz, we'll throw in what ever parts we have lying around to clean out the parts bin."

What's the actual build date? Found on edge of door.

I stripped off the paint to see how I liked it (couple of years now) and I think I'll leave it that way although Bean's looks cool too.

- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

Odd · Postby **Odd** » 24 Jul 2012 14:00

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> I recently fitted a water level sensor kit to my MGF from Brown and Gammons <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> Could you show us some pictures of this kit, please. I looked at the ones on the linked URLs
but they show nothing of real technical interest, like how is it fitted, how does it work, what
parts go where (and how) etc...
Cheers,
/Odd

Cobber · Postby **Cobber** » 24 Jul 2012 14:47

It's pretty hard to show much of the kit I've fitted to the MGF as most of it is hidden, there's bugger all room in a MGF! But here's the link to the installation instructions: http://www.ukmgparts.com/PDFs/bgf1111.pdf The kit basically consists of an ECU, a LED warning light, a warning beeper, a wiring loom and an expansion tank with an integrated coolant level sensor.
The float of the sensor is donut shaped, and slides up and down a pillar molded into the tank, it's held captive by the pillar and the replaceable sensor itself is fitted within the pillar, so there won't be any leaks from the tank sensor. the tank mountings are two small mounting tabs that can be seen in the pix and a single spigot post molded under the tank that should locate in to a mounting hole. This is how it mounts on the MGF and it's rock solid so this would be how you'd make the support bracket for the TR.
The tank itself has two hose inlet nipples, a small dia one at the top as a bleeder from the radiator and a larger one at the bottom which in the MGF connects to the thermostat housing via a hose.
The delay is 30 seconds to prevent false signals.
ans the test function at start up lights up the light and the beeps the beeper for a few seconds or so.
I'm afraid I cant offer anymore detail than that at this stage.


"Keep calm, relax, focus on the problem & PULL THE BLOODY TRIGGER"

80'Triumph TR7, 73'Land Rover (Ford 351. V8),
'89 Ford Fairlane
'98 MG-F, 69'Ford F250.
76' Ford F100

Anonymous

MGF water level sensor kit in a TR-7?

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