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MG MGF Technical - C-C-Cold (and coolant colours!)

OK, so I've been freezing my ****s of over the past couple of days because the heater doesn't seem to do anything (it had some foibles before that seemed just like the heater resistors or something stuck in there, but seemed to resolve itself). Finally checked the coolant last night (I know, I know), and noticed, as best I could in the semi-dark of the petrol station, it needed topping up.

Bought some antifreeze, drove home. Morning, and new antifreeze is blue, but the car's is a yellowish green. Rang G Kingsbury, just to check, who said car has OAT stuff in so don't mix it (which surprised me - R reg MGF. And why don't any petrol stations sell OAT stuff too!?)

So went to top it up just with water - in daylight it's scarily empty and took about a litre of water. I get to work, it's dropped a little, but not much. Still cold though! Water temp guage has seemed fine - a smidge below middle. Oil temp never seems to warm up much - didn't get round to checking the oil too this morning (no warning light though - thank God)

Any thoughts folks?

I've a nasty feeling I know what responses I'll get from this one, but here's hoping otherwise! Oh, in case it matters - R reg MGF, 1 HGF about 1.5 to 2 years ago-ish I think.
Ed

The coolant in the car is not OAT, but you should replace it with "Unipart Superplus 3" not the halfords stuff you have brought (which may well say 'organic' on the back).

Will Munns

Must admit I didn't think OAT sounded right (thought that was orange), thanks Will. I bought stuff from a Shell garage which is just a standard Ethylene Glycol (sp?) based stuff, although N.A.P. free I believe (which it claims is a good thing!). I was hoping it might mix OK since finding the actual Unipart stuff might take longer than I've got at the moment.

Any thoughts on making my journey home warmer (or at least the cause of it being cold!), would be greatly appreciated!
Ed

Bad form to follow up myself I know, and sorry to be annoyingly pushy, but I was hoping for some quick reasurring answers (I did say hoping! I'll take any answers though) on the cause of my woes.

I have to go down to the South West for two and a half days and if I need to give the thing to the garage to fix, I'd rather do it now (assuming they'll take it) while I can get a lift.
Ed

Hi, if you have lost coolant and have a cold heater you really should bleed the system - any airlocks can cause overheating and boiling, not good!

have a look here for bleeding instructions www.mgf.ultimatemg.com - in the top right drop-down select cooling system and then bleeding.

HTH
Tony

Bleed the system as Tony says. What is worrying is where did the coolant go? The heater on mine is hot very quickly after start up, so that's what you should be aiming at. If the water isn't circulating, you are risking another head gasket failure.
Mike Howlett

Thanks for the thoughts folks. Unfortunately, I've not got time, or probably the ability to bleed the coolant and refill (or at least the not the time to learn), given I've got to head elsewhere soon.

Looks like a job for Trident Ottershaw or G Kingsbury then...

Humph.

Happy Christmas folks.
Ed

So it just blows cold air - right?

Have you checked that the heater control valve is working and that it's operating cable hasn't come adrift.

There's a short cable from the hot/cold knob to the valve that lets the hot water into the heater matrix itself.

Is there the usual stiffness when you rotate the temperature knob back and forth?

jt

ps bleeding the heater is *very* simple, you'll probably get away with just opening the nipple below till some water comes out
http://www.mgfcar.de/bleed/bleed_nipple21_.jpg
John Thomas

Just in case anyone is interested, and for the sake of the archive...
Dropped the thing off at Trident on Tuesday since I was dissapearing down to the SW. Having stuck a load more water in for the drive, just in case, I got a little bit of heat, which made me feel a bit more encouraged. Back in Leatherhead today and I've just been called by Trident and told my radiator is completely shot and needs replacing. Cost to be £420 :-( but I suppose I should be glad it's not a(nother) HGF! Now I've just got to hope they can get hold of the part and sort it today so my weekend arrangements doesn't suddenly become a little more tricky.

Thanks for the help folks.
Ed

This thread was discussed between 20/12/2005 and 23/12/2005

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