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MG MGF Technical - Curry Smell

Good Evening Folks! I had my 2003 MG TF 160 serviced by my local MG Dealer today. As it has only been serviced once since it left Longbridge, I had it have a 60,000 service.

On arriving home after the 40 minute drive I noticed some steam and a "curry powder" smell emitting from the vent in front of the radiator. I inspected the radiator and found no obvious leak, and then checked the coolant header tank and the dipstick and found no problems. A little later once the engine had cooled I had a look underneath and saw no leaks either under the radiator or the engine bay. Once again the fluids were fine with no sign of contamination and no sign of fluids around the Head.

The Engineer advised me that he believed that it was probably a spillage of anti-freeze which was evaporating. I'd like to ask your expert opinions on whether i'm heading towards an HGF or is it as the Engineer has advised? Many thanks in anticipation.
P R Barnes

They may have over filled it. But keep a VERY close eye on your gauges and coolant level for the next few weeks.
Also, take it easy hammer wise.
It might be worth checking with the garage how many points they bled the system from. It should be 3, the bulkhead bleed is often missed. Or DIY.
Ddraig

Ddraig, thanks for your input, thats what i was kind of thinking. When I checked the levels in the header tank they were above the seam of the header tank so I guess that could be an overfill?
P R Barnes

Not necessarily, and not producing steam from the radiator 40 minutes later. Have they stripped the thread on the radiator bleed screw causing it to seep?
C.R.B. Simeon

Thank you both for your kind help; I've checked the fluids and oils etc and there is still nothing suspicious to be seen. the gauges all read as expected with no problems as I drove and no repeat of the curry flavoured emmissions.

I'll keep a tight eye on it over the next few days and weeks and keep everyone informed of any progress.
P R Barnes

Perhaps they simply spilt coolant down the radiator as they bled the system? If your journey was at speed, the radiator may not have got hot enough until you hit the slower roads near home, when it got hot enough to evapourate the spillage? Now it's gone, no more smell/steam? Just a theory. They didn't renew anything did they? My radiator steamed a bit after I replaced it...

My heart leapt into my mouth one dark morning the other week when I stopped at some lights and saw faint wisps of steam through the rear window, lit up by the lights of the car behind (it was raining by the way) - I pulled over and jumped out, only to find that it was water being evapourated by the heated rear window element!! (first winter with a glass screen).

Maybe we're all just paranoid - I have one ear cocked, listening for the low water alarm, whilst absent mindedly checking that there is still warm air coming out of the vents with the another hand - And still I leapt out of the car!!!
Mark Clayton

I think you're right Mark, I have owned an MG F and now a TF since September 2006 and I am fastidious about checking the fluids and oil at least once a week. I think it's natural to be a bit paranoid as every F/TF thread seems to be HGFcentric in one way or another.

is it that a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing?
P R Barnes

I am a Japanese girl living in Tokyo. Apart from Japanese dishes I also love Indian curry. I love to make Japanese curry, but I did not know about how to make Indian curry.

Recently I purchased one great book of Indian curry recipes. And it was so good and simple to follow, now I can make Indian curries and other recipes just the same as any Indian restaurant in Tokyo like Samrat, Ashoka or Maharaja. You can check the book at http://www.indo-curry.com
Misato

Maybe it was the jalfresi you left under the bonnet!!!!
Ripspeed

This thread was discussed between 07/02/2008 and 19/02/2008

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