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MG MGF Technical - Engine Number Question

I have an August 1998 MGF 1.8mpi which I have always assumed has a manual cam belt tensioner.

The engine number is 18K4FJ32 274461

According to the Workshop Manual, the 18K4FJ32 engine changed to an automatic tensioner from 147263 onwards (which makes mine an automatic one, if the numbers increase that is?). I thought automatic tensioners came in after November 1998?

Anyway, my question is - How does the engine number work? Does it just count upwards one digit at a time - That would mean over 127,000 engines with automatic tensioners had been produced before mine?? Which would surely make it newer than 1998, or does the number work another way? My V5 indicates that the engine number is correct, no indication that it's been changed?

Mark Clayton

The VIN of the car that engine No. says something unusual different than 1998 MGF about your S reg. (Charcoal Black coloured if I'm right)

Drop me a line to mgf AT mgcc DOT de and I'll try to explain.

http://www.mgfcar.devin online form is another option.

Best
Dieter
Dieter

apology, typo :(
Thsi is the one
http://www.mgfcar.de/vin/
Dieter

Thanks Dieter - Correct, charcoal black - I'll complete the form and drop you a line... I'm fascinated!!
Mark Clayton

Dieter - I've had a look on your website and I think I understand what you mean - My car was registered in Aug 1998 - Yet the VIN would suggest the car was manufactured sometime in 1996? However, my engine a 'J32' (with aircon) seems to be the later type with an auto tensioner? Sounds like an obvious swap - BUT the original paperwork ties the car & engine together in August 1998 when it was first registered. The Curious thing is that the side windows both show a manufacture date ...8 (April 1998?) and the front screen: .....e (viewed from outside the car, 9..... viewed from inside). My centre armrest seems to indicate it was made in April 1996?? This is all very strange.

Curiously, the car seems to have belonged to Rover themselves for it's first year on the road (MVO department in Oxford) and had been serviced 3 times in that year (at Rover operations, Warwickshire) as it clocked up almost 20,000 miles in that one year.

It was then sold through a Rover dealership in Preston and lead a more sedate life to the present day (now has 84K on the clock)

It has aircon, ABS, EPAS, full leather seats (although these could have been changed) which seem unusual as they are fabric on their edges (although it could be a pressed pattern in the leather, not sure) but I have never seen anyone else with these seats.

So, what does it all mean - Did MGROVER use the car for something else for a while, unregistered then re-fit it prior to registration?

Mark Clayton

Mark,

see another email in your inbox. (I don't think all is good for public eyes ;)

I've an idea why this car (and some other) was placed out refurbished in 1998.
April 98 is OK for the window make. They had about three month parts stocked in the factory. This fits to August 98 then.

Some will remember, XD041975 was the last VIN on (IMO) CAB2- and they then started with XD500001 on line CAB1+.

So I assume it's just been a kind of cleaning the factory from old bodies before the change CAB2 to CAB1+ in August 1998.

> Did MGROVER use the car for something else for a while, unregistered then re-fit it prior to registration?

I think so, including the other 22. May be for seat demonstrating, education or whatever.

Any other ideas ?

Best
Dieter
Dieter

Thanks Dieter,

I had you in mind when I first posted this question about my engine number - Not only did you answer the question but you've given me far more information than I could have ever dreamed of!!

I was amazed to see that 22 cars built in 1996 were all registered in August 98 (mine bing one of them) just before the change to the new line. I would be fascinated to know what they were used for (if anyone out there knows?) but I think your idea of them being used for reference/education could be right as they are ALL from 96 - You would imagine that if they were quality failures they would span more than just one year's production.

Mine obviously had some re-fit before being registered but I wonder if they renewed things like airbags etc otherwise the renewal date for them would be wrong... and could these cars from '96 skew the figures for HGF in '98 registered cars (although it's only 22 cars - that we know of!) as '96 made cars had a higher failure rate didn't they?

I just checked my EKA code and sure enough I had to add 1 to the 2nd & 4th digit to disable the immobiliser with my key (another '96 trait on a '98 car) LOL

Thanks once again for all the help..

Mark
Mark Clayton

This thread was discussed between 03/07/2007 and 06/07/2007

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