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MG MGF Technical - Engine rattle under load!!

I have a 96 1.8i F 77k on the clock which over the 4 years ive owned it has given me a great deal of joy and heartache, however is it possible the end is nigh. When the engine is under load at the low end of the rev cycle i can hear a metallic rattling noise coming from the engine compartment, this only starts once the engine has warmed up. Someone told me the ends were going, if this is the case, what are they? How terminal is it? and if i can do something about it will the cost be the final straw?
Any feedback would be appreciated, as you can probably guess the only thing i know about the engine is its behind me!

Simon.
Simon C

get it checked professionally Simon, It could be a number of things some quite simple to fix Good luck.
rb wadwsorth

Simon,
"the ends were going" is refering to the "Big Ends" This is the crank shaft bearings (or journels) onto which the Connecting Rods are connected to onto which the pistons are connected which go up and down the cylinder bore. (sounds like "them bones" song)

Could also be the hydraulic valve lifters (cam followers), as they cannot keep hydraulic oil pressure in them to do their job....which is to "follow" the surface of the cam lobes.

Could alos be your timing advance is not being compensated for the low revs underload.

If you are not up with DIY with the car, then as rb said, get it checked professionally.

Cheers,
Branko

Branko

It sounds like pinking to me, which indicates that the engine management system isn't doing it's job.
Mike Howlett

I also meant to say, have you tried a tankful of super premium fuel from Tesco. If that quitens it down, then it is pinking.
Mike Howlett

Thanks for your comments guys,

Pinking could be the problem, this might throw some light on it. Some time ago my coolent temp gauge stopped working, then started again then stopped, then started, even on the shortest of trips it would sometimes go on and off several times until it eventually stopped. A few days ago whilst rummaging about, to my horror i saw the wiring loom that runs through the rear bulkhead by the lefthand boot hinge had been sliced almost right through cutting most of the wires, presumably thanks to the hinge.
So this raises some more questions. Fist does the temperature sensor wire run through this loom which would explain the on off action and does the zero reading from the gauge mean the engine management has been permanantly over fueling the engine, hence the pinking???

This is starting to sound a whole lot cheaper!!!

Any ideas!
Simon
Simon C

Over fuelling wont cause pinking, in fact just the opposite.

I would follow the advice given, fix the loom, try some premium fuel and if the problem doesnt go away investigate the exhaust manifold gasket, a leak here can sometimes sound like a metallic noise.

If the noise persists, have a professional look it ovewr, if it is the big-end bearings the longer you leave it the more expensive it will become.

Dave
Dave Andrews

This thread was discussed between 02/10/2007 and 09/10/2007

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