MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGF Technical - Imminent HGF?

After Neil & Will's advice yesterday on previous thread, "Cooling system - pressurised when cold?", just been out to check the coolant more closely. Discovered 2 small drops of pale brown gunk floating in coolant; closer inspection reveals inside of expansion tank (top) caked in the stuff. Definitely not there at the weekend.

No mayo under the oil filler cap or dipstick but presume this is HGF nonetheless.

The dilemma I am faced with is should I get it looked at straightaway before more damage is caused and foot the bill myself? Or drive until it I breakdown and can call on AA's parts & labour warranty...

Advice gratefully received!
Paul


Paul Bevan

The signs are very ominous, sorry Paul :o(

If covered by AA insurance, seems a shame not to make the most of it.
Rob Bell

Paul

You could drive away from home - say, to work or DIY centre (not too far) - then "discover" the mayo and missing water. That should make it a breakdown for AA purposes; call AA to whereever you are, discuss with AA mobile, declare the car undrivable due to EVEN MORE damage that will caused and they will have to pay for. Their patrol van should agree and arrange for recovery to suitable garage.

That should get the damage minimised but paid for by AA not you.
JohnP

Cunning! I'll risk the drive home tonight and see if it makes it back in the morning, and call first thing thereafter...
Paul Bevan

ROB/JOHN

AA man confirms not HGF - hi-tech gadget he stuck in the coolant to check for exhaust fumes did not change colour, which apparently is a good thing. The pale brown gunk is not oil, but white grease - he knows not where from but said nothing to worry about.

Big sigh of relief! Time will tell if his judgement was correct...
Paul Bevan

Paul

Also possible to get some MAYO from normal condensation, particularly at this time of year and depending on daily journey. I do a short daily drive and have had condensation evidence in many cars over the years. Normally goes away when it gets it's weekend thrash.

let's hope AA is right. At least if they are wrong you have followed their advice and should not get warranty poblems in the worst case scenario.
JohnP

But not in the water!
Will Munns

Some 'gunge' is not atypical Paul, so this looks promising. Keep a very close eye on things such as coolant levels (although be aware that the level in the expansion tank can fluctuate slightly).
Rob Bell

Any thoughts how white grease got into the water bottle area? Other than some body trying to stop the pressure cap sticking to the bottle?
JohnP

Q: Has the oil pump been replaced? Can the oil pump prime itself?

I ask because I know when I rebuilt a Rover V8 years ago the oil pump needed to be primed (filled) with Petroleum Jelly (Vaseline) to ensure it pumps the oil round on first start up. Could this white grease have been used for that purpose and a small amount got into the expansion tank in error?

Don't ask where I got the large pot of vaseline from (very starnge stares when purchased!!!)
kevins

AA chap said he had seen it before, though not necessarily on an F. Grease used during manufacture can work its way round the system and a small amount can look like a lot, hence my belief that the expansion tank was caked in it.

Done 13K miles since I bought the car in Sep 03, with 30k on the clock. Daily 36 mile round trip to work is a combination of rush hour A roads and fairly fast-moving M25. Followed the BBS advice religiously re keeping under 3000rpm until min 60 degrees, cambelt change, new rad etc last year so will be relieved to see that advice pay off. No evidence of oil pump replacement in the service records...

Not taken it out much at the weekend recently as coincided with the arrival of no 2 son and it was off the road for 10 days whilst I had use of a VX220... will give it an Italian tune up at the weekend and see what results from that...

Paul Bevan

These things can be deceptive. Mine started to suffer with similar signs several weeks ago and I could only see oil on the surface of the coolant after the car had been standing for several days.

HOWEVER, I cleaned the inside of the coolant tank at the time, and now I can see a progressive build-up of brown gunk on the side of the tank at the water-level. In other words it's slowly building up, and it won't just be in the expansion tank. Nothing still in the oil.

It goes in for it's head get "a good seeing to" on Tuesday!

Better safe than sorry?

Tony
Tony

>Better safe than sorry?

If you do this then the AA will not pay out on the warrenty - so drive it till it's really bad and then ask them to have anther look.
Will Munns

My head agrees with Tony, my wallet agrees with Will!
Paul Bevan

BTW Tony - pls let us know what the diagnosis is!
Paul Bevan


I've just discovered the same problem as Paul. Found brown gunk in the expansion tank. The level has dropped a fair bit as well. Don'y know how this has happened. Maybe a leak?

I have no mayo on the dipstick or underneath of oil cap. I have to say i'm very worried.

Could this be a sign of head gasket failure?

Car is 3 and 1/2 years old and has done only 18,000 miles. Mostly trips around Peterborough.

If it is HGF - how expensive can it get?

nigel

Max is about 4k, but that includes driving the car once you have run out of water, boiling the engine to a point where it gets so hot that the oil pickup melts (made from plastic) and then the liquid plastic is pumped into the oilways, when the car stops (as it will!) the plastic solidifies and the engine is scrap. Price includes investigation, new engine and fitting.

But usually you are looking at £400 -> £600 depending on where you go (MGR will be at the upper end of that figure). Price includes new oil, water, gasket and fitting.

You really have to be a numpty to cause the first!
Will Munns


Thanks Will

Definitley haven't done the first!!

Going to have it checked at an independent garage tomorrow. Fingers and everything else crossed.
Nigel

Nigel, please let us know what they say.
Good luck!
Paul
Paul Bevan


Took it to an independent garage and they said it looked like the very early stages of HGF. He checked the dipstick and right on the very tip was a small bit of the dreaded mayonaise!

I chanced my arm and took it to my local MG dealership in Peterborough. Told the bloke about the problem and he straight away confirmed what the other garage had said. Anyway, laid it on thick about that it had only done 17k. The upshot was MGR have contributed 75% of the cost!

Having the cam belts changed at the same time as they need replacing next March. Total cost inc cambelt change £270. I consider that an early Christmas present!
Nigel

Nigel, phew! Bad news & good news in one. Well done in getting the MGR contribution. Bracing myself for full-on HGF and another AA callout.
Paul
Paul Bevan

This thread was discussed between 30/11/2004 and 02/12/2004

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGF Technical BBS now