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MG MGF Technical - Is It an HGF

Checked the oil other day and noticed mayo on the dip stick, water level was down a bit and the engine once turned off had that over heated smell.
The MGF is an 1995 VVC imported from Japan so no histroy on the car but runs really well. 94000K on the clock and have just had the cam belt changed.
Is this a possible HGF in the early stage.
KJ Harte

KJ,

I'm afraid thats exactly what it sounds like.

If the water level has gone down its gone somewhere, and presumably you never had a problem with water before.

It doesn't sound good.

Brian
Brian

Ditto, have to get the garage to pick it up. How many km since they last had it? I'm always a bit cynical as mine went just after a major service.
Ddraig

Thanks guys you just made my day. NOT!
Have talked to our garage who have just completed a HGF on another MGF.
We are finding that when you take your foot of the accelerater to slow down the car doesn't sole down smoothly, but bunny hops.
Garage thinks this could be part of the problem as well.
Am going to put Amy, (thats the cars name) away for the winter and look at it in the spring.
Every time I see another MGF around, and there are alot of them coming in from Japan, you have to wonder if they know about this problem when they brought the car.
Kevin
KJ Harte

I'm also worried. Mine was in a few months ago for repairs and had the rad off. Now the coolant level appears to be dropping even when the car's not driven (I've only done something like 40 miles since the work was done). First suspicion is that it might be a leaking hose / rad rather than an HGF though.
Leigh

Me again!

I was looking over Dieter's superb site on bleeding instructions and came accross Roger's post on the jiggle valve. Got me thinking about when I saw quite a bit of water entering the header tank from the little hose to the top of the tank. I take it this pipe isn't connected to this jiggle valve?

Cheers!
Leigh

Leigh,

This is the water circulating.

Its quite normal for the small pipe at the top to have water pouring into the header. In fact if it isn't then somethings wrong.

Its not connected to the jiggle valve. This is a small valve thats designed to allow air to 'leak' out. Its been said that sometimes this can become gummed.

If your water is going down, its got to be going somewhere, and yes it could be a leaking pipe.

Mine exploded, so was pretty obvious where the water was going ! There was a large bang as I accelerated up the slip road to the motorway and loads of steam.

I switched off immediatley and pulled over. When towed home one of the pipes had burst/broken

If you don't have mayo then its possible its just a leaking pipe, but could also be gasket with water breach and not ability to run into oil channels, but thats being really pessimistic

Brian
Brian

Cheers Brian,

Going to leave the car for a week and see if the coolant level keeps dropping. If it's the same as this week that'll be 1 litre gone somewhere, if it's into a cylinder or into the oil it'll be obvious when I check the oil, or if I'm unlucky as soon as I turn over the car. My bets are on a leaky rad hose / leaky as they were off for some repairs 50 miles or so ago. Unfortunately the wet weather we've now got here after weeks of dry make it impossible to spot under the car!
Leigh

If it turns out to be the dreaded, don't forget the "new" gasket and locating dowels.

Was one of the first questions I asked before purchasing mine. No problems as yet (fingers crossed)
A M Cox

A M Cox what do you mean by "new" gasket and locating dowels

Kevin
KJ Harte

See this link...

http://www.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgoc&a=&p=emg/mgfheadgasket.html

Hopefully explains it all, and makes a mention of the steel locating dowels that replace the original plastic ones that were knon or suspection of allowing the head/shim to shimmy as such.
A M Cox

I take it these are avalable in New Zealand from any Rover dealer
Kevin
KJ Harte

AM Cox, are you referring to the Landrover gasket? I assume this has to be ordered via a Landrover dealer rather than ex MG dealer?
Leigh

The gasket as fitted to mine is a competition gasket and steel dowel set that was purchased through Mike Satur in 2005 by the previous owner.
A M Cox

This thread was discussed between 05/05/2007 and 12/05/2007

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