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MG MGF Technical - oh oh cream on me dipstick!

Hi All
Am a bit worried coz there is cream on the dipstick of our F 1998.
I have noticed this for quite a few months but the water header tank level has never lost a bit of water and i check this most days.
The car runs great, no problems at all but as i say am a bit worried because of obvious reasons. (HGF)
Should i put her in for a check or keep running until i get another reminder?
Tony
Tony Thomas

does the temperature gauge go to midway after about a mile and stay there for the whole journey?

if not you need a new thermostat.

else do you do a lot of short journeys and no long ones?
Will Munns

Hi Tony,

For peace of mind you could bleed the coolant circuit - would rule out the possibility that coolant is leaking past the gasket but is being replaced with air, hence no change in the reservoir level. But as Will says, if the engine isn't often getting thoroughly hot then condensation can give slight mayo on the dipstick.
Mike Hankin

don't touch the coolant !

especially if you're the paranoid type, opening the cap when warm can lead to air in the system and consequent airlock/overheating/hgf.

if there were a leak from the combustion then you would expect the pressure cap to blow out coolant + draining the coolant can easily lead to airlocks if you don't fill it the right way
Will Munns

I've noticed a touch of cream but I'm blaming the weather (driving to the shops instead of walking means more short journeys). Reduces noticeably after a good long drive. Sounds like a good excuse to fill the petrol tank this weekend and go for a blast along those Welsh coast roads.
Steve Madden

Will, I was referring to using the correct bleeding procedure ;o)
Mike Hankin

Thanks for the response.
Err indoors drives the car every day to work and back in heavy rush hour traffic, the journey is about 5 miles each way. Apart from that the F is used on the w/ends in the warmer months for the odd run down them nice welsh roads lol.
Bearing in mind what Will has said the short jouneys are the explanation then. (here i am hoping and a praying)
Thanks again
Great site
Tony
Tony Thomas

iam in the same shoes as you mate.
my missus drives the f to work every day about five miles and it only gets used lighty at week ends.and the coolant level and filler caps seem fine. if you notice the mayo should be at the top of the dipstick and its settling at the bottom..suggesting condensation. its fine mate.. just make the usual precautions.
alex

Can Anybody Help Me???????
My daughters boyfreind bought a used 2002 TF in December 2005 with 16500 miles on tne clock, the other day it boil up I have had a look at it, there are no leaks but one exhaust is wet and steaming also when you rev it you can see the water in the expansion bottle bubling up. To me this suggest a blown head gasket, but on such a low mileage car I find that hard to belive, the car still only has 18500 miles on the clock.
Is there any thing else on this particular model that could cause this problem as I really dont want hin to face the cost of replacing the head gasket after such a short time
Paul Pegrum

18500 miles and a head gasket failure is about normal I think! Mine (on a 2001 F) went at about the same mileage.

Get it tested, get it fixed properly and it should last at least another 50,000 miles before it goes again!
Chris Heinrich Perkins

"when you rev it you can see the water in the expansion bottle bubling up"


Don't confuse bubbling with coolant returning back to the header tank. It return's through a hose on the top right hand side of the tank and the coolant entering from here and splashing into the header tank does appear like bubbling.
Bob Millar

"...but one exhaust is wet and steaming..."

TF's have a valve on the offside tailpipe to shut it off at low revs so vapour on one side only is normal unless you have deactivated the widget. It may be the cooling fan is seized or a dodgy pressure cap but best to get it checked somewhere pronto.
Tony

This thread was discussed between 21/03/2006 and 28/03/2006

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