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MG MGA It's Salt Time UK Guys BBS discussion at MG-Cars.net
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MG MGA - It's Salt Time UK Guys
| Enjoying the start of winter UK guys? Time to pack those MGA's away for the next 5 months, and head down under for the sun! Plenty of events on, and I'm sure we can find an MG or two for you to use. |
| Gary Lock |
| Gary Bit parky. No snow down south of London where I am. Just one of those cold winds that can't be bothered to go round you and instead go straight through you. Very dry and crisp so no salt yet either. It will be Lindsay, Vin and Colyn who have born the brunt of the weather. See who is first with a photo of their car in the snow this year - no models this time! Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Went out in the A for 1/2 hour this afternoon in sunny Lancashire - but very cold - just enough to dust off the cobwebs and mouse droppings - trace of salt remaining so a good wash needed when it gets a bit warmer - certainly won't be put away for 5 months. |
| Cam Cunningham |
| You are correct Steve, lots of snow here in Doncaster over the weekend and even worse, lots of salt put down too! We managed to get to the S Yorks MGCC meeting on wednesday night just before the snow arrived, it was sub zero and a bit cool in the car even with the heater on. But the side roads were dry, ice free, great fun to drive and we got a real warm welcome at the pub when we arrived. So, whilst it looks like may be the last outing for the MGA for some time, the ski conditions in Europe may just take my mind off not being able to get my MGA fix for a while. Hows the skiing in Oz Gary? An antipodean MGA/Skiing holiday sounds to be just the trick! Cheers Colyn |
| Colyn Firth |
| Colyn, I believe that this year was one of the best on the Snowy Mountain ski fields for many years. I don't go in for that stuff though, after suffering many a bruised rear end as a kid. Whatever time of the year, especially in Queensland, we can organise a UK Summer event in Winter! PS. Bring your car as well, it might enjoy the change! |
| Gary Lock |
| I can post a photo of my A or the snow, I just cant seem to get them both at the same time !! |
| Vin Rafter |
| Just picked up the skis from service at the local supermarket - hoping for a day off during the week...... |
| dominic clancy |
| "Enjoying the start of winter UK guys?" Hey, what about us Yanks in the Northern US? Don't we deserve an invite too? :) Saw my first salted road this weekend...:( GTF |
| G T Foster |
| GTF - Didn't see any mention of snow on Wiki Leaks! Dominic - Intrigued by the skis. How do they fit to the front wheels? Sounds a fun drive. Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| It's arrived in the south. Not that deep yet. Very pretty because there has been little wind. Might take the car out in it tomorrow for a 'spin'. Piccies taken out of the window and in my road. Just looked out of the window and there is a fox looking up at me for some food. Mice anyone?.... Steve  |
| Steve Gyles |
| The MGA stays tucked away on days like this. It's not the cold, it's the amount of salt on the roads here. |
| dominic clancy |
| Pretty pictures Steve, but really lacking in green and chrome! |
| Lindsay Sampford |
| Dominic 2-pack and undersealed. What's the problem? Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Hi Steve looks like you are sluming it again lol Gordon |
| g c pugh |
| Gordon When I said 'my road' I was not implying that I owned it! Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Hi Steve, it looks like a suitable road for your MGA to be living in lol Gordon |
| g c pugh |
| Steve - your kids found a lovely spot for your retirement home. |
| Cam Cunningham |
| I've noticed distinct differences between owners when it comes to driving in winter and especially on salted roads. Some put their cars away but others including Steve drive throughout the winter. I join them in this and rely on underseal and washing down with warm soapy water at intervals throughout the winter. I'm sure there's no right or wrong but like kids you can be a bit over protective at times. |
| J H Cole |
| I think you are correct JH about some of us being just too over protective. I never found any sign of rust caused by salted road surfaces, on either of my kids! Colyn |
| Colyn Firth |
| Cam and Gordon You have got it wrong. Only renting for the moment while we look around the area. That said, a lot of this part of Surrey (Surrey Hills) is like the pictures I posted. Talk about a retirement home Cam, the wife and I are the youngest in the 8 flats. Six of the 8 flats are occupied by ageing widows. Just been to check that they are okay and see if they need emergency rations from the shops. Pretty awful weather now. I see that Scotland is forecast to be -25C tonight. Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| I drive my car year round. Just not a big fan of MGA + salt. If the roads are free of salt, I'll happily drive it. |
| dominic clancy |
| Not fun for everyone with this white stuff. I Could not get the MGA out of the garage because of the depth of the white stuff against the door. Just as well actually. As I was walking into town an old lady coming up the hill towards me lost her footing. She crashed her head into an adjacent lamp post and fractured her hip in the fall. Fortunately she had fallen into the recovery position so, while her husband dialled 999, I just tried to keep her warm and comfortable, stripping off my anorak, thermal coat and pullover to use as a pillow and blankets. Then knocked on nearby houses for more blankets. I very nearly went in the ambulance with her. I was frozen. I was concerned about her head injury. She was in a sorry state, ashen grey. Timely reminder of what can be just round the next corner. That's life I guess. Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| The snow has mainly gone from around here now, but only today have I managed to clear the snow and ice away from in front of my garage. The entrance is on a fairly steep slope so it has to be totally ice free to get the car out. I had a most enjoyable half hour blast round the local lanes. Could not get the engine temperature above 135 F. Normal summer temperature is about 165 F. Dominic used to have this issue. I wonder what his new engine is doing? Steve  |
| Steve Gyles |
| Are you sure your temperature gauge is correct Steve? That is only tepid, you've either got a faulty gauge, or your thermostat is stuck open. |
| Lindsay Sampford |
| Lindsay Not that I am aware of. I have tried both winter and summer stats - same result. Tested the temperature sensor last year and it was reading fine on the gauge. I just happen to believe that my original spec radiator is doing a very efficient job when I am motoring. Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Steve, the efficiency of the radiator should have no bearing on things if your thermostat is closed, and it should be closed at that temperature. If you run the car from stone cold and hold your hand on radiator next to the top hose elbow, see what temperature the gauge reads when you start to feel warmth. It ought to be at least 170f. |
| Lindsay Sampford |
| The new engine isn't doing anything. I couldn't get it to run properly except at idle, and I've been too busy to have another go at it. Chris Betson suggested that I have reversed the leads for 2&3, but I'm sure I haven't (been very exact about that). Maybe I'll get time at the weekend, although it's a bit cold here to be working with the garage door wide open. This is the longest the car has been out of action since I bought it in 1989. |
| dominic clancy |
| Steve, Have had a few sunny afternoons sitting outside that pub on Tilford Green when we were looking at property that way last year. regards Colin |
| C Manley |
| Colin Best place to be, outside. Barley Mow is the pub. I did not think much of the food inside. Spotted Cow is the best place to eat near us in South Farnham. Where do you live, anywhere near? I have short-listed a house near Crondall that has a 4-bay garage! I will have to buy more cars to justify the space I keep telling the wife I need! Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Hi Steve - great snow photo again - very reminiscent of Wrea Green last time - a 4-bay garage sounds excellent - put it at the top of your list! Your engine is running rather cool , even allowing for sub zero air temperature. I would've thought , as Lindsay does, that the thermostat would keep the engine up to the figure specified on it, independent of the temperature in the radiator - cheers Cam |
| Cam Cunningham |
| Steve, I'm in Bagshot, just of J3 of the M3. I had a nice meal in the Barley Mow - although the lady owner was a bit sour! The previous owner was an old RAF man - quite a bit of history on the walls as i recall. regards Colin |
| C Manley |
| Colin, I agree with you about the landlady. Yes saw the history. Cam and Lindsay. My engines have always always run coolish, the old 1500 and the 1800. Variety of thermostats used and tested and all work ok. Open at correct temperatures. Gauge comes off the stop when I would expect it to, but always settles at about 130 to 140 in winter and 160 to 170 in summer. Might creep up to 175/180 at prolonged high speeds (70 to 80 mph) - motor way type driving. Gauge also tested and reads accurately. Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| I sometimes wonder about the pulley ratios I am running and hence fan speed in relation to the engine RPM. I have what I think may be an odd combination and this would affect the pump speed. Is this likely to make a difference? I have the MGB damped crankshaft pulley and a hybrid pump pulley on the MGB pump. I say hybrid, because I had to drill extra holes in the fan hub and put shims in place to get the correct fit and pulley alignment. Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| I wouldn't think it would make a lot of difference Steve. Perhaps if the pump ran way too fast you might get cavitation, but that would cause overheating. I suppose that the fan blowing cool air over the outside of the engine is going to have some effect, but I wouldn't have thought it would stop the engine getting to normal running temperature. If the thermostat is closed, the coolant should circulate within the block and head until the temperature gets to 180F or thereabouts. Steve,this may be of interest.Because of the postings about fan blades breaking and wreaking havoc with anything or anybody that gets in the way, I have recently removed my fan blades and fitted a thermostatically controlled electric fan in front of the rad. This is how my cooling system now behaves. From cold, with the car stationary, temperature rises to about 175F and warm water suddenly starts to be felt in the radiator. Engine temperature then remains at about 190F for several minutes, and then starts to rise to 210F, where I have set the fan to cut in. Over a space of 3-4 minutes, it takes the temperature back down to 190F, when it cuts out, and the cycle begins again. On the road, and thrashed unmercifully, the temperature remains under 190F and the fan doesn't start until the car comes to a halt for a period of time. This, I would say, is pretty normal behavior for a standard 1500, and I would have thought the 1800 would behave similarly in the same chassis, but it could be that the 1800 is a cooler running engine. As I said before, the better type of radiator shouldn't really make any difference until the ambient temperature gets a lot higher than it is now, so it must be for some other reason that your engine is running cooler than what I would think is normal. I am wondering whether my electric fan system is going to keep up with the summer heat when we get it. If not, I will have to refit a mechanical fan. That would be a shame, because the engine is definitely more responsive without it. I will let you know how it performs when we get some heat. |
| Lindsay Sampford |
This thread was discussed between 28/11/2010 and 10/12/2010
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