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MG MGF Technical - First post, numerous queries.

Hello all, my first post here after buying a 96 MGF last week.
Firtsly, drivers door is sagging down slightly - new hinges, or new centre pin for the hinges?
And how do you get access to get the door hinges off?
Where to buy spares/parts?

Roof to door fit. The windows are quite 'saggy' with a lot of play. Presumably the door panels need to come off, then the window adjustments made to get a 'tight' fit if the window, the adjustments made again to get a reasonable fit around the roof seals?
New roof seals - worth buying? And at what cost?
Is there a workshop manual for the 1.8vvc model? If not, a good source for info online?
The oil will need changing - semi-synth 10/40?

These are the first few queries, expect more later!
Thanks
Alan.
A Lee

Manuals are available as a CD Rom on ebay for about £5. They generally cover all the Rover group cars on one disc.

General motor factors have, or can get, quite a lot of parts. Ex-Rover dealers still can get parts. Then there are the specialists like Mike Satur, The MGF Centre, Brown & Gammons and Rimmer Bros. Google them - they all have web sites.
Mike Howlett

Just by going through the archives on this site you will find many answers also www,mgf.ultimatemg.com will give you heaps of answers for used and new parts try www.mgfcentre.com and also www.mikesatur.com. Good luck they are great fun and you will meet a great bunch of people with the same passion.
Andrew W Regens

Alan,
Re: the door sag,
I guess you can see the body lines don't quite flow along, this could be the catch set low forcing the door down - or the hinges are worn - or someone has leaned on the door and forced/bent it down.

If the latter you can adjust the door by opening it a little ( so it's still in-line with the body ) and either lifting or jacking it up gently at the Handle/open end, this will twist the hinge panel back into position, but be careful - a little at a time.
Drop the window first.

The pins go in from the bottom - so should be easy to knock down and out, In saying that I've not had to do mine.

If the catch is set low I think you'll need a set of TORX bits for your socket set first, check if they're star patterned inside the bolt head, slacken the bolts off a little and then tap the catch up the door pillar a couple of millimetres - tighten up and try the door again.

It just depends which you have, good luck
Regards,
GramH
N HUGHES

Hi Alan, With regards to your door sag, check with the door slightly ajar and lift up the door from the rear. Can you feel any play in the hinges? If so, new hinges are required. All four are different, an upper and lower version, left and right. You can gain a little improvement if you knock out the pin from the top after removing the circlip. A long drift being required for the lower pins. The pins do not rotate - as you can see from the photo they are knurled on the bottom. You will see wear at the front top and at the rear bottom of the hinge pins. Rotate the pins 90 degrees before replacing and then oil them. This will only give you partial success as the problem stems from the fact that they have not been lubed on a regular basis. My 96 F has loose doors. The hinge pin in the photo is from the driver's door.
Good luck.
willyphixitt


W A Nixson

Interestingly, there are quite a lot of MGF door hinges available on ebay at the moment, in a selection of colours...

Poor window fit could indicate a failed window stop - these are relatively easy to replace - check out this site's archives. Adjustment is a little more tricky - directions on Dieter's and Tony's websites - http://www.mgfcar.de/ and http://www.apttony.co.uk/

Good luck

PS workshop manual a very good investment - paper version is available from the MGF Register (http://www.mgfregister.org/ - often via ebay shop).


Hope this helps
Rob Bell

Thanks all.
I've ordered a new (old) door hinge off ebay, and have seen a few paper versions of the workshop manual - I'd rather have a written one than a CD.
A Lee

Always useful..

http://www.mgfcarparts.co.uk/shop_factory_hazel/enter.html
Stuart Mead

Not come across that website before - thanks for the link Stuart :o)
Rob Bell

I think he's dear!
Yorkshireman

£3.97 for a 95p gasket is fairly expensive but £17 for a water pump is pretty reasonable. Horses for courses?
Ken Waring

Wiper motor assembly is more than OEM, But his ball joints seem cheap as I was charged £60 for one during a recent MOT and service although that may have included the labour to remove the old one and fit the new one.
Nkosi_Ecosse

A little note of caution. The door catches mounted on the pillars do not have captive nuts for the Torx screws - just a threaded retainer plate which will drop down if both Torx screws are removed during the adjustment process. Meanwhile, this is a great site for advice; there's always someone who has been there, done it and got the proverbial t-shirt.
Mike.
Mike Clements

Good heads up Mike, thanks :o)
Rob Bell

Alan, just returning to a couple of the questions you posed earlier:

>> New roof seals - worth buying? And at what cost? <<

I presume you mean the soft top seals? As I recall, they're expensive. You may find that it is cheaper to buy a newer second hand soft top on frame - which brings with it fresher canvas and hopefully a better condition rear screen. Our old friend fleabay is our friend here... ;o)

Rob Bell

>> Is there a workshop manual for the 1.8vvc model? If not, a good source for info online? <<

As mentioned earlier, CDs are available, as are printed copies - available from the MGF Register and also from mg specialists such as Brown and Gammons.

Good on-line resources include Dieter's invaluable "Electronic Parts Catalogue" (EPC) at http://www.mgfcar.de/epc

A good central hub of links for various frequently asked questions is here: http://www.mgf-tf-central.co.uk/
Rob Bell

Plus -

Dieter's website is a mine of info - http://www.mgfcar.de/

Tony's website is excellent - http://www.apttony.co.uk/

And I include my own (how couldn't I?) - http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/
Rob Bell

>> The oil will need changing - semi-synth 10/40? <<

Yes, exactly. I often use Magnatech - but always use a good brand :o)
Rob Bell

This thread was discussed between 14/09/2008 and 24/09/2008

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.