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MG MGF Technical - Heated water nozzle

Are the optional heated water nozzles (for windscreen wiper fluid) any good, it seems to me that this would only heat the water at the end of the process and in bad weather would do nothing at all to stop the contents of the water bottle freezing. Any thoughts?
Alison Howe

Alison,

Use a screen wash that has antifreezing properties. I have the heated jets as well and find they do work quite well, although I've not experienced an F without the heated jets to compare. :)


http://www.blitzer.demon.co.uk

Home of the F'ers Gallery and MG Dealer Guide :)
Paul Lathwell

Hi,
Alison, your right. Antifreezing is vital required as Paul wrote.
The HWJs only prevent the nozzle for its own.
i.e. if water or damp gets onto them over night or i.e on an ice rain or snow shower.

I recently did not try wether the water that pours through the heated nozzle gets 'warm' im any remarkable way and IMO it doesnt.

Paul, this comparison in practice can get a good chance to get on Robs Cartoon webside <grin> Paul carrying a fever thermometer from non heated to heated nozzle :) in a rain coat or with an MG-umbrella <grin>

Cheers
Dieter
Dieter

Due to the recent spate of bad whether I have an experience of the effectiveness of the heated jets. The level of screen wash in my reservoir was too low and the cold snap froze the liquid that remained in the rubber hoses from the reservoir to the nozzles. Half an hour (and two very cold hands later) I had squeezed the ice out re-filled the reservoir with a higher concentration of screen wash and hey presto. IMO the heated jets help but getting the right concentration of screen wash is a must.

BTW: I filled the reservoir with cold water and then let the engine idle for ten or so minutes before retrying the jets - I then finger tested the mixture in the reservoir (curiosity) and I would say that it was much warmer.
Barry


As the F doesn't have an engine to warm the bonnet and therefore defrost
the jets themself, they often freeze up *while on the road* in the cold.

Having driven dire old metro and got stuck at Beatock summit with frozen
jets and therefore no vision... I never want this to happen again. :-)
I have them.

Cheers,
Paul.
Paul

Any chance on an independant supplier name and costings for heated water jets.
Martin Smyth

Martin,
I tried to find it (with low priority) after I fitted my set. But got no interest, (whatelse if someone researches for HTJ second source in late spring... LOL)

Anyway, under the circumstances that no metalworks should be required the nozzles should have the same dimension as the ones from the set.
I beleave Roger stated last year that equivalent nozzles are fitted to the Rover 200 types ?

The sets nozzles are connected by a 'special' 2- pole connector. This one can be cut off an substituted by any standard connector and standard wiring.
So it should be possible to purchase i.e. the single nozzles:
The Partnumber, printed on a nozzel is:
...
sorry, recently no excess to my own account:
http://home.t-online.de/home/dkoen/mgf_zub_aus.htm
...
I'll look up this evening, but its also written to the archive.

Cheers
Dieter

Dieter

<g>
I'm very sorry, .. 'took my mouth to full'
That part number of the single nozzle was the last problem, that I was NOT able to find that time.
Michael Bender was so kind and hosted my old description only in german.
http://home.t-online.de/home/mbender71/duesen.htm

So I've only the partnumper of the male connector which use I do not recommend.

Wire with connector:(VUL100170)
as part of the set:
VUB 100220
Dieter

Is the washer bottle resevoir situated over the radiator to engine hoses?

I don't recall but this may release enough heat to defrost the bottle should it freeze...

Rob

Re: cartoon- it's due for an update... hmmm...
Robert Bell

Rob,
the spare wheel cover is located between the bottle and the engine cooling radiator (IMO), but probably the hot coolant hoses are located near the bottle.

In other case, the heat release of the cabin can cause also a slightly bottle temperature increase.

Anyway, this could get IMO not more then a very few amount of degrees.

dk
Dieter

I didn't really notice this problem last year (but it wasn't a cold winter was it) but mine froze up yesterday and I could see *ugger all!

It was definitely the windchill that did it too. When the car came out of the garage it was fine, ten minutes later (when salt and spray had covered the windscreen) it was frozen :-(

Oh well, but at least it was sunny and I had the roof down and heater on full :-)

Cheers

Richard

P.S. My Christmas holidays are going to be a "workathon" on the F at this rate ;-)
Richard Eaton

>>the spare wheel cover is located between the bottle and the engine cooling radiator (IMO), but probably the hot coolant hoses are located near the bottle.<<

That is certainly true Dieter- but isn't what I proposed; where do the radiator PIPES go exactly? Probably no where near the washer bottle unfortunately...

Rob
Robert Bell

<g>
Nothing useful this evening. Just preparing for holidays...
Ehmm, could'nt Richard design a little infrared heater by use of ... aaahem... lets say 200 infrared LEDs.. Such LED fields are normally used for infrared headset transmissions... OK. I stop here..
:)

dk
Dieter

;oD LOL

Could also go for illuminated spray nozzels too- they'd project beams of light onto the windscreen... very millenium!!!

Anyone know if there is an MGF zone at the millenium dome? It'd feature water leaks, exploding head gaskets, worn tyres.... ;o) ;o)
Robert Bell

LOL :-)))

Nice one Dieter, but it's just not true - I'm saving all the IR LED's for my numberplates so these new digital speed camera's can't get me ;-)

Cheers

Richard
Richard Eaton

Whow, ;-))
> IR LED's for ... numberplates ....
masking.

May be I can help on that development :) I've some experiance in adhesive usage and automatic assembly lines for IR LEDs..

I.e. you can glue them on the backside of your numberplate building a 'matching word': !! K C U F ... (read reverse)

LOL
Dieter
Dieter

Rather more technologicaly advanced than the rotating number plates on James Bond's DB5 isn't it?

Dieter, can a matrix of LED be formed to have different words displayed? That way for the second camera the word could then read 'F F O'.... LOL!
Robert Bell

LOL (again, yes really)

I like it - but the idea of transmitting IR from the plates may actually work, not to the degree of spelling words but a few LED's "should" show as a white blob on the IR camera rather than your plate.

All we need to do is test it out in a "safe" way - Roger, can we borrow a speed camera for Christmas ;-)

Cheers

Richard
Richard Eaton

Richard,
seriously,
you do not need a speed camera for a first infrared emitting check of IR-LEDs.
We used a most simple black and white video camera and a simple b&w monitor for the function test of headset transmitters. It works fine.
(Such cheap video systems are i.e the security cameras)

Coming half back to LOL :))
The emitting (pass through) depends on the basic materials if IR-LEDs are attached at the rear side of a numberplate.
i.e useless on our german metal plates, but may be possible that the british and dutch plastic material lets the IR pass through. In this case the '!! F F O K C U F' read should be possible.

Who tries ? :)) LOL

Cheers
Dieter
Dieter

Dieter

I realise that the IR can be checked using other simple methods which would have to be done first.

I just don't want to be the one flying past a known speed camera at 100mph and waiting three months to see if it works ;-)

Cheers

Richard

P.S. Talking of IR - what do you know about IR receivers? In the sprint and hillclimb series the timing gear is triggered by an IR beam on the start and finish line. Next season I'm aiming to connect an IR receiver mounted on the timing strut to a stopwatch so I know my times before they are "published".
Richard Eaton

Richard,
IR transmitters/receivers like that are surely operate with modulated IR, because of possible distortions by sunlight.
For my knowledge (long time ago) such 'Lichtschranke' can be designed on base of two different frequencys. (visible and invisible)
(Only IMOs)
Anyway, it sounds difficult to find out without the technical data of the parts or a sample.
Can you find out the brand ?
(Brand of the included Transmitter/receiver)

Cheers
Dieter
PS. lets stop this thread, I would not get scalped by other friends, because of 'No-Nozzle content' :)
Dieter

...back to the original theme from the LED dreamworld...

I was wondering about piping some AIR that had been through the radiator (and was thus warmed a bit) into a tube round the pipes leading to the jets and towards the reservoir too.

The only thing is that it would involve making a hole to get the air from "behind" the rad...
Neil

I reiterate my comments from previous years concerning experience with heated washer jets on Range Rovers and the use of a washer fluid mix with high (stated) antifreeze properties.

This is that the nozzle remains free but the windchill factor usually sees that the mixture when hitting the screen still freezes!!

I see the only really effective route is to have heated jets to stop ice forming at the nozzles and blocking them, and then having the fluid heated to ensure the cleaning action is complete before the fluid temp drops below it's freezing point. (Anyone with a spare kettle element!!)

Rog
Roger Parker

To answers Rob's question from a few days ago the two coolant hoses pass one either side of the washer bottle at a distance of about 75-100mm, (air gap..no components between the bottle and pipes). The pipes are about mid way up the bottle. Fitted heated jets yesterday and took the plastic cowling off from in-front of the scuttle to have a luck, (not neccessary but i was curious). There is a fair space behind the plastic cowling, whenever i look in the front 'bonnet' i always think how much space has been wasted. I wonder if they ran out of ideas/money at that point and used 'crash protection' as an excuse for not packaging the front better...eg Boxster/X19....(granted one is longer and the other probably didn't have the same crash requirements)

Back to the subject after that rambbling..there was an article in one of the recent MG mags ( can't find it at the moment) about a chap in his 70s who had a MGF. Listed amongst the modifications was a 'bypass hose to heat the washer bottle'...this caught my eye at the time...wonder how he did it. If anyone can remember the article it was the one where he would only sell his 95N MPi for offers of £18,000...that stuck in my mind too...i love optimists.
Paul

Yes I remember that, I will try and dig it out.

Rog
Roger Parker

Paul- I know the article to which you referer- I believe was in MG Enthusiast (red 1.8 MGF) about a month or so ago...

Seems excessive to cut the radiator lines, but it certainly seems a good idea to keep the resevior warm. Maybe when I fit the heated nozzles (mine were frozen all weekend!) I have a look to see what is possible.

Richard...

>>P.S. Talking of IR - what do you know about IR receivers? In the sprint and hillclimb series the timing gear is triggered by an IR beam on the start and finish line. Next season I'm aiming to connect an IR receiver mounted on the timing strut to a stopwatch so I know my times before they are "published".<<

If you are making a spare, then yes please! (Hint hint! ;o))

Rob
Robert Bell

Hi Guys

The days are getting colder, and the snow is getting deeper - how much do heated washer jets cost??

Stefan
Stefan Gibney

Rob

>>P.S. Talking of IR - what do you know about IR receivers? In the sprint and hillclimb series the timing gear is triggered by an IR beam on the start and finish line. Next season I'm aiming to connect an IR receiver mounted on the timing strut to a stopwatch so I know my times before they are "published".<<

>If you are making a spare, then yes please! (Hint hint! ;o))

Although the theory is easy...

IR receiver on timing strut is connected to a stopwatch with a lap timer function (in case there are 64yd and other split time IR beams) and acts like a button press the problem is testing it out.

Has anyone got some spare timing gear? ;-) I guess I'll have to do some "testing" at the first event during the lunch break.


Stefan

I believe the heated water jets are about £40, I'm just deciding whether to fit some myself.

Cheers

Richard
http://www.mgfworld.co.uk
Richard Eaton

Stefan- these kits are readily available as Richard says around 35-40 GBP. There is also an entry in the BBS on the subject.

Richard-

>>IR receiver on timing strut is connected to a stopwatch with a lap timer function (in case there are 64yd and other split time IR beams) and acts like a button press the problem is testing it out.<<

Yes, the split timers might well be a problem. It rather depends on whether they rely on the timing strut (most accurate and most likely method) or on the vehicle's silohette to break the beam. Having said all that, many events don't have split times so this may not be too much of a problem.

A lunch time chat to the appropriate marshalls would be most instructive!!! ;o)

Rob
Robert Bell

Thanks guys.

£40 sounds like a bit of a bargin (especially as I've got a 12 month contract extension <g>) .... Santa, I need to add some things to the list .....

Stefan
Stefan Gibney

This thread was discussed between 14/12/1999 and 22/12/1999

MG MGF Technical index

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