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MG MGF Technical - Lots of steam everywhere - help.

Hi!

Pulled up onto the drive this afternoon with lots of steam coming from the boot.

Whilst waiting for the coolant to cool down, check the
oil - no sign of MAYO. Then just happened to look behind the water reservoir to the engine block nearest to the cam belt cover and saw a small amount of water boiling away on one of the ledges!!!

Now I had HGF on this 2001 MGf of mine last year and
have clocked up a further 80000 miles of motoring
since November 2006. So might I have a hairline
cracked cylinder block and is it as costly to replace as a head gasket failure.

I have been topping up the reservoir virtually every week this year, between half and one pint, but when
I have had it into the garage for its MOT, my MG
mechanic could find no trace of a leak anywhere in the system and even I have been under and over the car
hoping to spot any tell tale drip, but with no luck.

This problem came up just as I'm off to my son's wedding using wedding cars tunbridge wells, so I have not had time to contact my friendly
MG garage until Monday of next week, but in the meantime if you have any ideas of what it might be and
how to solve it, I would appreciate your comments.

Regards

Bill Pearson
W.A. Pearson

Hi! Bill Pearson again.

Just re-read my first note and the mileage should
read 8,000 not eighty thousand miles in 9 months!!!

Regards

Bill Pearson
W.A. Pearson

Do you have a spare coolant bottle cap as a first resort? If the fitted one were venting badly when running, steam might then be condensing under the parcel shelf and dripping back onto the block.
C.R.B. Simeon

ABout 6 months ago during a lovely summers night with the top down and enjoying the ride, I pull up at the lights and see steam bellowing out of the boot of the car.

I had a heart attack. Already had a HGF fix so was thinking the worst. The steam was so thick that a motorist pulled up[ beside me and asked if I needed a hand to put out the fire!

Anyway, I pulled over immediately and had the car towed to the local garage. They did some investigative work and it wasn't a HGF, rather, a water pipe under the car had broken with time. So, long story short, steam out the back doesn't always equal HGF.

Did you get your local garage to check out all the coolant pipes under the car?

Just an idea.

SF
Sonny Foster

-----------------------
I have been topping up the reservoir virtually every week this year, between half and one pint, but when
I have had it into the garage for its MOT, my MG
mechanic could find no trace of a leak anywhere in the system and even I have been under and over the car
hoping to spot any tell tale drip, but with no luck.
-----------------------

That's unacceptable... it isn't normal that a car is using that amount of coolant. That problem must have been fixed earlier to prevent another HGF.

This said, I must admit that it could be hard to find a leak, but modern technologies could help. There are coolant additives who strongly react (or better: become higly visible) by using UV light. Special tools could sniff coolant vapours in exhaust gasses, etc...

Systems must be pressure tested cool and warm, as this could make a difference.
Erik

Result!!!

Well, I considered it good, considering I was expecting to be told another HGF, but no, this time it was the inlet manifold gasket that was causing the coolant to gradually leak out. This cost £5.86 plus a
nut £1.03p. However they did change the by-pass pipe assembley as it was very rusted £52.36p plus coolant - £6.23p. But with labour and v.a.t. the total bill
came to £255.04p So it felt like winning the lottery not to have paid what I thought I might have to.

Credit must go to Clifton-Lane Ltd., MG Rover specialists in Northampton who actually identified the problem and solved it. Many thanks to you guys for your imput.

Regards

Bill Pearson
W.A. Pearson

Bill,
I'm pleased that you have had a happy ending! Did you find the header tank when you arrived home?
regards,
geoff.s.
Geoff Smart

Hi! Geoff

Yes I did and many thanks for your support. Would you like it back or shall I store it in my garage along with a lot of items that "may come in useful one day" but never do!!!!

Regards

Bill
W.A. Pearson

Hi Bill,
Affirmative - I'll shout if needed!
Geoff
Geoff Smart

This thread was discussed between 15/08/2007 and 23/08/2007

MG MGF Technical index

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