MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGF Technical - Lucky I visited Techspeed today...

Went up to Eathorpe today to investigate a strange knocking noise eminating from somewhere in the front of the car (sounds like metal panels knocking together when the road wheels tranverse rapid verticle transitions in road surface). Nothing obviously wrong found - so good news and bad news: good that the suspension is apparently fine, bad that we weren't able to identify the noise (any suggestions folks?)

BUT the trip was well worth while from one 'fortuitous' discovery: the engine outlet pipe was found to be weaping from a small split! Nothing observed on the drive - I had no idea it was there! Luckily, as noone seems to have these particular hoses in stock at the moment, the split was sufficiently near to the end of the hose that the offending area could be trimed, and the hose reattached, water tight, back to the underbody coolant pipes. Phew!

Will definitely be getting a prophylatic hose replacement come the next service - if not sooner!!!

Moral of the story: if your car is 7 or 8 years old, seriously consider replacing these rubber hoses: they seem to have a particular finite life span, and if you want to avoid the expense of repairing an HGF, then it seems a prudent investment!
Rob Bell

>knocking noise eminating from somewhere in the front of the car

Rob, mind you on the big upper ball joint, or the broken knuckle joint plastic bearing (Andy had this)
Did you consider about these failures ?

>engine outlet pipe was found to be weaping from a small split!

For sure the most expensive for 60? quid :)
p/n PEH..... The same as Ted's car suffered from at last Treffen ?

Keep us posted.

Cheers
Dieter
Dieter K.

Rob, http://www.mikesatur.co.uk/fx01.html
Try here,kevlar reinforced !!
Andy

Now that's a coincidence :) lol I suspect a marketing ploy between Rob and Mike, Rob frankly how much of discount do you get? ;)

SCNR ;)
T

On a serious side : I suspect the same as Dieter, I also appeared to hear a strange knocking/tapping noise coming from the front right, it appeared to be a broken ball joint, only found after the second inspection. However no "road wheels tranverse rapid verticle transitions in road surface" was needed to hear it.
T

>> Rob, mind you on the big upper ball joint, or the broken knuckle joint plastic bearing (Andy had this)
Did you consider about these failures ? <<

Thanks Dieter, Thierry, yes, we did investigate these: the ball joints are only a year old (the rear were found to be worn, so I replaced all four at the same time) - but Greg checked them anyway - they're fine.

The knuckle lower nylon 'seat' (for want of a better term) weren't inspected, as the knuckle rubber boots were all intact: usually when the nylon part goes, the whole thing falls apart. So not completely excluded this possibility but the likelihood is very small!

>> The same as Ted's car suffered from at last Treffen ? <<

Same hose, different place.

Just took my car for its MoT. Ar5e, it failed (headlamps - just as well I've had a set of reflector bowls re-silvered - will fit them now). Why do I mention this? It was up on the inspector's ramps - and ............. &^%$$^$ !!!! THE OTHER HOSE HAS SPRUNG A LEAK!!! Got the car home, and the coolant level has dropped 5 cm from yesterday.

Just as well work commitments have kept me from going to Brands Hatch on Monday, because with the cooling system in the condition it is presently in, there is no way I could go anyway :o(((

Bugger.
Rob Bell

>The knuckle ...

OK then. Will be anything unusual.
What about the long 13mm dampening coil spring between knuckle bolt and hydragas ally piston.
Are you sure it is installed ?
It takes away play between both parts when the car gets lift upwards quickly due to rough roads / potholes.
http://www.mgfcar.de/lowering1/dk_DCP_5399.jpg

Err, of course time to change all engine mounted hoses NOW.

Anyway, I have to take my MGF to it's first MOT (TUV) on tuesday after three years.
Will see what it gets.
My only action was to dismantle the Milltek the other day *temporary*. Woun't wake up 'sleeping dogs' .. LOL
Found the re-installed original exhaust now *farting* at the flange to the catalyst. ;)
Err, had to go 55 km to the next dealer and buy one gasket for 3EURO.
I love it. :)

Cheers
Dieter
Dieter K.

I got my one of my annual trips upto techspeed for its MOT and a lowering knuckle replaced on the 2nd march hopefully it will survive brands on monday.

I will have to get them to check coolant pipes as the car will be 7 years old and just over 90000 miles.

Rob stupid question I take it everything was taken out of the bonnet storage area as maybe something rattling about.

I had a noise from the front ever since a new wishbone was fitted at its first service to cure the inner tyre wear and kept have a cracking noise which could never be found and was worst when going over big bumps. Round abouts also caused the noise but never did find anything wrong so assume just some joints creaking.


Shame you not at brands monday.

Tom
Tom Randell

>> What about the long 13mm dampening coil spring between knuckle bolt and hydragas ally piston.
Are you sure it is installed ? <<

It ought to be: TS don't fit the usual lowering knuckles but rather reuse the standard ones, and modify the displacer cones instead. I can't imagine that they'd discard the springs? Besides, this is a new noise - so something has worn/changed since my car was lowered 3-4 years ago. :o/

I'm wondering about the ARB bushes - they looked well past their best...

>> Rob stupid question I take it everything was taken out of bonnet storage area as maybe something rattling about. <<

Never a stupid question Tom - but no, not bonnet storage stuff causing the noise.

Enjoy Brands on Monday - I have to say that I am disappointed to be missing it :o( But given the condition of the car, that's no bad thing.
Rob Bell

Rob, check out the archive for my tome on bent sub frames, mine made exactly same noise. Dunno if you've an F or a TF tho..
Timmeh

I remember that thread Tim - and part of the reason why I went up to Techspeed to get this investigated. No indication of any movement in the subframe, even after taking a hefty bit of bar to it to see if there was movement....

So subframe noise *seems* unlikely - but I guess that some geometry checks might be called for if the handling at the limit has been altered at all.

In the mean time, I'll turn the stereo up! ;o)
Rob Bell

Rob
I have one of the early VVC's which will be going in for an 8 year service in March. I had been thinking about replacing the hoses but now your comments have made the replacement more urgent.

I had the coolant pipes replaced by Mike Satur last year so I guess all is in order here.

How many other hoses are there to do on an F? As the oem hoses have lasted 8 years do you think the MS uprated would be sensible?
Good that you posted your comments otherwise I would probably not bothered this time around.

Cheers

Tom Grayling
Tom Grayling

I replaced the underbody coolant pipes on my car last year as well Tom - using Mike's alloy pipes.

Not sure about Mike's up-graded replacements. I guess whether you consider these a worth while replacement depends on how long you intend to keep the car. If indefinitely, then perhaps they would be worthwhile, although how much longer they'd last than the standard pipes is anyone's guess. 30 years? 20 years? 10 years? 1 year? Who knows? We know that the standard hoses last 'about' 8 years.

My gut feeling is whether you can justify Mike's hoses is going to be down to price: if they're about the same - or even cheaper (as Mike's stuff often is compared to the sometimes outrageously pricey OE kit) than replacements from MGR, then I'd definitely go for Mike's hoses. If significantly more expensive, then the case for them is more difficult to make. No costings on his website at present... are they available to buy yet?

For me, I need to source the hoses pretty soon - so I might not be able to use Mike's hoses on my car this time :o(
Rob Bell

Thanks for your reply Rob.

I think the bog standard are the ones to go with. As you say we know that they last for 7/8 years and should be less expensive.

How many hoses are there to replace other than the coolant pipes which have been done already?

I think the MS clips should be used as an added bit of security.

Cheers
Tom

Tom Grayling

The MS clips are brilliant - much better than the OE Jubilee clips, as they have a much more even clamping force. :o)

Number of hoses? There are two main ones leading to and from the under body coolant pipes. There is also a bypass pipe - but thanks to it's smaller diameter, it should last much much longer than the larger pipes. How about the radiator pipes? Never heard of anyone having problems with these - yet.

So I guess this boils it down to those engine outlet and inlet hoses
Rob Bell

This thread was discussed between 20/02/2004 and 26/02/2004

MG MGF Technical index

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