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 - MGTF acceleration noise / rattle

Hi. I recently purchased a TF after owning an F for a few years. Since I've been driving the TF, I'm hearing an annoying rattle-type sound coming from under the car when I accelerate. It is worse when the revs are low (around 2000rpm). It's hard to describe the sound but it's not like a plastic or metal type rattle - more like it could be a hole in the exhaust or something. It seems to be coming from the middle area of the car but difficult to pinpoint... def underside/below the car though. It's not that loud so i can try to forget it's there but it's starting to irritate me a bit!

I would be really grateful for any suggestions.

Thanks in advance
Ben

Hi Ben,

Check around the exhaust downpipe area, that's where the most flex occurs under engine load. Could be one of the manifold heat shields worked loose, or the flexi section beginning to give up. Probably easier to inspect from above, i.e. having removed the engine cover.
Mike Hankin

If you have airco on your car, it could be the airco pipes or rather the bright metal sleeves around those pipes which rattle against the underside of the car. I had this on my TF, at the back, where the pipes turn upwards towards the compressor.
HTH,
Per
Per

Ben, my TF does exactly the same, I would say that it's worse when cold. Not had the chance to investigate but doesn't seem to affect anything. Strange, but IIRC once it's done it, it doesn't happen again until after it's been stood overnight. It's due a service soon, so I'll ask them to have a good look. Sorry I can only give moral support. ;)

P.S. I'm assuming your noise comes from around the passenger side footwell.
roy bridge

Hi - Thanks for your suggestions/help. I'm not a mechanic by a long stretch but I'll take a look around the exhaust downpipe area tomorrow.

Thanks for your moral support Roy!... It does seem to be worse when cold although it is still happening when the engine is warmed up. Like you, I haven't had the car in the summer to see if it's just to do with the cold but as I work from home, the car does sit outside for a few days on end sometimes until I need to use it. It does seem to come from around the passenger area, but my wife (sitting in the passenger seat) says it sounds like it's coming from the drivers side which makes me think that it's either between us or that it's just underneath the car and so the sound fills the whole cockpit area.

I don't have a service due for a while but I think I'll have to take it in to get it looked at soon :(

The other thing that has been happening is that my steering is feeling a bit wobbly like I'm losing control a bit at higher speeds. Almost like there's a strong cross-wind that's taking the car with it! keep having to fight with the steering wheel. I took it in to get aligned and had 2 new front tyres but although it's markedly better, I still don't feel completely relaxed and in control.
Ben

Hi Ben,

The steering vagueness can be caused by a number of things, most are easy to eliminate. A worn wheel bearing is one possibility, and easy to diagnose - jack up each side in turn and give each wheel a vigorous wiggle. If there is even the slightest movement in any direction other than rotational then something's amiss, if not the wheel bearing then the suspension bushes may need investigation.
Do you have the same tyres all round, or are they different front & rear? That can cause quite alarming handling characteristics too.
Mike Hankin

This thread was discussed between 03/03/2006 and 04/03/2006

MG MGF Technical index

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