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MG MGA - driver's door not opening

My driver's door will not open by pulling on the cable, even though there is tension in the cable. It will open if I give it a shove with my shoulder.....or if I take a left-hander at pace (slightly disconcerting). I have searched here and checked Barney's site for answers without success. Any ideas gents?
Phillip Hughes

Sounds like it's just jamming rather than locking. If that is the case you may need to adjust the striker and/or check the latch mechanism in the door to see if it is sticking.

It is quite common for the latch to bind instead of locking if the striker has been changed as the reproductions are a different shape.

Also if an incorrect type of door seal has been fitted. The correct type ("Ramsey" seal) is now available from several suppliers in the UK or ready assembled from Todd Clarke in the US.

Other (less likely) causes could be worn or loose hinges causing latch to peg misalignment or, if the car has been in an accident or is severely corroded, the door gap closing up.

Note that the latch engages in two positions, partially and fully closed. You must ensure that the latch pin is engaging in the fully closed position. That is the hole in the striker not the wedge cut out.

Hope that all makes sense.
Neil McG

Phil,
Try some Deep Heat and ultra sound - if that doesn't work call Jim!
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

Thanks, Neil. I will check it out.
Mike, thanks for your ever insightful tips. Unfortunately, I have tried that, along with high velocity manipulation and a good talking to....all for nought.
Phillip Hughes

Both my doors never really "close". They always seem a bit loose with a bit of play in & out when closed.
I checked with a torch and the latch pin is only engaging the striker cut-out, not the hole.
I tried moving the striker outwards by loosening the two screws and moving it outward to its fullest extent, but the latch pin will still not engage the hole. Both doors are the same.
Can the latch pin/door latch be adjusted inside the door as well?
Or any advice .... appreciated.
IBM
I B Morris

After I replaced the old and very worn latch pins I had a similar alignment problem with the door not wanting to reach the hole. The angle that the pin entered the door was wrong. After adjustment everything has been OK. Adjustments can be made by putting a large ring spanner around the pin and leaning on it. It didn't need much.
Malcolm Asquith

My doors shut and lock ok, but I often also need to give a slight nudge to open. I thought I had the correct seals, but reading Neil's bit makes me wonder.

Steve
Steve Gyles

This is the seal http://www.clarkespares.com/doorseals.html

Simple flap seals will allow the door to shut, but maybe not seal as well
http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/p-1285-door-seal.aspx

A round or bubble seal will almost certainly put too much pressure on the door to reach the second latch position without work (i.e. distorting the flange), high closing effort or poor door fit.

The reproduction latch pins can be bent and, if necessary, ground a little to work but the originals are certainly best - until they become too worn.

My bet is that there are a lot of MGA roadsters out there with doors that are only closed on the first (safety?) latch.
Neil McG

Woolies - is that price per ft, metre or what?
Art Pearse

Neil

So this is an incorrect seal?

Steve

Steve Gyles

Most definitely Steve!

You would really struggle to get your doors onto the second latch with that one.

Art, Per metre (in bold above the part number)

Note that Woolies also sell their version of the ramsey seal, which has a hollow section. I have no idea if that would make it better or worse. The exact section used by Todd Clarke is sold by several trim suppliers here leading me to suspect that they all get it from the same extruder based somewhere in the UK?
Neil McG

The original TC type of seal is different in principle to all the other types of seal I've seen in that the rubber seals the 3/8" gap between the horizontal door sill and the underside of the door. The fur is intended to fill (but not seal) the 1/4" gap between the bottom vertical part of the door and the upstand. (see sketch)

All other seals attempt to seal the vertical gap which , at 1/4", is really too narrow for them.

I got a pair of door strikers from Cecelia (NOS Locators) and they fit nicely.............................Mike


m.j. moore

Neil

I gave duff gen. The photo I posted was from a length I had in my spares box and assumed that was what I had fitted. Just looked at the car and I actually have the Bob West door rubber as shown on Barney's site. My doors close fine. I can feel and hear the two clicks.

No idea where the other stuff came from or why I have it. Memory fails me.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Not directly concerned with Phillip's original problem, but reproduction locks have a too long lock tongue and the strike angle is incorrect and does not slide when striking the striker knob.

Steve,
When were not sailing our cars on the UK's currently flooded roads you can see my door seal.

regards
Colin
Colin Manley

To do minor adjustments, I put white paint on the striker (the piece that attaches to the body of the car). Then slowly shut the door. Where the paint came off, I ground with my moto tool to remove some of the metal. After a few attempts the door shut correctly and stayed fully shut while driving. You could even enlarge the second postion on the striker with the moto tool, to allow a bit more adjustment if needed.
Ray Ammeter

I think the 4 metres of 'furflex' seal I have shown in my post above may be for the MGB. Anyone care to comment?

Steve
Steve Gyles

You can try cutting the seal with a razor blade to reduce the pressure required to collapse it, and the resultant pressure on the door latch. It worked for me some 13 years ago.

Chuck Schaefer

Try putting graphite on the striker and latch mechanism. That fixed my sticky door!
David Holmes

This thread was discussed between 29/12/2013 and 01/01/2014

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