MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

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 - Before and after pics

I seem to remember seeing a before and after pic of an exhaust manifold. One with the welding clag still intact and one with it removed. I've trawled the internet but I cant find it.

Can anyone help. Looking for it for a reference guide before I tackle it this weekend just so I know what kind of end results I'm looking for!
Bob Millar

I have a pic I took on Tim's camera of the legendary Dave Andrews at work on his exhaust manifold (the replacement for the one that failed) - but at present it is still on a CD at home...

Have you trawled through the Elise sites Bob?
Rob Bell

Thanks Rob. I found it in an old MG Enthusiast.

Did the manifold on Saturday and Sunday (enduring two inches of hailstones at one point!!!)

Couldnt get access to a welder though so I had to be slightly cautious although I did manage to get rid of a few big lumps of weld. Ideally I'd like to have ground it back till there were no internal welds at all leaving the hole on the flange plate flush with the manifold pipe.

Also got round to fitting the FPR as well. Bit fiddly and the new FPR didnt push in very easily. Lots of swearing!

Both mods seem to be very worthwhile though. Car seems a lot more responsive although couldnt really test it with the icy roads this morning. Roll on better weather!
Bob Millar

Well done

It was as much as I could do to motivate myself to check the fluids yesterday...freezing!
Neil

Is there fittings instructions anywhere for the FPR? Hint Hint
Steve Ratledge

> Is there fittings instructions anywhere for the FPR

On Robs website. http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/

Bob Millar

Nice one Bob :o) I'm delighted with the effects on my car - around town it feels really spritely (but some of this is also the lightened flywheel! ;o))

Steve, the FPR is slightly harder to fit on a VVC I am told - primarily because the inlet plenum tends to get in the way somewhat...
Rob Bell

Bob, how long did it take you to remove the manifold. Any issues?

Regards

Steve
Steve Ratledge

All in it took about 8 hours over two days.

Got the car up on my nice shiny new ramps from Halfords. Once underneath I removed the flexipipe from the cat replacement pipe. Then soaked the manifold to down pipe studs in WD40. Left them about 10 minutes then undid them. Definitely need a wiggle joint for this and a 15mm stud that isnt too short nor too long as you'll foul the chassis if it's too long and it's too short it wont reach the nut due to the stud length. They actually came off pretty easily. Removed the flexipipe for better access then undid the lower nuts on the heat shields. Then up above to undo the upper nuts on the heat shields and removed them.

Unplug the O2 sensor next. Quite fiddly and I swore a few times but got it eventually.

For the manifold studs you'll need a deep socket and a medium extension bar (3 - 4 inch). Unscrew the studs slowly to avoid shearing them but they actually came out really easily. 4 of the 5 studs came away from the head completely so I had to separate the nuts from the studs. Quite straight forward to do if you've got a vice.


Manifold lifted straight out. Ground off the welds (that bit took the longest) then fitting was just a reverse process.

All in all a pretty straightforward job if a little awkward at times.

Only special tools needed are a wiggle joint and if you're grinding the welds then a really hard bit. I could only get a chrome vanadium one which did work but it was slow going. A titanium carbide one is recommended by Dave Walker but I couldnt get one anywhere locally on a Saturday afternoon. Dave recommends a die grinder for it but I got away with a regular Black and Decker drill.

Access to a welder would enable you to weld the outside of the manifold to the plate and open up the internal welds totally which I would have preferred but I'll leave that till better weather!

Other than that all you need is lots of patience!

Bob Millar

This thread was discussed between 23/01/2004 and 28/01/2004

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGF Technical BBS now