MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey 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 - Cost of Selector Cable Replacement

The gear selector cable failed in my 3.5 year old MGF after only 40,000 miles. The replacement cost me 550 pounds! Why is this job so expensive?? Also, what would have caused the cable to fail, I have not heard of one of these going?
Andy

Andy,
Check on the archives. Believe me it happens!
The cable is cheap, but the labour envolved costs you big time! At the dealer they dismantle lots of unnecessary things (sometimes they even lower the engine assembly!), has it can be proven on Rob's site. There you'll find a description of what I did at home when had this problem. Much easier, than the MGR way.
In what gear did it snapped?

Cheers, Valter.
Valter

Hi Valter, cable went in second gear.
Andy

Mine went in 1st gear, when trying to reverse.
The car had only 2 years and 22k km.

Try this: http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/gearbox_cable.html

Hope this helps, Valter.
Valter


"Mine went in 1st gear, when trying to reverse"..... I usually choose the reverse gear for this action ?????
D Jamieson

I was stopped, trying to engage reverse. Obviously...
Valter

If you are "stopped"....why use 1st gear if your next monouver will be reverse ??...obviously ;-)
D Jamieson

To stop the gearbox going 'crunch'. selecting 1st (or any gear for that matter) lines up the syncromesh enabling reverse to be selected with little or no chance of making a horrible grinding noise. Am i right Valter? :-)

------------

Andy,

I assume you have had this replaced as you are quoting prices. There are 2 cables that link the gear selector to the gear box, the top one is pretty fault free, but the lower one has been known to go. Access to the cable is pretty tricky, Valter has developed a simpler way of replacing it but it is still a lengthy job as the interior trim has to be mostly removed to gain access to the selector and an MGR dealership will want to drop the rear sub-frame (including engine) to get access to the bell housing and cable entry to the cabin.

SF
Scarlet Fever

You're right Andy.
To align you can also, simply let the clutch go, while in neutral.
But that wasn't the point. The cable snapped when trying to desengage 1st gear very quickly, with clutch pressed...
:-)
That is, before trying to engage reverse. What I wanted to prove is that the cable can go if you shift or unshift too hard. Been carefull since.

Andy, did scarlet passed the 100k mile mark already??

Cheers, Valter.
Valter

Its usually the end of the cable at the gearbox that comes off (it has on mine twice now). If that's what happened to yours then Mike Satur is now producing a new rose joint which replaces the flimsy connection deeley on the end of the cable. I've just had them fitted to mine (am i the first?!!!!) despite the fact that they hadn't broken, because after they've let you down a couple of times you tend get a bit paranoid!
I might have got the wrong end of the stick however it might be worth contacting either Mike Satur (www.mikestur.co.uk) or the garage that fitted mine, MG Mecca (www.mgmecca.co.uk)
James King

Valter,

99,394.4 miles and counting... (just been out to the car park!) :-)

When i hit 99,500 i am thinking of keeping my camera in the car. Not sure if this is a good idea from a security point of view, so i may not do it, but i want to get a photograph of Scarlet's mileometer when it reads 100,000 miles! :-)

At the current rate i estimate Scarlet will break the magic 100K roughly mid-January 2003. I will keep you all posted.

SF
SF

Andy, < Why is this job so expensive?? < One cable ,4 hours, plus vat should be under 300 quid.Ask your garage why.Maybe Christmas bonus?
Mike.
mike

I was quoted 4£80 + VAT for this job by my local (ish) dealer. I decided bollocks to it, bouth the cable from Mike Satur for £70, and fitted it myself in about 8 hours. Not the easiest job to do in the world but very rewarding.

Roger.
Roger

This thread was discussed between 07/12/2002 and 11/12/2002

MG MGF Technical index

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