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MG MGF Technical - HELP WANTED RE 2nd HGF!!!

I would really appreciate some sound advice on what to do with my 2001/Y MGF. The Head Gasket has just gone for the 2nd time, first at 10,000 now again at 32,000!!! luckily the first time was covered under warranty but 3 years last almost to the day it has happened again. I refuse to go to a main dealer as I find them an absolute RIP OFF!, but cannot find anyone else who wants to take on the work, one garage just laughed when I told them and just said it was a pile of s**t and not worth repairing!. I have now found somewhere and they are saying the only sensible option is a new engine, which I will do if I have to, and then probably sell it. I am just fed up as I have a really lovely looking car just rotting on my driveway. Any ideas??
Ashley


Hi Ashley

I think both of the garages you approached didn't want or need the work, that's why you got the stupid responses.

You have been a bit unlucky, I have had two failures in 180K admittedly I am on the second engine now but the change wasn't down to a HGF.

I personally use Techspeed Motorsport to do all my work, They are near Leamington Spa which is a bit of a trek but they always do a great job.

A bit closer to home you could try Ralph, He's based in Kent and would be only too happy to help you.

I very much doubt you need a new engine, possibly a head if it overheated massively and warped the head but these things can be checked out.

Here's a couple of links

Ralph's

http://www.mgr-service.com/

Techspeed

http://www.tech-speed.co.uk/

(Techspeed rarely check the email so give them a call if you want to contact them, Speak to Marvin or Roy.)

Best of luck

Stu
Stu Dickens

Sorry to hear that mate. I got mine done for £419 good price i think as the head needed skimming. Had her back in 3 days to. What prices have you been paying?
ll little

Ashley
Sorry to hear about the F'. See the posting under re South Coast Servicing on the MGF General BB.
Paul.
P.S.
Theres a guy advertising HGF work for a very low price on ebay....his number is 07866 449845.
He is quoting £260.00 parts and labour ! I've no idea what he is like but if anyone here has used him I am sure they will be along to tell the tale (Good or Bad)
Paul
Paul Carugati (MGF and MGBGT)

My 98 F is in for repair at present for it's 2nd HGF. It went at 35,000 or so and now again at 73,000. Luckily both times it did not effect the head so just a strip down and rebuild. This 2nd time it effected the oil unlike the first occasion.

Work is been carried out by a local garage who have worked a little on F's but are no MG experts. They did not 'blink' at doing the work - it did not seem to phase them at all. I did try to get Techspeed (as they are real local to me) to do the work but sadly they are very busy with contract work for the next month or so. (still worth a call though just incase you get lucky for a space). As my HGF went on boxing day - had the problems of xmas 'shut downs' to get the repair done.

Hopefully picking up car tomorrow - not sure about price yet as I got them to change the cam belts (early) and as they spotted that the water pump had been leaking, I am getting that changed whilst it in.

Can't wait to have car back and get back out enjoying it. Don't be too disheartened about your car Ashley - as you say they are beautiful cars and great fun to drive so just enjoy it once you get yours fixed.
Keith Williams

I can sympathise with the garages to an extent.Why would they want to take on a job they didnt fancy ? The obviously know the work involved and probably know that one, or in this case 2, HGF usually results in another - they are covering their own backs so as not to have a disgruntled customer return in the near future with HGF and shouting about the previous repair being the cause ! fair play to them I say. Just keep shopping for another garage. As they say in other places the management reserve the right to refuse admisssion, doesnt mean they dont want or indeed need the business, its just the do have a right to take on whatever work they deem hassle free and cost effective to them.
dicken puller

Dick, i agree , a lot of garages don,t need extra work so will turn down a hgf job.
There is more money in small easy repairs ,mot,s etc...
Ashley..it may not be as bad as all that...find a local garage who know what they are doing i,m sure someone on here will recommend one near you.
I had to wait 7 weeks to get mine fixed but got it done in the end by my local garage. I also doubt you need a new engine , they can pressure test and skim the head ( i was lead to believe up to a mil can be skimmed off ) mine has been skimmed twice now and touch wood all is ok.
i got the later type landrover gasket on which comes with a "shim "and the steele dowells , which is probably the best way to go if you get it skimmed for the second time as the "shim" will make up some of the lose from the skim.
I was also told i needed a new engine..i didnit.
How did the H G go ?? If the engine did not severly overheat i see no reason why the engine is kapputt.
The landrover head gasket is on Rob Bells site which is excellant.
good luck
Mel..
m e johnson

Thanks for the mention, Stu!

We would be happy to do the HGF for you, Ashley. Our standard charge for a non-VVC engine is £650 plus VAT and £680 plus VAT for a VVC engine. These prices include machining the head flat, which we do as a matter of course.

Ralph
Executive Motoring Services Ltd
01634 388999
Ralph

Thank you very much for all your advice and positive comments!! I am going to make some further enquiries over the next few days. The HGF happened mid December didn't really over heat I just noticed the fan coming on a couple of times and the engine seemed to be missing slightly, so i checked the oil and noticed that it was a bit gunky (sorry womens technical term!), I have not driven it since so hopefully there won't be too much damage to the head. I'll let you know how I get on. Thanks again. Ashley
Ashley

Bad luck Ashley. Mine went for the second time in October (first one was at 38,000 second at 58,000). As HGF's go, the second one was ok. Just went really slowly over a period of about 2 months. No overheating, just some slight contamination to the oil. Managed to continue driving it until I could afford to get it sorted, which only cost £400.

Just remember to check the oil and coolant weekly. As long as you don't overheat the engine, you can't do a huge amount of damage.

'Gunky' - Technical term = Mayo ;-)

Emma Jackman (& Green with Envy ~ S369 FAR)
Emma Jackman

Hi Emma,
Read your thread a while ago about the suspect hgf ..glad you got it sorted and at a good price to.
my car has had 2 hgf and like yours mine went very slowly (although i didn,t suspect the hg at the time i thought it was a rad leak)!!
Mel..
m e johnson

Emma ,
What gasket did you go for??
Mel..
m e johnson

Hi Mel,

I was hoping to get the Land Rover gasket and oil rail, but was told that due to the imperfections on the cylinder head (I cooked it with the first HGF) it couldn't be fitted. So I've got the latest Rover one.

Emma Jackman (& Green with Envy ~ S369 FAR)
Emma Jacfkman

Forgot to add, not sure what's going on with HGF's at the moment. Have a look at the MGF Register forum :-(

Emma
Emma Jackman

'British Legends' in Essex are doing a winter special on 'common' repairs at present.
HeadGasket change on 1.8i MGF at £450 inc.
HeadGasket change on VVC MGF at £485 inc.
Add £50 to upgrade to the LandRover gasket and oil rail.

Emma, i can't see why imperfections on the surface of the head would cause a problem on the LR gasket, it's more likely to be a concern on the standard type..?
Steve T

Always remember to get your cylinder liners height checked out.

I think it should be no less than 4000 from the cylinder block.

If the liners have moved then that may be a time to look at a new engine but that would be worst case scenario in my book..
Chris Glen

My HG is going now. Had two different tests + mayo on dipstick + slight water loss
Can anyone recomend anybody in either Devon / Cornwall or Maidenhead area
I commute between the two
Thanks
Jon
Jonathan

Hi, Head Gasket has just gone, can anyone recommend a decent place in and around Epping / Chelsmford way?

Many thanks in advance.

Lee
Lee Bevan

Lee Bevan: see British Legends or Executive Motoring Services in this thread above for help in your area I believe.
Johnathon in Cornwall/Maidenhead : there is a Summit Motors in Maidenhead that specialise in MGs and apparently are enthusiasts - not too far from me either - their details are on my office noticeboard - just in case -but not used them yet.
Workshop number 01628 636001 from their website www.summitmg.co.uk
KS Gould

MGOC Magazine... Has covered over the last 4 Months Excellent detail of the problems & remedial work Required.

ALL models appear to suffer.......

Land Rover use the same engine, & accept the problem under warranty.
They fit a superior Head gasket as standard together with a strentghened bottom rail (Which the Head thru, bolts attach.)
THIS IS PROBABLY THE ONLY WAY TO GIVE PIECE OF MIND, That job will NOT have to be re-done in future.

I can reccomend the expert advice given by MGOC on this issue.
P.N. Jackson

>They fit a superior Head gasket

diffrent, see threads around the time of "phoenix to the flames"
Will Munns

As Will says, you need to wait another 6/7 years before the truth will out. Land Rover also supply a pressure related thermostat option as part of the "upgrade".

Derrick Rowe

This thread was discussed between 05/01/2007 and 06/02/2007

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