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 - HGF :-(

Some will say I knew he would get one.
But the yellow submarine erupted in a cloud of steam on Saturday, I had just got to the top of the road and looked in the rearview mirrow and thought I know I've just washed the car but that amount of steam is suspicious, 1/4ml later it was just getting worse, so straight home,
water temp. normal, oil barely hot, no oil/water mix.
On investigation water leaking from below No.2 cyl exhaust manifold (looking at engine from reat 2 from right).
So.
No work carried out since last (1st annual) service (Aug 2002, before going on Treffen).
Mileage 13357
Registered Sept 2001.
Driven carefully during running in.
MGF Trophy 160 SE.

Mike

Mike

Bad news Mike. :o(

Head gasket failure over the alternator is a common failure area for the older cars.

Bad that it has happened to yours :o( At least it'll be covered by the extended warranty.

Please enter details into the http://www.shame.4mg.com database.
Rob Bell


Sorry to hear of the HGF but as Rob said - good that the extended warranty takes care of the cost. In a way better that it happend now than during the comming glorious spring ;)
Summing up what has been on the BBS so far it seems that we all were quite happy for some time with the steel dowel /better HG ... But now even those cars start to have HGF´s. I assume Your is built after march 2001 and have the steel dowels ? Anyway , I start to get a bit worried. Maybee this is down to the basic engine construction and we simply have to live with it :(

BR, Carl.
Carl Blom

When the car was actually built? I'm unsure, I took delivery in September, but the car was probably constructed well before that. I shall ask the Garage to let me know which dowels were fitted.
Mike
Mike

I just checked on Deiters site and according to VIN number it should have both uprated gasket and steel dowels.
Mike
Mike

For several months we wanted to belive that the post-uprated HG cars didn't had a problem with HGF. Now that's untrue...
Now the only thing that we can hold to is hoping that this cars have a lower percentage of HGF occurrence.

Keep it running Mike.

Valter.
Valter

Valter,
I will if Viv lets me anywhere near in the future, after all I did buy it for her ;-)
Mike
Mike

Err, sorry about the troubles, though it's better now near the home then down in France.
I see Viv looking disappointed ... 'YOU damaged...!! ' ;)

The third or fourth *known* then with new dowels including failed upgrade repairs of older MGF.
Dieter K.

Is was definitely the gasket, it's now been replaced, bad news is I can't get to the garage before Friday.
At least Viv says I'm not to blow it again, so that must mean I'm allowed to drive it :¬+
So what have I learnt from this.

1. If the engine and oil are at operating temperature you can thrash it as much as you like. :-)

2. If the engine is warm but thermostat still closed, don't exceed 3k rpm :-(

Happy Motoring.

Mike, M2 VJN Trophy, M1 VJN ZT 180+
Mike

Whats classed as operating temp for the oil? Above 60?
G.C

GC, yes if the oil temp gauge has started to move then it should be okay, IIRC the normal temp is around 90c

Mike
Mike

I try not to exceed 3k rpm as Mike says, at least until the oil temp needle as passed that first graduation (60?C), GC.

Rob Bell

I know how you feel Mike.
I had the dreaded HGF on 27th December on my 2001 1.8i.
Although I'd done slightly more miles than you when it happened (20,870).
Saying that, it shouldnt be happening at all!!
Due to the time of year it happened I thought I was going to be 'F'less for a week or so. But to my surprise the local dealer had it done & back to me IN LESS THAN 24HRS!!!!!!
Hope yours is back on the road already, or ASAP.
quikstu

This thread was discussed between 20/01/2003 and 22/01/2003

MG MGF Technical index

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