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MG MGF Technical - lambda sensor

Does anyone knows how much a lambdasensor costs for a 1998 MGF VVC?

Thanks in advance.
Geert
Geert Maes

Not a lot, but a whole lot more if you wreck the exaust manifold getting it off (quite common)
Will Munns

They ask €300 (about 190£) for it in my garage without the work to replace it.

I had troubles to start the car lately and they never really found the problem.
Are they ripping me off ?
Geert Maes

Almost definatly, the Lamda sensor is not used at startup, it doesn't work until hot, however it might be a temp sensor problem or the leads, if you have never changed the leads they might well be on the way out.
Will Munns

A broken lambda sensor just results in higher emissions as the MEMS defaults to a mildly rich setting and carries on.

I ran with a disconnected one for 18 months till a less accomodating MoT tester said he had to fail the car.
Only then did I have to find out why - and it was disconnected lambda (broken lead).

I was glad I didn't have to try and replace it. As Will implies they'd be a b**gger to remove from a 5 year old car.

Interstingly you can get after market sensors a lot cheaper than Rover - £60 springs to mind.

rgds, jt
John Thomas

Geert,

Check the mgf.be forum, I just replied overthere.

cheers,
Erik

How do you check if the sensor is broken or not ?

At the garage they told me that i had starting troubles due to a broken sensor, or at least that was what the testbook told them. So they replaced it and, as you said Will, wrecked the exaust manifold because the had to weld the sensor on...
They also, probably accidentally!, noticed that the back of my radio was pushing against some cables of the alarm and quote from garage :"we think that might also be the cause of the problem"

So i drove home from garage and next morning i had troubles again to start. In the end I pulled my radio out from the slot and now my car has no troubles for over 1 week !

So if I put 2 and 2 together, and as a mechanical engineer, I think I should be able to,
- the problem was caused by the radio pushing to some cables of the alarm and damaged them by the vibration of the car. I will look to that next friday when I have a day off
- the original sensor was probably never broken because I had same problem with new one and as John says you can drive without it.

Then why the h*ll should I pay for a new one !

Sorry folks, for long mail but I had to get this of my chest and it was a good preparation for what I'm going to tell in garage.
Geert Maes

>>> - the original sensor was probably never broken because I had same problem with new one and as John says you can drive without it. <<<

Mine got replaced together with a new manifold (as they screwed up the original one) and it didn't solve the problem.
Their comment: it was broken anyway, so you couldn't pass the next MOT
My comment: well I did pass two weeks ago without a problem, while the problem is there since last summer.
Their comment: Test Book said it was broken
My comment: your Test Book didn't say it was broken when the car was in for the same problem earlier
Their comment: If the problem is still there, bring the car back in
My comment: what will be done ? Any idea where to look for ?
Their comment: nope
Erik

This thread was discussed between 28/05/2003 and 30/05/2003

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