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 - New tires, naff handling, and poss HGF?

Afternoon,

Got some replacement eagle F1's for my 2001 MGF Trophy weeks ago. The old ones were in awful condition, almost no tread! Now, when motorway driving the cars is thrown from left to the right of the lane all the time, it's actually difficult to keep it in a straight line...? It is mainly in the inside lane of the motorway? It never did this at all before. I also had the tracking done, and have taken it back since to complain and they say nothings wrong with it..? Any idea's as I am bored of having to sit in the middle lane for safety reasons..!

Also, had 30,000 mile service and they kindly wrote "possible HGF" on my service receipt, water low'ish and evidence of water in the oil apparently. But they said just keep an eye on it..? My old F had an HGF and cost me 800 quid, should I sell or monitor the situation. Is just keeping an eye on the water level and gauges each day enough (oil temp 128-120 C, engine 1 notch below half way always...)

Thanks in advance for any tips.. D
Daz Pullen

Now might be time to invest in AA warrenty!
Will Munns

Daz, which version of the F1 tyre have you fitted to the rear of your car? What size are they? Are the tyre pressures in the new tyres actually correct? I'd usually go for 30psi all round - but that isn't the factory setting ;o) Also check to make sure that the directional tyres are actually fitted the correct way round: it is not unheard of for fitters to make a pig's ear of this fundamental requirement!

Goodyear F1s do have a reputation of requiring some time to bed in, so it may be a question of giving it some time. However, if the problem is showing no evidence of abating, then you have to start looking at other options.

If you are using the same size tyres front and rear, you could try swapping the tyres from the front to the rear. Dave Livingstone had to do this with his Bridgestone S-02s: before hand, the car was practically undrivable. After swapping, the car was transformed and he was able to put in some scorching laps around Castle Combe.

Regarding the 'Possible HGF' - what kind of advice is that??? :o( It is a little binary: either you have a HGF or you don't.
Keep an eye on the coolant level and inspect the condition of the oil for yourself. If any mayo evident, then it could mean the worst.
If coolant levels are dropping, it could be many things:
1. Leaking inlet manifold gasket (1.8 MPi)
2. Leaking expansion cap (all models)
3. Leaking corroded radiator (all models >4 years)
4. Leaking underbody coolant pipes (all models >5 years)
5. Leaking rubber hoses (all models >7 years)

Or it *could* mean an HGF. The commonest cause of coolant loss from the head gasket without oil/coolant mixing, is failure of elastomeric sealant around the edge of the gasket above the alternator. Remove the inspection panel to see if coolant is peeing out from the front right corner of the engine. If present, it is usually pretty obvious - and the smell of coolant is pretty characteristic - a very sweet odour...

As Will suggests, it might be just the time to invest in an AA mechanical warranty!
Rob Bell

I had this, and it didn't show unless reving the engine when hot (required both), but in deep winter the evaporating coolant created a whispy smoke - you could wait till it gets cold again ;-)
Will Munns

<<should I sell or monitor the situation>>

If you tell the potential purchaser that you have a suspected HGf you may not have a potential purchaser.
JohnP

Daz

I run Goodyear F1's too...

If you have just replaced the rear and not the front they feel really bad for about the first 500miles... 500-1000 they are much better...and after 1000 they will be back to there normal self.

I know exactly what you mean.. almost feels like the tyres are under inflated, the tail of the car feels uncomfortably loose.!!!

Don't worry they will soon scrub in and be superb again....Your cars fine...

Stu

PS. It only happens when you replace the back only.. New fronts only are fine I recently found out.

Stu Dickens

Hi Daz,
Do not worry. My F1 tyres took 2K miles of gentle driving. Then all came good. The grip levels in the wet are great. They still hate white lines etc. After 2k miles I gave the year 2k VVC no rest. I love it.
Rob and Stu both have noticed the same thing.
Should we try TOYOS next time? I believe they ware well and are cheaper.
Good luck
Chris
Chris Jones

Daz
Sorry, no suggestions, just a comment or two...
I recently bought a late '96 F. I am really quite dissaponted with the handling. The car has a tendency to follow road repairs / white lines at low speed and at speeds over 70/80 the front end does not feel at all solid. The tyres are Goodyear Touring (seemed like new when I got the car, but rapidly wearing). I have mucked around with tyre pressures to no avail.
I belive a front splitter can help the high-speed handling, but the local council is of the mis-guided belief that placing road humps every 50 yards makes for safer motoring... so I'm sure I'd wipe it off in no time.
Ho Hum!!!
G P Bailey

Just a thought, if you have a 2001 car are you still covered by the 3 year warranty - 1st year MGR, 2nd & 3rd dealers?
tony

Personally, I would look to have the tracking inpected again, was it a full 4 wheel laser alignment?

My 2000 spec MGF is fitted with Yoko's, the grip was awful, driving it felt like I was on a skating rink. Once I had the tracking sorted, its like driving a differnt car, before I was afraid to do 70mph but now, the difference is amazing.
Chris

Cheers for all the tips and advice.

I am running 36psi at the rear and 30psi on the front. Although how accurate that is I don't know, should probably get a guage really?

They rechecked the tracking and said it was fine, and it really is only certain roads and certain lanes that do it, it's just following the grooves in the road I think?

With regard the "possible HGF" I had rather neglected my poor F and not had it serviced for 15 months before the 30,000 service. Don't know if the oil could have just been pretty naff by that point? Is the mayo effect really noticable, because it just looks like oil on the dipstick to me, can't see any white?

Also how quickly would the water level reduce if it was HGF. It's about 2cm below a little ridge inside after lots of rest, and 1 hour after stopping the engine it's completely level with the ridge. Would it drop like a cm a week or slower than that?

thanks again. D
Daz Pullen

Sounds as though you are describing tram-lining and a general 'bedding in' of the Goodyear rubber. Hopefully things will settle down in time.

With regard to the head gasket situation on your car - the rate of coolant loss can be a little variable following HGF, but is usually substantial. The mild fluctuations in level are not unusual in a perfectly healthy car. If there had been a HGF with coolant/oil mixing, the resulting mayo on the dipstick is really hard to miss: it gets everywhere and there will be loads of it!

Keep an eye on things - and consider a coolant bleed if you are a little unsure as to whether there is an airlock present in the system or not.

Fingers crossed! :o)
Rob Bell

I've regularly replaced tyres on my cars with Goodyears for over twenty years now. Not the same car certainly but I put Goodyear F1s new all round on my MG Montego a few years back. I have NEVER experienced such excessive tramlining! Frightening at times. Those nearside lanes on Motorways which get that continuous pounding by countless heavy commercials causes longitudinal ridges in some lanes which run for miles. Get on those babies and the car's steering has a mind of it's own. Not for nothing is it called tramlining. I'm old enough to know what those old boneshaker rails in the road can do to lesser wheels...:O))

Far worse when towing a trailer on those worn Motorway lanes.... the pendulum effect I'd prefer to leave for the Porsche lovers.... not me! Scary and them some....

Without looking at your car, can't help you either way with that professional "possible HGF" advice you've received but one thing I can say, far too many professionals are of the "They all do that mate" mindset. They DON'T all do that! However, keep an eye on things.

I now have NCT5s on my Montego Turbos and they are superb from just about every aspect.

John.
John McFeely

Daz

36 on the rear sounds very high... I usually run with 28 all around and push them up to 30-32 for trackdays...

Stu
Stu Dickens

36 psi on the rear is, somewhat amazingly, what is specified for TF's with 16" wheels Stu! I agree with you, about 30psi is much closer to the mark...

John, the F seems to respond to tyres very differently to FWD cars - NCT5s aren't all that great on the F - and why new F1s seem to have a prolonged running in on the mid-engined MGs I don't know. Ah, the mysteries of automotive and tyre engineering! LOL
Rob Bell

This thread was discussed between 13/04/2004 and 14/04/2004

MG MGF Technical index

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