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MG MGF Technical - POOR IDLE / LOTS OF STEAM

Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on my current problem!

I had my car serviced in Feb & it was running really well.

The last two weeks it has been temporamental starting from cold, idling really badly, kangeroo-ing if I have to give way & its not warmed up enough and after a short journey there is sometimes loads of steam coming out of the exhausts.

I am checking the dip stick constantly as two years ago I had HGF and within 2 months I thougth it had gone again but was told it needed a new piston liner ??????? The two jobs cost me a small fortune!!

I took it back to the mechanic who serviced it in Feb and he suggested I had a diagnostic check. I had this done last week & was told it had so many codes they couldnt begin to guess what was wrong.

I was quite insulted when they told me the noise that I was explaining as not normal was the exhaust banging on the body work!!!!!! Mechanics STILL take advantage of a woman alone!!!

I am not sure what to do next. Once its warm it runs really well but I am worried that I might do more damage by running it as it is.

Any comments would be appreciated
Thanks
Lydia
Mad Girl in a Frenzy

Have your mechanic disconnect the ECU coolant temperature sensor, and see if that changes the behaviour. Sounds as if the ECU isn't adjusting the fuelling correctly during the warm-up cycle, which may be due to a sensor mis-reporting or having simply failed. Sometimes all that is necessary is a clean up of the connections on the sensor.

Bon chance ;o)
bandit

I've just been through a similar thing. I tracked mine down to a broken distributor / rotor.

I suggest you look at plugs / leads / distributor before heading into expensive diagnostic territory.

Good luck,

Graham
Graham Martin

loads of steam is usually hgf :(

but lack of gunk on the dipsick might suggest otherwise, are you losing any coolant - it's possibe that the inlet manifold gasket is duff and leaking slightly into cyl 1 or 4
Will Munns

Thanks for your comments.

I dont think anything is leaking - there's certainly no evidence on the car park at work.

It seems to be running better this week even though its still quite noisy when it starts 1st thing in the morning.

I'll get my mechanic to have another look & I'll print off this page.

Thanks again
Lydia
Mad Girl in a Frenzy

Hi Lydia,

I was wondering if you'd reached a conclusion on this problem, I have a personal interest!

Graham
Graham Martin

This thread was discussed between 16/04/2008 and 26/04/2008

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