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MG MGF Technical - Smoking

With all the nice sunshine, I decided it was time to wake my F up from it's winters sleep.
The good news was, that the engine fired up on the first turn of the key.
The bad news was, it was accompanied by a loud screeching noise and my garage filled up with smoke!
The noise went away and the engine was running nicely,
but the red alternator light stays on, I am hoping it may just be the fan belt has broken.

Is the fan belt easy to get at to change it?
Is there anything else I should be looking for..a new alternator for example :o(

Thanks
Bob
R Appleton

Sounds like the alternator's seized - not a common failure?! Not sure how easy it would be to get a spanner onto the drive pulley nut to check - it might even free it up.
Mike Cunningham

I found bits of the fan belt under the car.

I gave up looking for the alternator...where the hell is it?
R Appleton

Somewhere above the right hand side rear wheel in front of the engine, either high up if the car has an aircon, otherwise lower down. Not sure if one can access it from the wheel area - might have to remove engine cover.
JH Saayman

Alternator is on the drivers side of the engine you need to jackup the car and remove the offside rear wheel and the inner wheel arch cover,GOOD LOOK
AS Douglas

Take off the engine cover inside the cockpit below the back window, you'll see the alternator easily. I somehow doubt that to be your problem....

If you car has Air Con, the compressors can fail. Anyone who has A/C on their car should have it serviced every couple of years and replenished with new gas, die and oil.

The gas cools, the die give info of leaks (under infra red light) and the oil lubricates moving parts like the compressor.

Check belt tensioner and any idlers when you fit yor new belt...

Mark.
M T Boldry

It hasn't got aircon and further more I didn't even attempt looking for the alternator.
I made sure the battery was charged and drove it the three miles to my local mechanic.
As I set off I realised that I forgot to get the suspension pumped up last year before I put it away for the winter and I felt every lump on the road, I also realised that one of the front wheel bearings was knackered.

I just left with him and told him to put the car right and that he he didn't need to to the job straight away if he was busy with other work...It will give me a bit of time to save up for the huge bill that is bound to come my way :o(
R Appleton

Got the car back yesterday.
New alternator and belt.
New Front wheel bearing.
Suspension pumped up.
£399.00 ....I don't know wehther to laugh or cry.
This comes straight on top of me replacing the rear windscreen for £80 and putting the car tax on it at the begining of April.
The MOT is due at the end of May and so is the insurance.
This MGF is becoming an expensive toy!

I wouldn't mind, but I haven't even had chance to take the car out, my wife collected it from the garage and she is currently working night shift and she has decided to use the car for work, I haven't seen her or the car as she has already gone to work before I come home on the night, and I go to work on the morning before she gets home.
I might get chance to use it at the weekend but I have no doubt that it will start raining as soon as I get in it!!
R Appleton

Sounds quite reasonable to me.

Any car will cost that sort of money on a regular basis.

You should try running a Range Rover my friend!
Sam Murray

To be expected if you're not prepared to get your spanners out ;)
Russ68

This thread was discussed between 07/04/2011 and 20/04/2011

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