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 - VVC Overheating

Hello all,

After 10 minutes of driving in my beloved '97 MGF VVC I was stuck in a queue of traffic at some traffic lights.

After about 5 mins. noticed steam coming from engine bay and temp. guage moving onto red. Oil temp about 80-90.

Move off and pull over, switch off engine 5-10 mins later temp. gauge back to normal. Coolant level low.

Drive off again for a couple of minutes. Temp rises again. Pull over.

Drive off again and pull into tescos 2 mins later where I leave it to cool again and replenish coolant with 2 litres of tesco value spring water (21p).

Do shopping, drive home (3 mins) reverse into drive and temp. gauge fine, oil at 60 ish.

Leave engine running for a couple of minutes and radiator fan starts. Despite this temp. starts to raise again.

Had a look at coolant resevoir and it was bubbling.

Should I have used Evian?

Any help would be much appreciated.



David James

David
#1 Replace rad cap
#2 Check if rad fan(s)are working
#3 Stand car on paper overnight to see if/where leak is from.


HTH

Tony
Tony Harrison

#4 Does rad need replacing?
Should have read thread before responding.
Tony Harrison

Have a look at Rob's page :-

http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/group2/common_problems/hgf_pages/related_problems_overheating.htm
DaveyC

I had exactly the same thing happen to my 97 f vvc a couple of years ago. It would be fine normally and if i did any motorway driving and then pulled off the motorway into any traffic the temp would suddenly rise fans come on but didn't make any difference to the temp. Pulled over waited 10 mins or so and it would be fine. I was told to look at the radiator condition and it was rusty with a lot of the fins stuck together. Changed it for a new alu one with new under floor pipes from mike satur and it has been fine since. good luck with it.
NJ Rawlings

Good idea about standing car on paper, I suspect a leak in mine at the moment. Hoping it is just the expansion tank cap but maybe that is just blind optimism.
Would it be better to stand car on paper and run it there to check for leaks though?
In meantime have a bottle of water in car in case of trouble, and yes, it is Evian!
As long as it is not sparkling water, asking for bubbles in the coolant system and trouble I would think!
KS Gould

This thread was discussed between 02/09/2006 and 04/09/2006

MG MGF Technical index

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