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MG MGF Technical - Whining MGF

Im new to this BBS, but have owned my MGF for a while now.
F seems to be playing up at the mo... :(

It makes a whining noise when I change down to 3 gear from 4 when doing 45mph and no accelerator pressed.

Whining is also noticable when foot is right off accelerator and in 2nd at 20mph.

If you put it in neutral there is no whine.
Is this something bad, that needs attention?

MGF is nearly 5 years old, an mpi, and has done 60k miles.

The whining noise just seems to wir, low to high in pitch.
I suppose its a fault that has built up over the last year, and Ive only just recognised it.

What do you think?
Ryan


Hi Ryan,
have someone to check (or DIY) the gearbox oil level !
It seems that the fillup at the factory is "marginal" if one want´s to be polite... Every one over here that I have been in contact with have got that advise. And guess what? All checked was low on oil, several to such a level that it no doubt would accelerate mechanical wear in the box. Any syntetic GL4/GL5 labeled oil would do. Do NOT use non-syntetic GL5 oil as this one contains too much additives for the "F"-box. If You find your gearbox low on oil the sound will in most cases dissapear when topped up..

BR, Carl.
Carl Blom

Thanks Carl,

This sounds like good advise, hopefully it will be something inexpensive.

Do you know how to check the gearbox oil level?
There doent seem to be a gearbox oil dipstick, unlike on by Volvo 740.
I dont mind working on the car myself, Ive got some spare time this week.

I suppose I should check for leaking oil from the gearbox as well - since this could have caused what you mentioned.

Many thanks

Ryan
Ryan

Co-Divers side rear wheel arch. Look from outside to the gearbox. Just hidden by the lower seam of the black plastic resonator box is the filler bolt (square shape 3/8"?? insert bolt head).
The big lower bolt with hexagon insert head is the release screw.
Not easy to fill up. It's on my to to list as well and I was recommended to use a big medical injection tool.
On another thread the same matter gets discussed currently. MTF-94 is the original to be used oil, but that is nearly unavailiable. GL4/GL5 full synthetic (75W85) will do.

HTH
Dieter
Dieter K.

>> medical injection tool <<

A Syringe

:-)

SF
Scarlet Fever

*g*, Thankyou ! 'woun't know more details about Syringe.
The bigger, the better for gearbox oil filling, but I hate them at normal use. ;)

Dieter K.

Thanks Ill try this later this week - it cant be good for the gearbox in its current state.

I did wonder what a medical injection tool had to do with it!
Ryan

LOL, SF is already starting to think 'german-english' after 4 visits :)

Translation tool at http://dict.leo.org suggested also..
'injection' or 'shot' for german 'Spritze'

Use a 'big shot' ...
.. sounded a bit to funny. 'Syringe' ... I thought the machine translation is broken
:)
Dieter K.

I agree with Carl both of the MGF's I have bought since March 2001 suffered from whining from new.

Within a few hundred miles I retuned them to a dealer and both needed gearboxes topping up.

You would have thought this would have been correct leaving the factory or rectified at PDI.
Joe

>..... Just hidden by the lower seam of the black plastic resonator box is the filler bolt (square shape 3/8"?? insert bolt head).
The big lower bolt with hexagon insert head is the release screw.

Err, I'm sorry, I was wrong. Just looked at the spare gearbox in the cellar.

Right is:
In line with the short drive shaft is the filler bolt, 17mm spanner. The lower bolt (square shape 3/8" insert) is the release screw.
http://www.mgfcar.de/gearbox/gearbox_oil_dcp_3954.JPG

Dieter K.

I was thinking of doing this myself. Maybe a stupid question, but can this be over-filled? and if so how can the level be checked?

Rog.
Roger


No fear from overfilling ! If trying hard the surplus amount of oil will be on your hands ,further down the sleeve and finally entering your shoes ;) It will all be obvious when You have unplugged the filling plug.
Over here there is a cheap "screw on " item with an extension that fits the 1 litre gearbox oil bottles that makes filling a lot easier. Beware of air-locks that might give the impression that the box is filled up ! Slow filling is essential...

BR, Carl.
Carl Blom

>Over here there is a cheap "screw on " item with an extension

Hmm, over there you got a lot of usefull stuff :)

Is that part a kind of funnel with rightangle outlet to the filler hole ?
I think I've got such part at home for use at the electric 'garden water pump'. Should be filled at one side with water before first use. A cone at the outlet side may stick in the thread hole.
I think I'll try and take a picture next weekend. A funnel with attached long 8mm hose may work as well, cause the oil appears rather fluid.
May be more efficient then the mad tiny syringe pump game, though any loss of that expensive oil stuff would be not funny.
Dieter K.

This thread was discussed between 28/09/2002 and 30/09/2002

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