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MG MGF Technical - Who saya I'm paranoid?

I'm really sorry and slightly embarassed to ask this, but having seen that replies are mostly gentle I have taken the plunge.

I am a new owner of a 96 MGF 1.8MPi, and yesterday I took it for its first long run. I think I have read every thread that includes HGF, oil temperature, water temperature and all combinations thereof and am now of course a temperature / engine odour obsessive.

Normal use of the car has seen the oil temperature at 90C and the water (yes I am well aware of its limitations) at one mark below the centre line. A long jam on the M25 showed no change, but I did manage to hear the front and side cooling fans working. A 30 minute run up the M11 at speeds in excess of the national maximum saw the oil temperature up to near 120C, which I believe is not a problem. What does concern, and is the bit I don't understand, was that the water temperature move up to the middle line. I know that any movement in this represents a large change in water temperature, but is this significant? It fell back to the mark below centre reasonably quickly with the police car's arrival on the road, and at the McD's services at Cambridge all the levels and fans were fine.

Please be gentle!

Graham
G Martin

Graham

Sounds perfectly normal to me - I also have a 96 1.8i BUT owned since new!

A recent trip on the continent saw us often doing an indicated 130 mph (legal in Germany) and the oil was hitting 120/130 and the water was above the half way mark and the car was as sweet as could be.

Today up the M11 to Chigwell (great show Dave) and back along the A11 to the Woolwich Ferry all just as it should be.

Ted
Ted Newman

Hi Graham,

well, I think that you are right to be concerned - as the temperature gauge really ought to be rock steady at one-division-below half.

How old is the radiator? Chances are, I think, that the radiator has become severely corroded and has lost fins and therefore cooling capacity. It may prelude later leakage - so is something that is worth investigating now.
Rob Bell

Hi Graham and welcome

It is a bit strange that the temperature gauge moved a bit. I have never seen mine move even in very high ampient temps and hard driving. As you say this would indicate a rise in temp for a substantial amount of time for the needle to move.

As you have checked all the fans and they appear to be working and the rise was when the cooling system was under strain I would suspect that your radiator is on its way out. It is working ok but not 100 percent efficient. Most 1996 cars on the bbs have already had a rad change so if yours was never changed it would be the prime suspect.

Spyros
Spyros Papageorghiou

I bow to Rob and Spyros BUT the temperature gauge (water) has always fluctuated a little in the Squirrel - not a lot but some movement from just below halfway to just above BUT it does always settles down again after a while, I have always put it down to a lazy thermostat when starting and perhaps a lazy sender later BUT the important thing is it has never had an adverse effect.

Ten year old almost and a major service a couple of months back including cam belts, cylinder head check, new gaskets and dowels NOW looking forward to the next ten years.
Ted Newman

Thank you guys. I feel in a bit reassured, but will hedge my bets and replace the radiator as soon as possible. Although it appears in reasonable condition it is probably original since I have all the service history and it is not listed as a change. I guess that in the short term keeping engine load to a minimum would be prudent!

G Martin

Hi Graham,

That's about the only symptom that a flakey coolant temperature sender hasn't given me (yet?) so I'd go with the view that it's reporting correctly, which suggests insufficient cooling. I have a TF radiator on my 'precautionary' shopping list, I think maybe you should too...

Bring it on a track day, there you'll find not only an excellent testing ground for you & your car (in perfect safety, I might add) but the bonus is it's where a bunch of knowledgeable people in all things MGF have 40 or so minutes every hour, and are (lunchtime aside) easily persuadeable to get into some troubleshooting.
Mike Hankin

Thanks for that Mike, will certainly be appearing at a track day with the Green toTTY... I might even find out how to fit the tonneau! Although I'm getting the impression from those I see on the road that nobody bothers!

I am learning... slowly.... discovered that the intense fishy smell from the rear of the car was in fact fish!! God bless the heated boot...

Graham
G Martin

Whilst (as I said) I bow to the knowledge of others I see no reason to panic over a slight movement of the temperature gauge needle as a hard worked engine will develop more heat and this will be passed to the coolant which in turn means that the coolant temperature will rise and this moves the the needle.

Even Rover MG tell you this on page 42 of their 1996 hand book HOWEVER what they do say is that it (the needle) should not go into the red and the book then goes on to tell you what to do if it does do this.

As I said my 1996 *F* has always shown movement according to the engine working and it still does and it has an all new radiator of the latest type - one good outcome from having the front end row with the back end of another car:-)

If the gauge is fluctuating regardless of working conditions then that is a different matter and that would make me look for a problem. But if you are still on the original radiator then it will probably give up soon as will the hoses and metal pipes under the car BUT I am not suggesting that you have a row with another car!
Ted Newman

My paranoia is waning tank you Ted! I've had a look at the radiator and the pipes etc, and all look in reasonable condition. The engine had a major overhaul in 2003 and I suspect that the radiator may have been changed then but that the FSH is incomplete.

Another thought has occurred to me, and that is simply that my bum possibly moved in the seat and that my viewing angle changed! Perhaps ironic that a science teacher should succumb to parallax!
G Martin

The other thing that might lead to insufficent cooling is air in thr rad, this is quickly and easily fixed with a spanner.

when the car is cold open the expansion tank cap
open the bonnet and looking at the slam panel you should see a square hole with a plastic bolt in it in.

undo bolt till green goo comes out
retighten, but not very tight or you will snap the head off the bolt (just enough to seal the rubber washer - think bathroom tap)
put the cap back on

Wait for the roads to dry out and give it another run.
Will Munns

Hi,

My temp gauge has always been rock steady at just above one notch below the centre line, but perhaps I don't give the car as much stick as some of the others.

Ted, did you have the head gasket changed as a precaution at your last major service, or was there another reason? I'm only coming up to seven years on the original gasket, a mere spring chicken really.

Regards, Kes.
Kes

Kes

Both!

The car was due a service and since the front rebuild last year it has been showing slight signs of weeping across the head gasket and with ten years looming I decided to bite the bullet and have a major engine job done as well as the service and MOT - set me back about £900.00.

BUT she behaved herself a treat on this years Treffen of over 2000 miles!

Now need to get some new rear tyres - any recommendations for the standard 15 inch rim?
Ted Newman

Perhaps change to S-03s Ted? I'd replace the fronts at the same time as the rears, just to be safe.
Rob Bell

This thread was discussed between 04/09/2005 and 05/09/2005

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