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MG MGF Technical - Why on a Sunday night.

I was just returning home having enjoyed a spirited drive on a lovley spring day when the speedo stops working and 100 meters later the power steering dies. It's now night time the motor factors are closed and I need the car first thing Monday. Bah humbug.
Andrew Regens

Annoying Andrew :o(

It's happened at inopportune moments to me too - what I've done is to drive without the EPAS and determine speed by rpm in 5th gear - can usually work it out from that.

John Thomas worked this out for all 5 gears and it is on the FAQ: http://www.mgcars.org.uk/MGF/mpirpm.jpg
Rob Bell

Andrew,
since you were able to post this thread means that you got home OK.

Speedo problem and epas problems can be sorted in good time as neither are critical.

If no speedo, then guage your speed from other other cars in traffic.
Loss of epas means a little extra effor in steering. (good to build up those biceps)

The Epas uses signals from the speedo. If speedo goes bung, the epas goes into failsafe mode and turns off.

Do you have a mechanical speedo cable or a electronic system.?

Cheers,
Branko


Branko

Thanks Rob and Branko,, I'm not sure what the speedo is but I would think mechanical, I will have to look Monday night. I would agree with you Branko, the EPAS is linked to the speedo.
Andrew Regens

IIRC Andrew, your car is a Mk1 (pre-2000) - so definitely a mechanical speedo drive. It will be the short cable to the gearbox that'll have got (TADTS!) - replaced mine (second time in 9 years) pretty recently: http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/group2/DIY/Speedo_cable/index.htm

Spookily, the drive cable always seems to snap when MG is in mortal difficulties: snapped at the time when BMW decided to dispose of Rover Group, and then again when MG Rover Group Ltd hit the buffers...

Another for the X Files? (Or should that be X-Power Files? ;o))
Rob Bell

Try the easy things first. The cable on Mk1 cars is made out of three sections and it is common for one of the unions to come loose. The first one is under the plastic cover under the bonnet and is the easiest to check. The second union is under the car right in the middle and of course the connection at the gearbox end.

Spyros
Spyros Papageorghiou

Thanks guys will take Tuesday off and tackle as have a motorkhana on a skid pan to attend at the weekend !.
Andrew Regens

Rob, you were right, MG over here could not supply for two weeks and a breakers yard wanted the same money as a new one so for AU$44 I got a new inner cable made. One F back on the road, the cheapest repair for ages!.
Andrew Regens

Good One Andrew!!

Where did you get it done?
Branko

Branko, The guys at Link arranged it, somewhere in Mitcham.
Andrew Regens

Cunning solution Andrew- nice one. :o)
Rob Bell

Andrew,
Actually reading all about your experience with the speedo cable, has brought back memories of an experience, that I have some 21 years ago.
It was on a tour of Europe, B.C. (Before Children) with my better half, in a VW Combi. In Switzerland the Combi had broken a clutch cable and the dealers charged me $75 for a new one fitted. ($75 then, was a lot of money!!)
After about a week it broke again, but it happened in Yugoslavia. (Croatia). I arranged for a local to make me a complete clutch cable for a princely sum of $4.50 fitted.
While doing the fitting he found out why it snapped. The cable was directly rubbing onto a metal frame, which he rectified buy fitting a grommet and a clamp to keep it in place.

Just goes to show you that local people do know their stuff. Thank Goodness!!

Cheers,
Branko.
Branko

This thread was discussed between 18/09/2005 and 22/09/2005

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