MGF MoT Failure ~ Let this be a lesson :~

MGF MoT Failure ~ Let this be a lesson :~

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MGJohn

Original Poster:

10,203 posts

189 months

Tuesday 11th June 2013
quotequote all
Some may remember my posting that a friend of my son's bought a spares or repair MGF VVC with known cylinder head gasket damage. The lads sorted all that with the aid of some of my tools and as the MoT expired recently, time for a fresh test. Here it is at the test station my family have used for over twenty years now :~



It failed miserably on the emissions. All came up RED well over the limits exceeding those limits all by massive margins. Look at the state of them!:~



Long story short, although the car ran well after the repairs, the Timing Belt had been fitted incorrectly with one or both CAMshaft Pulleys a tooth out! The lads had refitted the belt in the dark and even with the aid of a torch, got it slightly wrong. Correcting that vastly improved the emissions with just one showing marginally into the red. The prime suspect now being the Catalytic Converter. Replacing that with a new one at a reasonable price off ebay, car has now a new MoT with a clean bill of emissions "health".

Really pleased with the good result these boys have obtained. The friend has a fine old MGF VVC for very little outlay.

MORAL:

Only fit the timing belt on any car in a good light, ideally daylight. When emissions are off the scale, something is obviously wrong and the fix is often easier than with a marginal emissions fail. With those high RED readings, some owners would be quick off the mark to condemn the car to the scrap yard. A little patience and work and that need not be the case. Another tidy MGF lives on and will be an enjoyable drive for its young owner. It's his second car and he only passed his test about two years ago.

I love a happy ending. Using my T-300, I was able to clone another remote fob for the lad's car. Only having ONE remote fob is asking for Sod's Law to be deployed ... wink

wildoliver

8,958 posts

222 months

Tuesday 11th June 2013
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I'd do the lambda first.

MGJohn

Original Poster:

10,203 posts

189 months

Tuesday 11th June 2013
quotequote all
wildoliver said:
I'd do the lambda first.
That was done first.

MGJohn

Original Poster:

10,203 posts

189 months

Tuesday 11th June 2013
quotequote all
There were a few set backs along the way whilst sorting this little car, but the young owner's expression says it all was worthwhile.



Goes as well as it looks and with a nice noise too when that VVC K-Series cranks up to the higher revs.

Ex X Power

89 posts

144 months

Wednesday 12th June 2013
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A Good result, but blimey is it using Freelander running gear??

I know at the factory they were set high but that looks on stilts!! modified suspension knuckles required I think!! ;-)

MGJohn

Original Poster:

10,203 posts

189 months

Thursday 13th June 2013
quotequote all
Ex X Power said:
A Good result, but blimey is it using Freelander running gear??

I know at the factory they were set high but that looks on stilts!! modified suspension knuckles required I think!! wink
.
Yes, looks like a Streetwise .. smile

I believe they've recently pumped up those suspension units. They may settle in time. Ideal for offroading with that clearance .. smile