Trophy 160 Has the dreaded HGF happened?
Discussion
Coolant levels drop every time i drive it. No sign of 'snot' in the oil or contamination in the coolant.
Has used around 2l over the week, around 250ml per journey. Doesn't seem to make a difference how far how fast.
No water under the car on the drive nor parked whilst at work.
Runs perfectly, temp gauge stays just under half way as does the good MGF, fan cuts in as it should. After a journey seems to restore to correct level if the pressure is released whilst still hot, condensation on top of header.
Does seem to take far longer to warm up than my other MGF which is chucking out screen cleaning heat in a couple of minutes.
Receipt for HG replacement around 7k miles ago. Not that it guarantees anything.
Has the VVC rattle but drives very well significantly quicker than the VVT.
Has used around 2l over the week, around 250ml per journey. Doesn't seem to make a difference how far how fast.
No water under the car on the drive nor parked whilst at work.
Runs perfectly, temp gauge stays just under half way as does the good MGF, fan cuts in as it should. After a journey seems to restore to correct level if the pressure is released whilst still hot, condensation on top of header.
Does seem to take far longer to warm up than my other MGF which is chucking out screen cleaning heat in a couple of minutes.
Receipt for HG replacement around 7k miles ago. Not that it guarantees anything.
Has the VVC rattle but drives very well significantly quicker than the VVT.
itcaptainslow said:
Could be a coolant cap, worth trying one of those before anything else.
There was a spare one in the boot, didn't make any difference. Though both could be duff i guess.There is writing on the header tank so looks like that may have been replaced. Hoses look ok where i can see them and it has the stainless coolant pipes fitted and a recent rad.
Weird, when hot the coolant level goes down but if you release the pressure gently it comes back up.
The_Burg said:
Is there anybody out there?
Yes, I am ... 
Will I do ?In the absence of any signs of leaks, my PRIME suspect would be a worn or wearing Water Pump. When they first start to wear, coolant losses are only when the car is driven and no tell tale damp patches under the car. It gets blown and evaporated away until ..... the pump is worn out and all the coolant is rapidly lost whilst car is driven or, it dumps the lot under the car on arrival. The latter is what happened to my wife's MG ZS 120 with a similar engine. I had suspected possible damaged cylinder head gasket as car was increasingly losing a little coolant over a shortening period. Needing a little topping up from time to time. I was wrong, that was not the problem.
Until then, I did not know that some of these engines have a modified Water Pump on them. It has an "Evaporator" which collects and evaporates those first small coolant losses as the pump wears leaving no tell tale damp patches under the car to alert the observant car user. I replaced the Water Pump with a new one not fitted with the Evaporator as I would like to see those tell tale damp patches under the car should it happen again. Even then, those first coolant losses get blown or evaporated away even with a Pump without the Evaporator fitted. I believe the purpose of the Evaporator was to keep coolant away from the Timing belt which could prove harmful to it.
First thing I'd do with your car is look through the front offside wheel arch below the Timing Belt Cover for any stains or signs of dampness which would be a pointer to a wearing Water Pump. Like these signs on a lady friend's car which started to need regular topping up. Both cars now have a stable coolant level since renewing their Water Pumps. A twenty quid item and a leisurely fit for any half-decent DIYer.
Like you, I once "dreaded" the so called cylinder head gasket "failure". Not now, prevention is far better than cure and even if the gasket gets damaged before the car users realises something is wrong, replacing the CHG on these cars, even the VVC version, is an inexpensive doddle for any half-decent DIYer. Indeed having 'sorted' a friend's so called "HGF" some six years ago and found it easy and enjoyable, have since bought a couple of tidy "spares or repairs" K-Series HGFs and sorted them. All still running strong years and many miles later in the family or with friends.
Two K-Series cars bought new in the family, one in 1993 and the other my wife's MG ZS 120 in 2003, have not suffered the "dreaded" .... but then, we do keep an eye on and check things ... as all car users should on any car but not all do.... until the damage is done.
One brave soul "in the trade" over on another car site actually admitted changing the CHGs on many Rovers ... which did not need doing. I found that hard to believe at the time. Not now. It was the water pump wot did it...
Good luck. Let us know how you get on with the car ~ that way we all can learn.
CORRECTION update ..
REAR offside wheel arch if car is mid-engined like my son's Lotus Elise and my own MGF.
Edited by MGJohn on Monday 19th August 11:54
Like above,
I'd check water pump first
The "evaporator" was actually a factory idea. The Genuine Rover/MG ones have the little chamber to catch the initial drips, the aftermarket replacement ones dont have it. They knew that after a while the pumps leaked a little bit through the pulley seal, the chamber is there to keep it away from the timing belt and also so you dont leave little drops of coolant on the drive.
As far as i'm aware the aftermarket ones, which are cheaper than the OE ones, have better impellors too. Those MGF and TF's have to pump water a long way to the front of the car to get to the rad.....
I'd check water pump first
The "evaporator" was actually a factory idea. The Genuine Rover/MG ones have the little chamber to catch the initial drips, the aftermarket replacement ones dont have it. They knew that after a while the pumps leaked a little bit through the pulley seal, the chamber is there to keep it away from the timing belt and also so you dont leave little drops of coolant on the drive.
As far as i'm aware the aftermarket ones, which are cheaper than the OE ones, have better impellors too. Those MGF and TF's have to pump water a long way to the front of the car to get to the rad.....
The_Burg said:
Leaky bit found. Several receipts in the folder for trying to solve the water loss and it turns out to be a damaged hose!
Who knew ? The eyes have it but ...Several receipts eh ...
That's the beauty of computer says no ... More seriously, those hoses are made of very tough material. Need to be very heavy handed to damage one that way as anyone trying to remove one will confirm. There's a correct way to remove or disconnect hoses without causing unnecessary damage.
Finally i have it back. VVC mech is silent. Bit rattly engine but it's done a few miles.
Not had a chance to take it to the line yet as only been commuted.
Compared to my VVC it seems much more rigid. Power much the same but not revved out yet.
Seats seem lower and more space.
No comments, so guess nobody is interested but will continue to post anyway.
Not a drop of water used.
Biggest issue is steering is so light, even with PAS fuse removed, why? VVC on is light at low speed and weights up nicely. Trophy feels like a Punto in city mode, despite i would suspect a faster rack.
Not had a chance to take it to the line yet as only been commuted.
Compared to my VVC it seems much more rigid. Power much the same but not revved out yet.
Seats seem lower and more space.
No comments, so guess nobody is interested but will continue to post anyway.
Not a drop of water used.
Biggest issue is steering is so light, even with PAS fuse removed, why? VVC on is light at low speed and weights up nicely. Trophy feels like a Punto in city mode, despite i would suspect a faster rack.
Still going well.
A bit of a bargain.
Running lovely. No coolant lost. Wonderful raspy exhaust.
Only updates this week are the audio, JVC CD less head unit. £50 a USB stick containing hundreds of albums and it's sorted. New speakers arriving tomorrow. Happy days. Car sounds lovely. And now so do the sounds inside!
A bit of a bargain.
Running lovely. No coolant lost. Wonderful raspy exhaust.
Only updates this week are the audio, JVC CD less head unit. £50 a USB stick containing hundreds of albums and it's sorted. New speakers arriving tomorrow. Happy days. Car sounds lovely. And now so do the sounds inside!
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