Overheating MGF, how unusual....
Discussion
I bought a cheap old Mk1 1.8i in the spring as a 'summer shed' (80k miles, lots of maintenance history - including a new head fitted by a specialist five years ago).
It's a little tatty, but drives really well and has been great fun in the sun.
Last week it overheated, I'd done three miles when I saw the cloud of steam. I parked and switched off.
Loads of steam, but no water escaping.
Closer inspection, when it had cooled down, revealed no evidence of water in the oil.
I should say at this point, that my love of cars does not extend to maintenance beyond basic servicing.
So, the obvious question - is it hgf or something else?
My first thought is to obtain a new pressure cap, and get my local friendly mechanic to replenish the water, fit the cap, and run it up to see what happens. I trust him to give me an honest diagnosis, but not sure if I'd want him to replace the head-gasket if that's the fault (I'd rather it was done by somebody who knows MGFs well).
Alternative is to take it to an 'expert'. There's a Rover specialist nearby, and 'Brown and Gammons' are not far away. But I fear being bent over for more work than is necessary.
Even as a runner it's not worth much, so maybe I should cut my losses and sell it for spares.
Any suggestions/recommendations ?
It's a little tatty, but drives really well and has been great fun in the sun.
Last week it overheated, I'd done three miles when I saw the cloud of steam. I parked and switched off.
Loads of steam, but no water escaping.
Closer inspection, when it had cooled down, revealed no evidence of water in the oil.
I should say at this point, that my love of cars does not extend to maintenance beyond basic servicing.
So, the obvious question - is it hgf or something else?
My first thought is to obtain a new pressure cap, and get my local friendly mechanic to replenish the water, fit the cap, and run it up to see what happens. I trust him to give me an honest diagnosis, but not sure if I'd want him to replace the head-gasket if that's the fault (I'd rather it was done by somebody who knows MGFs well).
Alternative is to take it to an 'expert'. There's a Rover specialist nearby, and 'Brown and Gammons' are not far away. But I fear being bent over for more work than is necessary.
Even as a runner it's not worth much, so maybe I should cut my losses and sell it for spares.
Any suggestions/recommendations ?
I would try a new cap first, as you have nothing to loose. Topping the expansion tank up doesn’t require any specialist skills or knowledge so long as the tank hasn’t run dry. If it has, the cooling system will need to be bled to ensure there are no airlocks introduced during filling up.
If it’s still overheating after a new cap, a trip to the local garage for a pressure test should rule out HGF and/or find any leak points.
A leaking water pump or inlet manifold gasket quite often doesn’t result in a puddle under the car as the coolant evaporates off the hot engine, so don’t assume HGF yet.
You need a trustworthy garage with a K-series, as so many garages are keen to jump on the HGF bandwagon as there is lots of money to be made from fixing them.
An MG main dealer diagnosed our F with HGF and quoted around £1200 to fix it. We took it to a local independent MG specialist for a second option and they found a £4 thermostat seal was the cause of the coolant loss. Shows just who valuable a garage you can trust is.
I have used Brown and Gammons before, they are better then most when it comes to repairing F’s, but not the cheapest. I can highly recommend Techspeed in Eathorpe Nr Leamingon Spa, though may be a bit out of the way for you.
If it’s still overheating after a new cap, a trip to the local garage for a pressure test should rule out HGF and/or find any leak points.
A leaking water pump or inlet manifold gasket quite often doesn’t result in a puddle under the car as the coolant evaporates off the hot engine, so don’t assume HGF yet.
You need a trustworthy garage with a K-series, as so many garages are keen to jump on the HGF bandwagon as there is lots of money to be made from fixing them.
An MG main dealer diagnosed our F with HGF and quoted around £1200 to fix it. We took it to a local independent MG specialist for a second option and they found a £4 thermostat seal was the cause of the coolant loss. Shows just who valuable a garage you can trust is.
I have used Brown and Gammons before, they are better then most when it comes to repairing F’s, but not the cheapest. I can highly recommend Techspeed in Eathorpe Nr Leamingon Spa, though may be a bit out of the way for you.
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