Project Little Green MGF - oh balls.

[purplebargeken]

Balls. Went to start the MGF up just now, thought I would check the oil and so on.

 

Coolant level has dropped quite a bit and the mayo is again present in the oil. Looks like HGF it is then.

 

Balls.

[Tamworthbay]

Ah crap

[purplebargeken]

Yeah, my thoughts exactly.

[Noel Tidybeard]

where is mayo? cap or dipstick?

[purplebargeken]

Dipstick but the MGF has a remote oil filler setup. There is no mayo on that cap. There is a normal cap but getting to it is restricted without taking out the access panel. I can get to it but can't turn the thing without undoing everything. 

[Fabergé Greggs]

Ah, sorry to hear this pal.

[purplebargeken]

Time for an MX5 methinks

[Dick Longbridge]

Time for an MX5 methinks

I occasionally go onto the MR2 Roadster forum for odd bits of advice for ours. Stick with me - bear in mind the MR2 is mid-engined like the MX5.

When typing in 'MX5', the swear filter automatically corrects it to 'engine in the wrong place'. Made me chuckle, anyway.

Stick with an MGF/TF chap - if I didn't buy the MR2, I planned to buy one of these.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Balls. Went to start the MGF up just now, thought I would check the oil and so on.

 

Coolant level has dropped quite a bit and the mayo is again present in the oil. Looks like HGF it is then.

 

Balls.

 

 

K Series shat itself.

 

That's a new one.  

 

I don't know why you keep buying this stuff. It's like self harming only worse.

[purplebargeken]

You might be on to something there Rev.

 

I'll just have to save up and get it done by one of the reputable mobile K series folk. 

 

Thing is, it's an ace little car and I love driving it. Nothing yet has given me the same buzz (apart from my ZRX 1100).

[OwdChina]

Time for an MX5 methinks

Hmmm, my wife has owned both the MG & Mx5, still does in fact, and while the MX is less trouble than the MG it's the MG that's more fun to drive and defo has the edge for hooning around in.

 

In the USA and currently for sale

 

 

In England (sat for 10yr) and currently needing work an money to go back on the road

 

[Felly Magic]

The K series engine really is a hopeless pile of crap really, it is designed to blow it's head gasket no matter what you do, even with the upgraded gasket it eventually will blow again, it's about time someone came up with a compatible engine swap, say a Toyota twink 16v from rotten MR2s 

[Craig the Princess]

Does it still run? No point dismantling it until it needs it hopefully after the the days of summer.

[Zelandeth]

Just with regards to condensation due to sitting and short journeys - this is in an air cooled engine so nothing to do with HGF!

 

 

Oil drained from the sump and on the dipstick is spotless.

 

 

I know that would have worried me on most other cars!

 

Sadly as your coolant loss seems to be continuing and the sludge returning, it does look like head trouble...

 

The inlet manifold gasket problem I've heard mentioned regarding Rover 75s doesn't apply here too does it? Can't remember what mixed with what there though, but recall it could give head gasket like symptoms...

[Tamworthbay]

Hmmm, my wife has owned both the MG & Mx5, still does in fact, and while the MX is less trouble than the MG it's the MG that's more fun to drive and defo has the edge for hooning around in.In the USA and currently for saleCIMG2234.JPGIn England (sat for 10yr) and currently needing work an money to go back on the roadCIMG2225.JPG

Wrong MX5, they are lardy and not much fun. You need a mk1 and then they are superb. I have now driven a couple of MGFs and no disrespect but they ain’t no MX5.

[OwdChina]

Wrong MX5, they are lardy and not much fun. You need a mk1 and then they are superb. I have now driven a couple of MGFs and no disrespect but they ain’t no MX5.

Ahh, that must be the one with the pop-up lights, never driven one of them. As a side note though there is shed loads of older ones for sale at the mo here in Cal

[Tamworthbay]

Ahh, that must be the one with the pop-up lights, never driven one of them. As a side note though there is shed loads of older ones for sale at the mo here in Cal

That’s the one, the mk2 is ok (made fatter- allegedly after feedback from the US market requesting space for a set of golf clubs in the boot, and losing pop up lights for crash tests). The early 1.6 is the pick of the bunch to me. The 1.8 has barely any more power and doesn’t feel as free revving, later 1.6s were restricted so as not to affect 1.8 sales and are best avoided. MUCH easier to work on that an MGF too.

 

Good luck with HG Ken, shame it’s not working out quite as simple as hoped.

[SiC]

Wrong MX5, they are lardy and not much fun. You need a mk1 and then they are superb. I have now driven a couple of MGFs and no disrespect but they ain’t no MX5.

The MK3 suspension was raised to meet European pedestrian regulations. Lowering them to Japanese height makes a big difference. Also the wheel alignment is dreadfully out when they came out of the factory door. The Mazda spec was no where near tight enough. Even just getting the alignment sorted makes a huge difference.

 

I much preferred our MK3 for day-to-day use to our MK1 we had. Also unlikely to die if you have an accident or rollover incident.

[purplebargeken]

It does indeed run and run quite well tbh.

 

No doubt it will run quite well until it suddenly doesn't lol.

 

TWB, you haven't driven this little green MGF. It is one rapid little car.

[Tamworthbay]

It does indeed run and run quite well tbh.

 

No doubt it will run quite well until it suddenly doesn't lol.

 

TWB, you haven't driven this little green MGF. It is one rapid little car.

It’s more the driving position I don’t like, you sit ‘in’ too much for my liking, ot feels very enclosed. Whereas the MX5 is very exposed and gives a great view to keep an eye out for plod, sorry ‘interesting scenery’ before sliding around roundabouts (accidentally of course). Wish I hadn’t sold mine now but needed an estate.

[OwdChina]

It is one rapid little car.

 

Agreed............That filthy little neglected thing in England goes went like a scalded cat last time out..............I will put it back on the road one day...............track car.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The K series engine really is a hopeless pile of crap really, it is designed to blow it's head gasket no matter what you do, even with the upgraded gasket it eventually will blow again, it's about time someone came up with a compatible engine swap, say a Toyota twink 16v from rotten MR2s 

 

 

Or just weigh the fucking thing in.

[SiC]

It does indeed run and run quite well tbh.

 

No doubt it will run quite well until it suddenly doesn't lol.

 

TWB, you haven't driven this little green MGF. It is one rapid little car.

Says the man...

Now just dump that bloody TT.

You have probable HGF on the MGF, I just have a potential dicky gearbox on the TT.

[red5]

Time for an MX5 methinks

 Welding instead of headgaskets then...:-/

[purplebargeken]

Welding is preferable in 97% of automotive situations, well in my world anyhow.

 

Triumph 1300/1500 head gaskets fill me with no fear at all. 

 

I enjoy the MGF, it's decent inside, good underneath, it's fun to drive. It has sufficient character to make me want to keep it.

 

HGF happens, I had hoped that I had dodged the bullet but nope. If I can drum up the cash to get it done then I will. If not, I'll put it aside until I can.

 

It's a fucker but it happens.

[purplebargeken]

I just have a potential dicky gearbox on the TT. 

 

 

Hopefully, like Edd China, you'll be able to fix it for 50p and a lot of luck.

[purplebargeken]

or was that with a 50p. I can't really remember

[BeEP]

Just my opinion but here goes...

 

i) Ken, your MGF is a cracker.  I had a drive in in when it was stopping over at Craig the Princess's on the way from your first ownership to WW (I think).  Apart from crap headlights it was great.  If I've read the thread correctly then the mayo has appeared after periods of inactivity in damp/cold weather, and the first time cleared after a bit of use.  With the better weather this week why not use it for a few days and see if the same occurs (keeping on eye on the coolant level obviously).  In my experience you are more likely to see oil in the expansion tank than water in the oil when a K-series headgasket does let go, and the MGF has a number of other ways of losing water. These include the metal pipes from front to rear under the car corroding (unless yours has already had a stainless upgrade), the convoluted hoses from these pipes to the top of the engine splitting (as has happened on Craig's current MGF) and the resultant large number of hose clips involved in joining the whole lot together.  I would suspect the mayo and coolant loss is a co-incidence unless proven otherwise.

 

ii) The K-series is a cracking engine and it annoys me when people (who have probably never owned one) simply perpetuate the myths.  The early 1.1 and 1.4 with the 'closed deck' head rarely suffer HGF; when they do it's almost always due to faliure to spot a coolant leak (admittedly the small coolant capacity doesn't help).  The capacity stretch to 1.6 and 1.8 and the advent of the 'open deck' head does increase the probability of HGF, but most times it will still be due to unspotted coolant leaks or simply mis-diagnosis.  Looked after there's no reason they shouldn't manage the 200k my friend achieved in a 1.4 R8.

 

Dons flak-jacket and runs for the hills

[purplebargeken]

IIRC she has stainless coolant pipes, I think something coolant happened when Jon owned the car, possibly a split hose. Mind you, my memory is pretty crap.

 

The headlights are much better now with some moar better bulbs in lol. 

 

I'm going to do the dipstick out and run the car thing which seemed to help previously.

 

Loosing more coolant has bugged me somewhat. Getting the HG done is £350. It's do'able. Just not yet 'cos no money.

[andy18s]

Any use?