[mtm81]

Hi,
For the last week or so, when I'm trying to get out of the car, the handle that opens the door from the inside has become quite stiff... and I have to pull it quite hard to open the drivers door...

When it does open, it does with quite a "pop" as opposed to the passenger door which is none of the above.

Obviously something seems to have become misaligned or whatever..

any ideas?

James

 

[Mark.L]

Try checking the striker plates on the body, these have a habit of moving!.

To adjust/tighten you will need a `Torx` bit.

 

[matho]

Also check that the T-bar hasn't come out of it's clips and is sticking forward preventing the door closing properly. I had this recently and it took me ages to find out what it was!

 

[Broon]

MM, my passabger door is a bu**er to open, but it is also the only one which does not leak at all, so I just leave it like that

 

[Petevick]

Are you sure its the handle?, my driver door is sometimes difficult to open as it 'runs' over the seal, I give it a wipe with a silicone spray and its fine again.

 

[Scarlet Fever]

My money is on a broken window stop. Is the door easier to open with the hood down? (i.e. is the window glass binding on the hood seals?)

 

[Dazm]

My money is on a broken window stop. Is the door easier to open with the hood down? (i.e. is the window glass binding on the hood seals?)

How can youn tell if the stopper is bust??

Cheers

 

[Schtopper]

Sounds to me that he's on aboutt he internal handle being stiff, and then popping with a bit of pressure, rather than the door itself being hard to open.

That makes me think it's a latch problem, but if it's easy to open from the outside then it's obviously localised to the internal mechanism. I'd be tempted to take the internal door handle out and see if the clip that hold the bit of metal rod in place is buggered, or if there is something obstructing the handle from inside.

 

[Scarlet Fever]

How can youn tell if the stopper is bust??

The window stop is a plastic clip that prevents the window opening too far. Early versions break (it is an extremely common problem, i would be surprised if less than 50% of all early Fs haven't had them replaced at least once), resulting in a window that extends too far, causing pressure on the window rubbers and making the door hard to open - this pressure is passed through the door to the latch (making it stiff) and as the door pull is a simple cable operated system, it too becomes stiff.

In extremis the window can pop out a long way (say up to an inch), standing proud of the windscreen surround and hood seals.

Replace window stops with the 3rd generation design, consisting of a plastic coated metal bolt (rather than the older plastic clips) to cure permanently.

To diagnose (a window stop that is on the way out rather than gone completely), open the door with the hood down, should be OK. Close door and then raise the hood. Open door again - if it is going, the door will be stiff (pressure from the hood seals on the window). Some stiffness increase is to be expected, but a big difference indicates poor window alighnment and this is normally down to failing window stops.

Broken early design window stop 3rd generation window stop (bolt type)​

A 'how to' on replacing them is in the MGF FAQ (2), here:

>> http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dotcom...aq/diy/bodywork/windows/window_stops_diy.html <<

 

[mtm81]

no it's not the window stops... the door handles themselves - interior and exterior..

To me, it seems as though the it's something to do with the latch mechansim..

If I pull the interior handle, it creaks a little, I then have to put a load of pressure (more than normal), to kind of get it "over" whatever is stopping it... then it "pops" open..

nothing to do with the windows..

Just wondering if altering the mechanism is something that can be done easily myself?


(thinking about, this all seemed to start after I started using the superlock method when parking my car round my g/f's house....

James