[Nick Walters]

posted at the MG enthusiast BBS
just thought id post here to

i had a coolant leak from the heater pipes on my 96 MGF this was due to a failed hose clip..

i have just had the system done at rover

total cost.
500ml superplus 3 af x 6
hose clip x 4

Total parts £16.45

Labour £22.50

total inc vat = 45.77

only prob is it idles very high now at about 1100revs
the engine temp guage stays the same.
but the fan had kicked in by the time i got home
which is about 7 miles form the garage..

is this normal?? does a VVC rev higher than a standard MPi on idle as on the invoice they have put MG VVC and mine is a MPi

 

[Nick Walters]

i have just been up to my garage to have a look
and found the coolant cap on very loose
i tightened this up and took it for a blast around swindon and up the motorway for a few miles
idle is back to normal and the fan didnt cut in
also all engine temps are back to what they should be

amazing what a cap can do, hopefully this has now sorted it :0)

 

[Dr Dave]

Coolant change

Nick W - Welcome!

We seem to replace many expansion tank caps due to leakage. The high idle problem you experienced was probably caused by a small pocket of air contained within the cooling system.
The air pocket may have lodged near to a coolant sensor and have caused a false reading to be sent to the MEMS ECU, fooling it into thinking the engine temperature was actually lower than it was, therefore the idle speed was 'jacked' up.
Otherwise, it could be a sticking throttle body. There have been many problems associated with the plastic throttle body [on all K series models] sticking when hot [causing a high idle speed]
This is curable by fitment of a late throttle body [all alloy construction]
The only bad thing is the cost, about £100!???