[Flanners]

Replaced the clutch fluid on the TF this morning, what came out did not look good; greased the arm/slave cylinder. Pedal had been getting harder to operate, appears a lot easier now. Will go out for a blat after lunch and test it.

 

[dert]

Check fluid level on my 160, pleased to say no different than 12 days ago, looks like my leaks are finally all sorted

 

[IanMc]

Fitted a replacement fuel filter and the old girl is back on the road again 😃👍

Correction: fuel pump, not fuel filter - Doh!

 

[dert]

Beginning to hate my 160, started this morning and sounded like a blow from the flexy-pipe, had a quick check as was on my way to work and it looks like the flexy has split...sods law, just as I thought everything on it was sorted

Also had a bird shat on my bonnet.....told her not taking her out again, but seriously, looked like a seagull had dropped its guts big time, cleaned it off to see paintwork already damaged

 

[D4KGP]

Beginning to hate my 160, started this morning and sounded like a blow from the flexy-pipe, had a quick check as was on my way to work and it looks like the flexy has split...sods law, just as I thought everything on it was sorted

Also had a bird shat on my bonnet.....told her not taking her out again, but seriously, looked like a seagull had dropped its guts big time, cleaned it off to see paintwork already damaged

Terrible stuff, does a lot of damage unless you can wash it off quickly.

 

[dert]

Finally got around to changing the fuel pump on my silver TF. This is the fuel pump which I took apart and botched a in tank pump unit for a Ford Focus. Pressure caused the botched pipe fitting to come off initially so fitted a mini fuel line jubilee clip and all appears to be working well. going to dismantle the unit I took off and look to fit a similar style fuel pump into that

 

[Wbvreeuwijk]

Replaced all four Hydragas spheres this weekend. A lot of blood, sweat, tears, and swearing went into it, but it seems to have been a success.

 

[Flanners]

TF dash back light flickering for a while so already thinking alternator issues, out for a evening blat last week and dash is like a Christmas Tree, warning lights on and off, tacho and speedo needle haywire as systems seem to be shutting down.....my daughter who was with me was right....get home. Did so, then tried to start car....dead.

Battery ok after charge....alternator? Did some trawling on TBar etc found that symptoms on a post matched mine i.e no red battery symbol illuminated when ignition on then going off.........new regulator for the alternator £33 delivered from MG Speicalist but same is on Amazon UK for twenty quid, so be warned.

Had the new regulator and belt fitted to my alternator (car has done 54k).....problem solved...battery light on then off on start and now charging once again etc.

So saved myself the needless expense of circa £150+ for new decent alternator.

 

[dert]

Changed the downpipe (flexy) on the 160, then after fitting new one found out old gaskets used was causing a blow, got new gaskets fitted only to find its blowing on the lambda sensor so will be coming off for a third time shortly

 

[dert]

Finally got some nice weather to fit new lambda sensor to the 160 so no longer blowing there, however, still got a blow between the down pipe and manifold which I find odd as new gaskets used, will take back apart to check in case manifold has a crack and to uses some exhaust gasket paste. beginning to get annoying now

 

[trevtherevs]

Got around to refitting headliner to hard top. Also, re-stuck rear seal on hardtop ready to refit. Still need to clear sill drains and sort out rattle on front. Think it's the bonnet catch, well hope it is and drop in for MOT next week. Looking at getting arm made up for tyre changer, and servo bracket (winter projects) and maybe recover speedo binnacle.

 

[D4KGP]

Finally got some nice weather to fit new lambda sensor to the 160 so no longer blowing there, however, still got a blow between the down pipe and manifold which I find odd as new gaskets used, will take back apart to check in case manifold has a crack and to uses some exhaust gasket paste. beginning to get annoying now

Hi, is it wise to use exhaust paste? As when it hardens bit can break off and damage the interior of the cat. Previous owner of my F had used it to seal before the cat, so the cat was damaged by hard bits of seal breaking off. Regards. D4KGP.

 

[dert]

Hi, is it wise to use exhaust paste? As when it hardens bit can break off and damage the interior of the cat. Previous owner of my F had used it to seal before the cat, so the cat was damaged by hard bits of seal breaking off. Regards. D4KGP.

Only an issue if you overload with gasket gunge otherwise your fine, used it a few times in the past, no issues

 

[IanMc]

Was forced to use my 1995 F for business yesterday. Essex to Dorset and back - a 385 mile round trip.

It never missed a beat and put a massive smile on my face on many occasions - especially when I sensed it had raised a few eyebrows as it went past people in the outside lane...

I love that car.

 

[dert]

Ended up having to take the downpipe (flexy) completely off the 160 again today, was only going to drop it slightly to put some gasket paste on to stop the blow, but unfortunately one of the nuts decided to seize (odd as its been off 4 times recently) and it sheered the stud. Anyway, brother had called around with some drifts to knock the stud out so gave him the downpipe while still under the car, he then pointed out the one downpipe was not fully welded around the top (pic below) so a quick out with the welder, brother welded it up and put on with some gasket paste. No more blowing annoyingly though this was the third time I'd taken it off and hadn't noticed the lack of weld each time! Also cleaned up the burr before refitting

 

[D4KGP]

Ended up having to take the downpipe (flexy) completely off the 160 again today, was only going to drop it slightly to put some gasket paste on to stop the blow, but unfortunately one of the nuts decided to seize (odd as its been off 4 times recently) and it sheered the stud. Anyway, brother had called around with some drifts to knock the stud out so gave him the downpipe while still under the car, he then pointed out the one downpipe was not fully welded around the top (pic below) so a quick out with the welder, brother welded it up and put on with some gasket paste. No more blowing annoyingly though this was the third time I'd taken it off and hadn't noticed the lack of weld each time! Also cleaned up the burr before refitting

View attachment 138860

So as it was blowing because of the lack of weld did you need to use exhaust paste? Regards. D4KGP.

 

[dert]

So as it was blowing because of the lack of weld did you need to use exhaust paste? Regards. D4KGP.

As I'd bought it I used it although, as the gasket was a thicker fibre style I probably didn't need to. Now have to sort out the water leak from the gasket I made and fitted a month or so back on the damn thing! Don't think the gasket sheet I used has held up very well to water

 

[D4KGP]

As I'd bought it I used it although, as the gasket was a thicker fibre style I probably didn't need to. Now have to sort out the water leak from the gasket I made and fitted a month or so back on the damn thing! Don't think the gasket sheet I used has held up very well to water

Always something, that's why we love them.

 

[SpottyCat]

I've just got the rear wheel off and pressure washed all round the wheel arch and suspension on the nearside. I will be having to replace the bearing or indeed, the whole upper control arm but the whole thing was caked in muck. Once that had dried off, I also slathered the various bolts in a penetrating fluid in advance. Thanks to the fantastic guide on here it looks a reasonably straightforward job (famous last words) but I do indeed suspect it will be easier to replace the whole arm than to faff with pressing out the bearing. I will also be doing the offside soon too 'cos if one is perished and clonking, the other can't be far off. For those that have done this, is it pessimistic to think it might be worth doing the upper ball joint at the same time?

 

[dert]

For those that have done this, is it pessimistic to think it might be worth doing the upper ball joint at the same time?

They are not that difficult to do as long as you have the correct size deep socket to take the old one off, I did all on one of my TF's a good while back even though it was only the front ones which were gone, funnily, it was when changing the upper ball joint was when I noticed the upper arm bush was knackered!

On other news, today I again ventured into the engine bay on the 160 to change the gasket on the sensors water block. All appears fine now, but if I've anything else go wrong with the damn car I'll be selling it and just move onto one of my less problematic TF's/F's which would have needed far less work and time spent than what I've done to the 160 to get them back on the road.