21/08/2007 20:46:50 CR15COX So.... I've started off with a MGF Trophy 160, I've added a Vader induction kit, sports cat, custom exhaust and had it on the rolling road to set it up. It goes well and I drive it hard :) (very hard). Sometimes the temp gauge gets a bit carried away (when easing off and slowing down). I've even had to let quite a bit of coolant out of the header tank to allow for the expansion. Since i did this it hasn't been as bad. But now I'm worried about the cooling system as a whole. Is there a bigger radiator i can get that will simply replace the standard? Or a biggrer header tank maybe? I'd quite like to get the head ported to get a bit more juice but dont want to stretch the engine and blow any gaskets. :D I know I ask a lot of questions but im a keen mg nut :D

21/08/2007 21:26:15 Stu [quote=CR15COX]So.... Sometimes the temp gauge gets a bit carried away (when easing off and slowing down). I've even had to let quite a bit of coolant out of the header tank to allow for the expansion. [/quote] [U][B]This should not happen[/B][/U] Either your radiator fan is not coming on or possibly the radiator is getting a bit tired or perhaps water pump or thermostat. The temp gauge should go up to one notch below half way and stop there, any movement upwards and i'd be switching off. The only temp that might go up a bit on trackday or spirited driving is the oil temp but it should not go into the red. You really need to get this checked out before Donny, I would hate to see you have a HGF. Stu

22/08/2007 07:31:30 Martin C [quote=CR15COX]I've even had to let quite a bit of coolant out of the header tank to allow for the expansion. [/quote] Stu is right about this and it needs checking out, it has the certain ring of the start of head gasket failure. The coolant level should not expand to this level, if it is something is getting into the system. It is not likely to be water, so that only leaves oil. Are there any signs of mayonnaise in the header tank:confused: The other option is cylinder gases creeping through the gasket and pressurising the system. This sounds the most likely possibilty and believe me it is Soooo disappointing when your HG fails on a track day......I know:mad: Martin.

22/08/2007 07:56:10 Tim Guy Agree with all the above. The level in the header tank should run just below the seam when cold and on or slightly above the seam when hot. The Trophy head is already quite good I think. Recon you'd be better off investing your cash in stuff to make it go round corners quicker. That includes the driver ;) Dave Andrews is the man to talk to about head porting, have a look at [URL="http://members.aol.com/DVAndrews/kengine.htm#cylinderhead"]his site[/URL]. I believe one of the other posters in here is going to see him for a K06 upgrade soon ;)

22/08/2007 08:24:40 Dave Hi Chris, Yes, the guys are right - you may have a problem here. The coolant level in the header tank should be as stable as the water temp gauge! As Stu says, with (very) spirited driving (really should only be likely on track) you will see oil temperature increases over normal. The VVC engine being much more prone to this. Start looking for reasons for the cooling system not to be working properly: [LIST] [*]header tank cap not pressurising properly [*]radiator not working properly [*]radiator fan not working (fuse blown) [*]etc.[/LIST]Regards, Dave P.S. Despite what I told you about the magic of DVA, Balrog (Tim) is also right - the horses are far less important to lap times than suspension changes and driving skills!

22/08/2007 16:18:36 CR15COX [b]ooh eck!![/b] I see this could be a bigger problem than i thought :( I'm pretty happy with the set up of the car, but i know It'll get better(faster) with experience. I actually changed the coolant pipes myself and then refilled and bled the system to just below the seam in the header tank. It was shortly after this that the temp gauge went up and it spat some coolant out the PRV on the cap. This was after some excessive drivng when I stopped at a petrol station, I let it cool down and then gently drove home (about a mile) The next day I bled some coolant out the system and now run it about 1/4 full in header tank, with no more problems, The oil gauge has never moved above normal. The fan kicks in ok too. Not got any mayonnaise type stuff in oil cap or header tank, so think i may have got away with it. Suppose i was lucky that the cap PRV blew and no major components :) phew!! Thanks to all!!

22/08/2007 16:39:01 Dave When bleeding the system did you use all the bleed points? - see [URL="http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/group2/coolant/coolant_bleed_procedure.htm"]here[/URL]. If so, then replace the expansion tank cap and bring the water level back up to the right level - look inside the expansion tank for the actual max and min indicators, but the seam is a good guide. Then take it from there. Water level shouldn't change and neither should the water temp guage.

22/08/2007 18:45:25 Tim Guy Yup, that will be it, you didn't say you'd changed the coolant. Trapped air expands as the temp rises and blows coolant out of the cap. Think you got lucky, I've known of people who have got HGF from airlocks.

22/08/2007 19:25:00 CR15COX [b]three?? oops![/b] Christ I didn't realise that there were three nipples :eek: I did everything else as described but only bled from the radiator. I think you've hit the nail on head there then, must have been air getting pushed round. Very lucky indeed :o I'll get in there tomorrow just to check the other vents. Thanks again for the advice lads much appreciated :) Also... Whats this about suspension upgrades?? I thought that the suspension is hydra-gas so is set up by the fluid in the system, to raise or lower the height? I believe mine is set to the 'Trophy 20mm lower' stance as standard. What else would you recommend? While i'm picking your brains..... I believe i read somewhere that the Trophy has 'speed sensitive' steering. is this true? because my steering is very light (compared to my girlfreinds Trophy) and becomes twitchy when driving at speed. Does this sound like a problem you've come across? Any idea's??

23/08/2007 07:32:51 Tim Guy Poly bushes all round or at the least, compliance washers on the rear tie bar help with keeping the geometry stable under heavy braking and acceleration. Then there's body stiffening ala' TF. Yes, the EPAS is speed sensitive giving progressively less assistance as speed increases but not enough for some. Not done it myself but some disable the EPAS by taking out the fuse for track. Some even have a dash switch to do it. If its excessively twitchy, you might want to get a 4 wheel geo check done.

23/08/2007 09:55:55 Dave The MGF hydragas suspension is great for a smooth ride - though the Trophy is slightly firmer due to minor tweaking of the shocks and slightly lower. Nevertheless, significant improvements are possible by stiffening the shocks. The best approach IMHO, and one that has been proven over and over, with standard Fs and Trophys, is Techspeed's customised Bilstein shocks plus their geometry settings and ride height adjustments. The whole package is, again IMHO, the best modification you can possibly make to an F and probably Trophy too. The difference in handling is immense - with body roll greatly reduced. Confidence in cornering is therefore greater. Add in compliance washers (cheap) at the rear, or poly bushes (more expensive) if you want and you'll retain that geometry, as Tim says, under braking. The VHS stiffening kit also adds to stability and confidence in handling, though combined with the stiffer shocks it makes for a [B]very[/B] firm ride on public roads. The kit adds three braces that the later MG TF has, acheiving around 70% of the torsional stiffness improvements that were made from the F (and Trophy) to the TF when combined with the later solid sub-frame mounts. I can't remember exactly, but I think the solid sub-frame mounts actually came in with the Trophy. As well as all of the above modifications my car also has Techspeed's '4 nipple' job or in other words independent hydragas (cutting the connection between front and rear wheel on each side). I can't comment on the effect of this in addition to the other suspension changes, as my car had both done at the same time. However, most people have had the Techspeed suspension package without the 4-nipple job and they have felt that their car's handling has been equally transformed. Finally EPAS; - the cut-out switch is well worth the effort. I always us it on track and switch it back on for public roads. See [URL="http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/group2/DIY/epas/epas_bypass.htm"]here [/URL]for the instructions, courtesy of Will Munns. There shouldn't be any difference between Fs and Trophys in this respect. If your steering feels light at motorway speeds it may be more to do with the geometry/ride height/suspension and airflow. The Trophy splitter should make it slightly better than a standard F, but to be honest I don't think the splitters make a great deal of difference if the car is well set up in the first place. Another steering related mod is to fit the TF steering rack which has less turns lock to lock - can't remember the numbers offhand. It's quite noticeable as soon as you drive a TF, though once you've fitted the rack to your F you soon get used to it :)

23/08/2007 16:03:23 Tim Guy The Trophy is unique in having a different cone angle on the hydragas units which make them far stiffer as well as lower than the standard F. The shocks are uprated too but maybe Bilstens will take you a bit further. Personally I wouldn't want to go any harder than standard on a car that get regular general road use.