I cant do it, just cant! been out driving tonight and the thought of jacking it back up, taking the wheel arch cover off, then the cam cover etc....... I would rather drive it!! I am going to take a look on Saturday morning when the wife is at work.

Got it to 4000 rpm today and no nasty noises, seems fine. Only problem is temperature - there is a thermostat in, I checked when I had the head off but the car doesnt seem to warm up! The gauge will go to about 60degC but no higher.

Also, anyone know how to change the dashboard bulbs (especitally the speedo bulb).

Ta

Where's 60°C on the gauge? (Can't remember off the top of my head). Mine usually stays at about 8-8:30 o'clock.

The bulbs on the speedo are easy to change; undo two screws on the front of the speedo cluster, pull it halfway out, unplug 2-3 cables, and hey presto.

Edit: Just remembered; you need to remove some plastic from the steering column too.

If it's only getting up to 60'c you have the same problem mine had - the thermostat's nackered. Problem is they are huge, have four pipes and one sender on them and cost £35+!

Robot - 60'c is just off the bottom mark on the temp gauge. If yours points to 8:30 that's wierd, mine points more like 3:00 when warmed up

Ahh so you have to change the whole unit, not just the thermostat element. Is this sticking open a common thing?? I will take a look at the cam belt tensioners this weekend and if one needs replacing, I can have them send a thermostat at the same time.

Yeah, you have to change the whole casting. It's the same 'stat my Alfa 156 had, and that failed in exactly the same way.

For me, if you suspect the water pump might be the squeak, why not change it when you have the coolant drained for the thermostat change?

Yep thats a plan, I dont really suspect the water pump based on it feeing ok when it was out but you are right, for the sake of £20 I was silly not to do the water pump anyway!

HP. said:

Robot - 60'c is just off the bottom mark on the temp gauge. If yours points to 8:30 that's wierd, mine points more like 3:00 when warmed up

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Wouldn't 3:00 be a few hundred °C? You might wanna consider topping up your coolant

Think we're at cross purposes here

If my temp gauge is pointing to the right, i.e. 3 o'clock, that's 90'c.

SO, took wheel arch cover off and removed cam cover, started her up and no squeak! Blooming thing! Anyway, sprayed a little WD40 on the tensioners whilst it was running, then engine off, built back up, drained coolant, replaced thermostat (only managed to get a copy 83degC one locally, not OEM), then new battery, built back up and out for a blast!

Rang fine, no squeaks, pulled well and temperature went up to about 3:30! so I guess about 80-85 degrees. Reved it up to 4500rpm and all seems fine, thats about as far as I will take her for a few hundred miles. So now for the next list of jobs that need doing:

Try to sort out airbag warning light, replace the blown bulbs in the dash, give it one hell of a polish and try get some of the scratches out, get the alloys reconditioned, get the tracking done, change the gearbox and diff oil and hey presto, a car with no service history will have had everything done that can be done!!!

I am going to wash and polish this weekend so will finally put up some pictures!

At to top today off, the MG just passed its MOT!!

Regards

Chris

HP. said:

Think we're at cross purposes here

If my temp gauge is pointing to the right, i.e. 3 o'clock, that's 90'c.

Click to expand...

Oops...you're right; I incorrectly remembered that my gauge was the other way around...

Well, congratulations again (no, not you Robot)

I'm not much of a mechanic so when the car starts after some work like that I feel like Doctor Frankenstein..... "He's alive!!!!!".

I feel I should be congratulated for being a dozy c*nt :chin: