Goodwood

I did this job recently and even added a small comment to the 'how to' regarding reinstallation of the door lock (this will make the job much easier)

I seem to recall having the same observation. I think I also did it with the window down. As I recall, one of the positions did block access. If you can get access with the window down, then do it that way.

I was not able to 'unhook' the bar from the lower door latch as described in the instructions but this was not a problem. I think the design changed on the later cars and it does not come off as easily. I was afraid to force it / break it, so I left it alone. It was not a problem as it was able to unhook from the door handle end.

The biggest part of this job was having to paint the new door handle. Despite what others have said, I found it to be quire straightforward. Just be patient .

Here is a friendly tip from a recent experience with a similar task.

In order to remove the door lock barrel, as you have already learned, you need to remove the retainer clip.

Reinstallation is not the reverse of disassembly. Put the clip back in first, which is relatively easy then put the lock barrel back in. Just push it back in. The lock barrel is designed to be put back in with the clip in place. If you do it the other way around (which many seem to do), it is an unnecessarily difficult task.

I would recommend contacting the MGF Centre. They have a large inventory of second hand parts.

Thank you for the advice. I will order a piar of clips and fit them as a precautionary measure. Seems like a simple solution.

I don't think this problem is new or unusual but I could not seem to find anything about it using the search function.

My wipers work properly in all speeds.

My issue is that there is a clicking noise that seems to be coming from the relay (although perhaps it is the wiper linkage or motor) when the wipers are on the intermittent setting. There is no noise in any other speeds. Yesterday was probably the first time I used the intermittent wiper function, so my feeling is that this 'problem' was already there since I purchased the car in 2020. This car is not my daily driver and does not see much rain.

I can live with the noise, provided it is not a prelude to a malfunction. I have read various things about this topic on other sites and am just not certain what it is. Is this normal? Any advice?

I would like to add a bit of information on how to make this job easier.

1. Insert the lock clip before reinstalling the door handle (there seems to be a common misunderstanding that the clip can only be reinserted after the lock barrel is in place from inside the car - this is very difficult to do and the incorrect method!). After the door handle has been bolted into place, simply then push the lock barrel into its hole and it will snap into place. See the attached as why it works this way. This will save you a lot of time and frustration.

2. I put a bit of masking tap over the 2 bolt holes in the door when the handle was out and them put the bolts through it to hold them in place. When you reinsert the door handle, the bolts are in place and just screw in.

3. I could not succeed in unclipping the plastic door handle rod (the red plastic part in the image) from the door latch mechanism. They are designed for one-way easy factory installation but not so easy removal. I was concerned about damaging the plastic or the door latch mechanism I found it much easier to unbolt the door handle and ease it out of the door with the rod still attached. From the outside of the car, it was easy to unscrew the 'gold bar' (as described in the image) with a small ratchet style screwdriver using a posi-drive bit. When I reinstalled the door handle, I just did this in reverse - very easy.

4. Just to state the obvious, the door handle cannot be removed from the door with the lock barrel in place. The handle needs to be angled in order to come out of the door and it is not possible to do this with the lock barrel in place.

5. If you have your door panel off for whatever reason, it is good to check the door handle bolts for tightness. While the plastic on the door handles will fail eventually, I have the impression that it will fail more quickly if the bolts are a bit loose because this put additional strain on the door handle plastic mounts. It probably also helps longevity to try to not pull up too hard on your door handle when opening the door.

I hope this information helps make this job easier. Sooner or later, the plastic on these door handles break (around the bolts) and replacement is very common. Fortunately, new handles are still being manufactured by Xpart.

minimax wrote:

The best solution for me has been to buy a more appropriate car for wintry conditions fitted with all of the above features as standard and much better lights.

Yes. That makes a lot more sense and is a much easier solution. Save your MG for nicer weather!

Thank you for clarification. There is a used one in this color presently available on ebay but it will require drilling as you have described. Drilling is not hard but it will not look quite the same. It will also require a small amount of painting around the drilling.

I think I will just order a new one and have it painted. The upside being that the plastic is newer and should last longer than a used part.