Topic

Hi all. My poor little MGTF broke down this morning. After calling out the recovery service the very nice chap took the engine hood off and noticed that the coolant was leaking from just above the starter motor.

Does anyone have any idea what this might be due to? The recovery chappie was stumped but just kept saying HGF HGF....

For any experts out there the water did seem to be under some pressure, even more so when said recovery chap squeezed a pipe at the other end of the engine.

Also.... there was no white smoke and the oil seems gunk free. The old girl was running fine until the overheat.

Advice greatly needed and appreciated.

Thanks all.

Ali :thumbsu:

Click these words, have a read though and try bleeding it as a first. You may just have a small air blockage in the coolant pipes.


Oh, and

Hi and welcome to the forum

It could be an external leak from the head gasket or possibly the inlet gasket.

James

If it's by the alternator, thats the opposite side to the inlet manifold, it's the outlet manifold above the altenator.

I can;t get to the TF now, but I'll have a quick look in the ZR's engine bay as I think there is a coolant pipe or two that run near there

re-read and looked at the ZR engine.

If it's above the starter motor as Lee James said it could be inlet manifold, especially if it is the plastic one as they warp over time. If your manifold looks like the one in the picture below, get that checked first. Some people will see an MG Rover car with a flat tyre and blame HGF (Head Gasket Failure)



Just to let you know, you can see the manifold from the boot so you don't have to take the engine panel off

The 2 metal engine coolant pipes also run over the top of the starter motor.
You need to find the leak point exactly as this will determine the course of action.
Use a torch while someone else squeezes the hoses.