Topic

I have recently acquired an nice MGTF. Rain pours through the boot/trunk lid engine cooling grille and into the engine bay. It seems to me that the grille should be covered when it the car is parked outside. Does anyone else have concerns about this?

No problem with the grille, it was designed to be exposed.
Of all the things to worry about, this isn't one of them.

I guess you're right. It must be designed for it. It still doesn't look right.

The rubber seal should prevent water entering the boot from this vent. Any water passing through the vent should just run out of the bottom of the engine bay. It's not really that different from many other cars where there is a grille at the front between the bonnet and the windscreen.

its no different to a bonnet vent on a front engined car. nothing to worry about.

I am not concerned with water getting into the boot area - as Bruce says, the rubber seal should take care of that. But large amounts can and do go straight through to the engine and accessories. This does not really happen with a normal car: the scuttle water from the windscreen area is kept well clear of the engine bay (as long as the drains are clear). I've never come across another car where this is allowed to happen.

What about when you drive in rain in any other car? water goes throught the front grills, up off the road from puddles etc, engines are made with getting wet in mind. hell, ive presure washed (older i admit) engines before. its fine, seriously.

Google bonnet vents/ if you want, lots of cars have big vents and louvers that allow not only air, but also water into the engine bay.

Nice looking tf btw, i wish i had bought a white one to be honest!

I have exactly the same concern. The car is obviously designed to allow the rain to pass through, I just don't like the idea. I had a small sheet of perspex which I have cut to cover the vents, stuck a little handle on it & a couple of rectangular pieces which locate in the vents to stop it sliding off. Bent it slightly to the profile of the lid.
It works a treat & has stayed in place even in high winds. When I use the car, I pop it in the boot.

Small amounts of water getting on to the front of the radiator while you are driving a normal car is not the same thing at all. The MGF/TF design allows rain water to pour directly on to engine/accessories 24x7.

I have just made almost exactly the same item as Bogrottor. I cut a 24 x 8 inch rectangle from a heavy duty PVC box lid and fitted a 'press-and-turn' fastener made to seal a wash-basin slot type overflow when unblocking the drain. Too early to say how well it works, but I am very hopeful. I hope it doesn't effect the boot-lid paintwork.

Hi-I agree with Cobber also-the car was meant to be that way and is for engine cooling .
Blocking that grille is not a good idea ,the rainwater usually collects on the inner skin and drains away.


Mike

The other evening, overnight rain was forecast. I covered the removable engine grille (under the boot lid) with a folded towel then closed the boot lid on it. The rain fell as forecast and in the morning I wrung more than a pint of water from the towel. And there was plenty more still in the towel. All of that would have gone through the engine bay.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that the engine grill should be blocked - as g4wam comments, obviously a very bad idea!!
Before constructing the plastic cover, I placed a towel on top of the grill & held it down with a piece of wood. I was astounded as to how much rain water I regularly wrung out of the towel.
As my car stands outside & is little used, unless I cover it up with a full car cover, I sit the plastic cover over the grill then, as I said earlier, just pop it in the boot when I use the car.
I suppose if you use the car as a daily driver, it's not really an issue but as mine can stand for 2-3 weeks unused, I feel more comfortable not having copious amounts of rain water passing through the grill - whether it's designed that way or not.