- Argh!

Sunny day, roof down, shades on, open road - could it get any better?

YES! There's nothing like an annoying rattle, squeak or buzzing sound to take the edge off an otherwise enjoyable drive. What's more, the souce of these irritating noises are often difficult to pin-point or seemingly impossible to reproduce when stationary.

To be fair open-top cars are more prone to rattles and squeaks because they don't benefit from the rigidity provided by the solid roof of a saloon car. Sports-cars with their harder suspension and stiffer ride compound this problem further by being less able to absorb imperfections on the road surface.

Before getting too carried away and looking for problems that don't exist, rule out the simple things first...

• Are there loose items in the glovebox/cubby-holes/boot?
• Is the spare wheel and/or jack/tools properly secured under the bonnet?
• Is it something you're wearing or brought into the car with you, i.e. a zip on your jacket/handbag?

We don't claim to have the solution to all (if any!) of the noises you may expierence, but we have out-lined a few of the more common causes effecting the MGF/TF...

- Engine

When starting from cold it's not uncommon for the MGF/TF's engine to sound a little 'clattery' (similar to a diesel car). This is particularly apparent if the car has been standing for some time as the oil drains from the hydraulic tappets allowing free-play between the tappets and camshaft lobes. As the oil is pumped around the engine this oil is replenished and the clattering should die down after about 30-60 seconds. If the sound persists it may indicate the engine is low on oil, or the oil may be particularly dirty causing blockages that prevent the tappets working correctly.

Note:

• VVC engines tend to be noisier due to their additional (and complex!) moving parts.

• A batch of VVC MGF's were subject to a service bulletin concerning a bolt on the engine that may not have been tightened to the correct torque. If you believe your VVC is particularly noisey, it may be sensible to check with your dealer to determine whether your car was affected, and if so the required actions taken.

- Exhaust

A buzzing sound effecting mainly ealier MGF's, most likely from the 'flexi-pipe' section of the exhaust and more commonly present at idle with a cold engine. One way to alleviate this sound is to attach an additional bracket (MGR part) to the exhaust system, although this is used to dampen vibrations rather than hold the exhaust more securely. Changes to the exhaust system on later MGF's and the TF have possibly cured this problem.

- Hood Catch(es)

The mechanism of the hood catches are quite loose and as such susceptible to rattling, mostly with the hood down as there is no tension acting on the moving parts. In some cases this can be lessened by adjusting the catch's tension nut.

- Sun Visors

Like the hood catches it is the design of the sun visors that leads to the noises they frequently generate: The lightly sprung flap-over section tends to tap against the main body of the visor and/or the visor vibrates against the header-rail.
See 'Related Articles' below.

- Rear Window Zip

A metalic jangling behind the seats at head height can often to attributed to nothing more than the end of the rear window's zip swinging and knocking against the hood frame. This is easily cured as there is a piece of Velcro at the end of the zip and down the side of the window - just stick the two halves together! :)

Note: Owners of newer TF models have reported the Velcro is no longer provided, although this has not been confirmed.

- Related Articles

• Fixing Rattles/Squeaks - Sun Visors

  
  

18th September 2003, Paul Lathwell & Sue Fowler