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MG MGF Technical - Noisy tappetts - VVC

I think the car has just been neglegted with oil changes, so I'm gonna flush it and refill a couple of times. It's a 1.8 vvc

Any recommendations advice would be much appreciated by those who have resolved this problem?
P Marron

Take a look at Mike Saturs web site, he has a modification for oiling the tappets, but it won't cure already noisy ones.
Sorry it doesn't help much
M.
Mike (Mersea Office)

Thanks, I did see the mod. I was hoping someone would confirm that a couple of flushes would resolve the noise!
P Marron

What oil is there in the engine now, as mine used to have the noise. Since i changed to W 0-40 the noise is not heard anymore.

Johan
Johan Slagter

Not sure of what oil. The level is ok, but I suspect it's not been changed in at least 4k miles. I've just got the car. What is W 0-40? and where can I buy it?
P Marron

>> I was hoping someone would confirm that a couple of flushes would resolve the noise! <<

Yes, this usually helps :o)
Rob Bell

The lotus boys recommend getting the oil hot and running the engine up thru the revs a lot. W0-40 should be 0W40, an example of which is Mobil 1 from halfords or much cheaper from quickfit, but you have to take your own container.
Will Munns

This sounds promising, I'll give it a try. Thanks.

I recently took the car to an 'MG garage' and asked them to change the oil. They said the 'VVC units' needed replacing and the job would cost £2000!! The VVC Units apparantly being £369 each...what the hell are VVC units?!!
P Marron

The VVC has four separate cams - effectively one for each of the cylinders. Replacing with new is therefore going to prove to be extremely expensive if buying new!!!

More detail on how the VVC works can be found on this interesting Lotus site:http://www.sandsmuseum.com/cars/elise/thecar/engine/rover.html

Why does the garage think that the VVC needs replacing???
Rob Bell

I had a look at that site before, it's very good. Thanks. These engines seem to be the business, but they're sensetive, and if not maintained - regular oil changes etc, then things obvisously will start to go wrong. This car, which I have just bought - very, very cheap - looks like it has just been under serviced over the last 14k miles. So, I knew I was taking a little bit of a gamble, but then every 2nd hand car is! I'm going to flush the engine and change the oil a couple of times over the weekend and see if I can't lubricate the VVC's properly and get them to quieten down.
P Marron

If you can't fix the VVC by flushing then you have two options.

A second hand head from the MGF centre + Fitting (guess £300 + £600 labour) or take your current head to DVA and he will replace the cams with solid versions, breath a little magic and add a couple of 10's of horsepower for you - prices on the DVA site.
Will Munns

Solid versions? I've read a little on this. Should Rover not have done this before?! I didn't know about DVA, so thanks for this advice. I hope the flush and oil works though, becuase I know that once I start with mds it's endless!
P Marron

Dave's website: http://members.aol.com/DVApower/

Converting to solid cams is certainly an option. A bit of breating on the ports, and you could see 180+ bhp.

Why did MG Rover go the VVC route? It's a very clever system that promotes low-end torque, and better still, remains emissions compliant :o)

DVA may be able to help out and repair the VVC on your current car if you ask him - but the alternative is to buy a complete head (reassembling VVC mechanisms is not for the inexperienced). The MGF Centre would be my first stop for this :o)
Rob Bell

All this advice sounds good. I think the garage just thought I had more money than sense!! Mike Satur said some garages send up the VVC's for them to do as they don't know how to do them!!
P Marron

I flushed the engine and filled with 0/40 oil. The engine started and was much quiter, but after driving a few miles the noise came back, not as bad, but still unaceptable. So I've decided to swap the head for a new one (Trophy 160 with 8000k on it). Looking forward to driving a proper sounding car!
P Marron

Hmm - could be that one of the tappets was on its way out, or so worn as to start to become noisy...

Enjoy the new Trophy - it's a fun car! What colour?
Rob Bell

Rob, I think it's only the head that is being changed not the whole car ;-p
M
Mike (Mersea Office)

Yep, it's the head only. I guess I'll also have to get the other mods to go with it...throttle, air filter, exhaust....but not before I get one of those MP3 hard drive car stereos!! :-)
P Marron

D'oh! The dangers of skim reading!!! LOL What's the plan for the old head?
Rob Bell

The plan for the old head is good ol' ebay!
P Marron

This thread was discussed between 10/11/2004 and 15/11/2004

MG MGF Technical index

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