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MG MGF Technical - electrical fault?

Just crawled back up the A1 with the battery light on for the last few dozen miles - thinking maybe the alternator or battery were on their way out.
The radio died thirty miles ago.
On the edge of town, the abs light came on.
Turning into my street, the power steering light came on and the steering became very stiff.

Now, the engine just clicks when the key is turned.

I'm going to call the AA in the morning but do any of you have any ideas what the problem might be?

Cheers.
Steve Madden



Alternator most likely...it stopped charging your battery and now its drained..

I just changed mine...(worth ringing Victoria at the MGF Centre) alot cheaper than £170 for a new one...

They are very fiddly but relatively easy to change...just need slim long fingers :-)

Stu
Stu Dickens

It's not the belt that's broken, so the alternators not being turned, is it?
Keith

Steve, I think that you are in the right area - the problem is likely to be alternator related (never heard of a battery failure being so precipitous).

Either the alternator is cream-crackered, or one (both?) of the electrical connections to it are at fault. It'd start by checking and cleaning up the earth strap and live wires and see if that helps. Assuming that you can get the engine running again, you can use a voltmeter over the battery terminals to judge whether the alternator is charging or not.

A healthy charging circuit and healthy battery and you'll see about 13-14volts across the battery. If <11 volts, then there is a problem with the charging circuit. Assuming that the wiring harness is in good nick, then the problem is more than likely to be alternator based. :o(

Stu recently replaced his - how much was it from the MGFC mate?
Rob Bell

Thanks, fellas.
AA man's been and we got it to the garage (just).
He also thinks it's the alternator or belt but wasn't familiar with MGFs and didn't seem keen to get inside the engine (I've found over the years that the knowledge of AA men regarding the peculiarities of the MGF varies quite a lot - there's one of the local AA men who'll have the hood up and the cover off and the car up on a jack within minutes but it wasn't him today!)
Hoping the alternator is covered under the AA Parts and Labour cover!
Steve Madden

The alternator belt is accessed from the offside wheel arch Steve, it's behind a fibreboard cover. Alternator is harder to get too - but much easier once the car is up on ramps.

Fingers crossed regarding the AA cover! :o)
Rob Bell

Keith had it right - it was just the belt.
So that clatter I heard wasn't just a stone bouncing in the wheel arch, then!
S Madden

This thread was discussed between 15/04/2004 and 19/04/2004

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