help - MGTF K-series engine running rough

[Zippee]

Hi,
I've posted the below in G/Gassing but am posting here as well in case theres more experts here that don't look in GG;
My girlfriends 135 MGTF has recently started running a little rough and lumpy, down very slightly on power but more worryingly there seems to be only one of the twin exhaust pipes pumping anything out (the left hand side). It's also started to use a little more oil than it did before. Any ideas what could be the cause and is it likely to be expensive? The car was serviced about 2 months ago, has a full S/history (all on schedule) and is warmed up before being driven at normal road use.

[Mr2Mike]

The tail pipes go into a common silencer, so if exhaust gasses are only existing from one side it would point to the silencer being partialy blocked. If you put your hand over the end of the working pipe with the engine running, do any gasses then come out of the other side?

[That Daddy]

The twin tailpipes are cosmetic and come out from different parts of the silencer baffle area,so having more pressure from one side does not indicate anything amissalso the manifold exit entering the box is one common pipe for all four cylinders.

[Zippee]

Thanks guys - was worried something was quite worng for a minute.
The engine isn't running as smooth as it should though - best start with the simple things like leads and plugs before worrying too much..

[That Daddy]

Zippee said:

Thanks guys - was worried something was quite worng for a minute.
The engine isn't running as smooth as it should though - best start with the simple things like leads and plugs before worrying too much..

Check the level and quality of coolant make sure there is no oily gunge in the expansion bottle,dont want to scare munger but they have said running fault when the headgasket as started to fail(just a quick heads up)garages also presume that the platinum plugs fitted to this motor last forever they dont, and because of there location seldom get changed this could possibly be all thats wrong with your MG good luck

[Zippee]

That Daddy said:

Zippee said:

Thanks guys - was worried something was quite worng for a minute.
The engine isn't running as smooth as it should though - best start with the simple things like leads and plugs before worrying too much..

Check the level and quality of coolant make sure there is no oily gunge in the expansion bottle,dont want to scare munger but they have said running fault when the headgasket as started to fail(just a quick heads up)garages also presume that the platinum plugs fitted to this motor last forever they dont, and because of there location seldom get changed this could possibly be all thats wrong with your MG good luck

Thanks - the coolant is an orangey colour (standard for this car IIRC) and theres no gunk around the cap or the oil filler so touch wood.....
Will definitely get it checked though just in case.

[annodomini2]

Zippee said:

That Daddy said:

Zippee said:

Thanks guys - was worried something was quite worng for a minute.
The engine isn't running as smooth as it should though - best start with the simple things like leads and plugs before worrying too much..

Check the level and quality of coolant make sure there is no oily gunge in the expansion bottle,dont want to scare munger but they have said running fault when the headgasket as started to fail(just a quick heads up)garages also presume that the platinum plugs fitted to this motor last forever they dont, and because of there location seldom get changed this could possibly be all thats wrong with your MG good luck

Thanks - the coolant is an orangey colour (standard for this car IIRC) and theres no gunk around the cap or the oil filler so touch wood.....
Will definitely get it checked though just in case.

May not be mixing with the coolant the common place for these to fail is on the front of the block to the outside or into the cylinder, not much help I know with an MGTF, but is there any blue smoke when you rev it?

[esselte]

That Daddy said:

The twin tailpipes are cosmetic and come out from different parts of the silencer baffle area,so having more pressure from one side does not indicate anything amissalso the manifold exit entering the box is one common pipe for all four cylinders.

There is a valve which closes one exit off at low revs...

here

HTH