Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) 3.7 roadster - any known issues? and Battery life

I have the permission of she who limits revolutions to go for a new Pus 6. Whoopee I thought until I added up the spec I want. This was OK until I realised that I hadn't added the 20% VAT on the extras - came to £94k

Doing the same for a new Roadster (which I've driven and enjoyed) would work out at £70k in the form that I'd like it. Given that the balance would update the daily driver I'm tempted.

OK so it's too early to say what the Plus 6 will turn out like (except for the potential to overheat - anyone clocked the changed front end since launch?) I thought I'd ask what the views were on a brand new 3.7. I know they have a reputation for going backwards through a hedge but that's an operator error in my book.

By the way, I'm still on the original battery after 15years - chuck it or stick with it as it's always on a conditioner (battery lasted longer than the conditioner which came with the car)

Thoughts welcome

Roady

GREAT cars....

Honest opinion...

Except for one thing... major IMHO if you like 'driving' properly hard to use the Roadster as a 'drivers car'...

The 'Rev Hang' is horrendous!... so, accelerate WOT in any gear up to the red line, drop the clutch to change gear... and the RPM's 'hang' really high. So when you let the clutch out in the new gear, the revs are way too high to match the new 'gear ratio'... so there is a huge 'lurch'... not good for any element of the drivetrain, clutch, UJ's, passengers! It put me off ever buying a 3.7L Roadster. The 'previous' Ford motor did not have these issues, which I believe are simply related to transplanting the current Ford 'Mustang' AUTOMATIC motor/ECU combination into the manual transmission Morgan.

However... if you just want to 'cruise'... then you can wait a few seconds for the 'hang' to go away and gear changes are sweet.

Is there really No way to cure the rev hang issue? When I did the remapping on my 4/4 2.5 years back the mechanic mentioned another customer who had a 3.7 Roadster, that her ECU is blocked by Ford and he had no chance to enter it making some changes including the rev hang issue. If anyone could get the password somehow, it should be possible I guess.

There was a guy on here called Adrian that was a guinea pig for MMC and there is a looong thread on here all about rev hang somewhere which would be well worth reading. Rev Hang He sold the car for an Aero shortly after the experiment.

Hi Roady

I purchased a new Roadster 3.7 in April this year. Not quite sure what all this talk about "rev hang" is as I have encountered no such thing. The one thing I would say is that the clutch is a bit on the heavy side and takes a little getting used to. First time out it was like a kangaroo hopping down the road. Once you have mastered that it is then smiles all the way. It really is two cars in one, you can pootle along in 5th or 6th gear with 1000rpm on the clock and it just purrs along like a Rolls Royce when the mood takes you. Feel a little bit devilish and press the throttle a tad harder and you are in motoring heaven. The acceleration is incredible and puts an instant grin on your face - the accompanying soundtrack certainly helps as well, it really is a very exciting car to drive. This is my third Morgan and one of the biggest standouts from the others is power steering. It is superb. Makes the car so much nicer to drive. I have often heard comments on here how chuckable the 4/4 is down the country lanes, well, I have got news for you the Roadster would leave it for dead, it goes round corners like it's on rails you would have to be really foolish to throw it through the hedge, in the dry that is.

Just returned from a spin round the Yorkshire Dales this afternoon and was only thinking to myself this must be the most fun car I have ever owned.

Don't hesitate, great car if a little expensive but then I would say that being from Gods own country!

Sir P

A great recommendation for the Roadster - the rev hang has been widely reported but perhaps the ECU software has finally been sorted. I would hope that a car with a 3.7 V6 engine would indeed be much faster than a sub 2 litre sharing essentially the same bodywork. Given the restrictions that country lanes have ( blind bends/wildlife/hazards etc) i'd be very surprised if a Roadster could leave a 4/4 "for dead" - its likely more down to the skills of the pilot. Out and out drag race of course it would leave it for dead. I have seen too many lovely roadsters wrecked - maybe lack of driver skill or wet roads - but that's hell of a lot power to get you in trouble very quickly. Fun of course but needs respect I'd say.

On the track shows how little difference there is over a lap across the models.

On the matter of the agility of the 4/4, I can only take this opportunity to mention again one of my best drives in our narrow Plus 4.

On the A939 over the Grampians, the driver of the brand new Aston Martin who pulled out just in front of us probably gave no thought to the agility of our little Morgan.

Fifteen miles later over the most challenging roller coaster, narrow, gravelly hairpin bends, and him giving it the beans, we were still right behind him. Yes I was rowing up and down the gears and maxing the revs, but I felt perfect balance, and could floor the throttle coming out of every bend. It was hugely impressive, and would have been much harder work in my Roadster. I wish I'd used the dashcam that day!

Richard, you ruined my nice evening. I'm just kidding. Of course I read the whole thread, very interesting and very exciting (for a Morgan Enthusiast).

What's most unfortunate is that they worked hard to find solutions with the help of Adrian. But then suddenly the solution is no longer available. Worse still, they invent an excuse (cable connections not available). But in reality it was an emission problem (why the rev hang was obviously necessary).

It reminds me of my second Roadster, 3.0 S2 MY 2008, which also had this terrible rev hang. The car was only therefor cruising. Sporty driving was impossible. Then I got another ECU from my dealer at no cost. The car was totally transformed, incredibly good to drive. It was said that now all S2 would get the new ECU at no cost. What was the result: My Roadster was absolutely the only one who got this upgrade. At MMC they didn't know about it only a short time later.

Good to read Dave. IMO the fact that your narrow plus 4 can-be driven in such a manner is which makes it such good fun. Rowing up and down the gears, using all the revs, with such a delightful gearbox and nimble balanced chassis are what makes driving heaven. I haven't tried a roadster as a comparison but gladly take your word for it!

I find my tuned Sigma 4/4 to be immense fun to pilot, its zingy, revvy engine and brilliant gearbox seem perfectly matched to the agile chassis. It feels alive and since its new Aero manifold/sport cat and re-map seems genuinely swift. On a country lane or back road i'd be stunned if a Roadster left it for dead. Unless its driver was more skilled than me - which is actually very likely!. Oh well.

I had a ride out with Cain of Wolf performance in his "Café racer" once - now that is a 4/4 that would keep up with just about anything...……………….

Don't denigrade Driver Skill. I have a friend (an ex Morgan Racer) that seems to be able to match and pass My skill in almost anything.