Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Plus Four, Supersport & Plus Six (CX & CXV Generation Vehicles) Morgan Radiator issues — Again!!!!!!!!!!

Having been told to cease criticising MMC Customer relations activities or lack of them plus the muddle headed approach to the terms of the warranty and enjoy my Plus Four (which I have always done) i again venture forth:

1. It is interesting to note that in the MMC accounts to the year ending the 31-12-2022 there is a strategic report outlining the difficulties and disruption caused by the recall notice.
2. The notes indicate a reserve in excess of £2m has been made to meet guarantee claims (this does not apparently include costs in respect of the recall notice but may relate to anticipated problems with the cooling systems)

To move onto other matters first has anyone any tips or practical advice about fixing a dashcam to Plus Four unobtrusively of otherwise apart from a clip to the top of the windscreen when the hood is down and second check the fastening/security of the chrome surrounds to the headlights.

I travelled to Derbyshire last Tuesday over the Cat and Fiddle to Buxton in pouring rain with the hood up. This was fortunate because the chrome surround of the offside headlight suddenly flew off and hit the hood round about the top of the windscreen with a loud bang. What would have happened without the hood being raised I do not know but it was certainly disconcerting.

I do not want to speculate as to the cause (there is not damage to the bodywork) but there has never been any previous impact damage to the front of my Plus Four. The weakness may have been caused by polishing and cleaning (over robust or otherwise) but it seems sensible to warn everyone to check the fastening of the chrome surround to the headlights.

Unhappily the rain continued pouring over the next 100 miles but the hood kept us dry and the electrics did not fuse or otherwise fail.

Haytop, good fair posting, the headlamp rims have appeared to be a bit free on another thread on here somewhere I seem to recall, so another legitimate moan .

If the CX rims fit the same as Trad rims, the fit is marginal. The rim has to be big enough to go over the shallow retaining lips on the top edge, but also has to go over the plastic lug into which the single self tapper fits. If the screw is done up too tight, it may distort the rim enough to allow it to lift over the upper retaining lips.

In order to minimise distortion of the rim, (and to eliminate whistling), I apply self adhesive neoprene strip around the inside of the rim. This compresses when fitted and resists distortion of the rim as the screw is tightened.

That has worked for 16 years.

Haytop, Dave W is correct, the fit is very very marginal. I had to replace the rubbers behind the headlight buckets in the winter because the rubbers perished and split.. I found the headlight rims on the Plus Six on our car are made of stainless steel and are very thin and flimsy, they are also slightly oversize.. I tried for three months to get them to sit correctly in the upper retaining lips in the blastic bucket that holds the headlight. In the end I fitted a set of the brass/chrome rims that fit to a mini.. Much tighter fitting, I also found the lower plastic spacer that goes inside the headlight rim that the retaining screw passes through has to be thicker than you think, as it acts to pull the rim down into the upper holding rim lugs while allowing the screw to go through it into the lower plastic screw lug.. I ended up increasing the spacer height by about 2-3mm, this then makes it a pain to fit, as you have to place the rim over the top lugs then push the spacer/ lower rim down and ease it under the headlight plastic bucket screw lug and at the same time insert the lower screw up though into the plastic lug.. I found a slightly longer stainless self tapper screw helps here.. It all worked fine in the end, but its fiddly.. Dave

Efforts to obtain a replacement rim quickly locally thwarted (although Oakmere of Northwich were very helpful). I contacted Mogparts (Melvyn Rutter Ltd) by 'phone yesterday morning. Very efficient and obliging and the rim arrived this morning with replacement stainless steel screw (their part number ELA183 description "Headlamp rim 2/1995 on (Wipac"). Total cost £52.88. No doubt there are cheaper options but it will be fitted tomorrow and the problem solved (subject to checking the fixing screws every time i take the Plus Four out of the garage).

ah, the fabulous Morgan Mark Up price! I think they're the same as mini ones (trad ones certainly are), and cost about £10 from most suppliers. There is a nice stainless steel upgrade that can be had for about £14 - https://www.minispares.com/product/Classic/500929MS.aspx

Based on what others have said, I have got neoprene on the inside, I have glued a plastic washer/spacer on the underside by the fixing screw and also very slightly (we're talking a mm or two) squashed top and bottom into a very slight oval shape to it catches on the top fastening, and doesn't pop off when I screw in the bottom.

I spoke to soon, looks like I have the dreaded radiator leak, a few drips found at the front near side is this what you first see?
Not had a new rad before and car now 4 years old so out of warranty as anyone had to pay themselves for a new radiator.

Since the arrival of battery powered screwdrivers on the scene, it seems that screws can be overtightened to the degree that they rip the threads they cut into the screw hole. For sure large manufacturers will no doubt have torque settings rigorously applied during production, (MMC..?) By the time the guys at the local service centre get there hands on the car ..?

Those screw drivers and their misuse, would seem to have a potential wide ranging effect, and not just in the auto industry...?

I am sure that's very wise but what as that got to do with CX radiator leaks when most leaked straight out of the factory?

Hi Mike, sorry to hear of your possible radiator leak. I would talk to your nearest main dealer tomorrow. Seeing yours is the original radiator and considering the amount of radiators that the MMC have had to replace in the CX vehicles I would think Morgan would be sympathetic.
Dave