MGF & MG TF Service Schedule
The MGF and MG Rover-built MG TF follow a fixed annual service pattern. Service the car every 12 months or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first; MGFs built up to VIN 522572 use a 12,000 mile interval instead. Carry out the items marked 'x' at every annual service (1 Yr), at every second service (2 Yrs) and at every fourth service (4 Yrs). The time limits matter as much as the mileage: most of these cars now cover far fewer miles a year than they were designed for, and coolant, brake fluid and the timing belt all age whether the car is driven or not.
In addition to the periodic maintenance the following checks should be made weekly:
- Check/top up engine oil
- Check/top up coolant expansion tank
- Check/top up brake and clutch fluid reservoirs
- Check/top up washer reservoir
- Check function of lamps, wipers and warning indicators
- Check tyres for tread depth, cuts and bulges, and check pressures
| Electrical & Body |
1 Yr |
2 Yrs |
4 Yrs |
| Check function of lamps, horn and warning indicators |
x |
x |
x |
| Check wipers and washers; top up washer reservoir |
x |
x |
x |
| Check battery condition; clean and grease terminals |
x |
x |
x |
| Renew alarm remote battery |
x |
x |
x |
| Check seat belts for operation and damage |
x |
x |
x |
| Lubricate door, bonnet and boot hinges and catches |
x |
x |
x |
| Underbody, Wheels & Tyres |
1 Yr |
2 Yrs |
4 Yrs |
| Check exhaust system and heat shields for leaks and security |
x |
x |
x |
| Check fuel lines for leaks and chafing |
x |
x |
x |
| Check underbody and rear subframe for corrosion |
x |
x |
x |
| Check tyres for tread depth, cuts and sidewall cracking; check pressures |
x |
x |
x |
MGF & MG TF Timing Belt
The K-Series is an interference engine: if the timing belt fails, the valves and pistons collide and the engine is badly damaged. That makes the belt the most important scheduled replacement on the car. MGFs built up to VIN 522572 have a replacement interval of 60,000 miles or 5 years. Later MGFs and all MG TFs have an interval of 60,000 miles or 4 years, in step with their longer 15,000 mile service interval. On a low-mileage car the time limit will almost always arrive first.
Renew the tensioner and the belt-driven water pump at the same time. Our timing belt kits include the belt, tensioner and water pump, matched to the engine:
- MGF 1.8 non-VVC up to 1998, with 23mm belt and manual tensioner – cam belt kit (MGFSK5)
- MGF 1.8 non-VVC from 1998, MGF 1.6 and non-VVC MG TF 115, 120 and 135 – cam belt kit (MGFSK6)
- MGF VVC, MGF Trophy 160 and MG TF 160 – VVC cam belt kit (MGFSK7), including both timing belts
On non-VVC 1.8 engines the change from the 23mm to the 26mm belt came at engine numbers J31 274138 and J32 278812, so check your engine number when choosing between MGFSK5 and MGFSK6. See MGF & TF timing gear for the individual components.
Coolant and the Cooling System
The mid-mounted engine is cooled by a front-mounted radiator, connected by long coolant pipes running under the car. Check the level and look for leaks at every service, and renew the coolant every four years with OAT long-life antifreeze. After any work on the cooling system, bleed it thoroughly: trapped air is a known cause of overheating, and overheating is the usual route to head gasket failure on the K-Series.
Although not listed on the MG Rover maintenance check sheet, the front suspension carries grease nipples, and the MGF has further nipples on the rear suspension. A few strokes of Castrol High Temperature Grease at each service keeps the joints free.
MGF & MG TF Service Kits
The annual service calls for a handful of consumables that are easy to get wrong on a car with this many production changes. Our MGF & MG TF service kits collect them into a single pack, in two types: oil service kits for every annual service, and full service kits that also include the spark plugs, air filter and fuel filter for the services when those fall due.
- Oil service, MGF & MG TF – with 5 litres of Castrol Magnatec 10W-40 (MGFSK1) or with 8 litres (MGFSK2)
- Full service, MGF up to 2001 – full service kit (MGFSK3)
- Full service, MGF from 2001 and MG TF – full service kit (MGFSK4)
The oil service kits include the oil filter and sump plug washer. The full service kits are split at 2001 because the air filter changed with the move to MEMS 3 engine management at VIN 522573, so have your VIN to hand when ordering. Browse the full range in service kits.
MGF & MG TF Ignition Service Kits
The ignition kits follow the engine management fitted: pre-2000 non-VVC cars have a distributor, pre-2000 VVC cars have coil packs with HT leads, and all cars from 2000 use MEMS 3 with coil packs on the cam cover. Each kit contains the spark plugs and HT leads for the system, plus the distributor cap and rotor arm on distributor cars:
- MGF 1.8 non-VVC up to 2000 – ignition service kit (ISK9)
- MGF 1.8 VVC up to 2000 – ignition service kit (ISK9V)
- Non-VVC from 2000, including the MGF 1.6 and MG TF 115, 120 and 135 – ignition service kit (ISK10)
- VVC from 2000, including the MGF Trophy 160 and MG TF 160 – ignition service kit (ISK10V)
See all MGF & TF ignition service kits.
Workshop Tools for MGF & MG TF Servicing
The mid-engine layout changes how the jobs are reached rather than what they need. Most engine-bay work is done through the inspection panel behind the seats, and the alternator belt is reached through the offside rear wheel arch, so a trolley jack and a pair of axle stands are essential. An oil filter strap wrench makes the filter change straightforward, and a code reader that supports the MEMS engine management lets you check for stored fault codes as part of the service. Our workshop tools range covers servicing equipment for MGs.