Former

You would be better off politely asking the fuel tanker driver.

To me, that was not as the knocking noise from before (I could be wrong of course) and it would be well worth checking out what D.FYLAKTOS put about possible slack on the clutch rod or mechanism. Your second cold start without hold the clutch pedal down was just that, a second start after the initial cold start where you did hold the clutch pedal down so the settings were already in But without touching the pedals at all the gearbox did not exploded, the clutch did not fall apart the engine remained intact. So why not just for a number of days until the problem returns try an initial cold start without touching any pedals if the problem returns or even if the problem does not return you can always go with whichever method you believe in and gives you the most restful mind. A word of advice from actual personal experience - do not get into the habit of lift the clutch pedal, from its underside by using the top of your foot, allow it to return by itself otherwise on some cars you can pop out a connecting rod.

I agree and put this before when I've posted it but forgot this time but it's a video about VW so more VW/Skoda owners might believe a VW mechanic a lot more than me a non-mechanic, non-expert in anything particularly VW. If I see a better video that gets the point across I will substitute, if you see or know of one let me know.

Yes that was a good idea, Don't worry about mistakes I make them just about every post. If you became a Freedom member you could have unlimited (I think) time to edit your posts so you could have edited your post before last to exclude the stuff for your other thread - and thank you for your thanks. 🙂 ETA: (there you se it works) Perhaps it was only your water leak to the estate boot that has caused on your RHS rear window seal and you don't need to do anything about this if the boot leak is sorted (?).

Noddydog, to me your RHS (offside) (viewed from behind the rear of the car) light cluster didn't seem as well secured or at least more bounce to it so perhaps it's an aftermarket replacement that might not fit as well as original or it might not have been fitted fully. If it was me I'd remove the RHS light cluster and see if it's stamped as Skoda or aftermarket and check none of the fittings are missing or broken. Also holding the phone horizontally (landscape) will get more into the video than vertical (portrait).

Great video.

Yes. I'll bang in more, "er", "I think", "that's what I've read" "IIRC" - then you'll say I should put what I'm not sure of. I do often put I'm not mechanical or an expert in anything but if I put it every time you'd moan about that, if there was a starter or end banner or signature with each post I'd include it there. I am authorative (sic) with experience of some car faults and breakdowns unfortunately (and sticky keys, and poor spelling keyboards). By your logic I should never learn from what from you then as I only see what you write. I'm not overfilled with testosterone and ego and the need to always be right like some others, if I make a mistake and I am told about it I try to put it right but if I can't then it goes with the trillions of others errors on the internet on a relatively unimportant subject like cars. I don't mind being corrected but I don't want attempted intimidation and bullying from an individual or pack. FYI I was in the car operating the scan tool, and gearbox if I wanted, it's not that I'm clever it's just that the right tool was available for me to have a go with. Not being a mechanical, electrical, electronics expert and not being a full-time DIY mechanic means I can perhaps understand more how those that ask some of the questions which I think can sometimes be useful Your conclusion that I can only be repeating what I have read somewhere is wrong. All this is all tiresome for you, I and particularly others.

Grab this guy and get your arms around him and don't let him disappear and be very selective who you tell about him as you don't want him swamped with unappreciative idiots for customers. I used to go to a good chap and he was having problems with an unrealistic customer and I told him he was too cheap so he would attract idiots like that and he should put his prices up, which he did and I was the first customer to get that price increase and the next which was fine by me as it meant he wasn't wasting his time with the cheap job idiots. I recommended him to a mate and he had his business partner go there too and sometimes I'd drive the cars over there then the inevitable I struggle to get my car in because the other two were lined up for work! Must happen a lot, a low level reader or scanner won't see all and can leave a record of codes you think it's deleted. Changing the thread title is entirely your concern but you did have a battery and warning lights/message problem too, which was the start of this episode - but great it's all sorted now, pity your man in Cornwall is so far from Northampton.

Hi, welcome. ETA: You could also check the drain holes at the bottom of the door are clear in case you put the windows down and back up. Assuming the window was fully up it might be the rubber seal. You could try to revitalise the seal a bit by cleaning it and applying some silicone, best applied with an inch cube of (washing up type) sponge so it doesn't go everywhere causing slippage. The silicone oil I find is best I find but if the leak is bad grease is used but of course grease transfers easier and can hold grit and other debris, bear in mins some will transfer to the glass. If you want to be posh you can get more expensive Gummi something (gummi is German for rubber) oor IIRC there's so more evener posher and expensive Porsche type stuff. If you have any AutoGlym Bumper & Trim Gel you could try that.

You been put in charge again, you really must speak up sooner and more forcefully. And no point you posting such until I've finished typing. 😉

I'm quite experienced in MG/BL (and other British cars) ownership having used four MGs, Rover P6 and the GT6 as dailies in the last 30 years. I went to the MGBHive decades back, Parsons Green IIRC, mail order only now I think and good prices still but they have some of the poorer quality parts, many of the smaller suppliers stock from Moss I think, I don't know if Rimmers wholesale too. My two Spridgets I bought because they had BMH Ltd. Heritage shells, the first was an earlier multi-fit for various years and current one the later round whel arch with at least some 1500 bits on it. I can assure you the presses are getting old and the staff must have turned over by age only. The panels and bodies always had some flaws but things like wishbones now are dreadful - but I've no idea of Triumph panels. I knew at least one Mini built on a Heritage shell but that was years ago. The Midget 1500 never got the overdrive, though the earlier 3.9 diffs could have done with it, later were 3.7 diff, though a few have added the overdrive, bit of cutting work required IIRC. I've never driven a 1500 as far as I can remember and have rarely passenger'd in them, first time was when I was about 16 and had no idea what a MG was though I'd seen Spitfires, I was talked into MGs when I told a work college about a small Austin Healey (Spridget) I'd seen at a customer's. I had no idea they were MG, the Bs I'd only seen a BGT with a V8 badge so thought they were all V8s. And that is how I started to help bolster the British economy, and later the Chinese. South Asia, India, South America . . .

Sorry I thought you'd sorted it. First click, you're obviously not as strong as Wino. 😄 And Wino was right about your kit if the cylinder was 3.5 years old - but that would be very long lasting compared to some "classic" car parts, IIRC I had a leak in one drum only weeks or few months after fitting new parts. ****-poor rubbish rubber has plagued classic car parts for at least the last 15 years in my personal experience and I've always thought this lack of quality must seep into other car parts at some points. That's without the counterfeit parts years back that found their way into Dealership stores, though denied of course. That's the thing with drums if it's small leak it's hidden. Well done on sorting it and well done to Wino for suggestion.

I thought the availability was lower but prices higher than I was used to with MG but now you can shop around so much. I don't mind paying a bit more as the likes of the main parts suppliers stock tens of thousands of the parts needed and to even individual sales volume for fixings. MGOC, Moss, Mini Spares, Minimine and some others (Canley?) have parts made so deserve some support for that only. In the early days of me driving over to the MGOC HQ and shop at Swavesey, about 25+ years ago when the A14 wasn't so busy, I bought two small short L-shaped hoses for the carbs at IIRC £2.45 each and when I got home I found instead of the L--shaped formed hose they were just off-cuts of 1/4" hose, a length of which I already had spare in the shed. I did think that was bad as it was stocked under the BL part number and issued as such, at that time I couldn't be bothered arguing about it or posting back I just took it as the cost of experience, so began that part of the learning process. 😄

Hi Rich, as with as LightRobin has put plus have a look at the Driver's Handbook. Which is the Mk3.5, perhaps putting the year might help more, but others might know what you mean, Mk2-3 is beyond me but I take it as 2009, and perhaps the Mk3.5 as some changes or minor facelift but anything after 1985 has me lost.

Hopefully a scan tool can locate the communication or wiring, literally perhaps, breakdowns. I've gone all QAnon, Anti-Vax, and keep thinking those evil VW computers are behind all this and I need Eddie5768 to come back with the answer so I can be deprogrammed before I storm VW (if I can find their secret HQ in the UK). 😁

OP was sorted a good while back. Rimmer Bros I use occasionally and I found one of their telephone salesman to be openly honest when I asked about the quality of the steering rack gaiters as a previous set, not from them, only lasted 6 months of light winter use. Later Midgets use the Triumph style rack, I check before buying a new Argentinian made rack but it was still different from original, and poor quality boots. Toss I've found to have a system of management and directors that seems to require some (all?) staff to flat out lie rather than admit a mistake. All main and most smaller general parts suppliers have good, bad and very bad parts they continue to sell. For the Triumph as I live fairly close I used to go to TSSC at Lubenham, had bits off Canley and a few other places I forget now but as I'm not very mechanical it's never anything like internal engine parts (except HG). A few years later I discovered that a friend of a friend actually works on the cars at the TSSC HQ and he confirmed what I already knew about one of the club's favoured members and their garage. I never done anything that I can remember with the local club as they didn't seem to actually drive their cars with their main event being a camping weekend at a park 3 miles from where I live, the one opposite the sewage treatment works and next to a busy trunk dual-carriageway, it didn't appeal to me. 😄

Alternative -

Thanks, not what I meant but very interesting to see 100 and Autogas. And I forgot you use the old soup-like gear oil - I am joking. 😄

As a temporary thing because the battery or starter has a fault fair enough but with a battery and starter in reasonable condition you should not have to worry about such things, it gets colder in the UK than Greece and Skodas were designed and made for much colder countries than the UK so if it was required it would be in the Driver's Handbook. I wonder if you and the ECU are fighting against each on on starting by doing this procedure. I very much doubt I will convince you both to try my suggestion but if you try and the car starts and idles fine from trying you might see what I mean but I don't fight against beliefs, unless you do it to my car, what you do to your car is your business.

Why not pull the boot back and check the damp is brake fluid before worrying about replacing the master - but of course the master could be leaking inside itself if you're not really losing fluid level. To test have the ignition off press the brake pedal hard and see if it sinks. But you've not said if you've checked the drums, inside, and checked for any lose parts anywhere. A good torch, cleaning rag and thorough visual and perhaps touch inspection of the whole of the braking system and it's parts and components for leaks, wear and adjustment or replacement. A clean and check of adjustment as there could be more than one issue causing your problem. That's without the ABS and computer programs.

Well expensive was relative at the time, I remember looking at sealed beams about 12-14 years ago and they were £8 each like the ones I'd bought 10-15 years before but II see now the sealed beams are £13.75 each so in real terms a lot cheaper than when the cars were new, but I've no idea to the quality now. When I got my Triumph I was surprised about the availability of parts compared with MG especially considering many parts are the same apart from their part number codes. I sometimes by from Mini suppliers as they seem to have lower overheads and sell exactly the same parts at lower prices and because Minis are so popular they also sometimes often better made parts than the usual ****-poor quality parts from all over the world. I went to H4 with the later flat lens units which were supposed to give a better light pattern and the lights are still good now but do sometimes seem a bit yellow compared to some of the modern cars but then so do the headlights on my wife's Mk3 Fabia.

You have taken the word something too literally, I used that word not the garage. The electronics that control it are inside the gearbox, you can monitor and even control it with the scan tool - notice I answer your questions even if you don't give answers when I ask you. No advisories were dismissed, the reason the car was took there was to service it and deal with the advisories from the previous MoT, it is not my car, I suggested previously what should be done and even passed on a card for another garage that others had found to be good and trustworthy, you can lead a horse to water but you can't force it to drink. The gearbox "fault" wasn't part of the MoT or an advisory it was something said by the garage as part of their servicing, the neighbour could find no one that wanted to deal with the "fault" as all said the manufacture had to deal with it so a diagnostic test was booked in at £174 which would be put towards the repair cost if the work was accepted, Sending the unit off independently meant getting it out of the box sending it away for assessment and repair, repair being around £280 IIRC and then reinstall, with obviously the vehicle out of action all the time and the risk the unit couldn't be repaired. So with that it was worth trying a throttle reset and scan and road test with live data or suggesting another way to use the box to get around the "fault" with the "fault" being unclear as the garage description and what my neighbour thought was wrong were two different things. There wasn't a fault to find, the car has ben happily driven ever since whereas before it also seemed my neighbour was driving in limp mode - you must understand that not everyone knows or cares about cars and just want to drive them with the minimum of fuss which can often leave them open to opportunists.

You could hook up a machine and do the wiggle test, you'll need a second person if the scanner is a wired one. Much though I dislike them a good multimeter could help you find bad connections and bad earths, again a second person doing wiggling on wires and connectors can help. Does it even seem heat/cold, wet/dry, warmed/not-warmed engine/car related or when you wear a brown or black jacket any theme at all. If it's only when you're in the car you have your answer. If they're got a reasonable scanner (bi-directional) they can check a lot and power up and power down components and parts separately if they're not seeing a long list of recorded error codes. Anybody been leaving drinks on the dash, and suddenly they're empty. 😄 Good luck let us know how you get on.

Always allow for Sod's Law - and computer programming! 😬

Obviously it's just me then. Not a life or death worry for me. You used to be able to get to the actual testers book, the procedure but I've lost the link or it's been closed off now as I've not ben able to find it for a while, they used to have separate updates to the test as well which was useful and saved searching for changes. Phil866, sorry I've only just noticed you have a '77 Spitfire (I used to have a '73 GT6 Mk3) you probably saw earlier this year(/ or was it last) the change to headlight regs so that LED bulbs and units combined upgrades were excluded (or in included as an exclusion depending which way you're facing.)