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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - MG ZS worries.... unnecessary?

Second in a two car convoy on a cold morning recently, I followed my own fairly new MG ZS 120+ driven by my son for a few miles. During that time, on several brief occasions between gear changes, I saw a steady stream of water running out of the exhaust pipe. Perhaps a couple of egg cups full in total. Now I know that all cars produce condensation and water droplets from their exhausts during warm up on cold mornings but things like this make you wonder....:( In any event, a check of fluid leels alter showed no change ... :)

I had a new Honda that did exactly this some years ago. I looked at the silencer and observed a hole (drainage) on the lower surface of the silencer. It occurs to me that if a car is not driven fast or far enough to expel this cold start condensation or water, it will remain in the exhaust system and accelerate corrosion of the exhaust components from the INSIDE!

The rear silencer on the ZS is quite large and no doubt quite expensive.

Anyone have similar observations, not just with MG Zeds but any marque?

JMcF
John McFeely

.... leels alter... make that levels after ...:)
John McFeely

Yes, on my wife's 214 16v K it seems to steam heavily for a long time, and worringly her job is district nurse work so lots of short 2-3 mile trips. Her car's had one new back box in 5 years/30k miles!
My ZT 160 KV6 also steams away a bit but I tend to use it only when travelling >15 miles.
FWIW
Martin

Having a cat means that much heat energy is removed from the exhaust, similar to a turbo motor, so whilst the amount of water generated from combustion will be similar there will be more of this condensing before the exhaust gasses exit the tailpipe. Greater volumes of water inside the system will obviously tend to promote more rapid corrosion.

That leads to an interesting point. Why if the original system rear silencer lasts for say 4 years does a supposedly identical item from the OE maker only last half that time.

BTW the standard rpelacement MG silencer for 4 and 5 door cars is a few pence different either side of £100 plus vat retail,.

Rog
Roger Parker

Thanks Roger ...that explanation makes sense. I too have noticed that strange phenomenon whereby original OEM silencers and other items like batteries that come with the new car, last far longer than their OEM replacements. I suspect there's a very simple explanation to that too! A Conspiracy to separate us from even more of our money ever more quickly ...;)
John McFeely

This thread was discussed between 01/11/2003 and 04/11/2003

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