Driver Door

Hi Guys and Gals,
I'm Steve and for a couple of years I've been fiddling about with MGF's.
My first was a VVC 1998 which had been on someone's drive for 18 months which had inner tyre wear so replaced wheel bearings hubs discs shocks.
As a drummer I''ve always had estate cars and vans but now I'm into the odd track day and blatting so swapped that for a 160 TF.
I've just put a barn find Abingdon back on the road too which gives me an opportunity to service my Tahiti blue 160 TF Trophy.
Seeing as the weather is so damp I've borrowed a space in an air-conditioned garage just in time too as it turned out as the drivers door will now not open on the key or with the fob.
I have a spare key and 2 fobs which both lift the door buttons and activate the alarm and super lock it but neither inner nor outer handle will pop the lock.
I've pulled the door card out and squirted WD40 into the lock and disconnected the battery.
I've contacted Technozen and ordered a spare lock. Any other ideas short of an air chisel?

Have a look HERE

If you have the door card off, try pulling the connecting rods from both door handles(inner and outer). If the rods are pulling the levers on the door lock then the lock internals will be broken. if you can operate the lock by pulling the rods, then they may just need a bit of 'adjustment'.

That looks like as far as I've got David. I can see the rods moving a seesaw white plastic lever to it's full extent so as feared the internals have 'busted'. Some say TF locks are inferior to the F. Do you think that is true?

Probably but not necessarily on the quality question. There were certainly times when they scrimped on quality in the TF years. In my opinion, probably the best quality was produced in the mk2 Fs, which is handy as the mk2 interior was used for the TF.

On the locks themselves there is an internal plastic 'pivot post' that usually breaks off rendering the lock useless. It is possible to effect a repair. I think Clive (CJJ) has a how to somewhere.

Clive's how to

Wow superb! That explains the machine gun noise. Thank you so now I will have to be lucky and hope there's enough left on that pin to open it one more time or else it's the air chisel!

Yep I've got that far but sounds like I'll have to use force now unless I'm lucky and there's enough meat left on it for one more time! Thanks

Hello steve i believe you bought the replacement lock from me, i am not in anyway associated with technozen.
Did you try the white lever as pictured below,this normally releases the claw around door post keep.



The metal plate is the hindrance the fixing screws that hold the motor to the door also follow through and pull up on this plate as i am sure to your frustration you have found out., it makes it awkward to get into the internals of the mechanism.
below is a mechanism opened up.

lol yeah I had another scrap one to dismantle thinking I'd be able to click it off the car but no! So I've seen inside but these snaps are excellent reference!
There's a pile of mangled steel and smashed up bits on the bench, and boy does that black plastic stink when you put a dremmel through it!
I've had a few bits off you including the LE500 motor and ecu etc. It's on a stand at the moment because my garage buddy is reluctant to get the sub-frame out of the F with all the pipework but we'll be sticking it in the TF which does use a bit of oil.