Getting out of a flap

For many this won’t be of interest as “Project Drive”, which refers to MG Rover driving down costs, will have omitted the plastic flaps which cover the ECU & oil / water check points. These open I such a counter intuitive way as to make it irritating when checking oil & water; woe betide anyone who forgets to close it down & try’s to shut the boot lid. Moulded into the flap & opposite the original screw hinge turrets are duplicated with the same type of fixing. If you remove the screws form the hinge turret & refit them on the opposite side the flap will open in a more convenient fashion. By doing a bit of marking & filling you can achieve “it was designed like that” look. As with most things the more effort you put in the better the job, I’ve bent the rear (or should that front) bar in such a way as to facilitate a greater opening angle, it’s up to you. I have to credit an odd detail from a contributor on Dieter’s site, others must have spotted the possibility too.
And now pictures!

What is it with me & photographs! I must have a 60% failure rate. Let’s try again.

Your right they are a pain, I'll have to look at doing the same every time I open them its like a quiz.

I noticed your VW expansion tank, tut tut get an MG sticker for the cap as per my "Nissan" safety pack. I fancied doing that as well but the caps are 1.5 bar as against the TF's 1 bar. Have you had any probs with the 50% increase in pressure? I was concerned about my 20 year old hoses letting go.

I'm not sure the picture failure was you the site seems very clunky and failed to upload my picture, 2nd attempt

Is that better?

Much better

I think this was talked about a while age with no firm conclusion. If I was unduly concerned by now after goodness knows how many miles driven with the spherical tank (best not mention VW), I'm hiding it well. Most of my pipe work is original to the car, which was built in 1998 & I fancy I spent a few months worried that the pipes would inflate like some fancy balloon seen only with clowns in second rate circuses. But as time progressed I became more sanguine, reaching a point where I only think that the pressure can reach half as much again over what it was designed for. Then someone rattles my cage & I start wondering again. It'll soon pass off.

I apologise I did not mean to rattle your cage but mine.

I presume the pressure in the system is a product of the temp achieved in use ? ie if the system is designed to run at 82/88c in normal use it will be less than 1 bar pressure normally, only if there is a malfunction or extreme conditions would the pressure exceed 1 bar and the cap vent.

No doubt this is a simplistic view (mine normally are) and someone will shoot me down, such is life!

I think I'll stick with your interpretation as there is logic to it. Any explanation which requires a blackboard or two of scribbled complex equations, especially if the equations have two or more epsilon amongst other Druidic symbols & delivered in the main lecture theatre at The Royal Institution, just invites me to collect my hat & coat.. Nothing's happened so far & the system will be put to the test again tomorrow. Since I fitted it & resolved the water sensor circuitry I really haven't thought much about it, being smugly confident that it'll out perform the standard offering. If my exit from the garage is accompanied with a cloud of steam, directly attributed to this modification I'll let you know.

I'd always wondered why the flaps were fitted at all so unsurprised to read they were deleted as a result of Project Drive.
I can see the one on the left provides an advantage in keeping rainwater off the ECU but the flap on the right just seems to be there to make it harder to top up the oil and water.

Ive done your adaptation on the right hand flap. Much better access now