Breather pipe

[Cliff Mitchell]

You're right, that does appear to be the case!

 

[Alb]

MG thought about the sleepless nights owners might get worrying about these things so they resolved the issue on the MG5 by putting a big cover in place so you can't see anything in the motor bay

 

[Cliff Mitchell]

The ZS EV has one of those too. Its called a bonnet - maybe they should have welded it closed.

 

[Johnnybee]

Hi guys,
Just had a look on my car and if we're talking about the little Gold Post sticking out of the transmission casing I think it could be a "Pressure Relief Valve" for the transmission. I maybe wrong but it does sound plausible?. If flooring the loud pedal all the time one could easily get it to leak.
If anyone has concerns take it to a Dealer (Not that they know what they are doing!!) maybe you'll get lucky.

 

[Cliff Mitchell]

Johnnybee,

As you say, it could be some type of pressure relief valve, but the unusual thing is that you and Kithmo have described it as a little gold post. It seems that on Southern hemisphere vehicles it is a black hose with a loose fitting cap. I would be interested in knowing if all Northern Hemisphere cars have the gold post and all Southern Hemisphere vehicles have a black hose with the loose cap. Maybe it relates to year model, who knows! Anyone on the top half of the world have a black hose and cap?

 

[Lovemyev]

What appears to be a metal part in the early models, has now been replaced by a plastic part on the latter models, as a cost cutting measure ?.
It is likely to be as pure and simple as that.
My money is still on this part being a breather assembly to allow any excess heat / pressure from the case.
You could always ring the parts department at the dealership and ask them what is the part is listed as ?.

 

[jamesie]

Johnnybee,

As you say, it could be some type of pressure relief valve, but the unusual thing is that you and Kithmo have described it as a little gold post. It seems that on Southern hemisphere vehicles it is a black hose with a loose fitting cap. I would be interested in knowing if all Northern Hemisphere cars have the gold post and all Southern Hemisphere vehicles have a black hose with the loose cap. Maybe it relates to year model, who knows! Anyone on the top half of the world have a black hose and cap?

My car is Nov 2020 and has the black hose and cap.

 

[Steptoe]

I have followed this thread with interest and have finally gone out and had a look (and incidentally why is the bonnet so substantial and heavy; I thought they had to be lightweight for crash collapsibility?)

Anyway I also have the black/tube cap on a Sep 20 reg so hope Lovemyev is wrong about the cost cutting measure

 

[Cliff Mitchell]

Well, that's confusing. There does not seem to be any rhyme or reason to the distribution of the gold post or black plastic pipe.

Maybe you have to pay more for the gold post. We're a bit tight down here, maybe we just get the plastic one. I'm pretty sure I didn't see it on the options list when I purchased mine in the middle of 2021.

 

[Kithmo]

FWIW mine (gold post) is July 2020.

 

[Johnnybee]

Hi Again Folks,
Perhaps and it's only a thought, Southern Hemisphere Black pipe, Northern Hemisphere Gold Pipe.??
As most transmission oil are O.E.P. oils (Oil extreme Pressure) it would make sense to have a more sensitive pressure relief valve in the hotter climates. Or it could be M.G. just cutting corners and saving a few pence?.

 

[Kithmo]

Hi Again Folks,
Perhaps and it's only a thought, Southern Hemisphere Black pipe, Northern Hemisphere Gold Pipe.??
As most transmission oil are O.E.P. oils (Oil extreme Pressure) it would make sense to have a more sensitive pressure relief valve in the hotter climates. Or it could be M.G. just cutting corners and saving a few pence?.

Couple of guys in the UK posted above, say they have the black pipe.

 

[Lovemyev]

I have followed this thread with interest and have finally gone out and had a look (and incidentally why is the bonnet so substantial and heavy; I thought they had to be lightweight for crash collapsibility?)

Anyway I also have the black/tube cap on a Sep 20 reg so hope Lovemyev is wrong about the cost cutting measure

Remember “First Adopter” cars that where registered and delivered from about November 2019 and into early 2020 are extremely likely to be factory built at the same time.
Comparing these cars is fairly accurate.
After this date it becomes harder to identify just how long the car has been built.
The date of registration has little bearing, as cars can sit around for a while before being sold and then registered.
So, let’s just say for argument sake that the first wave of cars had the brass plug for example, then latter BUILT cars switched over to the plastic type breather as a cost cutter measure.
After the initial batch of cars where delivered, using the registration date to identify the cars REAL age becomes almost impossible.
This is where you could see the discrepancy comparing cars registered at the same time.
Cars can be registered at similar times in the U.K. by the dealer, but the actual age of the car can be months apart.
You would need the cars build date and not the first date of registration to make a correct judgement to prove the theory.
It is not uncommon for certain model cars to be 9 months old in build terms, before they actually get registered.

 

[Kithmo]

Remember when you used to be able to find the build date by pulling off a piece of trim or pulling out the ashtray and there was a clock or similar with the year and either week no. or month stamped on the back ?
Well I found this on the back of the little rubber mat, in the centre console, where the phone sits:

The latest mark is in the 10th month of 2019, which could mean my car was actually manufactured in late 2019, even though it's registered in July 2020.
(Or it could just mean the mat was )

 

[Cliff Mitchell]

We must have different rules here is Australia. Components under the bonnet bear the part dates as 16 December 2020. The door sills have a recorded build date as December 2020. The rear door sill has a compliance date of March 2021. I purchased the vehicle is April/May 2021 and it was first registered in that month. Strangely enough on the registration papers the vehicle is recorded as a 2021 model.

The sad part is that with all that detail I still didn't get the gold post, simply a black hose with a cap.

 

[Lovemyev]

The sad part is that with all that detail I still didn't get the gold post, simply a black hose with a cap.

Never mind Cliff .
Maybe if you put it on your list, Santa may bring you one .

 

[Cliff Mitchell]

That's not nice Lovemyev, you know as well as I do that Santa does the Northern Hemisphere first and by the time he gets to us he obviously has no more gold posts left and we end up with the black plastic pipes with a cap.

 

[busa]

But doesn't Santa start delivering from your side of the planet first?

 

[chowbenter]

Out of curiosity I checked mine this morning, I so wanted it to be gold but alas it's a common or garden a black one.

 

[Cliff Mitchell]

In the old days if you weren't a good boy or girl you would get a lump of coal in your Christmas stocking - now that coal is the black demon that destroys planets, you simply get a black pipe for your EV.

There is no way Santa comes to the southern hemisphere first. He starts up North and when he is finished down South he can have a bit of a rest on sunny golden beach down here.

Message to Santa: Don't go to Victoria this year - Dan will have you locked down to 2 weeks.