Reginald Nutsack's K-series Kapers - ROVER 623 MOT GUFF

[cort16]

It's a pity the engines toast I imagine finding a qualified good kseries isn't going to be that easy .

[Parky]

On that link I posted above, a guy in Norway ended up with two duff engines and methodically built a fantastic one with what he had lying about. It looks like a shed load of faffage but if anyone could do it, Mr B probably could

[Vin]

Alf Bollox doin the biz with a ex 'that's why..Y.E.B..." transit - Great Stuff

[skattrd]

I've got a feeling the cheapest way to get another k-series is buy another car with a knackered but fixable head gasket. Fix head gasket, remove engine, fit engine in 75 then bridge the second motor ... This does involve a lot more work than buying a known working engine though.

[sporty-shite]

15.5 mpg?

 

Fuck me. I used to get 30 from my 2.4 Tranny, loaded or not, and at least high 20s when delivering caravans!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Yes I must admit I was a bit fed up about that, I was expecting a bit more than 16mpg!!! I am pretty sure about my calculations though sadly. I used distances off google maps and fuel quantities read off diesel pumps!!

[nigel bickle]

Welcomed to the crowded south. Tis only when you leave that you realise how grim it is down sarf!!

 

That one sounds marginal. I reckon you'll have a borked head but I doubt the engine seized, prob just dry & stiff. I expect a full charge, lightly lubed bores and maybe an initial ratchet spin on the crank &it'll turn over ok. 3/4 of a tank says he didn't see it coming, and the obvious desire to get it home means that it's unlikely he was more than a dozen miles away. Wet internally, in all the wrong places, it's then just sat, mouldering for several months (guess) whilst he pondered his options. Stiff, partial seizure but with the head off i'd wager it's saveable.

 

I'd say that the engine is the deal breaker here. Musty interior, prob limited service history & those dents/bonnet issues must make it a borderline save?

 

 

But who am I to comment? Luck mate, I do hope you won't be needing it!

[Inspector Morose]

^ Now that kind of answer only comes with YEARS of experience!

[dollywobbler]

Bonnet catch issues are very notorious on these - cable is in two parts and the connector fails. That's a seriously shite 'fix' though! Incredible.

 

Does look very borderline worth-it though. A K-powered 75 is never going to be worth much is it? Perkins Prima surely the way forward.

[nigel bickle]

Thank you. Sadly I am indeed very old.

 

I should add that the starter motor may be borked because he cranked it the last half mile home. Worked fine the last time used etc, the enormous strain effectively melts the internals. Hope not ( but I have done that myself!)

[Joey spud]

I felt your pain Mr.B my RAC 2.4 transit only did about 20mpg when towing and 25 tooling around,company fuel cards are great though..

As for inaccessable breakdowns oh shit yes i've worn that tee shirt too often over the years.

 

The A frame though is still a great bit of kit and far more maneuverable than the trailers we are lumbered with now days,many a time i've busted a blood vessel trying to push yet another dead one out of a parking bay and get it to face the other way.

Then its all giggles when you are towing to a place you don't know and you ignore the company sat nav and trust your 10 year old 'Tomtom' only for it to mug you off and send you down a grass track or a dead end with no way of turning round,that really hurts.

 

Happy days.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I’m pretty resolved that, strictly speaking, its not really worth saving. I think there are better ones about, including the turbo version which I think is probably a better drive, I am amazed by how heavy these are and with an 1800 K series they must be pretty flipping slow. I’m saying that though, with the expectation that the engine is shafted and needs to be replaced. I will take the head off and see what I find inside before I buy anything for it of course.

 

This one has zero service history. The old boy said he’s had it serviced once a year at his local garage and had never needed any big repairs done, he just drove it and had never had any bother with it. He said ‘I’m not very good with paperwork’ which I can well believe as his house was a bit of a tip, I can well imagine him binning the bills from the garage the minute he got home. He was totally uninterested in cars and had got himself a nearly-new Corsa which he said suited him better as it was smaller and easier for him to manoeuvre. He certainly didn’t strike me as the sort who would try to skimp on servicing etc on the car, I got the vibe he would unquestioningly pay any bill the garage asked for if it meant he didn’t have to worry about the car misbehaving. The new tyres and battery back that up I think. I don’t think there is any underlying scammage or lying going on, it’s just an old Rover that belonged to some guy who was not interested in cars.

 

If I had bought it from some lad round the corner I might just rob the fuel out of it, take a few bits off and weigh it in, but as I invested so much stress and money in fetching it home I am a bit reluctant to just sack it off so I think I am prepared to swap the engine if that’s what it needs. There’s loads of room in the engine bay and I reckon I have seen enough K-series engines now that it wouldn’t be a total venture into the unknown, if I got organised with the various new gaskets that would be needed I could do it over a couple of days I think.

 

Tell you what though they are a good looking car these don’t you think? I think they look like a real classy motor. By contrast I think the Jag X-type looks like the same ‘modern small executive car with a nod to the great british saloons of the past’ type of car but vastly more amateurish, compromised and plasticky looking. I think the rear ¾ view and the stance of the Rover 75 look really ‘right’.

[dollywobbler]

Is it worth finding out which garage he used? I got a full service history print out from a garage for the striped BX just by asking. Was nice to know what had and hadn't been done. Just a guessing game with my new Rover. 

[Parky]

The interior smell is a shame - worth getting a couple of these Comma AirCon cleaners? Apparently they deodourise the car and kill off any nasty bugs in the air con. Going to get a couple myself:

 

http://www.commaoil.com/passenger-vehicles/products/view/280

[Mr_Bo11ox]

This is Autoshite - O series would be an excellent alternative engine!

 

Good luck Bol, I hope the engine is salvageable. This guy might be some inspiration. I might have posted this previously but it's a damn fine read

 

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=146867

 

Hey this is a great thread, really interesting. I have never seen that 'pukka' head saver shim before. Its also increasing my suspicion of the MLS head gasket, i am beginning to think those things are a bit of a red herring. That one I fitted on the 25 GTi was bollocks, it came with its own 'head saver shim' which was a total waste of time. I see the Rienz MLS gasket (as opposed to the unbranded crispy duck shite i bought off eBay) has its own integral shim which is another option again.

[saucedoctor]

Apparently the MLS gasket is a load of rubbish. Payen is supposed to be the way to go, from what I've been told.

[Lord Sterling]

Well done on getting another Rover, i love these 75s and want one now.

 

Would it be too difficult to chuck in a 2.0 V6 in it? My mate "Tinworm/Metro" Steve Tolkein has a spare 2.0 V6 in his workshop that has had belts and such replaced. I can put you in touch with him if you like.

[Dave_Q]

My most recent purchase was properly minging inside due to being used as a van.

 

I looked into hiring an upholstery cleaner but ended up getting one of these for about the same price.

 

http://www.diy.com/nav/rooms/cleaning-laundry/vacuum-carpet-steam-cleaners/vacuum_cleaners/Performance-Power1300W-Wet-Dry-Vacuum-PP20-Grey-Black-20L-10287549?skuId=10718255

 

I scrubbed the shit out of the carpets and upholstery with a stiff brush, carpet cleaner and plenty of water, and sucked out the minging water with the wet and dry.

 

Had to do it a couple of times but eventually got it to a state that my family would go inside it.

[Cheggers]

Don't you have a Maserati engine kicking around the workshop?

[Split_Pin]

I love a good Rover thread ad I think the 75 looks class in a glass. They managed to get all those retro details into the design without making it look like a right old dog's dinner. What you have there is pretty faithful to the 1994 design.

 

THREAD SUBSCRIBED TO.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

1994!!! Blimey.

[Mr Lobster]

I reckon we've all had those feelings of utter despair / massive stress after some purchase and collection turns to shit. I remember almost going utterly mental whilst dragging a dead R5 Auto through the back streets of Stockport many years ago. Still, REPSCET for persevering with it at least so far.

[Pillock]

 

 

What you have there is pretty faithful to the 1994 design.

 

Including the borked engine and smell of wet dog?

[KruJoe]

Are the seats packed full of electric nonsense?

 

If not, I'd just unbolt them, give them a blast with the jet wash, soap them up, and blast off again, 'til the water runs clear. Do the carpet while you're at it. Drip dry over night, then back in the car with a dehumidifier running for three days. Good as new.

[dave21478]

^^^agreed.

 

After a tragic incident involving exploding macaroni cheese from a snack van I ended up back at work jet washing the interior of my old 205 in a fit of rage. Didnt remove it from the car first, either.

 

I sooked the water out with a wetvac and left a wee electric fan heater and a dehumidifier in there for the rest of the day and it was fine by the next morning.

[Honey Badger]

^^^agreed.

 

After a tragic incident involving exploding macaroni cheese from a snack van I ended up back at work jet washing the interior of my old 205 in a fit of rage. Didnt remove it from the car first, either.

 

I sooked the water out with a wetvac and left a wee electric fan heater and a dehumidifier in there for the rest of the day and it was fine by the next morning.

I worked as a Saturday boy/tea maker for a local car dealer who had a big unit that had a heated room big enough for 2 cars in it, he used to prep his interiors in the same way, jet wash inside and then stick the car in the heated room for a couple of days, made the interior look like new.

[overrun]

I think the rear ¾ view and the stance of the Rover 75 look really ‘right’.

Would you like pineapple with that, sir?

 

These are right smart old barges like and no mistake.

[Vince70]

I saw a part time car dealer around the corner from me who runs a business from his home the other week giving the interior of a modern (by modern I mean this century) Citroen a good soaking as it was grot inside.

 

He wasn't messing about as he had his Kartcher pressure washer going full blast and was even giving the dash a good going over.

 

I did think to myself is he nuts but he seems to know what he's doing as he also does repairs, but I did think to myself that French electrics aren't quite renowned for reliability and this obviously can't do it any favours.

 

The car seemed to sell as I didn't see it after a couple of days and it came up really nice inside but I've got to admit I didn't see it get driven away, so maybe he had enough of the thing and was trying to drown it.

[Grundig]

Are the seats packed full of electric nonsense?

 

If not, I'd just unbolt them, give them a blast with the jet wash, soap them up, and blast off again, 'til the water runs clear. Do the carpet while you're at it. Drip dry over night, then back in the car with a dehumidifier running for three days. Good as new.

 

..... Well if its gud enuff for a Merc 

 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

This Rover is a 1.8 right? Well yesterday I syringed 1.2 litres of coffee cream out of the bores through the spark plug holes. Now the engine turns over no problem!!! Ha ha