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

[twosmoke300]

Do you want the wiring diagrams out of the Haynes manual?

 

Does he need the torque figures for a Suffolk punch mower ?

[phil_lihp]

Eh?

[twosmoke300]

Haynes book of lies - any resemblance to any vehicle is purely coincidental

[phil_lihp]

Ah yes.  Refitting is the reverse of removal. 

[twosmoke300]

Like fuck it is !

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Who said it was the main earth strap to the body? That was indeed the problem. Immobiliser is all fixed now too. Next problem is that the starter motor is flippin jiggered, I have dropped it off at Smithsons to see if they can fix it but I suspect its burned out. Anyone got a K-series starter motor knocking about??

[Pillock]

I've got a semi-knackered one that you might be able to make a working one from that and yours - it span happily but wouldn't engage. Yours for postage unless anyone is headed your way from my way.

[lincolndanny]

Who said it was the main earth strap to the body? That was indeed the problem. Immobiliser is all fixed now too. Next problem is that the starter motor is flippin jiggered, I have dropped it off at Smithsons to see if they can fix it but I suspect its burned out. Anyone got a K-series starter motor knocking about??

How you of all people haven't got a K series starter hanging around I don't know!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Went up the garage on Thursday night to have another crack at this Rover.

 

 

Turns out the fault was exactly as advised by KOBBLERZ, the main earth strap between the body and the -ve on the battery was detached, was easy to spot this when I had some flipping light on the job

 

 

With that re-connected the electrical stuff started workign normally again and we had a very slow half arsed cranking on the starter. After some faffing I established that the starter was kippered, so I took it off:

 

 

The commutatorr was a bit burned so I cleaned it up and reassembled the starter. With it refitted I got about 10 cranks of decreasing speed till it ground to a near-halt again. I reckon the motor is burned out. Anyway there was no more I could do so I dropped the motor off at Smithsons on the way home, hiding it under this dead Maser:

 

 

I will ring them tomorrow to see if they can fix it, but most likely I need another flippin starter motor.

[purplebargeken]

Only on AS would a fucked Maserati provide cover for a knackered Rover starter motor. 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

WORD UP GANG,

 

Got a shift in on this 214 t'other day. I went to get the starter motor off Smithsons, they had tested it and found nowt wronfg with it. I was convinced it was paggered so I bought a 'new' recon one off eBay for £30:

 

 

Boshed it on, didnt take long:

 

 

Now it cranked over like a good 'un but still didnt start. I fannied about for ages, first i found the fuel pump was not getting powered up, so i bypassed the relay. Thhat got the pump workign but I figured there was probably zero petrol in it as i had visions of the stoner PO siphoning out the last £1 of pez so he could drive his mums car to a local bozboz to get some clarkycat or whatever. So i went and got a gallon of juice and lobbed it in. It still wouldnt start so now I checked for a spark, of which there was none FFS. Now I was starting to wonder and I investigated some wiring round the ECU and fusebox. I found the earth for the ECU was disconnected so i connected that up and put the fuel pump relay back. This time I turned the key and for the first time in 4 or 5 years it fired right up!!!!!!!! 'AVE IT!

 

It seemed to run OK so I switched it off as there was no radiator fitted. Luckily I still have the one from Krujoe's sawn-off so on it went:

 

 

Still got the schraeder valve in it!!!! Good bodge that:

 

 

I filled it up and bled the coolant and let it run up to temperature. It seemed to settle OK on just under the middle of the gauge, no leaks or bubbles in the expansion bottle but the heater didnt get very hot, there was barely any difference between it being hot or cold. I reckon the matrix is probably a bit furred up from sitting for so long with the rad off. I will try to flush that out a bit before putting some snazzy pink coolant in.

 

The lad I bought the car off said the alternator was goosed. It seemed to be working to me, as when I fired it up (with jump leads) we were reading about 13.5v and the charging light went off, but as soon as I disconnect the jumpers the engine dies so the alternator is clearly not generating owt. I should have changed that before fitting the rad, bt there you go. Luckily the sawn-off will provide a free replacement.

 

 

Now its a runner but I haven't driven it anywhere cos of the jump leads. Now i need to get a battery for it and change that alternator and I should be able to have a cheeky blezz in it.

 

Now lets have a look at the maths:

 

• Purchase price £180
• Immobiliser/fob programming: £35
• starter motor: £30

Total: £245

 

I also need to spend the following:

• new battery: £25
• DVLA fee (no logbook): £25
• new exhaust (middle box is rotten, no doubt the back one is on its last legs too) £60
• Tyres: (I think it has 4 decent tyres but I need to have them swapped onto the original wheels, I can't do this myself as i have knackered my back) £30 min
• MOT fee: £55

Total: £195

 

Assuming it needs nowt else (optimistic!!!!) I am gonna be in for £440 on this car which is probably more than its worth even with a years ticket on it. But what do you do? I certainly can't bring myself to chuck a tidy 55k 214 SEi away. I should never have bought it man, this is waht always happens.

[phil_lihp]

Great news, well done!  Sounds like some budding auto electrician's been having fun with it.

 

Nice job on saving it despite the cost, it's got to be worth it.  It's the best spec possible.  Reminds me, I must crack on getting my little 214 back on the road as soon as the Prelude's done, it hasn't seen the road since the 220 swap and I'm missing my R8 fix.  
 

I need a radiator and some front brake parts for it, got any recommendations for the best place to go?  

[beko1987]

WORD UP GANG,

 

Got a shift in on this 214 t'other day. I went to get the starter motor off Smithsons, they had tested it and found nowt wronfg with it. I was convinced it was paggered so I bought a 'new' recon one off eBay for £30:

 

 

Boshed it on, didnt take long:

 

 

Now it cranked over like a good 'un but still didnt start. I fannied about for ages, first i found the fuel pump was not getting powered up, so i bypassed the relay. Thhat got the pump workign but I figured there was probably zero petrol in it as i had visions of the stoner PO siphoning out the last £1 of pez so he could drive his mums car to a local bozboz to get some clarkycat or whatever. So i went and got a gallon of juice and lobbed it in. It still wouldnt start so now I checked for a spark, of which there was none FFS. Now I was starting to wonder and I investigated some wiring round the ECU and fusebox. I found the earth for the ECU was disconnected so i connected that up and put the fuel pump relay back. This time I turned the key and for the first time in 4 or 5 years it fired right up!!!!!!!! 'AVE IT!

 

It seemed to run OK so I switched it off as there was no radiator fitted. Luckily I still have the one from Krujoe's sawn-off so on it went:

 

 

Still got the schraeder valve in it!!!! Good bodge that:

 

 

I filled it up and bled the coolant and let it run up to temperature. It seemed to settle OK on just under the middle of the gauge, no leaks or bubbles in the expansion bottle but the heater didnt get very hot, there was barely any difference between it being hot or cold. I reckon the matrix is probably a bit furred up from sitting for so long with the rad off. I will try to flush that out a bit before putting some snazzy pink coolant in.

 

The lad I bought the car off said the alternator was goosed. It seemed to be working to me, as when I fired it up (with jump leads) we were reading about 13.5v and the charging light went off, but as soon as I disconnect the jumpers the engine dies so the alternator is clearly not generating owt. I should have changed that before fitting the rad, bt there you go. Luckily the sawn-off will provide a free replacement.

 

 

Now its a runner but I haven't driven it anywhere cos of the jump leads. Now i need to get a battery for it and change that alternator and I should be able to have a cheeky blezz in it.

 

Now lets have a look at the maths:

 

• Purchase price £180
• Immobiliser/fob programming: £35
• starter motor: £30

Total: £245

 

I also need to spend the following:

• new battery: £25
• DVLA fee (no logbook): £25
• new exhaust (middle box is rotten, no doubt the back one is on its last legs too) £60
• Tyres: (I think it has 4 decent tyres but I need to have them swapped onto the original wheels, I can't do this myself as i have knackered my back) £30 min
• MOT fee: £55

Total: £195

 

Assuming it needs nowt else (optimistic!!!!) I am gonna be in for £440 on this car which is probably more than its worth even with a years ticket on it. But what do you do? I certainly can't bring myself to chuck a tidy 55k 214 SEi away. I should never have bought it man, this is waht always happens.

Number 1 and 4 please...

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I'm not roffling it

[beko1987]

Buy a barn/wbod?

[dave21478]

I like that radiator bodge. Must remember that for future events involving snapping plastic hose tails.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Did a bit more on this on Friday.

 

Went to Looms' in Derby on Friday lunchtime to get a 'cheapy' s/h battery for it. £21.50!!!!! FFS man, you can buy a new one delivered for 25!!!! I would have told them to ram it but it was Friday lunchtime and I wanted it on Friday night so I coughed up and made myself a note never to buy another battery from there. They did have 3 very manky looking SD1's in stock one of which was a V8 though.

 

Went up the garage at night and chucked the battery on plus swapped the alternator for the one from Krujoe's sawn-off. With those fitted the Rover was now 'on the button' and I could drive it for the first time!!!!!

 

 

 

I have done a few miles in R8's and know what they drive like. I have only driven this one round the yard but i can say it feels like an absolute cracker. The odometer says 55,000 and I reckon its probably genuine. The gear change is amazingly well-weighted and positive - defo the best R65 gear change i've yet tried. All the brakes work well and the engine is MEGA sweet. I think the calibration/mapping of these earlier multipoint 1.4 K's must be different to the later Rover 25 ones as they are just so willing and smooth and rev so well, they defo feel a little different. I know these don't have a camshaft sensor and they have the distributor ignition so there are some hardware differences and I think there must be some changes to the fuelling and maybe the flywheel weight to make them rev a little quicker? Would be interesting to check that out with a parts catalogue. Anyway I think these are probably my all-time favourite petrol engine. 

 

Everything works on the car now, the suspension is supple with no clonks and bangs and the doors open and shut beautifully with no rattles. I think after a good clean-up this is going to be an absolutely ace R8. Next job is to replace the exhaust, flush the heater matrix through and sort the wheels/tyres. 

[garethj]

The dog looks unimpressed.

 

Good work, if you hadn't stepped in and saved it that car would probably be cubed by now which seems a shame for something with less miles than most other cars on the road.  I'd drive around in it for a few months then get yourself a gravel drive and some sunshine and do a Doctor on it.  Cars in that condition don't come up very often.

[Lankytim]

Hey Boll, next time you need a battery I have a stack going spare.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Quick update on this green Rover 214SEi, as I'm still chivvying away on it:

 

Last time i had it running and driving and that was about it. Firing it up revealed that the middle exhaust was kippered, so I chucked £40 at a replacement from eBay:

 

 

 

Also bought 2 new front tyres off that cheapy trye website for £65 or summert, and chucked them on, swapping the wheels round so it was sat on 4 mtching whels for the first time. Like a THICK BASTARD I bought the wrong size tyres again, 195/55 instead of 185/55, dont think its a massive problem though so I just boshed them on the front anyway!!!!

 

This thing has been sitting round so long it was growing moss in the window channels. It now sounded a lot healthier with the new exhaust and 4 x round tyres so I gave it a good scrub:

 

 

 

 

Looks pretty tidy eh? Its not a minter like that old 3-door, but not too shabby still. Theyre a great looker in SEi spec these things I reckon. While it was sat ticking over I noticed that the engine was getting a bit hot but the radiator was stone cold, I figured the thermostat was stuck shut so fitted a new one and flushed out the cooling system which dislodged a load of muck, I think it probably ran for a while with no antifreeze in. Anyway with a new 'stat in it was spot on again thank goodness. Took it for a cheeky blast up the road and no overheating with a nice blast from the heater s thats all good.

 

Next i noticed that the NSR sill had been damaged by someone jacking it up on the sill flange.

 

 

Predictably my pliers went whanging through the metal time to bust out the welder

 

 

Turned into quite a big hole!!!! Patched it up with 18 gauge and lots of weld-thru primer and it turned out quite neat. Got a can of paint from halfords to blow it in with, that still needs doing.

 

 

Started buffing the paintwork. The front end has been painted before, its not as good as the factory paint (in fact its a bit rubbish) but came up a lot better after some buffage. I've only done the front end so far.... should look mega once the whole lot is done.

 

 

Thats about where I'm up to. It now runs and drives a treat, everything works, think its MOT-able, so quite a lot of progress since being dragged out of that lad's garden whenever it was. Still need to paint that sill and buff the rest of the paint then I think I'm done with it. Oh I've got a new timing belt kit to go on too. Once its MOT'd I might stick it on the road for a month just to properly test it out then it will probably be looking for a new home. Yo!

[Isaac Hunt]

Lovin the schrader valve repair to the rad. I chucked away a Jag x-type expansion tank once cos the water inlet was bust. Couldn't think of a way to repair easily. Schrader would have done that.

 

Nice sill job

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Got the lads up the way to take this 214 for an MOT this week. Its Only flippin gone straight through!!!! Yessssssss

[HMC]

Another one saved! Looks super in BRG. What plans lie ahead for the r8 ?

[Kiltox]

How do you get rid of the dust from G3 after buffing? I notice you've opted for autoshite spec masking 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I just try and wash it off quickly before it dries. I would say I have about a 60% success rate though, so I would recommend not doing what I do

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Went up the garage last night to pay for my MOT on this 214 and fit a split pin in the suspension that the MOT lot told me needed doing. That took about 1 minute so I decided to fit a new cambelt while I was on.

 

This turned into a massive palaver. The Allen bolt that holds the belt tensioner was rounded off. I fucked on for hours twatting sockets on it, trying to weld bolts into it and whatnot, but after 4 hours I gave up and put it all back together.

 

 

 

 

It must be seriously flipping tight because I did manage to get a bolt welded on and put some serious torque into it, but it just broke the welds. Access isnt great cos its on the end of the cylinder head - I undid the engine mount and jacked it up as high as I could to aid access, but it was still very awkward.

 

Now what to do? I have a new timing belt kit, and I would like to sell the car before too long, though I might get a month;s use out of it before punting it on. I know its only worth £500 at best but I don't want to sell something knowing theres a fault with it, which there is cos the existing belt is of unknown age and cannot currently be changed. Obv simply by posting this on here I am ruling out selling it to any shiters cos who wants a car with a known problem like that?

 

I think the only way I am going to be able to sort this is to take the bastard cylinder head off. That will give good access to the bolt and if necessary I could even cut the tensioner off so that I can weld a big bolt on properly and undo the little f***er.

 

Some sort of fuggin ridiculous irony in this - this is about the only K-series i've ever had where theres nowt wrong with the head, yet I have to take it off anyway!!!! Unless anyone has any other ideas?

 

It runs and drives flippin ace this thing, I feel like I should persevere with it just cos these are such neat little cars and deserve not to be bodged and scrapped.

 

 

 

[greengartside]

Could you try cutting the old belt in half, take one half off then put new one on, then cut the other old half off if you know what I mean?

[Pillock]

Can't you take one of the other pulleys off, new belt on, put the pulley inside the belt and then hoik it onto the shaft?

Seems like it would work, but it's the kind of thing I'd do and then realise the timing of the whole engine was out and it was scrap.

 

It's not a wrong-way thread is it to stop the tensioner unwinding itself?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I could probably get another belt on, but the tensioner should be changed too shouldn't it, plus putting a new belt on without being able to set the tension feels a bit 'bodgy' to me, or am I just being a massive fanny?

[Jim Bell]

I heard a story once that a tensioner failed and polished a belt UNTIL IT SNAPPED.

 

But that was in Kent in the 1990s. You're probably safe.