Dollywobbler's GR-8 Rover - getting better all the time

[dollywobbler]

DUGONG R BROKUN! HAZ POSTIN ISHOOS.

[Sigmund Fraud]

See those scrapyard scales over there? Drive the car to them and get out.

 

Then, a nice tattooed man will give you money. This money can be used towards the purchase of an actual car rather than a post-tragic shitheap.

 

Hang on... This *is* Autoshite : we are the kind of people that drive around in cars that even the scrapyard would have second thoughts about buying !

 

This R8 is far from that, in fact I reckon it looks pretty smart ! (though, admittedly, my standards are pretty low)

[dugong]

DUGONG R BROKUN! HAZ POSTIN ISHOOS.

There's a fine line between shit n' shite. Spend your money on the 2CV instead, DEY IS WEL GUD.

[cort16]

Are you joking these things are solid gold shite. The 2CV is now a classic the Rover 200 is the 90's Allegro,

[dollywobbler]

It's a rather jolly motor actually. Feels like the front discs might be slightly warped but is just very effortless to drive briskly and actually rather pleasant. On paper, the Honda engine has very little to recommend it over the K-Series in power/economy terms (similar/worse) but it's got a properly decent spread of mid-range torque, so ragging it is just unnecessary. 

 

I don't really understand the negativity. It's a very good car that cost peanuts to buy - Autoshite perfection surely? As much as I love the 2CV, the Rover is a different class on long journeys, and I've think I'm going to be doing a lot of travelling soon. Besides, I'm uncomfortable enough owning just two cars. One car, and that a French peasant wagon designed in the 1940s, would simply not be practical.

[dollywobbler]

In other news, I've just checked with the ECU and it reckons that the Oxygen sensor is faulty. I wonder where it is.

[xtriple]

I think the Rover looks okay. I'd have left the flag on the bonnet, but I don't live in Wales....  I think I'd have left the grill on as well, quite like the look, bit of old school Britishness. I know what you mean about using 2CVs as an only car, doable, but not fun in this day and age.

[Heidel_Kakao]

In other news, I've just checked with the ECU and it reckons that the Oxygen sensor is faulty. I wonder where it is.

Somewhere in the exhaust, not very helpful sorry.

[dollywobbler]

Spot on Heidel. It's the lambda sensor in other words. £30 on Ebay, but is a cheap one just going to go wrong again? I think this is the first time I've owned a car that has told me what's wrong. 

[mat_the_cat]

What exactly does it say? Sensor faulty, or readings out of range, that kind of thing? Usually when lambda sensors age, they respond slower to mixture changes - ideally it should flip from rich to lean maybe once per second, as the ECU responds to feedback. So if the cycling is non-existent, or slower than expected, that may throw up a sensor fault.

 

BUT...it might not be as simple as that. It may be another fault which is causing the oxygen readings to be different to expected. So take things with a pinch of salt! But if everything else seems OK, including economy (too early to say?), it sounds more likely to be the sensor rather than an underlying issue.

 

I've only used OE sensors myself, but what I hear is that the cheaper ones work fine generally, but don't last anywhere near as long. What is the 'best' solution depends on the future for the car...

[RobT]

Must just be the 400's then

I've photographed pez reciepts with the odometer reading ever since I've had it, I really should work out my actual mileage

 

Joe, taking pics of pez receipts is classic giffer behaviour, I like it!

 

My 416 auto is thirstier than that E30 325 I had, so yes they do like a drink.

 

 

Edit: Have you had any random hot start issues yet Ian?  Hopefully you won't, but apart from the ignition module being a common culprit dry solders in the fuel relay can cause it too.  I re-soldered mine and it's been fine since.  It's behind the radio so just involves dropping the centre console to gain access.

[dollywobbler]

What exactly does it say? Sensor faulty, or readings out of range, that kind of thing? Usually when lambda sensors age, they respond slower to mixture changes - ideally it should flip from rich to lean maybe once per second, as the ECU responds to feedback. So if the cycling is non-existent, or slower than expected, that may throw up a sensor fault.

 

BUT...it might not be as simple as that. It may be another fault which is causing the oxygen readings to be different to expected. So take things with a pinch of salt! But if everything else seems OK, including economy (too early to say?), it sounds more likely to be the sensor rather than an underlying issue.

 

I've only used OE sensors myself, but what I hear is that the cheaper ones work fine generally, but don't last anywhere near as long. What is the 'best' solution depends on the future for the car...

 

All it says is "Oxygen Sensor "A" (Primary) defective circuit or unplugged / defective sensor." 

 

Just went for another drive in it. The heat shield rattle is quite embarrassing around town but I really am liking it. No hot starting issues thankfully, and it's bloomin' hot today!

[catsinthewelder]

I think that a certain person doesn't understand what shite motoring is about.

 

If your going to do loads of miles in a classic car then surely it's best to find a cheap one with ropey cosmetics and leave the shiny low mileage ones for the old men to polish at the shows?

 

Pretty paint does not make them more reliable.

[Heidel_Kakao]

Being optimistic maybe the 02 sensor is just unplugged or the wiring is damaged? I guess once you have located it then it may become more obvious as to what the problem is. I have heard they can be a real git to remove though but I have never had to replace one myself yet.

[dugong]

I don't really understand the negativity.

Because it's taken you 14 pages to buy a knackered Rover covered in stickers that won't come off.

If you want something to travel in, buy something serviceable that costs a bit more than £300. It doesn't have to be four figures or anything. It's a hack, it doesn't have to be interesting.

 

Props on the shiny paint though, CIW - it's one of my ongoing show bugbears.

 

I'm sorry if you think I'm being unfair, I just don't understand why you keep bothering with these lame dogs when for a few quid more you could get something that would stand a chance of working properly.

 

Your lynch mob is now coming to take me away. Laters.

[dollywobbler]

If you want something to travel in, buy something serviceable that costs a bit more than £300. It doesn't have to be four figures or anything. It's a hack, it doesn't have to be interesting.

 

Er, no. I'll buy what I like thanks and, perhaps more importantly here, something half decent that got me home and saved me a train journey. I'm not sure where the 'lame dog' comes from. I could have spent twice as much on something that looked better but was hiding a multitude of sins. I almost did, but somehow rejected that diesel 600.

[Rusty_Rocket]

I must admit, it's taken me 20 years to realise that a cheap car that needs brakes/ exhaust/ belt/ screen/ paintwork/ tyres/ balljoint etc etc etc is not a cheap car for long.. and when you've been through all that pain, you're still left with a £300 car that will be a job to move on afterwards. 

There's really no sense in stuff like this....  But this is Autoshite, (home of the brave) where reason goes out of the window.. and because of that, I'M IN! Looking forward to seeing the transformation 

[dugong]

Er, no. I'll buy what I like thanks and, perhaps more importantly here, something half decent that got me home and saved me a train journey. I'm not sure where the 'lame dog' comes from. I could have spent twice as much on something that looked better but was hiding a multitude of sins. I almost did, but somehow rejected that diesel 600.

You're right, you can buy what you want.

 

And a rough car is probably a heap of shit because it's cheap. I'm the last person who buys on shiny paint, you really don't have to convince me of that.

 

Hope you get it sorted - but I really wouldn't chuck money at it.

[trigger]

To be honest a £300 snotter makes a make more interesting thread than a £700 mint model, and as £300 Dollywobbler purchases go this looks to be one of the best one's yet for the money.

[dollywobbler]

I've spent varying amounts on cars over the years. There have been very few if any that haven't needed some upkeep. I didn't have a lot of budget over the £300 paid for it, and so now have a bit spare for the oxygen sensor. I may even have a go at the timing belt. You need an impact driver for the crank pulley, but I own one, so that's ok.

[Sigmund Fraud]

You need SWMBO pressing the footbrake and the world's longest breaker bar for the crank pulley, but I own both, so that's ok.

 

EFA

[dollywobbler]

It's much more fun to use a scaffold bar and then get someone to start the engine. Much more terrifying too (applied this technique on a BX). WCPGW?

[Junkman]

Having an O2 sensor, an ECU, a cambelt, and being a reliable motor, is mutually exclusive on a general principle, though.

[Sigmund Fraud]

It's much more fun to use a scaffold bar and then get someone to start the engine. Much more terrifying too (applied this technique on a BX). WCPGW?

 

The effectiveness of this technique seems to depend on how powerful the starter motor is. In my experience, it works with Volvos but not with MX5s.

[Heidel_Kakao]

Having an O2 sensor, an ECU, a cambelt, and being a reliable motor, is mutually exclusive on a general principle, though.

A Volvo 940 has all of those things & is pretty damm reliable, mine has a non interference engine though so cam belt roulette does not really apply which is why I have not bothered to change it yet.

[cort16]

I think any working car for £300 is amazing. You can't buy a half decent 2nd hand push bike or ipad for that money.

I find with cars of this price anything more than "it's better than I expected" and you're quids in.

[Lacquer Peel]

Buy a new Citroen on tick.

[KruJoe]

I gave £50 and a rusty old BX14 for my 216 about 18 months ago and it has been pretty damn good to me. One fail to proceed was the afore-mentioned ignition module inside the dizzy (best to carry a spare with a 12mm spanner and a pozidrive), the only other upset was when all the torques sheared a driveshaft clean in half.

 

 

... random hot start issues ...dry solders in the fuel relay can cause it too.

 

Why did I not know this Rob?

I have learnt to avoid hot-start situations, but it's a pain when Mrs_KJ stalls it in town or summert.

 

I re-soldered mine and it's been fine since.  It's behind the radio so just involves dropping the centre console to gain access.

Is it the fuel pump relay?

I could probably find it from that, but is there any more info available, or linky link please?

[dollywobbler]

It's been a tough couple of days. I can conclude that for really nasty sticker residue, Turtle Wax Tar and Bug Remover and a credit card are what you need. 

 

The end result.

 

Bonnet paintwork is utterly tragic. Polished with nails?

 

Stickers now also removed from flanks and bootlid.

 

I can't decide whether I like the Hamster Racing stickers or not. I like the fact that people may think that I race hamsters, but ultimately I guess they're a bit naff. I've left the blocky graphics on the front doors too, purely because I like them. 

[hairnet]

hamsters ftw

 

peterboro haters h8