Giffer Special Dizzler Intercooler

[doobietoo]

Up Early today excited about the prospect of picking up my latest piece of Shite......only 20 miles away so not much prospect of an epic kollection thread but you never know...

[gadgetgricey]

Are you back yet, or have you had issues?

[willswitchengage]

REAL AUTOSHITE says intercooler on the front in BIG LETTERS

 

[doobietoo]

REAL AUTOSHITE says intercooler on the front in BIG LETTERS

 

But...but.... that says INTERCOOLING !!!

 

We reserved British types prefer a little i on the back!!! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[skattrd]

L-series?

[Lankytim]

Rover 400?

[doobietoo]

GSDi = Giffer special dizzler intercooler 

[doobietoo]

Regulation Pez pic.... but being a Dizzler it didnt actually need any fuel 

 

 

Yes both correct its a 400 and an L series and if you look closely at the number plate its also a pile of P...LOP 

[doobietoo]

Very boring kollection really arrived handed over the money and off i went.... rather than gingerly driving home i drove to Kingston Lacy and took the dog for a walk....

 

She seemed impressed. When i opened the boot i noticed this...

 

 

Which i dont really understand as you can buy real ones on ebay for £10 pure gifferness !!!

 

The interior colour is way worse than it looks in the pics being pure baby poo coloured and the whole inside needs a really good clean. Leather seats are nice though.

 

 

 On the plus side it matches my giffer gloves perfectly

The door panel material has been torn off leaving the foam covered plastic and its very damp probably due to the hole in the roof from an old aerial installation and the fact that the drivers window doesnt shut properly.

 

 

The main problem i can see is the starter motor which only works occasionally.

When running it pulls well and even surprised and then annoyed a bestriped and black windowed ford driver away from the lights and then for 2 miles down the dual carriageway..... The rear spoiler is there for a reason sonny 

 

 

 

 

[Bobthebeard]

The rear spoiler is there for a reason sonny

 

Shurely a Rover joke there missus. Hic.....

[Jim Bell]

I approve of this plop. It looks class.

[Hendry]

The top dog model as well! Must be nicely specced, I remember my uncle having a 3 year old P reg 420 SLi saloon and it had plenty toys inside so this must be quite plush

[doobietoo]

Dunno really having come from a Renner Safrane with everything ..... It has electric windows,mirrors and sunroof, front spots and manual height adjustable seats in leather. Think that is about it.. Is that good for these???

[doobietoo]

So had this a week now and nothing has gone wrong !!! in fact it has actually got better as when i bought it the starter was clicking more than actually working but as soon as i purchased a replacement starter on ebay ( £21.99) it started working properly. At least i have a spare. It also dislikes starting when it is cold although will do eventually so new glow plugs have been ordered at the princely sum of  Ã‚£14.99 delivered and hopefully they will solve that problem.

 The diesel smell has also gone now due mainly i think to the italian tune up i gave it at the weekend. Finally i noticed a honda civic being broken locally so popped over at the weekend and blagged a complete black/ blue half leather interior C/W dash, centre console and almost all the interior plastics and a set of good front discs and calipers etc.  which will be collected once removed. He also had a set of coilovers which may come home with me when i collect the rest if the price is right,

 So if anyone wants the beige leather seats i will be removing make me an offer i cannot refuse.

All in all a very pleasant week  of ownership.

[Station]

Some Frontera's and Astra mk3 TD's have 'TURBO INTERCOOLER' badges on the back.

 

[AnthonyG]

This is quite an early one, don't see many of this gen 400 about now. In fact I see more R8's than HHRs. The early bubble 200s, as opposed to 25s, are also few and far between.

[doobietoo]

Hmmm about half way through a 4 year production so not that early, although i would agree that there are fewer left mainly due to OMGHGF which the diesel mainly avoided (see below) but it suffers from the tar and brush principal. Replaced the glow plugs yesterday which went surprisingly well considering tales of broken plugs / stripped threads and the like. There were only 3 which surprised me although its normal on early cars so i am told. This makes it easier as the 4th is behind the fuel pump. The old ones were half the width of the new ones so pretty old i would imagine. The silly little nuts were a pain to refit but with the application of one of Mrs D's creams to the nut to keep it in the socket i got it done. Narf narf.

 While i was under the bonnet i advanced the fuel pump timing a couple of mm as i have read that this can help with starting and give a little more power which it did but at the expense of a little yellow light coming on at steady speed..... guess i will have to back it back off a touch tomorrow. Starter has arrived but as the motor in there is working completely normally now it can stay as a spare. Heater is giving out a little more heat now as i air bled the system but not as much as i would like. I have noticed some OMGHGF brown stains under the expansion tank and some oil residue in said tank so may buy some new antifreeze and give the cooling system a good blast through with a hose if i get time this weekend. 

 Despite all this it has been a pleasure to drive mainly i think due to my getting reacquainted with how to drive a dizzler and using torque rather than revs. My gentle driving has resulted in a mpg figure of about 53 ish although i will have a better idea in a couple of weeks as i filled up with around 43 litres of Sainsburys finest which according to my calculations should get me nearly 500 miles or into next month   happy days.

[bub2006]

My life's dream is to own an l series rover diesel. Never been a fan of the 200 bubble shape but do like the 400 and 600. Apparently they can be tweaked a bit to for embarrassing the boy racer brigade

[doobietoo]

My life's dream is to own an l series rover diesel. Never been a fan of the 200 bubble shape but do like the 400 and 600. Apparently they can be tweaked a bit to for embarrassing the boy racer brigade

 

They certainly can 140ish bhp 240lbft torque is easy for around £300 or so depending on how much you do yourself and if you spend a couple of grand or so 180bhp and 300lbft torque is achievable. You can even fit a torsen lsd out of the petrol turbos and with it weighing only 1250kg would make for a scary car. Pop your trilby and gloves on the parcel shelf and fit banded steels with halfrauds economy wheel trims and go and upset almost anybody 

 Well thats my plan......

[bub2006]

That sir sounds a smashing plan.

[HH-R]

These are fuggin GR800.

[Lord Sterling]

You have a Rover. I like Rovers and it looks very nice. I borrowed the booted version of the 45 Diesel for a week or two a couple of years ago, I loved it.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

My life's dream is to own an l series rover diesel.

Aim for the stars!!!! I hope you achieve your dream.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

My life's dream is to own an l series rover diesel.

Aim for the stars!!!! I hope you achieve your dream.

[JohnK]

I will be keeping an eye on this.

 

My first ever venture into Rover ownership was an N reg 420 SD hatch (note the trim level). I loved that car and did a few tweaks to it which did help in the performance area.

 

I replaced it 10 months later with an R reg 420 GSDi saloon - the intercooled version was a world apart in terms of performance and economy and drove so much nicer. GSDi is a nice spec too.

 

I sold that and got a Rover 600 - petrol...

 

[bub2006]

Thanks Mr B. Autoshite,where dreams happen.

[doobietoo]

Quick update from the car that wants to live.... having changed the glow plugs and relay it still would not start in the morning... and then in the afternoon so in desperation i jump started it and it went first time.... grrrr checked the battery which was "new" according to the seller and it was a measly 520 cca which isnt nearly enough so a new 720 cca battery was installed and no more starting problems yay. I flushed the cooling system and fitted a new thermostat today which means i dont have to wear a woolly hat and a polar proof coat now when i drive it. Also unfitted was the egr valve so it goes a bit better too Finally the drivers side window made a big crack when i opened it the other day but now it opens and closes as it should without a big gap at the top when closed. bonus

 I am fast falling in love with this car so may well clean it properly soon and start making it look as good as it goes... once my insurance runs out and i can re-insure it with a company that allows mods i am planning to do some upgrades as it seems from what i have read that 150bhp and 250lbft torque is relatively easy and cheap and at 1250kg should upset some of the local boy ricers.

[doobietoo]

So following the mending crack on monday there was a bigger breaking crack and no window movement apart from it opening slowly when hitting bumps as i drove along. On taking the door card off it transpired the window switch had been mullered and most of the wires were no longer connected, also there were only two screws holding a regulator and motor that wasnt even from a rover in a strange position inside the door. The surprise is that it worked at all. A quick trip to my local fave scrappy later and i had a switch, regulator and motor and a rubber glass channel insert all for £20. All fitted and window now really works as it should. Still starts and runs nicely though and now i can shut the window hopefully warmer too.