Rover 75 May just be okay after all. Maybe....

[cort16]

Have you got a massive vacuum leak and it’s sucked in and burnt some of the wd40?

[purplebargeken]

No idea, it was impossible to keep the car running and have a look in the engine bay but I don't think I sprayed that much 

[bub2006]

So grey smoke and fumes? Didn't smell like eggs did it? I'm wondering if contaminated cat caused by leaky seals. leaky seals can cause grey smoke. Being stood it could explain it. I had something with shot stem seals and that was a pig when left stood. Struggled to idle and kicked out nasty fumes

[purplebargeken]

No, no eggs. More like a oil/petrol tinge but my nose is not very accurate for non-food orientated smells.

[purplebargeken]

Tomorrow: check oil, coolant, plugs and leads. I'm too tired, drained, not strong enough and broke to consider anything else exploration or repair-wise. 

 

Not depressed or anything but just 'enough'. 

[purplebargeken]

Even the cunting i10 is biting me in the arse. Needs 3 new tyres, and another fucking N/S headlight bulb. That is 3 so far. I can't do electrics.

 

I was just going to park the i10 up, then fit the new front brake disks and pads I have just purchased to the 75 and waft around happily. 

 

Oh no, that would be too fucking easy.

[SiC]

https://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-parts/car-electrics-and-car-lighting/lighting1/car-bulb/?48177022U&0&cc5_846&gclid=CjwKCAiAnabTBRA6EiwAemvBd5ZZb3fa_iQP2iFrmvgWk0v-Wm5E7-xmyttMneLP3bYiLsQXzEeMHxoCXxIQAvD_BwE

 

Not as bright as a super-duper jobbie, but that's the compromise to make it last longer.

[purplebargeken]

Seems worthwhile but I have no sodding idea if it is an issue with the bulb holder and so on in the headlight itself or a wiring issue elsewhere. Also pairs. The drivers side headlight removal (yes, it's one of those twats) is so impossible looking I'd rather burn the car than attempt to change the bulb. The passenger side is a twat but it's just about do'able. 

 

Why can't they all be like a Triumph. 

[purplebargeken]

Okay, this is what is happening:

 

Immediately upon starting the car, light blue smoke is coming out of the exhaust and produces a decent cloud that wafts slowly down the road. 

 

After about 20seconds, smoke is coming from the engine bay, this is due tosome kind of moisture being burned off the exhaust manifold. I thought this might have been excess WD40 but I have wiped it down and it still looks wet and continues to burn off. This seems worst just above the joint to where the cat is plumbed in. I cannot see any immediate leakage from a specific point. However there does appear to be a slightly moist patch (not even that) on the exhaust manifold at the top edge of the manifold above the 2nd tube in from the N/S. Again, just looks moist and no obvious leakage seen. I disconnected a few bits and bobs and cleaned but nothing major identified, filter used but dry and so on. 

 

Car struggles to start and will run rough and not hold an idle unless the throttle is feathered and even then it will cut out. I don't have along reach plug socket to check the plugs but all looks decent enough under there, dry as a bone.

 

There is evidence of copper flecks in the coolant tank, although the engine was replaced at great cost by the old chap who owned the car. The flecks are more likely historical than anything else.

 

I cannot explore any further.

 

Any K series guru wanting to pop over and check for me or any ideas?

 

If it any more than a cheap simple fix then the car will have to go. I just cannot get the thing sorted. 

[purplebargeken]

No mayo on the oil filler cap or in the coolant tank. I don't think this is HGF in all honesty.

[Skut]

A long shot perhaps but the oils not overfilled is it. It would create some the issues you mentioned.

[purplebargeken]

Oil level will be checked when it settles later on. Always good to exclude anyhoo.

[Bobthebeard]

Hmmm.

Bit of a mystery this one.

The engine was replaced with a quality (Ivor Searle) unit around 20k ago at great expense by the old chap who was the PO. He had the car since new until his death in 2016 and spent huge amounts on the thing.

When I got it I went through all the invoices to see just what the back story was, it had a heater matrix leak which the garage cured* by adding K Seal or similar to the coolant, hence the copper flakes I think.

When I collected the car it had been stood unused for almost a year and was hard to start. Ran badly but cleared up after a mile or so. Always started and ran beautifully ever after. My verdict was damp/condensation due to being stood so long. On the drive from Oop North down to that London it didn't miss a beat. Neither did it misbehave in the couple of months that I used it on occasion. Wierd.

The oil and coolant levels were spot on and never changed in the 400/500 miles or so in my tenure.

The plenums were dry and drained freely also. It just drove and felt well sorted tbh.

Odd, but have no idea sadly!

[purplebargeken]

That would indeed explain the K seal. It continued to be that lovely runner and would start and run beautifully when I would start it a couple of times a week or so when not being driven.

 

At this point the car would not be something I would attempt to drive. 

[Bobthebeard]

Apologies if it turns out to be something serious Ken. It honestly was fine when I had it. Hope it isn't anything serious though... Maybe still an issue of damp somewhere hopefully.

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Compression test?

[Talbot]

Light blue smoke is almost always oil combustion.  I wonder if having been stood for a bit, some oil has managed to get into somewhere it should not be, and is burning off.  That would explain the blue smoke, and if there has been enough of it, the plugs may be fouled, hence it runs like a bag of poop.

 

Will it run enough to get it to drive, and then just go around the block many many times so that you're never far from home just in case it does die?  That way it can be run at some load, which will clear the oil and may clear the fouling on the plugs.

[purplebargeken]

It struggles to run generally at the moment not even sure how far I would get. I can't drive just yet due to op either which is frustrating.

[purplebargeken]

Duncan, not even an issue mate. Seriously. 

 

Shit happens and is just life. 

[SiC]

Valve stems leaking oil into the chamber? If so, once it's cleared itself then it should be run fine.

 

Hell even my mum's 2007 Cayman does it when left for a couple of weeks. Not a fault on that of course because it's German. So it's a design "quirk/feature".

[Parky]

Does seem a tad odd considering it was fine two weeks ago. Mind you so was Mark E.Smith.

 

I still think it is condensation in something electrical, or water has corroded something somewhere. Can you fast idle it on the drive for half an hour to dry it out or have you already tried that?

 

Otherwise moderns do act a bit strangely when their batteries are less than perfect. Maybe the two weeks of inactivity has left the battery modestly short on ampage and it's sulking?

[Split_Pin]

Can any helpful shiter get over to yours to give it a run? As said, could be valve stem oil seals.

[Bobthebeard]

Does seem a tad odd considering it was fine two weeks ago. Mind you so was Mark E.Smith.

I still think it is condensation in something electrical, or water has corroded something somewhere. Can you fast idle it on the drive for half an hour to dry it out or have you already tried that?

Otherwise moderns do act a bit strangely when their batteries are less than perfect. Maybe the two weeks of inactivity has left the battery modestly short on ampage and it's sulking?

My MG ZT is currently residing on my mothers drive 40 miles away due to 'too many cars'.

Been there since the end of October. Have visited me mam many times since but never started the car. Today I did start it. Admittedly it is the KV6 but it behaved in a similar way. Reluctant to fire on all cylinders, misfire and smoky/steamy exhaust. Around five minutes of throttle pedal shenanigans and all was well. Some steam from the engine also as I had the bonnet open throughout. Damp.

[Parky]

You could try putting sand in the combustion chambers to soak up any moisture? Or nip down Costco and buy a load of rice to tip in the engine bay?

[Parky]

Oh my god, that's brilliant!

 

I recall a Mustang owner being advised to flush his engine so he tried it. With water. Apparently it idled for a minute before stopping and now won't start and he can't understand why.

 

Another favourite was the iPhone hack where by drilling a small hole in the right spot in your new iPhone 7, you could use standard headphones. Some people apparently did fall for it.

 

And I won't mention the girl who got her first credit card and put the pic on Twitter. And yes, when asked what the three numbers were on the back, she revealed them. She is still paying it all back as the Internet spent her credit limit literally within seconds.

 

I love other people sometimes!

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

My old man got a spanking new 75 when they first come out, his ended in flames 2 weeks later. Cause was a failed connection to the engine ECU, that's how it left the factory... and that's what I was told.

[purplebargeken]

In the absence of sand or rice my mate is going to pop over on Monday and have a look, he will bring long plug spanner. 

 

I will report back.

[Brodders]

I am surprised that the 75 has got like this after only a 2 weeks and can't offer much assistance as I haven't dealt with this on either of my K-Series Rovers. However good luck with it on Monday, hopefully it won't be anything too serious.

[purplebargeken]

Cheers mate.I have never experienced anything like this on my previous K's either. 

 

Hopefully it will be okay otherwise I will be selling it as spares or repairs or car take back. No time, ability, money or energy if it is anything significant tbh. 

[Guest]

I reckon the inlet manifold gasket's gone, probs on number 4.. Coolant is getting into the cylinder, and causing the missfire,rough running,smoke and stuff.OAT burns grey too. Really common, about a fiver to fix and the cause of most of the "Ooohhh its HGF" crap on K's.