OMG ZT-T - my first V6

[Dan_ZTT]

At the start of this month my dad emailed me this advert he'd spotted in the MG Car Club magazine. I'd been on the lookout for a large estate with a bit of a fancy feel to it for a little while, considering things like X-types, V70s and 75s, so I was quite taken with it straight away. I called immediately but alas I was too late! Someone had already arranged a viewing. Undeterred, I left my number just in case, but after a week went by I thought no more of it.

 

 

But then! A full two weeks after the initial call, one slightly hungover Sunday morning, my mobile began to ring. The original bloke hadn't even bothered to turn up, and was I still interested? Of course I was, and plans were made. This Saturday just gone I persuaded my lovely wife to drive me the hour and a bit over the border into Wales, was greeted by a lovely old chap, went for a surprisingly brisk test drive, handed him some cash, and the vehicle was mine;

 

 

I should have sensibly driven straight home to the midlands, but before I'd made the viewing plans I'd arranged to see one of my favourite bands, so instead I headed for the capital, with the snow beginning to fall en route. The drive was excellent, the engine flawless, and later I enjoyed some rock music;

 

 

It was loud.

 

Heading back to bed down at my parents' house near London after midnight in a now much more intense snowfall was a little nervy, but successful;

 

 

In the morning I had a chance to properly assess my new acquisition, and was very pleased.

 

 

 

 

I drove it home to Worcestershire later that day and have taken it to work these past two days as well. I'm really rather pleased with it.

 

First order of business is a new tyre, for some reason it has 3 that match all with 5mm-ish tread but the right rear is much older and borderline illegal. My local place have ordered a replacement and will be fitting it tomorrow. 

 

That aside, the initial assessment of issues runs thus;

 

- It runs a bit cold (temp gauge only gets up to 1/4 instead of 1/2, even on a long run). Dodgy thermostat?

- The sat nav doesn't work. I don't care about this because I have a smartphone which fits nicely in the cupholder.

- The television doesn't work because digital switchover. I don't care about this either because having a TV in a car at all is totally mental.

- I'm playing cambelt roulette, it had one at 50,000 miles in 2010, it's now at 107,000 miles and I still can't believe it's 2018. I'm having a serious think about this because I do want to keep it for a long time. I will probably get it done in the next few months.

- The electric door mirror adjust only works to move them downwards, which isn't helpful. You can manually push the glass into place though, so I've done that for now and won't touch them for a while. 

- The tailgate release is temperamental. I read up on this and took the rubber cover off, and the metal switch under it works great, but now I can't get the rubber cover back on so I've taped over it. I'll try again this weekend. The remote boot release in the driver's footwell also doesn't work.

- The headlights are very grimy/fogged. I'm going to try to improve this with cleaning products.

- General cosmetics. Going to get some replacement MG badge wheel centres, and maybe try touching up the paint in places.

 

On the plus side, it drives absolutely beautifully and also rather quickly, it has stacks of paperwork covering its whole life, it makes a great noise, and it's just generally a lovely place to be. It even came with a new set of brake pads and a new set of spark plugs, plus some paint.

 

Interior pics to follow when I remember to take some.

 

The plan is to run this as my only car for as long as I can, so this does also mean my Delta will shortly be for sale. More on that to come.

 

I know there's a lot of MG Rover love on these pages so I hope this adds to that. Advice welcome on the issues listed, I'm still very much a learner mechanic so appreciate it all. Also, if anyone has a book of lies for these that they don't need I'd be happy to give you some money for it.

 

 

[Cavcraft]

Defo one of the best looking estates ever made.

[AMC Rebel]

Brilliant stuff! 

 

 

It runs a bit cold (temp gauge only gets up to 1/4 instead of 1/2, even on a long run). Dodgy thermostat?

 

 

 

Yes - see my numerous rants about the temp gauge on these and the BMW fuckwittery thereof.

You can get the instruments to tell you actual temp using diagnostic mode (one of BMWs better deliveries) https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=55585 

Thermostat isn't a job for the faint hearted (!) 

Don't buy one for a KV6 Freelander - uninformed folk say they are the same but they aren't.  You have to buy the whole plastic assembly, not just the wax stat. 

It can be changed without disturbing the inlet manifold and having done both ways I'd always do the "keyhole" method for preference.  If taking off the manifold, get replacement gaskets and o rings for the fuel rails.

 

- The sat nav doesn't work. I don't care about this because I have a smartphone which fits nicely in the cupholder.

 

 

They all do that sir - most likely the aerial - in any case it's a bit average - not touch screen, no full postcode search and crappy graphics - I removed mine.  If removing the DVD drive in the boot, wait until the red light goes out before unplugging it or the unit's bricked. 

 

BTW the ICE setup in these is hilarious - the unit in the dash is a screen, controls and cassette deck.  The actual radio (which looks like a single din car radio but with no front) lives in the spare wheel area under a metal cover, with the TV tuner nearby.

 

- The television doesn't work because digital switchover. I don't care about this either because having a TV in a car at all is totally mental.

 

 

You can (or you could) buy a sort of digibox thing for cars if you really want.

 

There are various Chinese replacement units with touch screen sat nav etc available to replace the ICE/nav

 

- I'm playing cambelt roulette, it had one at 50,000 miles in 2010, it's now at 107,000 miles and I still can't believe it's 2018. I'm having a serious think about this because I do want to keep it for a long time. I will probably get it done in the next few months.

 

 

 

Er right.  I have done the belts on mine, but lucky for me the engine was out.  It is a very big job, three belts, several stretch bolts and a locking pin and alignment tools - don't ask about it on the 75/ZT forum or there will be world war 3 again between the folk who say it's easier than changing a fan belt on a Fordson Tractor and those who say everything needs such critical alignment that the job can only be done by a zen master with 900 years experience and alignment tools carved from ivory. 

 

Also the timing tools for the 190 are unique to that engine as the cam timing is different (although there is some dodge about  turning the 160s round I seem to recall).

[AMC Rebel]

BTW - great buy - I absolutely love the sound of the engine, the performance is decent if not shattering, they handle decently and ride really well and are an all round nice place to be - practical too in ZTT form.

[wuvvum]

A lad I know can do KV6 cambelts without any of the special tools, so it is perfectly feasible.  Still a twat of a job though.

[Tam]

Looks good with a good spec. see the rear cubby cover with Harmon Kardon grill and Xenon headlights  I had a shot of a 190 for a couple of months before Christmas and they really shift after 3000rpm as long as Vis motors are ok! Bloody gutsy though for my commute. Now in a 2.0 V6 75 and its so bloody slow off the mark and equally as gutsy

[wuvvum]

You have to rev the knackers off a 2.0 to get it to move, which rather goes against the nature of a 75.  And also makes it drink rather a lot, as you say.

 

I've always wondered how difficult it would be to fit a 2.5 190 engine into a V6 45 like Bo11ox' and create an entertaining Q-car.

[AMC Rebel]

A lad I know can do KV6 cambelts without any of the special tools, so it is perfectly feasible.  Still a twat of a job though.

 

I told you this would happen

 

BTW I am not claiming I know but some folk on the 75/ZT forum would claim that the engine won't be timed properly unless the proper tools are used - something to do with the sprockets not being fixed in relation to the cam position (I think).

 

I was lucky that a kind person lent me a set of the "official" tools.

[Dan_ZTT]

 

If removing the DVD drive in the boot, wait until the red light goes out before unplugging it or the unit's bricked. 

 

 

The DVD drive was out and sitting on the back seat when I bought it, so this has most likely already happened. Previous owner said I could put it back in and it would work but would never turn off when the engine was off, and hence drain the battery. I think I'm just going to put it in the garage and forget about it...

[Dan_ZTT]

 

BTW the ICE setup in these is hilarious - the unit in the dash is a screen, controls and cassette deck.  The actual radio (which looks like a single din car radio but with no front) lives in the spare wheel area under a metal cover, with the TV tuner nearby.

 

 

Haha excellent, that is a bit ridiculous. I'll have a proper look at the unit in the spare wheel area tomorrow. I also like how the CD changer fills pretty much the entire glovebox, rendering it near-useless for storage.

[Split_Pin]

Lovely motor! I cant rcall the last time I saw a ZT actually.

 

I see you are suffering from the same symptoms as me with the 75 1) In love with it 2) some bills looming. Im now very familiar with malaise and ambivalence. Totally worth it so far though!

[Roverageous]

This is absolutely top hole content! 

 

That ZT-T looks absolutely lovely - well bought especially if it's for the price in the ad. It looks like it's absolutely specced to the hilt? Must be £30k of motorcar in 2002's money. Smashing.

 

I'm in a similar position with the cambelts on my Kv6. They were done in 2010 at 80k. The car now has 107k on it, so not even 30k miles. IIRC the original intervals for these engines were 10 years of 90,000 miles and then reduced by MGR. I can't remember where I read that, but I'm sure I did. I think I'll be getting mine done in the next month as I don't fancy risking it any longer.

[montytom]

Looks a great buy. 

 

The belts on these cars have been tested to over 150,000 miles but alot of failures that have been happening is because the tensioners are failing rather than the belts themselves. I had my old 75 done at time rather than miliage. If you plan on keeping the cars then best get the works done. Never had a zt but have had many 75s and would definately have another.

[AMC Rebel]

Depending on your attitude to risk, I might be tempted to leave the belts - some on the 75/ZT forum have done insane mileages/times without a change and the costs of the job may outweigh the cost of buying and fitting a replacement KV6.  There aren't that many tales of failure - and at least one I read was soon after a belt change.

[oldcars]

Sounds like the contacts on the circle mirror adjuster are gummed up. Mine was the same.

 

Pop the switch unit out of the door, remove the white connector from it and then you can take it inside.

I used a small flat screwdriver to separate the top from the bottom of the switch unit. Clean the contacts with rubber and then rebuild it up. All mirrors should work.

I make a point of adjusting them ever few weeks just to stop this happening again.

[CortinaDave]

I've had about half a dozen ZT's now, I bloody love them. The cambelt on the V6 is indeed a pig, but I'd say at 107k with a change at 50 you'll be alright.

 

The story goes that MGR lifed the belts to 150k but specified 100k/6yr changes to be safe. Stories of snapped cambelts even at 150k seem to be quite rare. My last one was a 53 plate on 130 odd with no change and was absolutely fine. I didn't bother because I figured changing the engine wouldn't be much more expensive if it blew up in my face than doing the belts!

 

The thermostat on mine is leaking and has been said its a pig to do, so its booked in to an MGR specialist next week, they reckon 3-4 hrs labour so its not the £5 part and 10 min change job it is on a lot of cars unfortunately

[Dan_ZTT]

This is absolutely top hole content! 

 

That ZT-T looks absolutely lovely - well bought especially if it's for the price in the ad. It looks like it's absolutely specced to the hilt? Must be £30k of motorcar in 2002's money. Smashing.

 

 

Thanks, yeah I did make a cheeky lower offer but quite reasonably he wanted the full £750, it was still a very fair price though so I was happy to pay it

[Dan_ZTT]

Thanks for the advice everyone, it's much appreciated. AMC Rebel your ZT knowledge continues to astound me, all the info you've given has been really helpful.

 

New tyre was put on this morning so that's one job ticked off the list, the fitter remarked on how good a car it seemed too, which was very pleasing.

 

I feel better about leaving the cambelt for a while now, didn't realise they specified such a long interval, my previous cars have all been somewhere around the 60-70k range. I'm not likely to do more than about 3k a year anyway so I think it's an acceptable risk for the time being.

[bezzabsa]

Did they do the Estate in V8 flavour??????

 

seen quite a few saloon 8's.. and they sound GORGEOUS!!!!!!!  

[oldcars]

Did they do the Estate in V8 flavour??????

 

seen quite a few saloon 8's.. and they sound GORGEOUS!!!!!!!  

Yes you can get them. Saw a red one once looked great.

[DVee8]

Who was the band?

 

Nice car by the way.Looks good in silver.

[Dan_ZTT]

Who was the band?

 

Nice car by the way.Looks good in silver.

 

 

Feeder, at Brixton Academy. Doing their 'best of' tour as well which made me very happy, took me back to being 14 and learning to play 'Buck Rogers' on my first guitar. Much shouting along.

 

I wasn't sure on the silver initially, was looking for a dark blue or dark red, but having had it for a few days I'm really starting to come around to it, it's quite nice.

[SierraMikeHotel]

That is gawj.

 

Sounds like you're smitten with it, but think of me if you ever decide to sell.

[xtriple]

Beautiful car I love these estates. really good looking things. There is a guy round here with a V8 estate (MG) with the supercharger. He's had it since nearly new and loves it to bits.

[Tam]

This my mates ZT-T 400

 

https://youtu.be/kAUdC4niUIA

[AMC Rebel]

I forgot to say - that's a great find with the OEM xenon lights - not easy to get and  lot of poorly fitted retro fits around too. 

[Mr A Lawrence]

Looks good but...........

 

 

I'll have 2 randoms and 17 and 39 thanks. 

[stripped fred]

Looks a nice car. You've got me looking now too!

[Ghosty]

Lovely motor! I cant rcall the last time I saw a ZT actually.

 

You've a point there, they've all disappeared. The bloke in the house opposite us used to have a red saloon as his company car in about 2002, alas he wasn't the best of drivers and it ended up with a huge fuck off diamond shaped dent in the rear quarter for a long time, and in the centre of it was a hole surrounded by rust (!). Must have been hit by a truck - I've no clue how it got that dent in it and still drove alright.

All the cars he's had since have been pranged at least once but since then he's always had them repaired asap, probably because his wife has polio and gave up driving.

[xkjagnz]

Cleaning/polishing the headlight lenses - brasso works really well ---so does toothpaste - with the added bonus of a minty fresh smelling car!!