Downgrading from a Rover 800

[Parky]

2 hours ago, sierraman said:

The whining will be the gearbox bearings, unless it’s low on oil servicing it will make no difference to that apart from possibly making the noise louder. Save your money for a gearbox rebuild. 

Or pop in some Molyslip or similar when you top the box up.  It won’t make things worse, may even improve things a little

[Microwave]

29 minutes ago, big_al_granvia said:

you can get rads recored and rebuilt, the fact none are available as complete units is not a issue these guys are in chorley  http://www.mrsheattransfer.com/

Might not have explained this too well, but the radiator I keep referring to HAS been recored and rebuilt, funnily enough by MRS. For what it's worth, they were patient and very pleasant people to deal with. Placed my order and paid to have it rebuilt early January and only handed the radiator to them around April-May time. Think I paid 280 quid which is a good price after looking around.

 

Also, ordered the fuse from Rimmerbros. Hoping it's here by Tuesday.

[sierraman]

K Seal. 

[Tamworthbay]

Having seen first hand the shit that comes out when someone has used it I would never put it in anything unless it was a car I needed to get home before I scrapped it, even then I think I would just get a shitload of water bottles.

[sierraman]

I think you are confusing it with Radweld. I’ve run K Seal in loads of cars and never had any problems whatsoever. 

[Tamworthbay]

  Nope it was definitely k seal as I found the receipt for it in the boot, it took three hours of filling, running to temp flushing, repeat to get it close to clear, even after 12 months and three changes later there is a distinct coppery tinge on the reservoir. It hadn’t even cured the problem either, and I suspect there may have been more than one bottle applied.

[sierraman]

Can’t really complain if it’s not been administered according to instructions. It’s not meant for absolutely fucked cooling systems. That’s what Steel Seal is for. 

[EssDeeWon]

Firstly and when you finally get this far down the line make sure you're a million% sure it has actually suffered HGF.  Didn't it overheat because the rad failed?  If the HG has gone I still wouldn't go near a bottle of any K Seal, radweld whatever.  Unless its for bangernomics purposes on a car you plan to dispose off in the not too distant I wouldn't touch this stuff. I am pretty sure this is not a bangernomics motor, and the HG is fairly accessible on these and not major coinage to get done.

When and who tested the HG and detected failure?

[Tamworthbay]

8 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Can’t really complain if it’s not been administered according to instructions. It’s not meant for absolutely fucked cooling systems. That’s what Steel Seal is for. 

It wasn’t fucked, just a tiny weep on a water pump. Reason it had been chucked in I think  is that said water pump happened to be under belts that entailed an 8 hour job even with a lift and the proper kit and two of us.

[UltraWomble]

3 hours ago, Microwave said:

 

Trying to source a new fuse now. I work at a motorfactors and I can't seem to get the right fusible link.

AFL in Lelyand used to do BFO main fuses for main brand stuff, but these days it seems to be all stickers, shiney tail pipes  and Chinesium spanners rather than useful bits

[sierraman]

26 minutes ago, Tamworthbay said:

It wasn’t fucked, just a tiny weep on a water pump. Reason it had been chucked in I think  is that said water pump happened to be under belts that entailed an 8 hour job even with a lift and the proper kit and two of us.

I can only say from experience. I don’t have a lot to do with Rovers so can’t comment but on everything I’ve used it on, granted old bangers like I run, it’s worked perfectly.

[Microwave]

1 hour ago, UltraWomble said:

AFL in Lelyand used to do BFO main fuses for main brand stuff, but these days it seems to be all stickers, shiney tail pipes  and Chinesium spanners rather than useful bits

I won’t tell you where I work then ahahaha

1 hour ago, EssDeeWon said:

When and who tested the HG and detected failure?

Not sure if this is a question for me or not? The car hasn’t suffered HGF. It literally only ever overheated on the motorway at normal motorway speeds, where it was just coming into boost. Around town no matter how you drove it it never overheated. I reckon eventually it will suffer HGF because of the overheating and the state of the rusty water that it had in it for ages because of the iron/iron block/head combo but for now it’s fine. It was practically mint mechanically, save for the gearbox whine. Just needs the radiator that I have installing and needs a few running gear bits before I reckon it’ll pass MOT, but I don’t care right now as my focus lies with these electrics.

Also yeah, from friends experiences and such I won’t ever be touching any cooling system seal stuff.

[EssDeeWon]

1 minute ago, Microwave said:

Not sure if this is a question for me or not? The car hasn’t suffered HGF. It literally only ever overheated on the motorway at normal motorway speeds, where it was just coming into boost. Around town no matter how you drove it it never overheated. I reckon eventually it will suffer HGF because of the overheating and the state of the rusty water that it had in it for ages because of the iron/iron block/head combo but for now it’s fine. It was practically mint mechanically, save for the gearbox whine. Just needs the radiator that I have installing and needs a few running gear bits before I reckon it’ll pass MOT, but I don’t care right now as my focus lies with these electrics.

Exactly.  I wondered what prompted all the OMGHGF talk when in fact it probably hasn't even failed.  It sounds like you caught it and switched it off in time and didn't run it repeatedly with a failed rad, therefore probably no need to be discussing the HG at this stage.  As you rightly say get the fuses sorted first and get a spark then fit the rad, bleed and refill and enjoy your lovely Rover !!   

[Microwave]

5 minutes ago, EssDeeWon said:

It sounds like you caught it and switched it off in time and didn't run it repeatedly with a failed rad, therefore probably no need to be discussing the HG at this stage.

Uh, sort of but not really haha ?

I overheated it a few times because I didn’t actually know what the issue was until the last day I drove it that week, tried a few different things on different days and obviously none of them worked. The worst trip I did in it was roughly from Preston to Hartlepool to get it diagnosed with a friend, while I still didn’t know the rad was fucked. Overheated on the way there a couple of times, and on the way back it was 50MPH all the way home to stay out of boost before leaving it in storage til today. Luckily they’re quite a tough engine, being all iron, so I don’t think I have to worry so much about warping bits, mainly just cracking them instead ? but I don’t think it ever really got that hot for too long a time. I acted on the high temperature pretty quickly every time.

Be reyt man

[EssDeeWon]

ok but the oil isn't mayo'd and the ultimate reason for the overheat was the rad, it didn't overheat because of HGF.  I recently had an RAC man tell me my V6 was borked because it spat its coolant out, I knew it wasn't so stood there tight lipped until he discovered a split rad hose, no biggy. New hose and coolant and on we go  

Let us know the outcome Tuesday when this fuse arrives.

[Microwave]

RIGHT

New fuse in, still amazed that I managed to zap a chunk of metal into 2 separate pieces

Took out the old 063 battery and replaced it under the assumption that it was done for. It was flat as anything anyhow but might stick it on charge and see what's what. It did always start this 2.0 lump with ease during the autumn/winter.

Went to unlock the door with the EKA code and it did its usual horn beep warning thing but didn't disarm the immobiliser nor unlock all the doors. Quickly realised that the bonnet alarm switch thing wasn't connected, so sorted that and shut the bonnet. Tried the EKA code and

WE HAVE FUNCTIONING CENTRAL LOCKING

At this point I will admit I got overly excited for something so mundane but I didn't let it get the better of me, I knew I could still be let down.

Put the key in, turned it

YES

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES (honestly more excited that me radio wasn't nuked, got history this thing)

I then went to seek further advice as to whether it was safe to start or not in its current state, what with no radiator or intercooler etc.

Which then resulted in THIS

 

IT FUCKING WORKS LADS

Cannot believe I've let this car sit for this long because of a bastard fuse. Remains to be seen as to whether I've knacked the alternator or not, but we'll get to that. Next order of business is to get the rad and intercooler back in, get it cleaned up, possibly get new pads and discs all around as I'm sure they'll be shite now and then stick it through an MOT! MUCH EXCITE

ROVER 800 ELECTRICS FTW

[skattrd]

Discs and pads should be fine, a bit of driving around hitting the brakes and they'll clean up.
That is as long as the handbrake isn't seized on.

[Microwave]

Oh, it definitely will be to some degree. I couldn't take the handbrake off at the time for some reason I can't remember, so it's been sat with the handbrake on for ages. Oh well.

[Wingz123]

Happy days! I reckon battery and alternator will be fine too. Get battery on a real slow charge

[Wingz123]

You've even got half a tank of juice in there too - BONUS!

[EssDeeWon]

Well done man, top work.

[Fraz]

Yas

[LightBulbFun]

fuck yeah! thats what I call a win  

[Pillock]

Happy days! 

[Lord Sterling]

Yeah. Rover 800s are the kind of cars that don't take kindly to being fixed. I've had (and still have) the Honda-engine V6 Rover 825s and 827s. Both cars eat thier head gaskets. Yet the later Rover 825 Sterling K-series I had kept on going despite a borked radiator and a transmission that decided if it didn't want to stay in gear.

Wang yourself an account on rover800.info if you need parts there were a few if us on there who hoarded parts. Someone will have what you need.

[DaveDorson]

I'm gonna say it. 

 

This car is fit.  You need to get it done.

[Zelandeth]

I'm absolutely astonished that the various ECUs survived...unless the designers were a lot more cautious than I'd honestly expect and connected a seriously beefy protection diode across the supply (which the blown 100A fuse would suggest is the case).

Given the fuse went the alternator *probably* will be okay assuming the light on the dash comes on and goes out and you've got a sensible voltage being output - CHECK THIS just in case the regulator has been zapped and is throwing 16+V into the system, as that will start frying stuff in no time. 

[racingsnake]

Nice simple fix to start you on the road to a repaired car. 

[Microwave]

7 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Given the fuse went the alternator *probably* will be okay assuming the light on the dash comes on and goes out and you've got a sensible voltage being output - CHECK THIS just in case the regulator has been zapped and is throwing 16+V into the system, as that will start frying stuff in no time. 

This was something I meant to check but forgot to in my excitement, I’ll look when the car’s in a properly running state. Rather not fuck up any more electrics here.

[Datsuncog]

Just catching up on this - delighted to hear the resolution seems to have been a simple one, as this car is an absolute peach.

The whole episode sounds exactly like the kind of thing I would do, so you have my unmitigated sympathy there...

Looking forward to reading about imminent recommissioning/MOT/hoonage as and when it occurs.

Fingers crossed.