RichardKs wanderings: The Box

[RichardK]

So LED H9 bulb replacements are crap. They're actually H11s, they don't usually rotate in the mount for adjustment, and H9s are designed for high beam so are assumed to be any orientation to suit (I'd question that, and R75 lights are crap anyway which may be down to choices like "we don't care which way the bulb ends up as long as it fits in the offset hole with its bulky connector on").

Dashboard is in bits so I could fit a USB extender to make it possible to upgrade the firmware.

And I have new tail light seals to fit. But out of light for the day, so... tomorrow.

 

 

[RichardK]

[RichardK]

Instructions for changing a blown headlight on an MG ZT.

Start engine

Turn steering

Remove cover in wheel arch

Reach in and twist bayonet

Lose orientation of bulb

Try to refit

Cut hands 16 times

Take match

Burn car

Hey, it's much brighter now!

Who the hell designs these things?!

[RichardK]

Fixed the headlights, inflated the tyres, skulked around town for a bit. Needs new tyres for sure, airbag light is on (I have a reset tool), remembered orange circle is pad wear and looked it up - so tyres and pads due. This this was supposed to have been looked after?!

[High Jetter]

Airbag light often cured by undoing & refitting, or replacing, the 2 connectors under each front seat. Detailed pics on the 75&ZT forum, if not on here as well.

[RichardK]

15 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Airbag light often cured by undoing & refitting, or replacing, the 2 connectors under each front seat. Detailed pics on the 75&ZT forum, if not on here as well.

It's had the seats swapped so it's entirely possible shenanigans have happened. Plus the battery went totally flat. Spend £50 on bulbs today replacing every back one and the H7 headlights with "200%" Halfords ones because LEDs are illegal and crap.

[RichardK]

Well, I bought "new genuine headlights" from Xpart and they were Depo so I Depo-rted them right back, I'm not paying £360 for that crap; will wait for the nicest secondhand ones I can find to polish up.

And I got my private plate for it.

K666 MGR

But until I get tyres on it, and this weather gives it a break on the whole "Being Bloody Cold" kick it's on, the MG's just sitting on the battery conditioner chilling out. Literally.

[RoverFolkUs]

A turbocharged kettle facelift ZT 

Ticks all the boxes for me

Spanish waiter I hope it goes without saying?

[RichardK]

1 hour ago, RoverFolkUs said:

A turbocharged kettle facelift ZT 

Ticks all the boxes for me

Spanish waiter I hope it goes without saying?

It is - suspect the clutch hydraulics need some R&R as it feels heavy/imprecise to me but seems alright and not to be slipping. Until the plate paperwork is done and the weather is kinder it's on pause for a bit

[RoverFolkUs]

1 hour ago, RichardK said:

It is - suspect the clutch hydraulics need some R&R as it feels heavy/imprecise to me but seems alright and not to be slipping. Until the plate paperwork is done and the weather is kinder it's on pause for a bit

TADTS so I wouldn't worry too much

Unfortunately it's a concentric slave they've got and it will fail at some point if it hasn't been done already, that's just part and parcel of manual 75/ZT ownership sadly. 

However since I'm not a massive fan of Automatics it's a compromise I'd be happy to accept. I do need to scratch the 75/ZT ownership itch some day!

[EyesWeldedShut]

2 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

TADTS so I wouldn't worry too much

Unfortunately it's a concentric slave they've got and it will fail at some point if it hasn't been done already, that's just part and parcel of manual 75/ZT ownership sadly. 

However since I'm not a massive fan of Automatics it's a compromise I'd be happy to accept. I do need to scratch the 75/ZT ownership itch some day!

Saw this listing this morning on eBay 2005, manual, 150K miles, £1995 in Manchester - wife caught me dribbling at it so I'm banned - maybe itch your scratch? 

 

 

[RoverFolkUs]

14 minutes ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Saw this listing this morning on eBay 2005, manual, 150K miles, £1995 in Manchester - wife caught me dribbling at it so I'm banned - maybe itch your scratch? 

 

 

Thank you, I did lust over it after seeing it in the tat thread, it certainly appears to be a decent example and sounds well sorted, in which case £2k doesn't sound horrific

And it's an estate, which I'd probably prefer over a saloon but I'm not too bothered. 

Hmmm, 🤔 

[RichardK]

37 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

TADTS so I wouldn't worry too much

Unfortunately it's a concentric slave they've got and it will fail at some point if it hasn't been done already, that's just part and parcel of manual 75/ZT ownership sadly. 

However since I'm not a massive fan of Automatics it's a compromise I'd be happy to accept. I do need to scratch the 75/ZT ownership itch some day!

I'm not sure how likely I am to part with this, given the weird story of how I got it, but I'm not a big fan of saloons. If I do get to the stage of selling it'll have had a lot of attention - current plan is four new proper brand tyres, make sure all seals/gaskets and things on the body are right, etc. so it should be "remapped ZT at its best" or "unmapped" if it has had a remap and that's why it sometimes struggles around 3K.

If nothing else I want the tyres, clutch (if I fit the upgraded master/pipe setup I am hoping that's fit once and forget) and new plate on and to go to PoL with it. Maybe Whitby as well.

[RichardK]

Flippen' eck that ZT-T looks excellent.

[RichardK]

Busy week of other things taking priority so nothing much happening on the automotive front, but, house is progressing towards completion.

Took me ages to get plates ordered for the ZT - in the end, after trying a small firm recommended by the club and just finding the process slower than conveyancing I went to Demon Plates, chucked an order in, got confused, accidentally ordered my RTK plate instead, and they...

...proactively spotted the error on the docs, and my email saying ARGH crossed with theirs going 'Don't you mean?', then they called to check they were making what I wanted, and have put together a set with full-size R75 plate and black border, no flag, and front plate with black border and Euro/GB bit - and they're proper, clear acrylic/stuff stuck on behind, none of this sticker on black plastic nonsense. Should have those in time for taxing it again (SORNed with change of keeper) - wondering if I've had my V5 through for the new plate, post seems to be a bit patchy this month.

Boot is a little dryer so I waxoiled the seams and put the spare wheel (still rust bubbled, but at least in stasis for a while) and bits back in, inflated the tyres and inspired by a few recent mentions of where Rover 75s rust, decided I'd have a quick grubby feel of the sills and trailing arm mount points plus jacking pads...

...

yeah, they're fine. Will jack it or back it up on ramps and give it a clean, check and black wax when the weather's nicer and I have time. Front tyres definitely needed, the OSF went quite flat but also I reckon it's on 2.5mm, so still pondering whether it gets four Goodyears or similar or I just do the two given the other expenses I'm balancing. Next job should really be making a new boot floor to replace the warped one.

[2flags]

These are such a stylish and comfortable car. I have a 75 Tourer CDTI. Lovely thing. Sits nicely along side the X Type. 

[RichardK]

[RichardK]

When I rule the world, any stereo or towbar installer who reaches for one of these will receive a very severe electric shock. And maybe their fingers will shrivel up and drop off. And everything they eat will taste like licking a 9V battery.

 

[RichardK]

Quick run

Clutch pedal disconnected from slave cyl.

I really am beginning to question the wisdom of putting any energy into this car, I think it actively just wants to die.

[Rocket88]

The perils of a manual 75…..😱

[Six-cylinder]

When I had my manual ZTT 2.5 and it started to loose clutch fluid I said to my garage I hope it is the slave not the expensive master. No you don't was the reply, slave is a gearbox off job!

[RichardK]

1 hour ago, Six-cylinder said:

When I had my manual ZTT 2.5 and it started to loose clutch fluid I said to my garage I hope it is the slave not the expensive master. No you don't was the reply, slave is a gearbox off job!

Yep. This car is not remotely appealing enough for that to be an option, we need more cans to preserve the few tomatoes left in the UK anyway.

However, there was a distinct "ping" from pedal as I was holding the clutch down to reverse onto the drive, so I reckon it's lost a clip for the rod. But the pedal was feeling odd, as mentioned before, and I suspect it's got a grotty master cylinder from the feel of it.

[RichardK]

So... I looked behind the dashboard and... the master cylinder is still attached to the pedal.

But it's not attached to anything else...

[High Jetter]

Laugh for the wording, not the detatchment.

[AnnoyingPentium]

Just now, High Jetter said:

Laugh for the wording, not the detatchment.

Likewise.

[RoverFolkUs]

1 hour ago, RichardK said:

So... I looked behind the dashboard and... the master cylinder is still attached to the pedal.

But it's not attached to anything else...

Could say it was clutching at straws.. 

[Sorry] 

[Six-cylinder]

On 2/26/2023 at 5:26 PM, RichardK said:

Yep. This car is not remotely appealing enough for that to be an option, we need more cans to preserve the few tomatoes left in the UK anyway.

I don't like the sound of that!

[RichardK]

Just now, Six-cylinder said:

I don't like the sound of that!

Only if the gearbox needs to come out and I can't get help/somone trustworthy on it! A new clutch with slave cylinder is under £200 it seems so it's all the labour - but subframe has to be detached 😕 and I don't have the experience or tools for such things.

What I want is to fix it and keep it nice, but it's had a hard few years after being a cherished car - I reckon the owner after the 2018 ad did little to maintain it or care for it 😕

[RichardK]

So it had one bolt still present but not attached, and one missing with the collar slid out of the plastic. Methinks this was not replaced correctly at some point in the past.

Job made 10x worse by being attacked by all the loose reverse cam wires just chucked in without a cable tie in sight. What. The fuck. Is wrong. With people. This poor car has been all wax and no actual care 😕

[Angrydicky]

Lucky. So all the problem was was the master cylinder loose?

I do feel for you though, if it’s anything like the 600 the access is terrible. I’m still putting off removing the clutch master cylinder and rebuilding it as the access is so poor. Rover clearly fitted them before they fitted the engine at the factory and it’s buried right down beneath the inlet manifold. For now, I’m topping it up occasionally. It occasionally baulks going into first or reverse so it’s probably got air in it too.