AS communal Rover 75 / MG ZT lickers thread

[barefoot]

My lovely 75 is currently being examined by a skilled auto electrician.

The problem is, I'm going to need a car suitable for the fair wife's hefty motorway commute in the next couple of weeks, and as I drove out of the garage I spotted a Jaguar X type estate in bronze for a reasonable price - Fuck sticks!

[barefoot]

Just a quick recap;

Cunt, I too feel obliged to begin naming my cars,  was sent to my man with the spanners for oil/filter/transmision fluid/brake pads so that we'd be all ready for winter. All sorted, the fucker then went into limp mode on his test drive. Neither the plenums or the spare wheel well had any water in, but the whole car had gone crackers. It wasn't even sending power to the OBD port. It's finally been tracked down to a couple of faulty earths beneath the passenger seat carpet (someone knows their way round a multi-meter) and will be returned in the morning. I shall be conducting a lengthy test drive before sending the fair wife up the motorway on Thursday.

[wuvvum]

My 75 is continuing to baffle me.  I still can't get the driver's door window switch pack to work - I've bought a replacement switch pack and a replacement BCU and neither has made any difference.  There's power getting to the switches as the mirrors work, and the three other door windows all work from their respective door switches, but none of the window switches on the driver's door does anything.  Also the rear window lock-out doesn't work - the light comes on on the button but it doesn't make any difference to the functioning of the rear windows.

I'm at a bit of a loss as to what else I can try...

[Split_Pin]

Did you take the pack apart and clean the contacts on the circuitboard like I suggested?

It's a finicky job but it worked for me. I remember it was one of the first and last jobs my son helped me with on the car, he was only 5 at the time.

 

[wuvvum]

40 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Did you take the pack apart and clean the contacts on the circuitboard like I suggested?

It's a finicky job but it worked for me. I remember it was one of the first and last jobs my son helped me with on the car, he was only 5 at the time.

 

I took the original pack apart - it was all shiny and squeaky clean in there, I did give everything a spray with contact cleaner while I had it apart but I didn't see any furry looking contacts.  I'm not sure it's the pack that's at fault anyway as both the packs I have malfunction in exactly the same way.

[Split_Pin]

Did you take the rubber bit off and scrape the gold squares on the circuit board gently with a small blunt screwdriver?

[wuvvum]

On 9/4/2021 at 11:21 PM, Split_Pin said:

Did you take the rubber bit off and scrape the gold squares on the circuit board gently with a small blunt screwdriver?

There was no need.  The contacts were all spotless.

[Roverageous]

Managed to pick up another one a few months back...  11800 miles from new, and in a Monogram colour - Chatsworth Gold.

Unfortunately it transpired after I bought it, that it had a significant water ingress problem, and while I was investigating that, it snapped the aux belt which put it out of action for a while. Over the summer I stripped the interior out totally, and sorted the various water ingress points (sunroof drains / missing plenum tubes) before sourcing an excellent condition replacement carpet (the old one was a bit too far gone) and building the interior back up. I was encouraged to see that the floor was in excellent condition with no corrosion. 

We're back on the road now, and although there are still a few things to sort - it's bloody lovely wafting around in what is basically an 'as new' Rover 75.

[wuvvum]

Aux belt on a CDTi is always fun*.

[Roverageous]

On 9/10/2021 at 8:27 PM, wuvvum said:

Aux belt on a CDTi is always fun*.

Yes, the mechanic I used found that out!

[Roverageous]

Fellow Roverists... I have a conundrum.

I'm at a crossroads with Bertie (2001 'Y-Reg' Connoisseur SE in Damson Red - 2.0V6 Petrol). This car is starting to feel a bit tatty, in that it has paint flaking on the front & rear bumpers, poor repair to the sill (going rusty again) & damage to the front of both sills (my ex-mechanic can't use a trolley jack properly). The car is mechanically sound, has another 3 years on the cam belts & everything (EVERYTHING) works. I want to retain a pre-project drive 75 on the fleet, with a V6 petrol engine, so my options are thus:

1) Sell Bertie as a bit of a banger (probably get £800 or so) and look for a replacement, like this: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109257798932?sort=price-desc&make=Rover&price-to=8000&model=75&include-delivery-option=on&advertising-location=at_cars&radius=1500&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&postcode=hp197rf&page=1

2) Treat Bertie as a bit of a rolling restoration. In this instance I would invest heavily in repairing the sills to as-new standard, get the bumpers sorted (some minor repairs necessary to a couple of splits) and have the whole car resprayed. I would also need to tackle the interior over time, as some fabrics are just beginning to come away (headlining & door cards) but doesn't look bad yet. 

3) Sack any more Rovers off, and buy a nice Volvo T5.

I'm leaning towards option 2 - I've spent a lot of money on this car over the last 5 years and it's a lovely place to be - but maybe it's time for a change?

I dunno!

 

[Split_Pin]

Like yours, mine isn't the best paint wise but mechanically it's spot in. I've booked it in in January to have the sills repaired. 

Yours sounds well worth repairing .

Here is mine today on a visit to one of many skatepark with my son.

 

[horriblemercedes]

1 hour ago, Roverageous said:

Fellow Roverists... I have a conundrum.

I'm at a crossroads with Bertie (2001 'Y-Reg' Connoisseur SE in Damson Red - 2.0V6 Petrol). This car is starting to feel a bit tatty, in that it has paint flaking on the front & rear bumpers, poor repair to the sill (going rusty again) & damage to the front of both sills (my ex-mechanic can't use a trolley jack properly). The car is mechanically sound, has another 3 years on the cam belts & everything (EVERYTHING) works. I want to retain a pre-project drive 75 on the fleet, with a V6 petrol engine, so my options are thus:

1) Sell Bertie as a bit of a banger (probably get £800 or so) and look for a replacement, like this: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109257798932?sort=price-desc&make=Rover&price-to=8000&model=75&include-delivery-option=on&advertising-location=at_cars&radius=1500&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&postcode=hp197rf&page=1

2) Treat Bertie as a bit of a rolling restoration. In this instance I would invest heavily in repairing the sills to as-new standard, get the bumpers sorted (some minor repairs necessary to a couple of splits) and have the whole car resprayed. I would also need to tackle the interior over time, as some fabrics are just beginning to come away (headlining & door cards) but doesn't look bad yet. 

3) Sack any more Rovers off, and buy a nice Volvo T5.

I'm leaning towards option 2 - I've spent a lot of money on this car over the last 5 years and it's a lovely place to be - but maybe it's time for a change?

I dunno!

 

I'd go for 2. At least you know what's wrong with yours and none of it is urgent. As you also recognise, you will struggle to get much money for it 

[barefoot]

You'll feel differently about it, if you re-name it Belinda and start saying things like, 'she needs her sills fettling'

[Split_Pin]

Carried out an oil change on mine yesterday.

The engine bay has always been clean so I spruced it up again.

Nothing to do with me being clumsy with the oil......

[PrinceRupert]

My 75 has a problem.  Heaters are very inconsistent and barely work.  Air con works fine and I get some hot air on certain settings but not working as should.  Do not seem to have any symptoms of overheating and i think coolant levels are fine (though the bottle is very opaque and it is incredibly difficult to read...).  Googling suggests possibly (1) clogged heater matrix (2) stuck open thermostat (3) heater flaps etc.  Before i drain coolant and try and get at heater matrix any ideas? I have had some intermitteng ticking / rattling etc noises from dash over last year or so, maybe flaps...

[Cookiesouwest]

8 minutes ago, PrinceRupert said:

My 75 has a problem.  Heaters are very inconsistent and barely work.  Air con works fine and I get some hot air on certain settings but not working as should.  Do not seem to have any symptoms of overheating and i think coolant levels are fine (though the bottle is very opaque and it is incredibly difficult to read...).  Googling suggests possibly (1) clogged heater matrix (2) stuck open thermostat (3) heater flaps etc.  Before i drain coolant and try and get at heater matrix any ideas? I have had some intermitteng ticking / rattling etc noises from dash over last year or so, maybe flaps...

Is engine temp dropping on long downhill runs?

[PrinceRupert]

2 minutes ago, Cookiesouwest said:

Is engine temp dropping on long downhill runs?

I have not noticed but can check...

The temp gauge never seems to read anything other than exactly half way.

[Cookiesouwest]

2 minutes ago, PrinceRupert said:

I have not noticed but can check...

The temp gauge never seems to read anything other than exactly half way.

If the gauge doesn't drop at speed or long downhill runs, then thermostat is likely ok

[wuvvum]

R75 temp gauges will pretty much always sit on half unless the coolant is frozen solid or the engine bay is on fire.  There is a sequence of button presses which you can use to bring the exact coolant temp up on the milometer display - the sequence escapes me at the moment but I'm sure someone on here knows what it is (given that it was someone on here who told me about it in the first place).

[Split_Pin]

Petrol or diesel chap?

Either way, the temperature guage on 75s is really for decoration only. It's designed to sit halfway up until 115c when it's too late.

I'd recommend getting your car to tell you the real engine temperature but entering diagnostic mode:

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=55585&highlight=Diagnostic+mode

The heater blend flaps can make a noise and close off when the key is removed from the ingition. When does your make the noise?

Unless you have a black coolant tank, you can read it by holding a mobile phone torch right up flat against it.

[PrinceRupert]

It is a 2.5l kv6.

Dash noises are intermittent and at different points though have not heard it much recently. 

Will try the diagnostics mode thank you.

Coolant tank is not black but even with a torch against tank it is extremely difficult to see. Will try again to see.

[Split_Pin]

The link I posted will take you straight to a diagnostic mode guide.

If you slide your torch left and right until the beam is just inboard of the corner of the tank, you should should able to see the level.

[PrinceRupert]

Just now, Split_Pin said:

The link I posted will take you straight to a diagnostic mode guide.

If you slide your torch left and right until the beam is just inboard of the corner of the tank, you should should able to see the level.

Thanks a lot, i noticed that immediately after i replied doh!

[PrinceRupert]

So a little bit of investigation this morning. 

1)  I think the thermostat is not the problem.   Using diagnostics mode, monitored temperatures on commute to work.  Steadily rose to 85 or so, then fluctuated between 85 and 100 (basically nose to tail traffic the whole way).  Sadly didn't have an opportunity to see the impact of fast or downhill sections, but that seems to be normal behaviour. 

2) Coolant level is very difficult to read.  I think the reason is however that it is filled past the max line, so there isn't actually a line to read.  Which is odd, as I am sure I have checked and got a level on this car before.  I siphoned a tiny bit out and the coolant looks fairly fresh and pink, which is good.  Might try and pull a bit more out and see if I can get it down to the actual level.  I've not topped up coolant in 18 months though so surely isn't cause of heating problem. 

3) Heater operation is very inconsistent.  For the first 20/30 minutes, I was getting more or less no air from the driver/passenger vents, but could get air from the windscreen vent.  At the end of my journey, I was getting strong hot air from the centre driver vent; weak hot air from vent on driver right; no air from passenger left vent; and some warm air from passenger centre vent.   The windscreen vent was hot near the centre driver side; cold centre passenger side; a tiny bit of air driver door side; and nothing at all passenger door side.  

4) Vents were rattling on start up - see video. 

 

So it seems it is either some sort of flap issue, or clogged heater matrix.  Likely the latter I think, as Googling suggests that is a very common problem.  It seems taking it apart to clean/flush isn't hugely difficult, but getting it back together without leaks can be a nightmare.  So not sure whether to risk it or just live with it.  Was a bit cold and miserable this morning ....

[Split_Pin]

Edit:

Looks like the matrix clogs on one side only on these, usually the passengers.

They aren't that hard to change compared to some cars, just the centre console needs to come out, rather than the whole dash like some cars.

[PrinceRupert]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

Edit:

Looks like the matrix clogs on one side only on these, usually the passengers.

They aren't that hard to change compared to some cars, just the centre console needs to come out, rather than the whole dash like some cars.

 

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

Edit:

Looks like the matrix clogs on one side only on these, usually the passengers.

They aren't that hard to change compared to some cars, just the centre console needs to come out, rather than the whole dash like some cars.

It seems easy enough to remove/refit in theory, but can be a nightmare in practice due to some design flaw meaning getting the pipes to seal properly can be problematic ...

[Yoss]

Going through my old photos looking for something entirely different I came across this. 

This was taken in December 2009 so probably nearly new. Streatham High Road. It was the last few days of Routemasters in normal service which is what I was waiting for but this seemed photo worthy. And this was pre digital when you had to pay for every picture. 

[Yoss]

This turned up at the start of a Routemaster road run yesterday. 

Had a sticker in the window saying it was number 5 of 10 ZT-T made in Monogram Nocturne. 

Wide angle shot to include some RMs 

[PrinceRupert]

On 11/23/2021 at 1:35 PM, PrinceRupert said:

 

It seems easy enough to remove/refit in theory, but can be a nightmare in practice due to some design flaw meaning getting the pipes to seal properly can be problematic ...

So spent a bit of time investigating this today, and i dont think it is necessarily the heater matrix - as three of the four fans produce little air,  whether hot or cold; the right driver is a bit weak but the left driver is strong; and both pipes into the heater matrix are hot.  

 

So anyone know if there is a blower / flap control motor that fails, or if flaps can get stuck or something?