SKcats fleet. Rover sterling.

[Skcat]

messed around today and got the ABS flash code 3-7, brake light switch.

started messing around with a multimeter trying to figure it all out then released its probably just the brake light switch itself. Unplugged, put it in reverse and the abs light did not come on!

only £11 so ordered one up. hopefully another little issue sorted!

Stuck the car up for sale as another car has come up for sale that's peaked my interest!

[Skcat]

The merc went in for its first mot in years, and failed, but not badly. 

It failed both front lower ball joints (which I anticipated) and a cracked spring (which I had no clue about). 

Pretty good for a 38 year old car, i decided the bushings for the front control arms looked orginal so the entire front control arms should just be replaced rather then just the ball joint. And the springs should be changed in pairs. 

Turns out the shocks are the originals so they got attded too the list. So I jacked it up and assumed it would be done in a couple hours! That was before Christmas now.

 

Turns out EVERYTHING is 40 odd years it's pretty impressive it's all lasted so well but it's annoying as its all taking so long to fix. 

The steering arm joints did not want to play ball and before I knew it I was pulling the arm off the steering box and removing it all as I could not get bits of a arm off when I cut either end off with a grinder. You can see what's left in the photo. And what's left of the floor after I was hammering out the joints. 

The end stops have turned to nothing. 

The top mounts were dry rotten, and covers for the shock absorbers have just disappeared. 

While messing around we got the oil and filter changed, fuel filters changed out. Managed to get a good deal on some new injectors so those went in, I think the old ones were not set up correct!

The old ones. 

Hopefully that will mean it runs a little better, but it really needs a new turbo diesel pump to unlock the turbo sat beside it! 

And some  cleaning up rust undersealing wheel archies. 

 

[Skcat]

Front end of the engine is next. Got busy before I even took any photos but everything is orginal, tensioner bracket bearing was shot so another has been ordered. Along with a vacum pump on order.

Partner spent time painting all the metal bits up nicely.

Will get photos of it all together.

[Skcat]

Put the front end back together, probably will need to take it apart soon as needs a vacum pump.

Looks tidy for now though 

[Skcat]

New vacuum pump arived, the old one worked fine but I think it was orginal.

I also wanted the bearing caps covered in the new design. It means if the bearing fails you don't end up with bearings in your camchain area!

Just waiting on new hose as I managed to fuck the old one up JUST like on the 250D.

[Skcat]

Quite a few setbacks on this car.

It has the front brakes off a w203 (2001-2008ish) c class. It means a odd bracket has been fitted so the fexi works as it should, I know now I need to remove the lines out the back before working on it, after wrecking the hard line the had already been fitted.

You can see the little 80mm or so hard line that needs to be run.

And what i managed to ruin the old one:

Sorted now, just need to bleed the brakes but I need to do all the same stuff to the drivers side now. Only issue is I can't cramp the springs in place. Turns out I need specific spring compressors like this.

So waiting on those, hopefully I've addressed everything for it's next mot!

[Skcat]

Had some issues with the pads not fitting into the new springs, very annoying.

I'm going to try to get everything else done while I wait to order new upper spring pads to see if my old ones shrunk!

In the meantime I've been messing with the Merc, ordered a new centre dash cluster as the labels peeled off the 300D.

Need to get that fitted.

The state of the ball joints I was driving on till I took it in for it's MOT!

Who knows how old they are.

[Skcat]

Been busy with work but fitted new vacuum hose too the 300D. It actually starts and stops now. Need to get the correct coolant in it, and probably time to change the power steering fluid and filter.

The 220 kept shocking me so changed the cap and rotor.

Not really sure what was going on with them, maybe it was home made.

And back together.

Lastly I dropped the rubber floor Mats at autostyle in Milton Keynes. They will make a template and make up floor Mats for it. Should be ready by next week.

[Skcat]

And the rover 220 is gone to a forum member. I wanted a winter heater but the 220 was just too unrefined. I've gone back to something a bit more familiar for me as a replacement. Will pick it up tomorrow.

In other news the 300D springs were to wide so ordered another set up now. It better drive nice when this is all done!

[Skcat]

Time to fit the new heater control unit. How It started.

And the new unit with new bulbs.

I've got from one made in 1987 to 1994! 7 years newer. After all refitted together.

Other then that just been washing the thing up and waiting on the correct front springs.

 

[Skcat]

Another day another job, today was filling the coolant up, replacing power steering fluid and filter and removing under trays treating surface rust and refitting them. Did not take much photos apart from this from the power steering system filter.

I managed to get the interior lights working as they should but the interior temp sensor broke when i was testing it all out. What a pain!

Not sure where to buy another but will deal with it as time goes on.

[Volksy]

On 17/01/2026 at 18:54, Skcat said:

Time to fit the new heater control unit. How It started.

And the new unit with new bulbs.

I've got from one made in 1987 to 1994! 7 years newer. After all refitted together.

Other then that just been washing the thing up and waiting on the correct front springs.

 

That's a job I need to do on my W126 as my temp controls don't light up anymore. Can you remember what type of bulbs they are? If so I'll get some ordered for mine. 

 

[Skcat]

8 hours ago, Volksy said:

That's a job I need to do on my W126 as my temp controls don't light up anymore. Can you remember what type of bulbs they are? If so I'll get some ordered for mine. 

 

286 bulbs, I don't bother with LED as it takes 15 years for these too burn out and they stop working after you use them with the dimmer. Always buy them in bulk as they want £2 each at Halfords!

[Skcat]

Got the floor Mats for the comfort! Need to test fit them but looking good so far.

[Skcat]

Bought another car to mess with.

A 1994 rover 827 sterling. It's been converted too manual though. I've had it a little bit and done some small jobs to it.

Replaced the bad rotor arm and cap, HT leads, plugs, service the engine, manual transmission fluid change, new drivers headlight as it was damaged, new brake fluid, new tailgate struts and a new abs sensor to fix the light coming on!

Just ordered up a new engine ECU as it does rev slightly strangely and it might be to do with the fact it's still running a Automatic ECU!

I had a rear caliper too fit as well as it never quite lets go! Handbrake feels naff to so hopefully it's related.

I've been under it and cleaned up all the archies. It's pretty good, filler neck is also clean on this one. It's lasted well but is only a 73k example!

[Lord Sterling]

1 hour ago, Skcat said:

Bought another car to mess with.

A 1994 rover 827 sterling. It's been converted too manual though. I've had it a little bit and done some small jobs to it.

Replaced the bad rotor arm and cap, HT leads, plugs, service the engine, manual transmission fluid change, new drivers headlight as it was damaged, new brake fluid, new tailgate struts and a new abs sensor to fix the light coming on!

Just ordered up a new engine ECU as it does rev slightly strangely and it might be to do with the fact it's still running a Automatic ECU!

I had a rear caliper too fit as well as it never quite lets go! Handbrake feels naff to so hopefully it's related.

I've been under it and cleaned up all the archies. It's pretty good, filler neck is also clean on this one. It's lasted well but is only a 73k example!

Nice! Need mats for it? Got no ECUs here for it.

Erm. I really shouldn't as I've enough bleedin' cars here. But if you're selling, let me chuck my hat in the ring. Personally I'd probably be looking at going back to auto. I cannot stand these converted to manual jobbies. I remember some guy on the Rover 800 site used to convert these to manual.

I could do better and get my own Sterlings on the road but a Fastback would be awfully useful. 

[Lord Sterling]

On 23/01/2026 at 20:48, Skcat said:

Got the floor Mats for the comfort! Need to test fit them but looking good so far.

Wait, are you me?

Rover 800s, W124 Mercs, Mats.....

Something very familiar going on here... 🤔

[Schaefft]

Very nice, never drove an 800 so I'm still curious about what they are like.

[Skcat]

Just did the rear caliper, what a pain. Made no difference to the handbrake but it started raining so I gave up!

11 hours ago, Lord Sterling said:

Wait, are you me?

Rover 800s, W124 Mercs, Mats.....

Something very familiar going on here... 🤔

Need to give your thread a look at!

1 hour ago, Schaefft said:

Very nice, never drove an 800 so I'm still curious about what they are like.

I'm sure you've driven a legend! Imagine that but a little worse.

[Schaefft]

2 hours ago, Skcat said:

Just did the rear caliper, what a pain. Made no difference to the handbrake but it started raining so I gave up!

Need to give your thread a look at!

I'm sure you've driven a legend! Imagine that but a little worse.

I've briefly driven a 2nd gen Legend Coupe (still want one) but yeah, I'd imagine it'd be similar but more rattly.

[Skcat]

Fitted the driver's side rear caliper, did not make a huge difference to HR handbrake but that wheel no longer drags! I think there is just too much tension on the handbrake mechanism.

[Skcat]

Today I swapped out the ECU on the sterling. It was originally a auto and converted to manual. But the ECU was causing it to rev a little weirdly.

After fitting it the car does rev a little better, does not stall as easily!

[Skcat]

Fitted a crown grille to the comfort! Pretty happy with it. Before and after.

Next job is to paint the crown boot lid the right colour!

[mercedade]

On 26/01/2026 at 19:55, Skcat said:

Fitted the driver's side rear caliper, did not make a huge difference to HR handbrake but that wheel no longer drags! I think there is just too much tension on the handbrake mechanism.

The handbrake is typical AR fodder - you can't do a proper job of setting the handbrake adjuster without doing both sides together.

Back off the adjuster under the handbrake/centre console so there's a bit of slack, wind the pistons back as far as they will go, DON'T TOUCH THE HANDBRAKE YET, then when both sides are in this state ready to go back on the road, pump the footbrake hard a few times. Now you should be able to adjust the handbrake cable so that it comes on in 3-5 clicks. If you don't do this, the handbrake will be shite - guaranteed.

They share a caliper with the MGF I believe.

 

[Skcat]

Had a fiddle with it along with new brake pads on the rear and it feels better now! Will be listing it for swaps as I wanted to do a big european road trip and this just is not going to be right for the job. I'm thinking more like a roadster!

A couple shots I took of it ready for the listing!

[Skcat]

More w124 suspension work. Really dragging it out but hand the spring compressor break free and freak me out. So I did not want to touch it for a week. Lesson learned, do not use the compressor with a impact wrench. This is the style for the w124!

And now it's all together on one side:

I just need to install the spring on the driver's side. Install the anti-roll bar with new bushes. Bleed the breaks and it should be ready to take down now!

I also decided to take the arch liners out and clean everything up, no nasty surprises on this one. 

Had to throw some old parts away. But it just goes to show how much parts that have been taken off for this "simple job". All looked to be original to the car when removed apart from one 

[Austin-Rover]

21 hours ago, Skcat said:

I wanted to do a big european road trip and this just is not going to be right for the job.

Eh? 😄