RichardK Posted May 28 Share Posted May 28 Calibration would make sense - it used to sit level on the drive for weeks and drop very slowly and evenly. The Cruiser has those cursed chrome nut covers too - but a new set of 20 is £19 on eBay... (nuts with covers). I wonder if there's something weird electrical going on as the CD changer was also fine before - maybe some sort of earthing in the boot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceRupert Posted May 28 Author Share Posted May 28 From the smell, pretty sure the oil leak is at least partly gearbox oil. I didn't get properly underneath to have a look but seems wettest quite far back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceRupert Posted May 30 Author Share Posted May 30 So, soapy water round the compressor fittings didn't detect any leaks either. Harumph. My only assumption is that the strut needs changed, but really don't want to chuck the money at a new strut on the assumption it will fix it if it will not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceRupert Posted June 4 Author Share Posted June 4 Plot thickens. No longer sure it is the strut. Rather may be some form of calibration issue. I disconnected one of the air lines and turned out it was for front right, which dropped. Reconnected it and took for a drive. Now front right is 10mm lower than front left and ride is worse. Could be caused by a weak battery? Also, Rover MOT tomorrow. Doing some checks and seems it is also losing coolant...bit of pink staining in the v, thermostat? May contribute to whether or not it lives on. May need to go car shopping... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceRupert Posted June 5 Author Share Posted June 5 Rover is definitely leaking from the thermostat, plus what looks like a bit of weeping from other pipes. Tomorrow may be the end of the road for the Rover ... though if it only fails on welding and I can get it done cheaply, I could replace the stat myself and get maybe another year on it. Let's see. On the Jag, the front earth point was pretty crusty so I've cleaned that up and put the battery on the CTEK to see if maybe just its poor earthing / battery problem, though it seems unlikely ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceRupert Posted June 6 Author Share Posted June 6 So, the Rover did fail - welding and front ball joint and an advisory on the rear ARB. Let's see how much the welding would be, if I can even find someone to do it - if it was a few hundred quid, I am sure I could replace the stat and suspension arm myself for a few hundred quid. Repair immediately (major defects): Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i)) Offside Front Outer Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i)) Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories): Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i)) wesacosa 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesacosa Posted June 6 Share Posted June 6 On 6/4/2022 at 6:56 PM, PrinceRupert said: Plot thickens. No longer sure it is the strut. Rather may be some form of calibration issue. I disconnected one of the air lines and turned out it was for front right, which dropped. Reconnected it and took for a drive. Now front right is 10mm lower than front left and ride is worse. Could be caused by a weak battery? Also, Rover MOT tomorrow. Doing some checks and seems it is also losing coolant...bit of pink staining in the v, thermostat? May contribute to whether or not it lives on. May need to go car shopping... I seem to recall reading these cars are sensitive to battery condition so could well be related. Is the one on the Rover any better/newer? Maybe a swap to check? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceRupert Posted June 6 Author Share Posted June 6 Mystery continues. After two days on the battery conditioner, the rear of the car is level! Though it seems rather low. Can a weak battery cause the compressor to not work hard enough on one corner only ... ? The ride quality is still poor, but not as awful - as if it is no longer losing composure when the hard o/s/r hits bumps. Therefore, I'm wondering whether maybe the poor ride is at least partly down to wheels, tyres and/or alignment ... There is a new problem: an almighty rattle coming from the n/s/f when hitting certain bumps, which is odd. From prodding about, it seems it may be something as mundane as a damaged and rattling section of undertray ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuboy Posted June 6 Share Posted June 6 21 hours ago, PrinceRupert said: So, the Rover did fail - welding and front ball joint and an advisory on the rear ARB. Let's see how much the welding would be, if I can even find someone to do it - if it was a few hundred quid, I am sure I could replace the stat and suspension arm myself for a few hundred quid. Repair immediately (major defects): Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i)) Offside Front Outer Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i)) Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories): Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i)) thats not too bad PrinceRupert 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceRupert Posted June 8 Author Share Posted June 8 So the XJ6 is leaving my life, and going to @NorthernMonkey. Can't say I'll miss it. It probably has cost me more than £10 a mile to own ... The Rover is getting fixed. I've found someone who can weld it for £180-195, and going to get the garage to do the suspension arm (should be in the 200-250 range I suspect) as frankly can't be bothered wrestling with it. I've then ordered a thermostat kit for 70 quid and will attempt that myself. wesacosa, Split_Pin and mk2_craig 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernMonkey Posted June 8 Share Posted June 8 I can only liken it to some form of self harming, except with rusty old barges instead of razor blades….. 🤔😳😳 Matty 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesacosa Posted June 8 Share Posted June 8 shame the jag didn't work out. Still feel there is a good car in there somewhere but can see why you had enough NorthernMonkey 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split_Pin Posted June 8 Share Posted June 8 Good news on the Rover, I guess the repairs might be more expensive but at least they'll be straightforward. I'm sure Northernmonkey will have the Jag back to its fighting weight in no time. NorthernMonkey 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceRupert Posted June 18 Author Share Posted June 18 So, one more being added to the fleet tomorrow. Mk4 Golf GTi courtesy of @Shirley Knott In meantime, need to get 75 working. 300 quid to get suspension arm fitted for MOT. Now need to do thermostat. Tried to do keyhole method by removing throttle body, air box and battery but there was no hope of undoing the relevant bolt. Seems someone replaced it before and used an allen key headed bolt rather than a normal bolt and just couldnt get a tool into it. So manifold off it is. This is the most involved mechanics job ive probably ever done so lets see how it goes. Got it mostly apart though still need to work out how to get to the three rear bolts on the front exhaust manifold. There are a lots of bits off the car and not convinced ill get them all back on..... Did the three rear spark plugs whilst im in there - they are almost impossible to do with the manifold on and are overdue a change NorthernMonkey, Shirley Knott, AnnoyingPentium and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceRupert Posted June 20 Author Share Posted June 20 It is apart. It isn't obvious from looking at the old thermostat housing where it is leaking from. Let's hope it is the thermostat... This little metal pipe had some pink goo around it and doesn't look healthy. Any ideas for a fix? Currently cursing as the new rigid pipe that sits beside thermostat won't bloody fit. The rubber sealing ring is too bulbous and no amount of force will get it in. Any ideas? Otherwise the old one will be going back on.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesacosa Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 for the bulbous o ring could you take the seal off warm it in hot water and try and put it in. Or maybe some silicone grease? PrinceRupert 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceRupert Posted June 20 Author Share Posted June 20 Thanks. Got it. Had to take the second inlet manifold off, which I was trying to avoid, but that let me get extra weight on it coupled with some warmth and silicon spray got it in. Need to go order another manifold gasket before I can attempt to put the rest back together ... Tepper and wesacosa 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceRupert Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 Oh wait...it snapped rather than going in haha. Leaking this morning. Harumph. mercedade, wesacosa and AnnoyingPentium 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceRupert Posted Friday at 12:10 PM Author Share Posted Friday at 12:10 PM The replacement o-ring arrived today and it fitted perfectly, so not sure what was wrong with the original ring. Hopefully get it all back together over the weekend ! Lots of bits to go back on but it should be relatively straightforward, I think/hope ... rainagain and wesacosa 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceRupert Posted Sunday at 02:16 PM Author Share Posted Sunday at 02:16 PM So it is all going back together. Two problems: I have snapped the bloody crankcase breather, 40 quid for a new one. I also can't remember where it goes and how it is routed. Anyone know where I can get an image of the route? Google is not helping. I have a spare plug that I can't find a home for next to the throttle body. Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceRupert Posted 20 hours ago Author Share Posted 20 hours ago So apparently that multi-plug is for traction control, which I do not have. The other end of the crankcase breather goes into the rear bank cam cover, which is of course inaccessible with the inlet manifold on. Took the bolts out and tried to wriggle it in, but snapped it as well. At least I had a new one coming anyway (although forty quid for three plastic tubes and a t-piece ...), but now need to take the blasted inlet manifold back off. Frustrating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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