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PrinceRupert's Cars - MG4 and TVR Tuscan


PrinceRupert

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On 5/16/2022 at 10:21 AM, DirtyDaily said:

I would still love to see a picture of the rear lower wishbone bushes. I went to see 5 cars when I was looking to buy another one and ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL of them were completely and utterly fucking munted. Including the one i bought. If this is on the original ones they will be shagged. https://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/62821788d432d/20211002_151858.mp4

This is from o/s rear - look okay to me? Though pictures dont show much of the bush itself...

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This is from o/s rear - look okay to me? Though pictures dont show much of the bush itself...
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That wishbone isn't original, you lucked out and it shows its been looker after as well as replacing those aren't cheap especially if you dont DIY it. The only one I'd advise is the shock absorber bushes, look a bit on the piss to me. They're cheap from Berkshire jaguar and easy to replace with a universal Bush fitting kit.
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18 minutes ago, DirtyDaily said:

That wishbone isn't original, you lucked out and it shows its been looker after as well as replacing those aren't cheap especially if you dont DIY it. The only one I'd advise is the shock absorber bushes, look a bit on the piss to me. They're cheap from Berkshire jaguar and easy to replace with a universal Bush fitting kit.

Great stuff, it has clearly been looked after at some point, it has four matching P Zeros on it! (Albeit rather old ...). 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Okay, this car is beginning to piss me off and it may be approaching the time it gets chucked.  It's due me approximately 900 quid if anyone wants it ...

First, the ride quality continues to be absolutely terrible.  It however isn't as the garage said because of alignment being out (though it is, steering wheel is about 20 degrees out), but rather because it is about two inches lower on the back rear corner.  Presumably an air suspension fault? Yet no air suspension light. 

Second, the low coolant warning came on today.  Lovely sweet smell hit me when I opened the bonnet.  Much pinkness around the waterpump.  Presumably the waterpump is leaking.  Levels do not appear to have dropped much, so presumably leaking slowly, though I've hardly done any miles in it.

Third, several litres of water came out of the passenger door.  Never seen that one before.  

Oh and neither passenger nor driver heaters do anything now. 

Glad I just wasted 600 quid on front brakes and track rod ends.  

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  • PrinceRupert changed the title to PrinceRupert's Cars - XJ6 broken even more...

Hmm the rear height seems to correct itself when running (at least equal both sides at rear) but the side that drops when engine is off is absolutely rock solid.

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Possibly a bad shock absorber In the strut the electronic control isnt communicating with the strut but that would trigger the air suspension light. Is it both struts on one side that are solid or just one? If it's a rear strut I have 2 known good one spares. I had a similar issue where my suspension would drop on the rear when the car was parked and then pump up when you drove off. I got myself a diagnostic tool that can read all the modules and I reset the air suspension module and that cured it. I believe disconnecting the battery for a while could have the same effect but I would advise to park it somewhere level when you do it. Without getting my diagnostic tool on it I can't help anymore I am afraid.

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That looks like a duff door scraper and either a leaky shock if it’s dropping or the valve on the top which you can get for around £50. The whole shock about £250/300 depends where you go.

The worst thing I had on them for harshness is when the bananas were worn out and it juddered under light braking or a bit skittish over very rough terrain which was wheel alignment after replacing many bushes at the rear.


Could it get any worse?

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31 minutes ago, bangernomics said:




Could it get any worse?

Yes, cannot get rear wheel off to take a look as there is a cross threaded wheel nut (not the garages fault but not sure if the garage did all its work with the wheels on...).

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14 minutes ago, DirtyDaily said:

Possibly a bad shock absorber In the strut the electronic control isnt communicating with the strut but that would trigger the air suspension light. Is it both struts on one side that are solid or just one? If it's a rear strut I have 2 known good one spares. I had a similar issue where my suspension would drop on the rear when the car was parked and then pump up when you drove off. I got myself a diagnostic tool that can read all the modules and I reset the air suspension module and that cured it. I believe disconnecting the battery for a while could have the same effect but I would advise to park it somewhere level when you do it. Without getting my diagnostic tool on it I can't help anymore I am afraid.

Just one side that is solid, o/s rear

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Just now, DirtyDaily said:
8 minutes ago, PrinceRupert said:
Just one side that is solid, o/s rear

Whereabouts are you again?

SE London

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SE London
Oh. I'm desperate to help on this... the struts aren't difficult to change. The water pump is easy to change and inexpensive.
Thing is its time and garage costs if you're not DIYing. When you get these high milers and they aren't worth anything it very quickly becomes scrap. If you want to save it I'm manchester way whatever way you get it to me.
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6 minutes ago, DirtyDaily said:

Oh. I'm desperate to help on this... the struts aren't difficult to change. The water pump is easy to change and inexpensive.
Thing is its time and garage costs if you're not DIYing. When you get these high milers and they aren't worth anything it very quickly becomes scrap. If you want to save it I'm manchester way whatever way you get it to me.

Tbh I'm mostly annoyed that I paid the garage to do the discs and pads because it was with them and they told me it would fix the ride issues, I could have changed them myself.  The track rod ends I am not sure I could have done on my back given how rusted on they were, but still v expensive at three hours labour.  I could also change a strut and water pump I am sure, but still needs the wheel nut / heater matrix / air con / door locking sorted, and four tyres at 150 quid a corner, and it is quickly becoming a money pit, and would be really annoying if I chucked another few hundred quid at it and the ride still wasn't fixed... blergh

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Tbh I'm mostly annoyed that I paid the garage to do the discs and pads because it was with them and they told me it would fix the ride issues, I could have changed them myself.  The track rod ends I am not sure I could have done on my back given how rusted on they were, but still v expensive at three hours labour.  I could also change a strut and water pump I am sure, but still needs the wheel nut / heater matrix / air con / door locking sorted, and four tyres at 150 quid a corner, and it is quickly becoming a money pit, and would be really annoying if I chucked another few hundred quid at it and the ride still wasn't fixed... blergh


Heater matrix I suspect has gotten air in it from the coolant leak. Door locks and air con are unfortunate and annoying but not imperative. Four tyres are expensive but 4 wheels with decent tread can probably be had for the price of those sabres.

Try disconnecting the battery and reconnecting it and possibly disconnect the electrical connection on the top of the strut. Got to get a bit cute with these cars to keep them going on the cheap.

Keep the faith. These hunts of metal are worth saving if we can warrant it. If you do decide to get rid ill make you a cheeky offer.
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I'm sad this is being such a pain - and I really don't understand how given all the things you've had done, it wasn't riding badly or driving with a mis-angled steering wheel or sitting at random heights (the water pump I didn't use it enough to judge). I wonder what that "specialist" did while ragging on the suspension with a crowbar...

I think there is a calibration routine you can employ via software.

I did have a driver door full of water after sustained storms - not enough to spill over but it sloshed! It drained with the door open, I think the door seal gets a little squashed with lack of use.

Now seems the time to re-roffle. Then whoever wins it for an £18 ticket gets to start with a theoretical grand to chuck at it again and you don't lose out or sell it for a pittance. Gut feeling is that specialist messed about and also fucked the mojo for enjoying it after the initial "get it delivered, get MOT".

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Also I'm gonna repeat myself: it's still rolling on the same tyres?

I would not judge /anything/ until they were replaced. That car spent ages sitting, they could be flat spotted, twisted, flattened and reinflated (I never had to inflate but you said pressures were wrong, so they'd merely stayed up enough for a visual peer) - my hitlist-without-budget-to-do was osf brake caliper service, brake pads/discs, and tyres. I would have learned more if I did tyres - like crossed nuts - but I've chased too many weird ride/steering/suspension things and wasted money only to find it was a badly fitted or knackered tyre.

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2 minutes ago, RichardK said:

Also I'm gonna repeat myself: it's still rolling on the same tyres?

I would not judge /anything/ until they were replaced. That car spent ages sitting, they could be flat spotted, twisted, flattened and reinflated (I never had to inflate but you said pressures were wrong, so they'd merely stayed up enough for a visual peer) - my hitlist-without-budget-to-do was osf brake caliper service, brake pads/discs, and tyres. I would have learned more if I did tyres - like crossed nuts - but I've chased too many weird ride/steering/suspension things and wasted money only to find it was a badly fitted or knackered tyre.

It is still on the old tyres but given it clearly has an o/s/r suspension fault no point spending loads putting new tyres on till that is fixed.

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Little victory today.   Wheel is off.  Turns out the bolt is not cross threaded.  Rather it seemed the chrome cap had come loose from underlying nut.  Drilled the cap off (fairly easy though made a bit of a mess of the wheel) and the nut came off no problem.

 

 

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Little victory today.   Wheel is off.  Turns out the bolt is not cross threaded.  Rather it seemed the chrome cap had come loose from underlying nut.  Drilled the cap off (fairly easy though made a bit of a mess of the wheel) and the nut came off no problem.
 
 
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Should of mentioned this. These nuts are very prone to that happening. The best way to get them off is a 6 point socket and a hammer when the chrome separates from the nut.
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They also have an annoying tendency to get stuck in the socket when you get them off. Got one stuck in the socket now and don't want to force it out in case I damage the chrome.

Some better pictures of the bushes now the wheels off. All look fine to me.

Going to dismantle boot lining to get to top of strut to see if leaking from there.  Seems odd that I would not have an air suspension light? Any way to check if the ride height sensor is working properly?

I also have a nice patch of fresh oil on my drive so it is leaking both oil and coolant, yay.  Going to remove the undertray for good to try and help me locate it.

 

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If it was an electrical fault that would almost certainly trigger the light so I would rule out the sensor. I would think it's a mechanical fault with the strut itself

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So got access to the top of the o/s/r strut and did the soapy water test. No apparent sign of an air leak.  Also no sign of an air leak at compressor fittings at front.  Anywhere else to test? 

I did pull the connector and spray some contact cleaner, and had battery disconnected over night.  Pulling the connector did get a failure message on the dash, so the warning does work.

No electrical warning, no obvious air leak...could it be some sort of ride height calibration issue?

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