F**ked Black Rover 827 SLi - The Mistake Machine

[mercedade]

My 827 had two fun, separate, no-start issues:

• igniter for the coil breaking down (one of these suckers) Rover 827 / IGNITER IGNITION CONTROL MODULE UNIT / E12-310 / E12310 | eBay UK. They do fail erratically and also totally, so good luck eliminating that. The particularly don't like heat and I believe thermal paste might be required
• Rotor arm spinning on the shaft sometimes. So it would cough, run, die, run, die, cough, die, run, run, die etc

[St.Jude]

On 20/04/2026 at 12:56, Mr Pastry said:

I'm sorry.  I do understand your frustration with this thing, which is why I am trying to help.  And it is clearly a struggle doing it on your own when you need 3 pairs of hands.  I may be quite wrong but I am just trying to get back to basics with it.

Hence, does it run with 12 volts applied directly to the coil, yes or no?    I would think also that the ECU might be able to see the crank sensor when the engine is stationary, but a bad contact due to vibration could upset things and not necessarily show a fault.  

 

I’m not frustrated, I have been but right now I’m not. The one thing I don’t want to come across as though is ungrateful to the help.

I haven’t tried putting 12v to the coil. But next time I am out there that will be the first thing I do.

In terms of the ECU, I would imagine that it would display a code if it lost the sensor but again, haven’t considered or checked that.

Right now as I write this I haven’t been out to the car this week as I’m struggling with my ankle. Call it gout, or some other random thing making it fucking painful to walk, I don’t know but yeah. I’ve not been able to go out to it.

However, I had bought the tools as said previously. The fuel pressure, compression, spark plug testers and timing light. They were meant to turn up yesterday, Amazon said they’re delivered. But they haven’t. The fuckers. So I have to wait until tomorrow to get a refund in order to buy the tools again. Monumentally pissed off on that.

That said, I found a NOS ignition switch which I duly bought. So when that comes I will fit it to at least fix the issue I have trying to to start the thing on the key.

[Mr Pastry]

2 minutes ago, St.Jude said:

I’m not frustrated, I have been but right now I’m not. The one thing I don’t want to come across as though is ungrateful to the help.

I haven’t tried putting 12v to the coil. But next time I am out there that will be the first thing I do.

In terms of the ECU, I would imagine that it would display a code if it lost the sensor but again, haven’t considered or checked that.

Right now as I write this I haven’t been out to the car this week as I’m struggling with my ankle. Call it gout, or some other random thing making it fucking painful to walk, I don’t know but yeah. I’ve not been able to go out to it.

However, I had bought the tools as said previously. The fuel pressure, compression, spark plug testers and timing light. They were meant to turn up yesterday, Amazon said they’re delivered. But they haven’t. The fuckers. So I have to wait until tomorrow to get a refund in order to buy the tools again. Monumentally pissed off on that.

That said, I found a NOS ignition switch which I duly bought. So when that comes I will fit it to at least fix the issue I have trying to to start the thing on the key.

You know what,  concentrate on getting your ankle right!  That is far more important than the car.

The point about 12v direct to the coil is that it will bypass the ignition switch, and I do think that as that is known to be faulty on the starter side, there could be an intermittent contact on the ignition side.  So if you've found a new switch, I'd put that on first, and then at least you know that everything is getting power by the correct route. 

[St.Jude]

5 hours ago, Mr Pastry said:

You know what,  concentrate on getting your ankle right!  That is far more important than the car.

The point about 12v direct to the coil is that it will bypass the ignition switch, and I do think that as that is known to be faulty on the starter side, there could be an intermittent contact on the ignition side.  So if you've found a new switch, I'd put that on first, and then at least you know that everything is getting power by the correct route. 

Switch hasn’t turned up yet so I think I’ll be doing the 12v thing first, just due to how the time falls with this.

Also the Amazon package finally turned up. No idea where it’s been, but I’m not gauged up, baby.

[St.Jude]

There is some mad fuckery going on with this wiring. Or it’s normal, I don’t know.

This is the business end of the ignition switch that I bought. Specifically for a Mk1.

This is the listing. Of course, not looking before buying means I spunk £17.99 on a part that doesn’t fit. Because when I go to fit it today, this is what comes off…

A small spade connector (red wire) and another block all go in to the wiring harness of what I have. Well bollocks to this, must be Mk2 I need then as this is a cross over period of vehicle (apparently) so.

But The Mk2 has the same number of connectors as the pre-1991 I bought? So fucked if I know what’s going on although I’m half tempted to desolder the black block switch from the new one I have to the one I’ve got, as the wiring colours match up between the two.

Not tried the 12v to the ignition coil as I lack the clips I think I need to do it. I also need to work out what spade connector on the block that goes in the back of it would be 12v to do it. Although again, I put the spark tester thing on after it and it was lighting up although it wasn’t a constant light. It was pulsing to my eyes at least.

Also changed the dizzy cap as the king lead felt loose when I was probing it with the spark tester. The one I replaced it with is old/second hand but the king lead port felt tighter.

Car, again, burst in to life after this. Promptly died when throttle applied. Wouldn’t start again.

Clips to do the 12v starter thing are on their way.

[St.Jude]

So a bit of an update.

I spliced the new ignition barrel thing to the old wiring harness.

 

Not the greatest work but they’ll do.

Battery connected, I cannot find my multimeter probes as I intended to watch the power going to the fuel pump to see if that flickered or not. They’re now coming from Amazon so that was skipped.

Tried it on the key - no good. Even with the new barrel thing on it. Not happy about that.

Went to start it via the relay and it started.

And it ran.

It ran for a good 2 minutes.

I blipped the throttle a few times in that period, didn’t die. This is progress.

I could hear the idle drop as I think it adjusted the choke, didn’t die.

This is wonderful.

What’s that burning smell? It’s not Burning oil or whatever but plastic.

It’s coming from the back of the engine.

Car then sputtered and died. Won’t come back to life again.

So as it ran for that long I had wondered if there was an immobiliser in play which was cutting it off after a few seconds. I think the run time eliminates that permanently.

The smell makes me think either there’s mouse/rat damage to the wiring at the rear. Whether that’s always been the issue fuck knows but I know if there is smoke from a slightly oily engine it shouldn’t smell like that. That’s electrical.

That’s all she wrote today. But it was nice to hear it run. Wife wasn’t happy to hear it run as she could hear it in the kitchen at the back of the house and she put our young lad in the living room to sleep, who I think woke up at the sound of the Rover.

So I am in the doghouse now again.

[St.Jude]

only wire at the back that I can see is this one which goes in to the bulkhead, but also comes up to join the, what I can see as, the wiring to the top dead centre sensor as well as the injectors.

But I can’t see any visible sign of fire either.

[andy18s]

It might be worth adding a new earth lead or 2 from the engine block, just to be safe..

[Dobloseven]

Holy Grail 800 in this month's Practical Classics.2 litre sohc  O Series.Single SU carb.Wow!Even seems to move.

[St.Jude]

5 hours ago, Dobloseven said:

Holy Grail 800 in this month's Practical Classics.2 litre sohc  O Series.Single SU carb.Wow!Even seems to move.

Mine moves.

Just on a trailer.

[MantaGTE85]

9 hours ago, Dobloseven said:

Holy Grail 800 in this month's Practical Classics.2 litre sohc  O Series.Single SU carb.Wow!Even seems to move.

I always liked the XX's. I must remind myself to buy a copy. But before I do, it wouldn't be a certain white ex-HubNut 820 fastback by any chance? Or is there another one?

Anyway G651MHG's last MOT expired in October 2020, but its V5 change was only as recently as last September so it must be still around, hopefully being worked on.

[Dobloseven]

8 hours ago, MantaGTE85 said:

I always liked the XX's. I must remind myself to buy a copy. But before I do, it wouldn't be a certain white ex-HubNut 820 fastback by any chance? Or is there another one?

Anyway G651MHG's last MOT expired in October 2020, but its V5 change was only as recently as last September so it must be still around, hopefully being worked on.

This one is a blue G reg fastback.Seems there's about 200 800s on the road and about 1400 on SORN.We're all rooting for StJude to increase the number by one.Not sure if it's doing his mental health or marriage much good though!

[St.Jude]

Had a play today with this.

It is now on axle stands to see if I can see what was smoking last time it ran. All I can see is a fuck load of oil. I’ve a sieve inside that holds more than this.

But whatever we carry on. Took up the carpet to see about finding the wires that go from the ignition to the bulkhead and out to the engine. Think a lot of the dash needs to come out to find that, which I would like to avoid. Tried to start it again but it ran for a few seconds then stopped.

However - there has been a change. The fans come straight on now when the ignition is applied. This has not happened before, because before I started the car I noticed a whirring noise and I could see the two fans operating. They weren’t the air con fans either as the air con is turned off.

So, as per the ask a shiter section, I’m going to see if I can find an electrician who knows at least what their arse looks like from my elbow and see what they’d charge to investigate. 

[R Lutz]

On 03/06/2026 at 13:13, Dobloseven said:

Holy Grail 800 in this month's Practical Classics.2 litre sohc  O Series.Single SU carb.Wow!Even seems to move.

Holy Grail or Holy Grim?

[grogee]

@St.Jude these have come up on ebay as they periodically do. They may be suitable for diagnostics BUT I suspect Honda engine = completely different diagnostic system, which I bet the dealers were delighted* about. 

Come to think of it, the whole Fast Check strategy was total wank really. One stand alone unit that worked on 5% of cars until they changed their mind and decided to use different system/supplier/architecture. Then there was the logistics of manufacturing/supply for these units across the globe. 

On the other hand, I suppose it was an attempt to simplify the witchcraft that was electronic engine control. 

[grogee]

Just to add, I have the Programmed Ignition Fast Check if anyone ever needs it. Am thinking about buying the fuel computer one too. 

[Bear]

It's haunted. Definitely haunted.

[St.Jude]

Well yesterday I had a productive call with an auto electrician I found off of the internet. A very helpful knowledgeable guy. He has experience of these Rovers, and felt he would probably get to the bottom of it.

The kicker - he felt it’d be around £300 at least for a diagnosis. The further kicker is that he would need the car with him, which is in Buckinghamshire. So it’d be at least £500 minimum for a diagnosis.

Unprompted, he said I needed to seriously think about how much it’s worth and would it be worth the work. I wouldn’t say he was putting me off the work because he said he’d have it in October (that’s when his workshop is free atm) but he was being realistic in regards to the work to put it right.

I have another person or two to call tomorrow about it, both more local and I think one is mobile.

I think I have this Saturday relatively free, after that I’m busy and on holiday until August. I want to start stripping/removing these wiring loom from the engine in to the cockpit and start inspecting them for a broken wire. Or shagged earth.

But I have not got £500 to throw at this. So I either do this, or break it up. But it’s not viable. Not for me.

[HillmanImp]

Has this got an olde worlde alarm system on it? Was it a standard or fairly common one on these cars? 

Might be worth tracking down a local auto electrician who is a specialist in those alarms, as they'll possibly have experience on those cars too.

[Zelandeth]

I'd say that number's probably not far off the mark as it's time you're paying for.

This is going to be a case of having to one by one test put a bunch of wiring for shorts/continuity with the schematics in front of you, undoing bodges as found while doing it etc.  It's definitely going to take a good chunk of time even if you know what you're doing.  Especially if there's the potential for loom burnups and/or rodent damage involved.  You could easily end up a day or two into it before you get to the bottom of what is actually going on.

If we're doing it ourselves we can take more of a punt on things, but if you're doing it in the trade you want to be being very methodical and documenting everything you find and that all takes time.  Especially if you're trying not to burn down your workshop!

[St.Jude]

14 hours ago, HillmanImp said:

Has this got an olde worlde alarm system on it? Was it a standard or fairly common one on these cars? 

Might be worth tracking down a local auto electrician who is a specialist in those alarms, as they'll possibly have experience on those cars too.

As far as I know it doesn’t. It doesn’t have any indication of an immobiliser either. Although the way it runs is indicative of one being there but I’ve done all the close the doors/bonnet, lock the door unlock it, tap your head three times and spin around shit and it’s not made a difference.

14 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

I'd say that number's probably not far off the mark as it's time you're paying for.

This is going to be a case of having to one by one test put a bunch of wiring for shorts/continuity with the schematics in front of you, undoing bodges as found while doing it etc.  It's definitely going to take a good chunk of time even if you know what you're doing.  Especially if there's the potential for loom burnups and/or rodent damage involved.  You could easily end up a day or two into it before you get to the bottom of what is actually going on.

If we're doing it ourselves we can take more of a punt on things, but if you're doing it in the trade you want to be being very methodical and documenting everything you find and that all takes time.  Especially if you're trying not to burn down your workshop!

Yeah that is the only way this is moving forward is to basically do that cartoon thing of taking the whole thing apart and finding out the rattle was a marble in the ashtray.

I will ring a few more tomorrow when I’m home see if any will be around here or a bit cheaper, but doubt it.

[Zelandeth]

3 minutes ago, St.Jude said:

...do that cartoon thing of taking the whole thing apart and finding out the rattle was a marble in the ashtray...

Laugh as you might, but I spent weeks trying to fathom the cause for a random clicking noise in my last Xantia, especially under braking.  Until one day by random chance noticing that the garage that last had a wheel off hadn't put the locking wheel nut key back where it lived, but had put it in the tiny little tray on the centre console.  The tray which is basically behind you when in the front seats and is too small to be useful so I forgot even existed.

I'm really glad I hadn't started taking things apart hunting that noise!

[MrBig]

16 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Laugh as you might, but I spent weeks trying to fathom the cause for a random clicking noise in my last Xantia, especially under braking.  Until one day by random chance noticing that the garage that last had a wheel off hadn't put the locking wheel nut key back where it lived, but had put it in the tiny little tray on the centre console.  The tray which is basically behind you when in the front seats and is too small to be useful so I forgot even existed.

I'm really glad I hadn't started taking things apart hunting that noise!

I'm not laughing. I spent a not insignificant amount of time the other week chasing a weird noise under acceleration and braking in the MX-5. 

Turned out to be a fucking Hot Wheels monster truck in the centre console!!

@St.Jude It might not be the answer you want but that auto sparky sounds like a good option.  He's realistic about the time it's likely to take and is upfront about it. Nothing worse than a chancer that gives a low price to get you on the hook, then keeps finding more and work while the price dials up.

[Westbay]

Any use ?

 

Possible Causes for Rover 800 Starting and Stopping

When a Rover 800 starts and then stops after a few seconds, it often indicates issues related to fuel delivery or air entering the fuel system. Here are some common causes and troubleshooting steps:

Fuel Delivery Problems

• Fuel Filter: A clogged fuel filter can restrict fuel flow. Check and replace if necessary.

• Lift Pump: Ensure the lift pump is functioning properly. A weak or failing pump may not deliver enough fuel to keep the engine running.

• Fuel Seals: Inspect the seals for any leaks. Air entering the fuel system can cause the engine to stall.

Electrical Issues

• Relay Problems: Check the fuel pump relay. A faulty relay can interrupt fuel delivery.

• Wiring Connections: Look for loose or corroded connections in the wiring that could affect the fuel system.

Additional Considerations

• Inertia Switch: If equipped, ensure the inertia switch is not tripped, as this can cut off fuel delivery.

• ECU Issues: In some cases, problems with the engine control unit (ECU) may cause stalling. Consider having it checked or reprogrammed.

[LightBulbFun]

9 hours ago, St.Jude said:

Yeah that is the only way this is moving forward is to basically do that cartoon thing of taking the whole thing apart and finding out the rattle was a marble in the ashtray.

you joke, but in trying to track down the many rattles and squeaks the VDP has I discovered the Ashtray in the VDP is literally filled with a few odd nuts and bolts, I have no idea what they are for and so I dont want to lose them incase they are important, and I keep forgetting to get a little bag to put em in to stick em in the glove box, so they just rattle away in the ashtray, sometimes if it gets on my tits ill open the ashtray to try and shut them up which is why in this shot of my friend driving it the ashtray is popped open LOL

[High Jetter]

6 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

I keep forgetting to get a little bag

Next time you, or your Mum, are in a Post Office or bank grab some plastic coin bags. They're free and ideal for such instances as transparent.

[stuboy]

3 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

I keep forgetting to get a little bag

easy tiger keep off these kind of meds or get nowhere with the rover

[Missy Charm]

On 01/07/2026 at 10:24, Zelandeth said:

Laugh as you might, but I spent weeks trying to fathom the cause for a random clicking noise in my last Xantia, especially under braking.  Until one day by random chance noticing that the garage that last had a wheel off hadn't put the locking wheel nut key back where it lived, but had put it in the tiny little tray on the centre console.  The tray which is basically behind you when in the front seats and is too small to be useful so I forgot even existed.

I'm really glad I hadn't started taking things apart hunting that noise!

We've all been there!  I spent a week or so in a panic because the Ford Orion I then owned developed a rapid-fire rattle in the vicinity of the cylinder head.  Thought it was curtains for the car but turned out to be a dead leaf stuck in the heater fan... 

[Bear]

On 01/07/2026 at 22:39, stuboy said:

easy tiger keep off these kind of meds or get nowhere with the rover

This reminds me of "When I medicine you..."

TBF I hear LSD helps you see colour more vividly so it might be handy for diagnosing a faulty pre-multiplex complex wiring loom.

[Bear]

13 hours ago, Missy Charm said:

We've all been there!  I spent a week or so in a panic because the Ford Orion I then owned developed a rapid-fire rattle in the vicinity of the cylinder head.  Thought it was curtains for the car but turned out to be a dead leaf stuck in the heater fan... 

One day there was a motorbike following me in the Fens. I could hear it, but it wasn't visible. Kept slowing to see where it was (with the roof open it was concerning that I couldn't see it!).

Turned out the newish Jeep Wrangler's rear differential had failed.