Roverjoyed. ABS woes resolved, MOT? Completed it mate (Rover 800 content)

[rainagain]

Congratulations on the wedding, lovely looking rover

[RoadworkUK]

We must do a KV6 800 FACE-OFF at some point.

 

I'm very much up for that later in the year. We'll have to choose a day when Pete-M can join us.

[mercedade]

Oh oh! Can I come and wave a slightly frilly Vitesse at you when you do it? I promise not to do anything uncouth like rev the engine unnecessarily.

[RoadworkUK]

The nice man did both my CV Joint gaiters for a hundred sheets, which I thought was a bargain because It would probably have taken me The Rest Of My Life and STILL BEEN WRONG.

 

An MOT pass, then. So I thought I'd treat the car to a little prezzie which has been sitting in a drawer for ages.

 

 

YES!

 

 

YES!

 

Nicola and I are Terry and June and we claim our five pounds.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

OUTSTANDING

[Lord Sterling]

AA badge needs to be a slight bit more to the left of the grille otherwise well done. I need one of these for my Rovers, the grilles look lonely without it.

[RoadworkUK]

AA badge needs to be a slight bit more to the left of the grille otherwise well done.

 

See, I even did this wrong. Well, it's staying put 'cos that was my last cable tie.

[RoadworkUK]

Just realised that putting a grille badge on a car isn't really reason for a thread update.

 

However, I also found and fitted the little retention hook things for the floor mats!

 

No photos as my camera fainted in the excitement of it all.

[HMC]

 BTW Congratulations!

 

As you say, glad to see it performing STERLING service etc. I have a soft spot for these fastback 800s too. They went to town snazzing up the interiors on these late ones with seat piping and carpets in classy colours, presumably in a vain bid to keep punters interested whilst the 75 was being finished.

[Noel Tidybeard]

Just realised that putting a grille badge on a car isn't really reason for a thread update.

 

However, I also found and fitted the little retention hook things for the floor mats!

 

No photos as my camera fainted in the excitement of it all.

very poor excuse, now man up and sort pics or it never happened

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Well, chicken counting and all that, but THE CAMBELT IS ON! We've even hand-turned the crank a few times to check. No skipping, slipping or sickening crunches so far.

 

After considerable enfaffment and an amount of swearing, we drew to an inevitable conclusion; you should not attempt this job without the facility to obtain or create specialist tools. From the outset we couldn't see why the Rover "special tools" were so essential, but when you're trying to hold two separate exhaust cams against the force of their valve springs, while trying to thread a long floppy belt around three cogs and three pulleys, you need about seven hands.

 

My most excellent father came up trumps by creating a pair of tools for turning and/or locking the cams in place. I bought him a Toblerone.

 

So, one down, two to go! Phull photographic phresentation to follow on completion, you lucky, lucky bastards.

 

 

Top tip 4 cam belts YO.

 

 

With the cam covers removed and the cams lined up, use a set of molegrips on each cam - OBVIERSLEY not on the lobe but in between. Then get a block of wood between each pair of Moles and tie wrap them together to there is no possible way the cams can move.

 

I did a V6 24v Alfa that way once, worked like a charm. 

[RoadworkUK]

very poor excuse, now man up and sort pics or it never happened

 

For an audience of one- Behold:

 

 

 

SO ANYWAY.

 

I've been rotating between the Audi and the Rover ever since the Audi was put back on the road. The latter will be hangared again soon when I put the planned lunatic turbocharger on it. Which means that the Rover needs to be 100% bang on reliable, which to be honest it usually is.

 

Until Right Now. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you:

 

The River 800.

 

 

Yes, well that's not very good, is it? As soon as I clocked the lake building up I did a quick sniff test on it. It felt slippery on my fingers and had a smell of light oil. Oooh deary me, I thought.

 

I had previously enjoyed* a right palaver involving clutch fluid not being wholly contained where it should have been, but those days are behind me, surely? I stepped aboard, depressed the clutch a couple of times, and it felt a bit shit.

 

No worse than normal, though, so that was OK. So not a clutch fluid leak, then. Hmmm. I looked at all the other underbonnet fluids, brake fluid spot on, power steering marvellous, even the oil was where it should be which is remarkable considering it's a KV6.

 

OH LOOK THE COOLANT IS A BIT LOW.

 

My header tank is so filthy it's tricky to see where the minimum mark is, but sure enough the coolant is Way Low. Oh noes. Oh very noes. Coolant disappearance is officially A Bad Thing in KV6 circles so I clenched my buttocks so hard they actually disappeared into my anus, went right around my intestines and into my stomach, where digestion commenced.

 

I then had a look under the car and saw quite the most wonderful sight I had ever clapped eyes on.

 

It was a single bead of fluid, greeny blue and crystal clear, forming on one of the subframe members until it became obese and plummeted into the lake. COOLANT.

 

IT WAS COMING FROM THE RADIATOR!

 

 

You can see it in this picture, trickling freely from the rad and pooling below. This was fantastic news, such a relief knowing that the coolant was staying the right side of the engine block walls that I shat my buttocks immediately back to where they should have been.

 

I need a new radiator, though.

 

 

Thing is, I can't remember if I took the rad off when I did the cambelt or not. And my RAVE manual, the Bible to serial Rover-botherers, is now on a long-dead laptop.

 

Do any of you magnificent citizens have a copy which could find itself magically appearing on a computer near me?

 

I'll do a little dance for you if it swings a deal....

[Lord Sterling]

Check it on the Rover 800 forum, I seem to remember there being a downloadable copy on there.

[twosmoke300]

An unbolt able bonnet slam panel , every time I have to do a rad and see one of those it's such a happy feeling

[RoadworkUK]

Check it on the Rover 800 forum, I seem to remember there being a downloadable copy on there.

 

Cheers Mo, you may win my little dance. If only I can remember my log-in....

[Lord Sterling]

An unbolt able bonnet slam panel, every time I have to do a rad and see one of those it's such a happy feeling

You'll also notice that the slam panel has 4 tabs sticking out, this was for the old Mk1 Rover 800 grille to hang onto, they never removed the tabs when the bonnet was changed to the integrated grille.

 

Another useless bit of info brought to you by Lord Sterling.

[RoadworkUK]

My compliment of manuals is back to where it should be. Cheers M'lud.

 

Now Surprise Surprise (RIP Cilla...) EuroCarPrats list the KV6 rad as NLA. Rimmers are the same.

 

Now, I know this is far from an exhaustive search, in fact I give myself a 2.6/10 rating for effort. But if any of you lot are sitting on a NOS radiator for a late 825, hit me up one time.

 

THANKZ IN ADVANCE FOR IMPENDING FLOOD OF RADS.

[320touring]

tried my usual suspects for rad, but not showing.

 

Ebay shows a few though- but 85quid plus

[RoadworkUK]

tried my usual suspects for rad, but not showing.

 

Ebay shows a few though- but 85quid plus

 

Cost is less of an issue than provenance!

 

Don't want any old shit bolted to what is a worthless priceless automobile! eBay scares me.

 

I did entertain the notion of buying an entire nother 825 just for the rad, but the ink is still wet on my wedding paperwork and divorce proceedings could be expensive.

[Noel Tidybeard]

would it not be the same as an early hunda leg end

[Lord Sterling]

would it not be the same as an early hunda leg end

No, the 2.5 KV6 was a completely different engine to the Honda V6, similar capacity and similar set-up but different engines altogether. The KV6 was a Rover built effort that was fitted to the 800s after 1996 until final production, the Honda job was fitted from 1986 until 1996, though from 1986 to early 1988, the Honda job was a 2.5 V6, then from 1988 onwards a 2.7 V6.

[Noel Tidybeard]

No, the 2.5 KV6 was a completely different engine to the Honda V6, similar capacity and similar set-up but different engines altogether. The KV6 was a Rover built effort that was fitted to the 800s after 1996 until final production, the Honda job was fitted from 1986 until 1996, though from 1986 to early 1988, the Honda job was a 2.5 V6, then from 1988 onwards a 2.7 V6.

yes i know about the kv6 i just looked at your list of chod and saw 1987 825 didnt realise it wasnt yours and it was a kettle6 being discussed- d'oh

[RoadworkUK]

Actually, to be honest the Rover is no more terrible than a Rover 825 has the right to be, apart from sometimes leaking coolant from the radiator when it remembers to (seems to have healed itself for the time being) and having a slow O/S/F puncture. But it's currently immobile as I have nicked the battery.

 

And stuck it in the Audi. Which is now repaired again and is no longer showing signs of head gasket apocalypse.

 

However: It's started eating batteries.

 

FUNNY STORY #1:

 

Rolled the Audi out of the garage yesterday after it had slumbered for a month or so. Flat battery, obvz, hardly blame a battery for discharging after a month with a numpty owner forgetting to disconnect it. So I knew it would need a jump start. Duly performed by Hero Rover, all good.

 

Left it running on the drive with a ghetto cruise control arrangement holding the accelerator at 2000rpm to "charge" the battery. Gave it half an hour. Ate my dinner (meatballs and cous-cous, beautifully seasoned) and then went outside to switch the car off. Didn't bother with shoes, thought I'd only be a few seconds.

 

On a whim, decided to drive round the block to scrub the brakes clean. Actually don't have a block to drive around at all, so headed off into the village. Car felt good. Felt great, actually.

 

Noticed the headlamps were flickering a bit. Interesting. Then, all of a sudden, dashboard shut down, engine stopped, no power steering, no brake servo, nothing at all. Rolled to a halt with just about enough inertia to park half sensibly. Car now dead on key.

 

Rain started. Windows all down, no power to wind up. Got out of car, socks on wet tarmac. Checked my pocket, no phone with which to call hero wife for embarrassing rescue mission. Lifted bonnet and checked all electrical connections in failing light, all seemed in order. Diagnosis: Cataclysmic battery failure.

 

Walked, in socks, jeans and t-shirt, in rain, a mile up the hill and down the alley to my wife who collapsed in fits of hysterics. Put some vaguely sensible clothes on, stole the (confirmed good) battery from the Rover and returned to the Audi which by now had a very damp interior. Swapped batteries over using Lego Keyring Torch for illumination and adjustable spanner for terminals, Audi fired straight up as expected. Returned home for a ribbing.

 

48hrs later:

 

FUNNY STORY #2:

 

Car has been faultless over the last couple of days. Returning home tonight while listening to moderate comedy on Radio 4 I chanced upon a stranded motorist with a 51 plate Audi TT, bonnet and boot open, furrowed brow. A wave of karmic energy flowed over me and I elected to stop and offer assistance, thinking I may be of some use as we have the same engine.

 

He had suffered a battery death and simultaneous low oil level warning. He had pulled over to use the somewhat convenient boost-pack he was carrying to restart his car, and also had requested that his wife come out and bring lubricant.

 

Everything seemed to be alright, the oil level was at least registering on the dipstick so all was clearly not lost, his wife had turned up so I was surplus to requirements. He thanked me for my efforts and I returned to my car.

 

Which now all of a sudden wouldn't start.

 

"Er, could I borrow your jump-pack, please?"

 

Jump pack on, car started (a little reluctantly), volt meter showing 11.6v with engine running. A little on the low side. Switched on all the lights to excite the alternator and by journeys end I was back to about 12.5v.

 

I'll lay actual money on the fucking thing not starting tomorrow.

[Richard]

It should be more like 14V, your alternator is buggered or an earth strap has failed. Put a jump lead between the alternator body and battery negative terminal and see if the voltage improves, it probably won't but it's an easy test and fix so it's worth a punt.

 

The next thing to try is the brush/regulator pack, if there is still no improvement replace the slip ring and diode pack, and probably the bearings while you are at it. You could just buy another alternator but you know it's all good if you do it yourself.

 

I got my alternator bits from this guy http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151128783583on the strength of his "how to" videos, like the one at the bottom of that listing.

 

Edit- make sure you have the right spec of alternator in the car before doing anything else. I went to all the bother of rebuilding the V70's alternator, only to find it was a 75A instead of the 110A it should have been- not that it mattered much because the car shat its timing belt the next week.

[RoadworkUK]

Wish I'd laid money down on that bet last night.

 

Nope, non start this morning, also couldn't jump start from Wifey's car as I'd blocked her into the garage, and the Rover battery is in the Audi. So kadged a jump start from next door neighbours, most accommodating of them.

 

Decided to be all flash and buy an actual new battery, just for a special treat. A lovely spangly Exide item, none of this Lion brand horseshit. Installed in appalling drizzle, lovely.... but still not a surfeit of volts when running.

 

Drove home in an apocolyptic downpour and watched the volt meter steadily drop in a most doom-like fashion.

 

Made it home, and then thought to look under my bonnet to see just how much of a faff getting to the alternator was likely to be, e.g can I get it off without all that "Service position" palava. Answer, yeah, probably. Then, as I was prodding and poking around at the back of the alternator, suddenly the engine note changed. Suddenly there was noise coming from the alternator that hadn't been there before.

 

A look at the dash and it's reading somewhere in the vicinity of 14v.

 

There is a slight probability total certainty that I didn't connect the fucking alternator properly when I had the front end all apart chasing that phantom head gasket issue.

 

I'm really not very good at this car nonsense, am I?

[xtriple]

Was going to put this in the 'grump' thread but it's not my grump.  On the way back this afternoon, lousy weather, rain/drizzle/rain and at a set of traffic lights just coming into teignmouth, clouds of smoke ahead.

 

Thick, acrid smoke.

 

It was 54 plate Vauxhall diesel which was busily ingesting its engine and by the sounds the engine was making, being jolly successful about it! Never seen a 'run away' before. The poor lass with the car was busy getting everything out of the car. There were others there helping/hindering so I buggered off sharpish/

[dollywobbler]

Don't worry Roadwork. We've all been y here. At least you hadn't ordered a new alternator before finding your error. I would have done that.

[Richard]

Don't worry Roadwork. We've all been y here.

I know that's an auto correct error but it still works. I've been 'y here' many times

 

I'm glad you got it sorted reasonably easily.

[RoadworkUK]

Yep, now sorted through the simple act of tightening a frigging nut up properly, a nut which had become obscured by lots of other bits of engine and needed fingers like needles to access.

 

So now I need to be careful and not spend my X Hundred Quid "alternator money" on curly wurlies and fake moustaches.

[EssDeeWon]

0/10 for leaving the alternator disconnected

 

11/10 for coming on and telling us of your silly'ness

 

All is well that ends well