No ooomph!

[Poledriver]

My BRM is fitted with full Janspeed system, 52mm TB, cold air induction. I always thought that it ran pretty well and felt a real 'pull' on acceleration!
Had HGF recently! Garage fitted MLS gasket, new water pump, SS dowels and new stretch bolts and belts.
I've driven about 500 miles since this and it doesn't seem to have that 'pull' any more! It doesn't mis-fire at all, starts fine and will get up to (an indicated) 130MPH but everything seems to take that bit longer. I'm also getting about 40 miles less out of a tank-full of fuel.
Any ideas, could something not have been set up quite right after HGF?
(The HGF was not a dramatic one, just oil getting into water, nothing going in or out of the cyljnders and no loss of performance)

[welshone]

My BRM is fitted with full Janspeed system, 52mm TB, cold air induction. I always thought that it ran pretty well and felt a real 'pull' on acceleration!
Had HGF recently! Garage fitted MLS gasket, new water pump, SS dowels and new stretch bolts and belts.
I've driven about 500 miles since this and it doesn't seem to have that 'pull' any more! It doesn't mis-fire at all, starts fine and will get up to (an indicated) 130MPH but everything seems to take that bit longer. I'm also getting about 40 miles less out of a tank-full of fuel.
Any ideas, could something not have been set up quite right after HGF?
(The HGF was not a dramatic one, just oil getting into water, nothing going in or out of the cyljnders and no loss of performance)

What air filter did you have in there before HGF. As in did they replace a sports one for a paper one :(.

Sorry just reread your post. So ignore that ^


How old is the CAT ?

[Poledriver]

Sports cat fitted same time as rest of system, about 3-4 months ago!

[spankyban]

Idleing is fine?

Could be running a thicker grade of oil (always a good thing to do after hgf)..

Clogged injector? crap in fuel lines?

[The Mole]

It could also be that they havent set the vvc control unit properly when the cylinder head was refitted

[Poledriver]

It could also be that they havent set the vvc control unit properly when the cylinder head was refitted


I've worked with many engines over the years, but never a VVC, can you expand a little please?

[Poledriver]

Well.........It appears that the oil level was low.
It was just at the bottom of the dipstick. Topped up, drove for 10 miles and now all is fine. I'm assuming that the lifters lose oil before anything else does.
Which leads to the next question:-
Since having the head gasket done the car is doing about 1000 miles to the litre of oil.
BUT
There is not a drop of oil anywhere under the car or on the engine, so no external leaks.
The water is still perfectly clean and clear so no internal leaks.
The exhaust is clear with no blue smoke, even at start-up after an overnight stop so it's not being burnt.

So.........where is the oil going?

[Poledriver]

The saga continues!!
Coming up the M4 the other week......BANG!! bang bang bang.
That's it, I thought, it's blown! Pulled over to the hard shoulder and opened up the bonnet. Spark plug cover was cracked and bouncing up and down! One of the plugs had blown out!!??
Fitted it back in and suddenly the rattling noise had gone and my performance was back!
Fecking garage hadn't spotted it and denied touvhing the plugs when they did the head gasket!
50 miles later the noise is back and performance is down, checked the plug and it's loose again..:rolleyes:
Is this a head-off fix?
This without doubt the very last MG/Rover I'll ever own!

[Adam]

Firstly why is the plug coming loose?

Is it just the HT lead or the actualy plug?

[Poledriver]

It's the actual plug, must have been rattling for a while then finally let go....with a hell of a bang, thought I'd put a piston through the block! I'm assuming that the threads are partially stripped.

[GmL_BrM]

get some new plugs, if it didnt do it before it went to the garage, but does after and you know they have been fiddling with the head (obv for a HG change) - sounds to me like theyre pulling ur leg.

[Poledriver]

get some new plugs, if it didnt do it before it went to the garage, but does after and you know they have been fiddling with the head (obv for a HG change) - sounds to me like theyre pulling ur leg.


Really! Do you think so?

[GmL_BrM]

lol, maybe u should try some of that sarcasm with them

[Adam]

If the plug has stripped threads out of the head then it'll need looking at. You 'may' be able to get away with it, but if its too bad it'll cost a pretty penny to fix.

[Poledriver]

I'll try anything I can to lock the plug in. There is a little thread there as you can feel the plug locking. Even a drastic thing like bonding it in there would help. I use Platinum plugs and they should be good for 50,000 miles! I just need the damned car on the road again, it's been in the garage for 6 weeks so far this year!

[soberphil]

I had this a few years ago in my old shape 214sei, it spat a plug out and snapped the plug cover. Made a hell of a noise with the cover flapping about and running on 3 cylinders.

Luckily I had the socket set in the boot so just tightened the plug and away I went. On this occasion it was my own fault - being uber careful not to strip the alloy thread in the head when replacing the plugs (and not owning a torque wrench at the time), I obviously under tightened them in the first place and over time one worked loose.

If the thread is partially stripped can an engineering shop put a thread insert in or is it scrap? I guess you could try some sort of locking agent as a last resort, if the head is going to need machining anyway then can it do any harm? Good luck.

BTW - I've always owned MG/Rovers (except a volvo but thats another story), and I've always found them totally reliable. Would you believe out of 5 k series engined cars I've owned I've never even had a head gasket go! Kiss of death - HGF on way home tonight?

[Poledriver]

Used my sarcasm on the garage (sorry GML) and they've called a specialist in. He's drilled out and fitted a tapped insert, job done! :yay:

[Poledriver]

:cowboy:Bloody garage!!
Driving it home last night after being "fixed". As soon a s it warmed up there's a quite loud rattle at around 3,000 RPM gets worse if I back throttle off so no load. Garage say nothing to do with them and pointed out that it's been using oil but no leaks, not burning oil and not getting into water.
They say that the spark plug was nothing to do with them!!??
When I originally took it in to them it was for suspect HGF as oil was getting in water. Everything was working well and there was no rattling! Since getting it back there has been a problem.
They say that it sounds like it could be a piston or small end, I'm not sure, the sound is limited to a very small rev range and it's quite a high pitched rattle, not the sort of knock expected from little or big end.
Is there anything they could have got wrong with VVC or cams which wouls rattle at specific revs?

[Adam]

You're not having a good time of it are you!

Did they time it all up properly? Can cause some interesting results if they haven't.

[Poledriver]

That's the first thing I asked them many moons ago when I first noticed a problem. The reply was "Of course, I checked it twice as I haven't done one of these before!

[welshone]

Flipping hell your not haveing a great time with this car are you :(

[Poledriver]

Especially as this was the one that I just wanted to jump in and drive daily. I've already got one "project" car and one "problem MG/Rover"!

[Jon_A]

Don't give up on the BRM though, I did and regret selling it at times.

Other times I don't miss the faults but the car was worth it when driving hard.

[Poledriver]

I've just been reading up on the VVC system. The cam is split in 2 halves, each controlling to cylinders. The tapping noise is coming from the area around 3&4 so could be they assembled it wrongly, or a bearing is going.
Whatever it is, it was silent before they did the head gasket!
Does head gasket replacement necessitate removal of the cams/VVC mchanism from the head, or does it stay in position?

[brmatty]

just done my head gasket and its not that bad a job to be honest , it was the first vvc one ive done..the vvc mechs stay in situe and dont need to be touched unless your having the head skimmed and pressure tested.....ive found mine to dosent seem to have quite as much pull but its still early days and hasnt settled back in yet since rebuilding ..

[Poledriver]

OK, just got confirmation that there is a small end rattling.......so
Unless someone can come up with a good price for the car as it is I'll be starting to break it for spares next week!

It has a complete Janspeed Exhaust (Manifold to backbox), Pipercross cold air induction system, large (metal) throttle body. Immaculate interior and good wheels apart from small abrasions on one wheel, all with good tyres. Just had Head gasket done. no rust on rear door or sunroof (or anywhere!)

I've given up, I need a reliable car so will never, ever, touch anything from MG/Rover again! (I may also be selling my ZT-T 260 soon!)

[brmatty]

you cant tar them all with the same brush , you must of just had bad luck with rovers,,,ive had many a rover and never had any troubles with them and only had one head gasket go which was recent which isnt bad going for 8 rovers over a ten year period!! first refusal on the steering wheel if its any good.lol..

[Jon_A]

Sad to hear you want to sell. If you do sell the MG ZT let me know, maybe interested. As for the BRM well I loved mine, when the HG wasn't going!

[Poledriver]

Still having problems deciding what to do. I've invested a lot of money in the BRM, which I can't recoup. It is fun to drive WHEN it's working. Repairing the engine is quite labour intensive, are there any reliable sources of recon or 2nd hand engines? A direct swap is much quicker than a rebuild, but my financial situation is pretty dire at the moment!

[spankyban]

Still having problems deciding what to do. I've invested a lot of money in the BRM, which I can't recoup. It is fun to drive WHEN it's working. Repairing the engine is quite labour intensive, are there any reliable sources of recon or 2nd hand engines? A direct swap is much quicker than a rebuild, but my financial situation is pretty dire at the moment!

Correct - there are engines - not in cars on the 'bay for £500 - £1500 depends what you want to do.

If breaking, v interested in the exhaust and other bits.

Let us know if you decide.

[mik]

I've given up, I need a reliable car so will never, ever, touch anything from MG/Rover again! (I may also be selling my ZT-T 260 soon!)

lol, its not the car, its the cowboy garage that has done a p1ss poor job tbh!!!:wacko:

[brmad]

Still having problems deciding what to do. I've invested a lot of money in the BRM, which I can't recoup. It is fun to drive WHEN it's working. Repairing the engine is quite labour intensive, are there any reliable sources of recon or 2nd hand engines? A direct swap is much quicker than a rebuild, but my financial situation is pretty dire at the moment!

One on ebay at the moment £420 Buy it now in Doncaster.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROVER-218-VVC-BRM-1-8-K-SERIES-REBUILT-ENGINE-11K_W0QQitemZ370229085475QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Car sParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item56335f8523&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1683%7C 293%3A1%7C294%3A50

[Poledriver]

Cheers, I've sent an e-mail to them!