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Old 5th January 2018, 17:52   #11
T-Cut
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Get yourself a copy of the Handbook. It will guide you well.
As for engine oils, concentrate on the viscosity and the ACEA specs quoted on the tin. Here's what the Handbook says:



Choose whatever brand you want as long as these parameters are met. Big Auto brands have big prices as well, but Tesco's ACEA A2 or A3 are fine if that's where your budget is. The ACEA specs default the choice as a semi-synthetic type.

Quote:
have a look on here for some info re. the "fuel vapour purge valve" or "Slack Tappet Simulator" (I forget who termed the phrase)
Wonder who that was?
The STS (this is the best the search system can do): https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=013872...%20&gsc.page=1

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Last edited by T-Cut; 5th January 2018 at 18:04..
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Old 5th January 2018, 18:22   #12
suzublu
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As for Peakyblinders well worth a watch...you will be hooked by this northern gangland tale from the 1920s based partially on fact...brilliant! On third series now
Well I watched the first episode of this "Northern" gangland tale, Birmingham? northern?
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Old 18th January 2018, 21:04   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FLYING BANANA View Post
There's a MG-Rover meet at the Halfway House on the A127 on Sunday 21st January. Pop along if you have the time. I'll be there with my Yellow 1.8t ZT.
Or just keep an eye on the events page for any other meets/shows that are happening around the country.

And Welcome aboard.
just in case can get a pass what time are you meeting please mate?
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Old 18th January 2018, 21:05   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by suzublu View Post
As for Peakyblinders well worth a watch...you will be hooked by this northern gangland tale from the 1920s based partially on fact...brilliant! On third series now
Well I watched the first episode of this "Northern" gangland tale, Birmingham? northern?
Anything north of Watford is north to us Essex boys!
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Old 18th January 2018, 21:21   #15
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Hi All New member so thought I would say hello and provide a potted history of my MG ZT 1.8 non turbo Starlite silver 2004 3800 miles old shape. I wasn't really looking for Millie yes she has a name but my 'unbreakable' Korean diesel died on the motorway so I needed a comfortable fairly rare motorway drive which was still enjoyable to drive but didn't need a fuel tanker following on behind 😀 So I started a very long e bay search of one owner low mileage cars with a very limited budget and very open mind to spend as little as possible ready to pay more later. Just about to give up I found a very brief advert for Millie whose owner could no longer drive due to illness. Based some miles away from me I jumped on a train to Wolverhampton from Essex and there she was there before me shining paintwork and rusty metal bits where exposed to the elements or maybe garaged wet. Anyway interior was good but clutch on driving away suffered from annoying soft release spring screech. Negotiated a few hundred off the price and drove back 140 miles or so. This is where the saga starts if you are still with me. The old guy had purchased his ZT as a retirement present, sadly suffers now from dementia and could not remember where the locking nut key was so I was basically stuffed. The nuts were high security non standard and no one locally could remove them. After a frantic Google I found a specialist 70 miles away who had engineered his own kit and guaranteed success A miracle occurred on arrival and he got them off in seconds as I simultaneoudly pictured the possible alternative of scrapping the car . I drove home a happy man just needing the clutch and cambelt kit fitted. Then I looked at the tyres again and with 38000 miles on the clock they were legal but possibly 7 years or so old! Four new tyres later I finally thought I was done. My 2004 ZT drive like a new car except oh no, the passenger door lock had failed would only unlock from inside, ye another expense! This done I did a couple of 400 mile round trips even in the snow and slush including a nightmare seven hour journey back from Keele on the M1. Only niggle was very noisy tapping on start up but put this down to the extreme cold weather. On my next return journey in the cold I was not so fortunate. I should have mentioned a slight hesitation to start in the cold though fine when warm. At plus 2 degrees we chugged to a halt in almost my same previous breakdown spot about 60 miles from home on the M1. We sat frozen in heavy sleet dragged off the motorway by traffic officers to a lay by for 7 hours awaiting RAC recovery, another story in itself. The following day just before Christmas despair was setting in as my bargain appeared to be a complete lemon. You guys saved me though as I read up on it and suspected a fuel filter issue. Please note car started FIRST time following our breakdown saga running for 20 mins but then failed to start after that. Was relayed rather faster this time to my local garage. A and S Richmond Rd Havering and guess what Millie started first time for them too. Probably thinking I was mad I pursuaded them to fit the EBay kit of clip and thin black rubber fuel filter seal there was no sign of the unit coming apart as some do. The mechanic did find a small split in the original crushed seal and touch wood hasn't had issues since. So I thought just one more job an engine flush new oil and filter to cure the worse than a diesel start up tapping ....no it didn't. The staff at National tyres had put in 5w 30 the recommended lubricant according to reg mark. I was gutted the flush hadn't solved it so yes I succumbed to what some call snake oil and I call a life saver (so far). I purchased some Lucus oil stabaliser additive and added just over a third of a litre. This may just have thickened the oil but Millie was so much quieter she purred now like a cat no longer that dry top end I suspect which used to last for three minutes or more in the cold all noise was gone though to be fair it is less cold weather for now. Finally I had that ZT I had always fancied the look of when they first came out. Should have said the dreaded head gasket had been done at 20000 miles 5 years ago. Then the misfire appeared and the ominous change in engine sound. Thinking all sorts of worse case scenarios I checked the basics first no bulging top hose or milky oil. The rear tail pipe had instead all but snapped off even though system was changed only 20000 miles ago. The demon corrosion had struck during long term storage. Anyway the end of this saga for now is a new stainless rear box and twin pipe was fitted and even the basic twin cam only 1.8 model Millie burbles along quite nicely after an ECU hard reset sorted the tickover etc. It remains to be seen if this has all been a worthwhile project but I must confess I do love my dear old car and probably saved her from an early trip to the breakers yard. Look forward to getting to know you guys. Ps not a Peaky blinder myself but love the TV series.

Just to update this thread the fuel filter repair kit seems to have done the trick replacing the crushed and split seal and starting is now great on the button in mild or freezing weather. Also, no more clatter on start up at all! Cant believe it. I guess adding a litre of oil stabilizer has finally done the trick though will use 10w 40 in future.
Did a longer run to Keele and back on motorway and A roads at decent speeds without any major traffic hold ups (or breakdown this time) and achieved around 45 mpg tank topped up to tank top up so not bad at all for an old girl of 14 years at all! The stainless steel exhaust back box is just starting to mellow a little working with the K and N filter perhaps or maybe I am just getting used to the growl it makes after driving a few hundred more miles. Finally, I have a Kenwood face off stereo fitted may even be original I guess with blue back lighting and it suddenly stopped working on journey home. Some spray of contact cleaner on the copper contacts back at the ranch seems to have brought it back to life for the moment...for this month at least I love driving my ZT! Looking out for others to flash my headlights to, but so far only saw one on the M40 in the opposite carriageway flying past....happy motoring all!!!
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Old 19th January 2018, 07:59   #16
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Hi and welcome to the club!

As you already may have experienced, these cars has something with them that just gets under your skin...

Oil discussions always tends to be like opening a can of worms...

The K-engine is an old design which saw the daylight somewhere in the beginning of the -90`s IIRC. So it basically takes most modern oils without any problem. 5w-30 will probably work fine, but you may experience some oil consumption as its a bit thinner at operating temperature than the OEM speced oil.

Personally, I have always used a fully synthetic 5w-40 oil in these engines which comply to the VW 502 standard.

Why?
- It has the correct viscosity at operating temperature
- It is a bit thinner at cold start, aiding better lubrication and easier "turn around" in sub zero temperatures.
- It has better cleaning properties than the semi synthetic oil, keeping the engine cleaner inside and prevent the tappets and piston rings to seize up. It also has a tendency to loosen up seized tappets over time and quiet them down.
- Once back around the millennium, VW specified the 502 oil spec as a minimum requirement for their 1.8 turbo engine as this oil had better cleaning additives than the regular oils at that time. They had massive problems in the US with their turbo engines seizing up due to carbon build ups. So basically, using an oil with this spec you know it helps keeping it clean inside.
- This oil is not expensive either...
- Many will probably disagree on some of these points, but it seems that picking the right oil some times is a personal thing

P.S.

My 18 year old, 62000 miles KV6 engine has ran on synthetic oils since new, regulary changed each year. Engine looks nearly new inside:



Last edited by beinet1; 19th January 2018 at 09:28..
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