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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - Is OILS well?

Listen up
I had a sales rep come to see me today, his boss was running a Rover 75. The engine went bang 2 days ago, it seems that he had NOT checked the oil for a while.

For Gods sake make sure you keep an eye on it. If its a new ish one be VERY careful indeed.
Mega.
Mega

Ywah, well we all know Fords / BMWs / Porsches (delete as you see fit) .... all run perfectly well with no oil.
Dot

Dot
I belive that said car makers proved the driver with an oil gauge on the dash board. My own 306 GTI-6 has one that comes on when you flick the key. It even flashers when the level needs looking at!

Got you there luv!
Mega
Mega

Can't believe people don't keep an eye on the oil warning light.
Had my ZS 180 now for 3 weeks and love it not as quick as my old calibra turbo but leaves it standing in the handling department.
Like the board and peoples comments can you have the police mode added to the the ZS 180.
Cheers
Andy
Andy

I have been keeping a watchfull eye on the oil consupmtion. My ZS180 now with almost 7.5k miles, has done quite few miles in the last month and I have been unable to detect any drop in the oil level!

Kelvin
Kelvin

Hi Guys
I can only guess that if you look after the car in the first few hundred miles, than this helps. When i get my ST 170 or Astra Turbo i shall be very carful for the first 1500 or so.
Mega.
Mega

Carful?
I didn't have any passengers for most of my first 1000 miles.
JLD

Mega, I think we are all getting very bored with you now.

Do us a favour 'Pal' and F*ck Off.
ProMGR

I appoligise to the board (though not Mega) for the bad language in my last post.
Been travelling back to the UK since 3:00am so am a little tired.



Mike
ProMGR

That's ok Pro, i forgive you, listen go see you beloved and give her one. Than see the wife!
Mega
Ps Don't forget to switch off the metro's engine or "Beloved" will over heat :)
Mega

I find it interesting that no one who has suffered an engine failure has noticed the hydraulic tappets rattling. These are the first items to drain when oil level is low and they clatter like a farm yard full of agitated geese. Anyone who has experienced such an engine problem care to comment whether this was present?

Rog
Roger Parker

Mega, read again. I didn't appoligise to you.

Re; wifes Metro. It was badley injured on Tuesday evening. Some idiot decided to reverse (without looking) into the main road that my wife happend to be driving along.
The Metro (Rover 114) is in a bit of a mess as you might imagine (smacking into the side of another car front on at at least 30MPH).
Luckily my wife is totally unharmed which is more than can say for her car. The front crumple zones did their job perfectly. The car is being collected today and will most likely be written off.


The guy didn't even have the temerity to say sorry.
he just tried to drive off. Luckily he couldn't, and we have a witness to the accident.

But you know what the most ironic thing is Mega,the other car with the idiot driver - it was a mangy Ford Escort.

Needless to say the car will be replaced with another fine MG Rover product.

ProMGR

Well thank GOD your wife is ok Pro!, you must be "Heartbroken" over the Metro:) Nevermind i am sure MGR have a replacement.......with a nice small tail pipe for your "Personal requirements";)

Rog
My fathers Rover 400 has said rattle, but oil level ok. Its only done 35,000 any ideas ?
Mega
Mega

You guys - DOT, MEGA, PRO are all pathetic hiding behind silly web names! Not worth even attempting a decent discussion!
George Hunt

Plase ignore my silly brother
Mike Hunt

Ditto
Mike Hunts Brother

I'm looking for some sound technical advice from somebody qualified to give it:

I've bought a MG ZS 120. I'm currently in the process of running the engine in and have circa 2200 miles on the clock.

I limited the engine revs to a maximum of 3000rpm for 800 miles then have gradually increased the rev increment by 1000 rpm per additional 500 miles. The engine appears to be consuming oil and has currently required an additional 0.75 litre of top up. Is this a normal running in characteristic of the K series engine and is it lilely that this will oil consumption will stop.

In addition to this I've noted that in some instances the engine can feel asmatic above 5000rpm. Is this a common characteristic?

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Mike


Mike Tavern

> Is this a normal running in characteristic of the K
> series engine and is it lilely that this will oil
> consumption will stop.

First, the big caveat - I'm not qualified to give this advice in any way other than have read around the subject a bit and some personal experience.

Now, Most engines will use a bit of oil during the running in process. Apparently this is due to the rings not having bedded into the bores, so a little oil is able to make its way past them and into the combustion chamber. From what people have been saying here and in other places, the K-series seems to use a little more than most engines but, once the bedding in process is complete, oil consumption should drop significantly - hopefully to somewhere near nil.

My ZS180 used about a pint of oil in the first 1,000 miles or so and now does not appear to be using any more. I may just be lucky but I also used a running in scheme which was explained to me when I bought a new MX-5 and which I have used successfully on 3 cars, including the ZS. It is similar to yours - though increasing the rev ceiling in 500rpm steps and doing so sooner (first at 600 miles, then every 200 miles and every 100 miles for the last few steps) - but, every time the rev ceiling is raised, a full throttle acceleration from ~2000rpm to the redline is performed in 2nd gear. This is supposed to force the rings into the cylinder walls, helping them to bed in quickly. YMMV and all other usual caveats apply.

I have also heard that engines that have been run in gently can feel a bit breathless at high engine speeds until they've had an "Italian tune-up"! Not having driven the 120, I can't offer any insight into whether it is a common trait.

HTH,

S.
Steve H

Mike,

I think you have been a tad gentle with your running in. I thought it was an extra 1000 revs for each 100 miles over the main run-in.

I am now technical expert but have now run-in 3 K series engines. The first 2 where a 1600 and an 1800 VVC. Neither used ANY oil between services after the running in period and not much during.

I have just finished the running in of a V6 2.5 and this did consume about a pint in the first 3,000 miles. I hope this will now drop to zero as well!

One thing to remember with the K series is that it improves with miles. It will seem much more "lively" with 8-10k on the clock and gets better up to 20+k.

While these engines reward you for careful running in they also need a bit of welly after this and it does them a power of good.

Cheers

Patrick
Patrick

>>>My fathers Rover 400 has said rattle, but oil level ok. Its only done 35,000 any ideas<<<

Probably a little sludged up at the top end. I imagine low mileage and either infrequent use of short journeys, perhaps both. Add a flushing agent to the oil immediately before the next oil/filter change and drop the oil whilst still stinking hot. Make sure the fresh oil is 10/40 and then give the car a good run at reasonable engine speed (circa 25 miles)

> Is this a normal running in characteristic of the K
> series engine and is it lilely that this will oil
> consumption will stop

Yes the 4 cylinder K series engine takes quite a while to fully bed in and since the initial oil change has been removed from the service shedule the engine oil spec is normal from the start. Previously an oil intended for initial running in periods allowed a much faster bed in period. During this initial period now the ring to bore efficiency is not as good as it will be at 10k plus and as this includes oil control rings. Once bedded there is every reason to expect that the engine will sail well past 100k mark before needing major work, unless you use it for 5 mile shopping runs!

Incidentally from what I have been able to gather the 4 cylinder engine takes longer to bed fully than the 6.

Rog
Roger Parker

Thanks Rog
I am not goingto be posting for a while, i am afraid that this site became the "Mega" BB not the MG BB.

This is not fair on most other people. It was not my intenion for this to happen and i am sorry it did.
Cheers
Mike

Don't worry i WILL return.
Mega

Well done Mega!
Stewart

This thread was discussed between 18/02/2002 and 15/03/2002

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