MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - mg zt+t 190 complete engine failure at 70mph

5 weeks prior to engine failure and total management and systems failure ,the car had been over reving. mg rover put a new throttle head on it .
engine blew in fast lane m4 in darkness gusting wind and rain. formal examination by longbridge not complete yet,but known con rods puntured engine in 2 places. anyone with similar engine or any other engine problems please get in touch.
tony lewis

how long was it before the failure since you last checked the oil?
David

THE OIL WAS CHECKED WEEK BEFORE NO PROBLEM. WHEN THE ENGINE BLEW THERE WAS OIL ALL OVER M4 BECAUSE OF RAIN IT DRAINED ALL OVER THE PLACE EMERGENCY SERVICES CALLED TO MOP UP.
ENGINE ON ITS WAY BACK TO LONG BRIDGE , IT WILL BE SOME TIME BEFORE THEY HAVE ANY COMMENTS . ?
TONY LEWIS

thanks for the details, please keep us informed - and please don't shout so loud ;-)
David

It took MG 3 months to get a new engine for my ZT-T 190 after a bearing failure at 4 months. Hope they got their act better together now.
Koen

Had the same, engine replaced in days.
Jon

I would be interested to know what at mileage these failures occurred? Whilst some people seem to report a loss of oil, which in some cases settles after running in, others appear to have the engine blow despite sufficient oil. Has anyone been using an aftermarket additive and suffered engine failuren subsequently, or has the car experienced lots of short trips with no chance to burn off accumulated moistuire, acids and fuel dilution?

Martin

Any US-based readers of this bbs got a V6 Freelander? That has the same basic engine, and probably does much higher mileages than many UK Rover 75/ MG ZT cars...
Ann MG Writer

Just replaced a 23,000 mile ZT-T 190+ with a new one. The "oldie" used 1.5 litres of oil in the first 1,000 miles, but reduced to 0.1 litres per 1,000 by the end. No engine problems whatsoever (or any other come to think of it), and topped up with straight Castrol GTX. It was used hard at times, with probably 20% Motorway, 20% Urban, 60% Rural / A road.

The new one has used NO oil in it's first 1,500 miles. (I believe the bore honing process was changed in mid '02).
Dave

My May 02 built ZT 160+ has covered 10.5K and no noticeable oil loss. Although the first 600 miles were mostly m/way, this was a process of cycling speed and gears between 56 and 75 mph in the slow lane, and looking for traffic jams! Had the oil changed at 3.5k to lose bedding debris. Will change again shortly, and then at 15k.
Martin

Engine failed on my ZT190+ at 3500 miles. Engine + power steering pump replaced within 7 days of failure. Second engine running great.

Car now has 12,000 miles indicated.
Jerry Flint

Hmmmmmmmm..........Now Gents you see why i brought a Honda!
Mega
Mega

My failure occured at 7000km, about 4000 miles. New engine is ok, done about 3000 miles with it now. No noticeble oil use.

Koen

Koen

I am amazed that they don't just give you a spare engine when you buy one. "Here you are sir,Your keys and your spare motor". Not since the Stag can i think of such a bad motor and yet i hear very little about it from Landrover........can't suss it out at all.

I remember my Father telling me about the first rotary engines and what a dister they were. Owners would hold up the fingers to each other to say how many new motors they have had.

Bad in the late 60,s but total disgrace in the 21 centry! How long can this go on for? How much are MGR losing on this motor? It seems very common problem, may be they should go to a Turbo 4 pot instead?
Mega.
Mega

22,000 miles Mega on my V6 powered ZS 180 and pulling like a train...

Rotary engines, do you mean the W*nkel?
First used by NSU, and then Mazda?

Kelvin
Kelvin

Completely off topic, but it makes me smile the way the BBS feels it necessary to filter out the word "W*nkel" :-)
Dan Goodinson

As usual Mega spouts utter cr@p. As a teenager in the sixties with an NSU-owning father I have some little knowledge of the subject (memory permitting ;-). The NSU Ro-80, as the first mass production W*nkel-engined car (I ignore the pretty little NSU coupe due to the low build volume) did not suffer from disastrous engine failures per se. The problem was that inadequate science failed to provide longevity of the rotor tip seals, premature wear led to high oil consumption and eventual power loss. The solution was an engine strip and build using new rotor seals, which IIRC became pretty much routine at 30 to 40k intervals. Of course there were some unscrupulous garages who blinded ignorant owners with science and conned them into having new engines - these may well be the same rogues who are fitting new K series when a head gasket is all that's needed. Of course science eventually caught up with the problem - well enough for Mazda to win Le Mans in '91. And as a statistical after-thought, 5 in thousands is not 'common'.
David

Thanks for filling in the blanks David :-)

OT
There was a guy who ran an R080 in a drag bike in the mid eighties, supercharged too.
The sound was amazing, ran the 1/4 mile in around 8 seconds!


kelv
Kelvin

I believe that the Mazda Cosmo of 1961 had the W*nkel engine.Although this car only went on public sale in 1967.
NSU had the rights and put it in the first production car to use this engine in 1964 in the NSU W*nkel spider.

Dr Felix W*nkel rotary was first used in his prototype in 1956.
Joe

>>>> The NSU Ro-80, as the first mass production W*nkel-engined car (I ignore the pretty little NSU coupe due to the low build volume)....
For clarity I should add that only 2375 Spyders were made, against over 37000 Ro-80s
David

Any reason why people should have engine problems, or are they typical of any manufacturer.

Read recently that BMW where experiencing unprecedented engine failures!
James Glover

My KV6 R75 has now covered 82000 miles with nothing more than routine servicing at 15000 mile intervals.
So thats 5 services in 82000 miles, - fairly economical motoring !!

Incidently I also run a Stag with its original 3.0 V8 -what does Mega know about Stag motors ??
Adrian

Thanks Adrian.
James Glover

Just thought I'd add to this....

Company I work for has 12 V6 Rover 75's in its fleet...all with 'star trek' mileage and they are one of the most reliable cars it has....only known problem we've had is with drivers door seal on one car that leaks in heavy rain despite being replace a couple of times!

They're a beautiful motor to drive too....can't say I like the exterior 'styling' though, but thats down to personal taste.

What gear were you doing your 70mph in when the engine failed? Wasn't 1st by any chance was it :-) LOL

John

Happy new year
John Daisley

This thread was discussed between 10/11/2002 and 27/12/2002

MG ZR ZS ZT Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG ZR ZS ZT Technical BBS now