75ZT Community

The more experienced members will not be surprised about my story but for the new ones out there, always take advice first from people on this or other Rover forums that have the technical knowledge and experience of the cars and don’t use a garage unless you are sure you can trust them or they come recommended, otherwise you could end up with a hefty bill !

Yesterday my car ( diesel ) was really difficult to start but after several turns of the engine it eventually coughed and spluttered into life but with a constant misfire and as I was 50 miles away from home I didn’t fancy risking it home so called on the breakdown recovery cover I have with my insurance company.

Out comes the mechanic ( who later told me he had been a mechanic since leaving school ) and although he was a nice guy we initially almost fell out. Before he knew what engine I had in the car he saw the 75 and said its probably HGF (Head Gasket Failure) failure. When I told him that was unlikely as it was a diesel he said that doesn’t matter I have seen loads of these with HGF , really !

When he heard the car he then suspected EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve) valve but on inspection it was clean ( as I had cleaned it last year I didn’t expect that to be the problem either )

So then onto the next diagnosis which was your turbo has gone !

Anyway I got the recovery home I wanted which was all I have the break down cover for, and certainly not for the expertise that comes with the truck !

So today i decided to take a look with fuel pump, PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation Valve) filter MAF (Mass Air Flow Sensor), and injectors in mind

My car only has the in tank pump being a a later model facelift, and I turned on the ignition and could clearly hear the pump working for the required 20 seconds or so by listening at the fuel filler neck with cap removed.

Along comes Steve ( Devilish ) to lend a hand, listens to the engine spluttering and said straightaway that it sounded like an injector problem . We did check the MAF first by swopping his with mine but no different so next step was to try some STP injector cleaner which he had bought with him, so off to the garage with a misfire, poured in the cleaner and put in some more diesel to get the fuel up to the right mixture with the cleaner and set off home.

Within a few hundred yards car back to normal and problem solved.

Cost of cleaner around £6. I don’t get my diesel from one garage in particular so could have had some inferior stuff in there at some point, so lesson to me to use fuel treatment more in future to keep the injectors clean

Imagine what a garage could have charged for a £6 fix !

A big big thanks to Steve
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As you well know Rob i learnt my lessons the hard way from so called "mg/rover specialists"!
Glad to hear you got it sorted with the knowledge of the guys who know their stuff

I don't trust anybody .................. about anything, ever.

Lucky escape there Rob.

As a matter of interest, I use Miller's additive each time I fill VeeKay's fuel tank.

Lucky break Rob well done Steve,

Glad it's sorted Rob

Redex injector cleaner every 4 months & 200ml of Wilkinsons low sulpher 2stroke oil every tankfull & mine runs sweet as the perverbial nut with no smoke.

Regards

Paul

The one thing we have found working on the Midsomer car, is that the most dangerous thing for these cars, is for them to be left with people who don't know what they're doing. I believe that it will prove to be one of the most commonly occurring reasons for these fine cars being taken off the road.

A lesson learned Rob. I have used Shell V-Power diesel in the 75 for the last 5 years now and only Injector clean every two years. One thing I have done since the car was new was to fit a new fuel filter at every oil change. This was a practice we carried out on all the Mercedes vans we ran when I had the business. With an average of 14 vans at any one time I only ever bought 3 new injectors and the vans covering a total of 7 million miles over 15 years and never had to replace a fuel pump. So it pays to pay attention to servicing especially on diesel. Oh, was down at the scrapyard at the weekend and a crashed diesel had been brought in, Fuel pumps had already been removed but got a MAF, inlet manifold, Fuel Cooler, ERG valve and Heater Control switches all for £20, the apprentice was on the counter !!!! so got a few spares.

Thats a good deal Drummond, £20 !

Thanks for the servicing tips too

I have never used any other fuel than Texaco from select small service stations, that are too small and too expensive for HGV and white vans. I have never picked up a nozzle soaked in diesel or stood in diesel to fill up, and never let the tank go below 1/4.
I have never had an injector filter or fuel pump problem in over 35 years of driving diesels, and have never used diesel additives. Coincidence, I can settle for that, but I will stick to what I do.

Although many years ago will never forget what a breakdown man who worked for a National organisation who I knew once said:

'I do not really know anything about cars'

PaulT wrote:Although many years ago will never forget what a breakdown man who worked for a National organisation who I knew once said:

'I do not really know anything about cars'

Could have come from the mouth of many Transport Ministers over the last 50 years....

Cheers

Mike