Rover Diesel engine

I have just bought a brand new Rover 45 2.0 TD. Not actually picked it up yet though. It was a good deal. It's a near top of the range GSi model (top of range is a Connoisseur).

Anyway, point of post is this: I've never owned a diesel, only ever petrol cars. Should I treat it any differently (other than to put diesel in it obviously...)?

At what intervals can I expect to have to change timing belts etc....

Also, would this be an L-series engine?

BTW, if anyone is interested in a 94 M-reg Rover 214SEi, 94k, FSH etc, let me know - it's on eBay at present.

Cheers Paul, Wakefield

Reply to
Paul
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It'd have to be...

Seriously, I tried (reluctantly, as in my father inexplicably liked the damn thing) to buy a Streetwise, and the Rover dealer refused to haggle.

I couldn't believe it.

Richard

Reply to
RichardK

I'd say don't treat it too gently once it's run in. Diesels are made for hard work. Oil and filter changes a couple of thousand miles before the recommended intervals. Haynes says change all cambelts at 30,000 miles but my Citroen states 100,000. I'll probably have it done later this year, about

70,000. After a hard high speed run, then a stop without any gentle low revs cooling down time (such as when pulling into a motorway service area) give the turbo a chance to cool and receive a measure of extra lubrication, by letting it tickover for a minute or so. Don't blip the throttle, then switch off (some people do for some odd reason)- it's death to turbos. Since you probably don't have much of a warranty worthy of the name, spend a bit more with EastCoast Racing and fit a fuel booster. Takes ten minutes to fit and provides another 20bhp for the fun factor. Another gadget, bit of fun which might save you some hassle is a device that sticks inside the fuel filler opening. Based on those annoying birthday cards that talk at you. "Diesel fuel only,-this vehicle runs on diesel fuel, commence filling,-diesel fuel only." In an american accent of course. £14. Was advertised in the Caravan Club magazine-marketed by a chap in Heswall, Wirral. DaveK.
Reply to
davek

It's got a turbo so you'll need to take precautions to protect it as given by another poster - but this goes for any turbo engine whether petrol or diesel. On my 620 you don't feel a definite pull from the turbo at any particular engine speed (unlike my previous 418), but that does mean that you don't notice the lag so much and there's loads of power straight away. It peaks out around 3-3500rpm so on this engine if you need to accelerate fast you change up early to make good use of the torque - quite the opposite of how you'd accelerate with your 214 (i.e. high revs, holding low gears to keep the engine speed up). One other thing you may notice compared to most cars; it takes absolutely ages to warm up!

Rover state 70,000 miles and they allegedly do last that long. However, as it's relatively simple to do yourself (though you do need to support the engine and remove one mounting) there's no reason to tempt fate and leave it that long. There is also a second belt above the gearbox bell-housing - this drives the injection pump from the back of the camshaft. I'd assume

6,000 mile service for oil and filter (many manufacturers have stretched this to 12,000 mile but that's to appease fleet owners who can offset the savings against the occassional engine failure).

Yes. I'm not sure about the 45 but the 400 had two versions of the L-series. Well actually they were both the same but some had a mechanical controlled injection pump, standard throttle cable and no intercooler. Others had an electronic controlled injection pump, 'drive-by-wire' throttle and an intercooler (this version is used on the 620) and were more powerful and economical. Check to see if your model has an intercooler or not.

The L-series is a good unit; I was amazed how smooth and quiet it was when pulling off and crawling in traffic - in fact I rate it better in that respect than the TDCi Fords I've driven! The downside is that it's still based on old technology so isn't as economical or powerful as the TDCi. If only they did an auto option on this engine...

Darren

Reply to
Darren Jarvis

I dont believe modern diesels, with the new oils, require oil changes anything like as frequently as before. My last two, each 90k over 3 yrs, had a service indicator usually 16k between service. No mechanical repairs required, used no oil between services Both MB's the cars were good, dealers obnoxious!

Reply to
MrGrumpy

I wouldnt really call 90k high mileage, and to do that over 3 years it would have to be afair bit of motorway work, with few cold starts which is the kindest treatment an engine can have. Had yhose 90k been more "joe public" use, then i doubt it would have been in such good order.

Regular oil changes are still the only way to make things last.

Tim..

Reply to
Tim..

I'm afraid the majority were not motorway miles, mainly within M25 mostly greater London, and a great many stop/starts. I know several MB owners who do about 45k/year, over 3/5 years, also only service when indicated. I also ran an Audi100TD did about 160K got written off, by a 'kind' driver, was serviced only as stipulated and was still mechanically good.(the only thing wrong was pwr steering leaking at rack) A colleague runs MB's and Renault diesels does about 60k /year serviced only as stipulated, rarely has any mech.problems though his do a lot of motorway mlg.

Reply to
MrGrumpy

Thanks for all your help with this. Sounds like it's a going to be a bit of a differnet experience driving a diesel, but I'm looking forward to having a bit more oomph on the motorway........

Cheers, Paul, Wakefield

Reply to
Paul

Complete opposite from what I've heard (JackH might be along shortly to back this up) - apparently they're well known for chewing the cambelts, unlike the earlier Perkins diesel it's based on - these are a 16-valve version of that engine. I'd do the belt every 45-50k probably, and get it done by a reputable garage using genuine Rover parts (if you can get them!), being sure to change all the tensioners etc., and water pump.

In general driving (and I mean proper driving, not pootling about), I'd wager that there's very little difference between an L series and a TDCI, if any. I may be wrong though. Point is, L series are bloody good engines, and have been around a lot longer than TDCIs, so can be had for *much* less money. A 105bhp Rover 220SDi could easily be had for under a grand these days, and from what I've heard, they're bloody good cars.

Peter

Reply to
AstraVanMan

Was this a late shape Audi 100? What was the cause of this leak? Did it want a new rack, or was it just a split pipe or something? What were the labour costs like in fixing it?

Peter

Reply to
AstraVanMan

In message , AstraVanMan writes

My dad used to have an old 100 Avant which also leaked power steering fluid. His mechanic's opinion was that it wasn't worth fixing; just keep it topped up and (IIRC) periodically replace a boot.

It died some time later of an uneconomic autobox failure, with the PAS still leaking a bit but working fine.

Reply to
Steve Walker

It required a new rack, however it was written off in the crash before I got round to that, so I cannot comment on costings. Both bodywork and interior were unmarked, the only mech. item that I'd ever had to fix was a new set of glow plugs, which I changed myself. A relatively easy process, other than one whic was v.awkward to get at.Oh and a new clutch - the bearing broke up.

Reply to
MrGrumpy

I can't confirm the rumours about them shredding belts (OTOH I can definitely vouch for the original Ford 1.8D doing so!), but I can assure you the L-series is an 8v engine not 16v - at least certainly not on the 600s and 400s it isn't (check a Haynes manual or remove the camshaft cover if you don't believe me).

Darren

Reply to
Darren Jarvis

Ah, didn't know that - perhaps there are first and second generation L series lumps then. And yes, the old Ford 1.8D lumps were well known for throwing cambelts - something that with the Endura-DI (the 1.8TD in my Mk5 Fiesta van) they seemed to have solved - I think not having the water pump driven by the cambelt probably helped a fair bit.

Peter

Reply to
AstraVanMan

No, they still break / shed belts with frightening regularity. Its still a problem on high mileage TDCi's though nothing like it was on the 1.8D's.

Tim..

Reply to
Tim..

A problem on high mileage TDCIs? Why high mileage TDCIs in particular? Surely if the tensioners and water pump (if relevant to the cambelt) were replaced at the same time as the cambelt then the mileage is irrelevant, no?

Peter

Reply to
AstraVanMan

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