Hi, Grumbler,
I have had further words with the MG dealer from whom I bought the car and re-emphasized my concern. I pointed out that I didn't want the dealer to tell me in six months time when the engine blew up that "it was out of warrenty". On 21st of July they are bringing me a loan car (no charge) and will keep my car for two days (or so) to check it out thoroughly. I will comment to the dealer your remarks about the stabilizer bar. I'll have a look at mine - let you know. As a matter of interest, was the incorrect bar fitted as a factory error, or design change! Come to think of it you answered my question in your comment - FACTORY ERROR!
Thanks a lot!
Newby.
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The other car may well have the same problem!I will get back to you with the colour codes. They wont admit anything
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Hello Mr Newby,
Heres the info. Your lower engine tie bar should have a green paint mark on the bar itself or the bushes. If its yellow youve got the wrong one. The correct part No is KKH 102450. If you get no help from your dealer try Mr Martin James, Service Director, Sales Block, MG Rover Group, PO Box 41, Birmingham B31 2TV.
I should like to hear how you get on.
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Hi, Grumbler,
I still haven't looked at my engine tie bar, however ----
on 22nd. July the dealer brought me a loan car (prearranged) and took my car away. Yesterday morning (23rd.) I receiveds a call from the dealer. The gist of the call was that the engine was short of oil!!! 4500 miles on the clock! The upshot of it is that they topped up the oil and the engine is lovely now, however--- when my car was brought back I was handed a Rover Tchnical Bulletin dated 18.05.94 No. 0003 issue 1 in which it quoted oil consumption problem on all models registered from January 1993 and it states thatacceptable maximum oil usage when confirmed by yourselves (dealers staff) etc. VEHICLE MILEAGE 3000 MILES (5000 Kilometres) ONWARDS
1000 miles per pint or 850 miles per 1/2 litre.
Since Dec 1994 I have had (new) a Mini Cooper, MGF, Rover 200 (1.8 engine) and have not heard of this problem before. The service guy said I should have been told of the propensity for oil burning at this rate when I boight the car!
Have you heard anything like this. The car, by the way is (touch wood) running like a sewing machine now.
Comments???
Newby
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So, are you saying that since you got the car in November 2002 you've not checked the oil??? The handbook says that you should do weekly checks like tyres & pressures, screenwash and oil. If the engine had failed due to lack of oil, the dealer would well be in his rights to say 'no claim'. My own car uses no oil but it still gets checked weekly like all the other parts I'm responsible. If the oil level drops suddenly at least I'm aware at the early stages of something more serious. Engines these days are designed to use a bit of oil to help with upper cylinder lubrication and contribute to the longevity of engine life.
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These are the views of Robin the Technician with 35 years in the trade. I fix, therefore I am...
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If as is indicated in this thread, the oil was not checked in 8 months or 4,500 miles, I too am astounded! First thing I do with a new car is to check the oil weekly to get an idea of how much oil it uses!
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Hello, Robin the technician,
I also am an engineer and have stripped, rebuilt and tuned engines (around 45 years ago). I am very much aware of the checks that should be carried out on cars but, over the past few years have discovered that all the cars I have purchased new have not needed checks other than windscreen washers, tyres pressures. When you buy a new car and have NO INDICATION OF OIL LOSS, OVERHEATING, OIL LEAKAGE or any other sort of deficiencies with a car run properly ( not flogged or overloaded or misused) and always fully, correctly serviced it comes as a shock to find that the amount of oil that is acceptable to be lost in a new car is KNOWN to the service personnel but not passed on to the customer. The dealer admitted that I should have been informed. The car is running very nicely (touch wood) and I shall certainly check my oil more frequently now. Incidentally we are down to one car now - bacause between us we were only doing a combined total of 8,000 miles per annum. Incidentally, you surprise me with your comment - if your oil level drops suddenly you would be aware of something more serious - I would have thought you would know why it dropped suddenly, black smoke, oil on the drive oron the garage floor!. Thank you for your comments.
Newby the Chartered Engineer.
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Hi, Grumbler,
I've checked the rear stabiliser bar but, to be honest I can't make out any colour. Tha whole thing looks black without any indication of colour. If the marking is small I probably wouldn't be able to see it. Where would the mark be and what size. I mean is it a stripe, total colour code, spot. I don't really know what I'm looking for.
Thanks, anyway,
Newby.
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I find it hard to believe that the problem was cured by adding oil. If the oil level droppedto the point where the oil pressure was not maintained it is true that the engine would become noisy
but you would have only 10 secs of engine life left before it self destructed.Furthermore there would be an oil pressure warning light to indicate what was happening.
Even if you were useing 1 pt per 1000 miles after 4000 miles you would still have at least half a gallon left in the engine.
I dont think that your dealer has told you the full story.
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Hi, Grumbler,
The engine takes about 7.5 pints of oil. I agree that there is something fishy but, at the end of the day, what I want is a car that is trouble free and reliable, apart from all the other reasons for buying a car. The car is running fine (touch wood) - no I'm not superstitious but I dislike tempting providence. The problem, whatever it was, seems to have been cured. What more can I ask for? The result is what I want.
It would be, I think, a waste of time and energy to pursue the matter further, unless of course, I hear from anyone else who has had a similar problem - and knows the cure. C'est la vie!
Thanks again.
Newby.
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Newby, are you confirming that you never checked the oil during 8 months? even when it first started to sound noisy?
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Hi Nweby,
You seem to contradict yourself in that you 'say' you are fully aware of the checks needed on cars but- and I assume this is so- you ignored a most vital part and neglected to check the oil. Irrespective of mileage/ carefull driving/ flogging, it is still necessary to check the oil weekly. Cars can use oil and you can be blissfully unaware of it- unless you drive looking in the rear view mirror all the time. I had an Allegro (for my sins) a few years ago and it did 300 miles to the pint of oil. If you took the plugs out they were clean as they should be- the exhaust was clean and exhibited no smoke either stationary or on acceleration/ decelleration. When I finally got the motor out and stripped it down, the bores were extremely glazed. All i did was to use a glazebuster and reassemble - not even replacing the rings and it never used a drop of oil after that.
When i said by checking the oil weekly this could alert you to a potential problem that's precisely it. At least you can go straight to the dealer if you get a sudden loos of oil- rather than not bother and end up with a knackered unit and nobodys fault but yours.
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These are the views of Robin the Technician with 35 years in the trade. I fix, therefore I am...
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