Conference terri::cars_uk

    I had an 820Si E reg as a company car. I liked it it was comfortable,
    economical, fast, and handled well, it also looked nice. I did however
    have a few gripes the major one was that it used a gallon of oil in 5k
    miles, after much agro Rover finally admitted that there was a design
    fault in the cylinder head. The valve guide oil seals slipped down the
    valve stems and literally pumped oil into the cyl head. Rover put new
    modified oil seals in and it fixed the problem. You can identify cars
    that have not had the mod done by the brown mark on the bumper just
    above the exaust.
    
    I towed a caravan with mine and although it towed reasonably well i
    always suspected the clutch was not man enough for the job. Also the
    tow bar can fracture the boot floor where it's bolted on. I nearly had
    another for my last car but wanted an auto. I got to the point of
    filling in the order form when someone said that the auto gbox would be
    a problem towing the van.  I checked the towing spec with Rover and
    came to the conclusion that the auto was not man enough for the job.
    This was confirmed by a report in a car mag.
    
    Having said all that I have a friend who has an 820 si auto and he's
    pleased with it.  
    
    	Guy
    
    
     

    
    I've an 827 Vitesse, and the only complaints are that the front leccie
    window on the drivers side wont go back up if I take it down all the
    way. Its an auto and you do seem to notice the changes quite a bit.
    I've occainsionally had brake judder from the front wheels, the
    first time I had new discs fitted (cost �275) by quickfit but the
    judder returned shortly after and as its only noticable sometimes and
    then only when braking gently I haven't bothered having it looked at
    again, also it does seem to like being warmed up, if its been cold 
    during the night when starting first thing in the morning I get all 
    sorts of strange groaning noices from the brakes/suspension but after
    its warmed up its quite. Oh and wind noise over about 120 is a bit much
    on long journeys.
    
    Garry.
    
    
    

    Garry, 
    
    I have a (frequently wet) mate with the same problem with the window,
    any idea what the fix is??
    
    Simon.

    
    I can tell your mate what not to do. Dont try taking the door panel off
    to fix it yourself, from experience all you end up with is a damaged
    door plunger (the bit that goes up/down when you lock the door). 
    Its proberbly a problem with the winding mechanism as it works fine
    going � way down and then up its just the last few inches. Anybody else
    have this problem ? as if its a design fault then Rover can bloody well
    pay for the repair themselves.

  �  going � way down and then up its just the last few inches. Anybody else
  �  have this problem ? as if its a design fault then Rover can bloody well
  �  pay for the repair themselves.
        
        My Rover 214 leasemobile would blow the fuse every time I
        lowered the driver's window in one go. I worked around it
        by developing a sort of stabbing technique on the button
        so that it went down in jerky movements.  Is that the same
        problem?
        
        Ian.

        
 >>>       lowered the driver's window in one go. I worked around it
 >>>       by developing a sort of stabbing technique on the button
	   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >>>       so that it went down in jerky movements.  Is that the same
 >>>       problem?
        
 >>>       Ian.


	What!  You mean it hasn't a "one-shot" switch?

				Malcolm. 8^)

�	What!  You mean it hasn't a "one-shot" switch?
        
        It had - but that didn't work either!  Another of several
        dozen irritating little faults. :-(
        
        Ian.

    
    The fault:
    		From being in a closed condition, I can wind down say 4-5
    inches (and back) without any problems, after 5 inches it kinda jerks,
    makes a grinding noise and eventually comes to a halt with any
    continuing attempts to wind the window fully down resulting in a rapid
    clacking noise, rather like clapping. If I take it down as far as it
    will go I then have to rock the glass back and forth along with
    applying the 'up' switch, under really bad circumstances I need someone
    else to apply the window up button as I clasp the glass between 2 hands
    and force the glass up. Its rather like the winding mechanism, which is
    proberbly a toothed wheel, has lost some of its teeth and needs help
    getting around the toothless bits.
    
    Garry
    

A friend had an E-reg 820Si non-cat, capable of running on leaded or unleaded fuel.

After around 40,000 miles it completely split a valve causing muchoso damage and expensive rebuild.

Although it cannot be blamed completely, it was believed that continuous use of unleaded petrol did not help
the valve seats, even though the engine is supposedly safe with both types of fuel.

The recommended solution, by a Rover mechanic I hasten to add, was that for every 4 tanks of unleaded stick a
tank of leaded in.

It is perfectly safe to mix petrol types, provided a big RON difference does not exist. Most people user Super-
Unleaded anyway as far as I can figure out. The engine management system makes allowances for differing fuel.

Anyone else had this problem?

Dan.

    Dan
    
    Thanks for the notes you have entered into the conference but here's a
    tip - can you keep your text to 80 character width otherwise folks may
    give up reading it.
    
    Royston (co mod)

    Isn't there a big RON difference between Unleaded and super plus
    premuin unleaded (whatever garages call it).  Thought the difference
    was the same as 2 star to 4 star leaded ?
    
    In which case wouldn't mixing the two types of unleaded cause damage to
    Valves ??
    
    Dave D.

    I think super unleaded has the same RON as normal 4-star (ie. around
    98) and normal unleaded is a little lower, around 96 or so.
    
    Most modern fuel injected cars can allow for differences in RON level.
    
    Dan.
    

    I thought Super unleaded to be 98, four start to be 96, and normal
    unleaded to be 92 ?

    Hmm.... Anyone else verify the difference?
    
    Hold on, these notes are on Rover engines aren't they!
    
    I've got an old A-series in my car so I don't usually associate myself
    with unleaded petrol - unless I want knackered valve seats!
    
    Yours A-seriesingly,
    	Dan.
    

Hi,

Here's my tuppence worth for .-1.

Here in France the Petrol is sold by RON Number rather than as Unleaded
/Super Unleaded. The two varieties available are 95 and 98 also in the 
owners manual for my car (a Sierra) it says normal unleaded is 95 but
nothing about Super.


\Graham N

    what about modern carburettor cars ?
    
    Ye old carb is still used !

    Modern carburettor cars changing to unleaded, you mean?
    
    Hmm, don't really know about this except for one example...
    
    I know that there was an upgrade kit for A-series engines, to allow
    them to use unleaded. This consisted mainly of a new cylinder head.
    However I do remember that the carburettor would need adjusting,
    although I imagine it was just a twiddle of a few screws and nothing
    like a new needle/jet etc.
    
    Since most modern cars with carbs can take either leaded or unleaded
    and you don't have to swap carbs between the two (!!) I presume this is
    catered for... although the car will probably produce a minute fraction
    more power on unleaded.
    
    Most cars these days have cats anyway, which restricts you to
    unleaded... and carbs are on their way out now I'd say.
    
    Dan.
    

    sorry, should have made myself clear.
    
    I was refering to .13
    
    >most modern fuel injected cars
	
    I have a modern carb car, k reg nissan.
    
    It takes super unleaded and normal unleaded without much fuss.
    
    Dave D.