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jbi
5,285 posts
73 months
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andy_s said: So everyone you know that has had a car with the Rover K-Series engine has ended up with it wrecked?
Not just HGF and a fairly easy operation to put right (or even pre-empt)? They've all been 'Horror Stories'?
I think there's a bit of Tabasco in the mix to be honest - otherwise all S1, S2 Elises, all the Rovers and Caterhams et al that used them would be 'wrecked', which they are evidently not. 2 owners 3 cars and 4 head gasket failures later, yeah they have been pretty bad. I'm going to hazard a guess that the combination of the elise and caterhams being lighter and the owners being enthusiasts who are willing to spend money on their cars makes a big difference in the survivability of the engine. I.E not driving it while it's overheating.
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doogz
18,670 posts
56 months
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jbi said: 2 owners 3 cars and 4 head gasket failures later, yeah they have been pretty bad.
I'm going to hazard a guess that the combination of the cars being lighter and the owners being enthusiasts who are willing to spend money on their cars makes a big difference in the survivability of the engine.
I.E not driving it while it's overheating. That's got nothing to do with being an enthusiast. That's about not being an idiot. When I was 18, the HG on my 1400 K-series went. It was nearly due a timing belt, so had that done at the same time, and the bill, including sending the head for a skim, was less than £400, the block was fine. The car ran for years and years after that. If you run any car with a blown headgasket, and let it overheat, drastically, bad things are going to happen. That's not exactly K-series specific.
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Asterix
16,383 posts
97 months
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Good news doesn't sell - it's as valid for forums as it is for the papers.
Maybe I should start a new thread.
"My car is good with no problems"
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jbi
5,285 posts
73 months
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doogz said: That's got nothing to do with being an enthusiast. That's about not being an idiot. I agree... but the average Joe isn't that attentive in my experience. Now I'm not one to judge, but my mates dad, being of the bird watching, bobble hated type has zero interest in cars other than as a means to get about. I'm willing to bet he isn't alone. My other mate is actually an enthusiast, but used the truck for towing. Having had the head gasket repaired once and it failing again I think even he decided enough was enough and cut his losses. He has a defender now.
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Red 4
1,357 posts
56 months
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NadiR said: S2000, or any performance Honda. You may wish to reconsider. There is a serious fault associated with the last cars. Bottom end failure requiring a new engine. This only affected some of the last cars (08/ 09 manufacture), probably caused by Honda skimping on quality control/ failing to re-tool the production line for the last cars. There are many engine failure threads on s2ki relating to 08/09 cars.. One guy on there will shortly be on his fourth engine in an 09 car with 22k on the clock. The issue also affects replacement engines because these were also from the last batch made. Honda reliability ? Does not apply to these cars.
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MarkRSi
3,336 posts
87 months
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doogz said: MarkRSi said: I've seen the online guides, is it really a couple hours work? I've been wondering about getting mine cleared, even just for improving the flow along the exhaust. I'm happy to change oil/filters(the airfilter is a right b  d!)/plugs but worried I might do more harm than good...  I had some fun and games with knackered studs and threads in the flange at the lower end of the manifold where it attaches to the rest of the exhaust, as well as the 2 top heat shield bolts being completely goosed, and had to take a grinder to them.  That's what I'm afraid of, granted it's a newer MR2 (2004) but Murphy's law applies whenever I start doing car/bike mechanics  doogz said: If you're local, I'd happily lend a hand with yours. Cheers, I'd happily pay a more competent person to have a go at it, I'm around Aberdeenshire (Inverurie), not sure if you're nearby? I've got a thread in the Scotland forum I might go and resurrect...
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Fireblade69
474 posts
72 months
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Asterix said: Good news doesn't sell - it's as valid for forums as it is for the papers.
Maybe I should start a new thread.
"My car is good with no problems" Try it, let's see what happens 
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doogz
18,670 posts
56 months
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MarkRSi said: doogz said: MarkRSi said: I've seen the online guides, is it really a couple hours work? I've been wondering about getting mine cleared, even just for improving the flow along the exhaust. I'm happy to change oil/filters(the airfilter is a right b d!)/plugs but worried I might do more harm than good... I had some fun and games with knackered studs and threads in the flange at the lower end of the manifold where it attaches to the rest of the exhaust, as well as the 2 top heat shield bolts being completely goosed, and had to take a grinder to them. That's what I'm afraid of, granted it's a newer MR2 (2004) but Murphy's law applies whenever I start doing car/bike mechanics doogz said: If you're local, I'd happily lend a hand with yours. Cheers, I'd happily pay a more competent person to have a go at it, I'm around Aberdeenshire (Inverurie), not sure if you're nearby? I've got a thread in the Scotland forum I might go and resurrect... Ooft! You are a long way away! I'm nearer Glasgow. Yours'll be the facelift with the larger rear wheels then? After a track night in mine the other night, I'm after a facelift gearbox, didn't think the open diff would annoy me as much as it does.
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Mastodon2
5,739 posts
34 months
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One thing I hear on the net a bit is "Porsche 996 engines are timebombs / will all fail, soon, and expensively" etc etc. While I've no doubt that the engine does have some potential weaknesses that may or may not have been improved or rectified for the 997, I'd imagine the problem is blown out of proportion, as a new 911 engine is not cheap, so its not a minor issue. Hence, a lot of vocal internet posts about how bad they are, which in reality only represents a small percentage of the ownership base. The great majority are just too busy enjoying their cars to be talking about them on the net.
I remember once hearing a talk about products reviews, stating that the only people who will take time out of their day and go to the effort to review something are the people who really hate it and the people who really love it. The other 95% neither enjoy it or dislike it enough to bother. Porsche sold shedloads of 996s - the 911 seen as the ultimate choice for sophisticated German sportiness in the lower models, and the Turbo and Turbo S offered excellent day to day comfort with supercar performance. While time has not been so kind to the 996, there was a 996 for everyone and were a sales success for Porsche. While there is a lot of talk on the net of oval bores, bore scoring etc I'd really want to do a lot of research and make my own informed decision before I put too much stock into the opinions of disgruntled owners, in particular, disgruntled owners who feel wronged by Porsches (apparently) lacklustre customer service.
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WojaWabbit
Original Poster
613 posts
87 months
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doogz said: MarkRSi said: doogz said: MarkRSi said: I've seen the online guides, is it really a couple hours work? I've been wondering about getting mine cleared, even just for improving the flow along the exhaust. I'm happy to change oil/filters(the airfilter is a right b d!)/plugs but worried I might do more harm than good... I had some fun and games with knackered studs and threads in the flange at the lower end of the manifold where it attaches to the rest of the exhaust, as well as the 2 top heat shield bolts being completely goosed, and had to take a grinder to them. That's what I'm afraid of, granted it's a newer MR2 (2004) but Murphy's law applies whenever I start doing car/bike mechanics doogz said: If you're local, I'd happily lend a hand with yours. Cheers, I'd happily pay a more competent person to have a go at it, I'm around Aberdeenshire (Inverurie), not sure if you're nearby? I've got a thread in the Scotland forum I might go and resurrect... Ooft! You are a long way away! I'm nearer Glasgow. Yours'll be the facelift with the larger rear wheels then? After a track night in mine the other night, I'm after a facelift gearbox, didn't think the open diff would annoy me as much as it does. Mark, There's always stainless 'Che' style manifolds on eBay for c£120. Quite a few on mr2roc have fitted them with no reported issues. As doogz pointed out, corroded studs/knackered threads are the issue. OlberJ on here reckons using plusgas on them everyday for a week before-hand helps a lot. Or a garage/exhaust place will just use some heat. Doogz, Knockhill I take it? I'm thinking about doing the evening on the 16th. Reckon the standard cars OK for three or four 10min sessions across 2hrs?
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Harji
733 posts
30 months
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Internet fact, every RX-8 engine explodes.
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St John Smythe
3,798 posts
86 months
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Harji said: Internet fact, every RX-8 engine explodes. Saw your name and I just knew you'd post something like this!
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Captain Muppet
5,937 posts
134 months
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Pistonwot said: djdestiny said: A car that never goes wrong has'nt been invented yet Yes it has but they refuse to put it into production, God. Because of the massive conspiracy so "they" can make money from unpredicatable repairs instead of nice reliable service income? Is it just the one company that can make magic never-breaking cars, or are they all in it together?
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Mr2Mike
9,452 posts
124 months
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Harji said: Internet fact, every RX-8 engine explodes. Explodes? Are you sure that you don't mean all RX8 engines suffer from rotor tip wear? In which case it's true, they will all suffer from this at some stage in their lives unless e.g. the car is written off first.
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doogz
18,670 posts
56 months
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WojaWabbit said: Doogz,
Knockhill I take it? I'm thinking about doing the evening on the 16th. Reckon the standard cars OK for three or four 10min sessions across 2hrs? Yeah. Em, it was pouring with rain all night Monday, and with brand new, just bedded in standard front discs, and 1144 pads, i was getting some vibration through the steering wheel after about 5 laps. After I'd let them cool down, it seemed to go away, but if it's dry, and your brakes are totally standard, i doubt you'll get more than 3 or 4 laps in before you've cooked the brakes. Obviously, you can lift off and brake a bit earlier if you like, but you'll not get ten minutes of full bore lapping out of the standard brakes before they let you down.
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Sam1990
344 posts
36 months
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The two I've come across, which have put me off looking into 2 cars I would like to own are the scare stories of the Mitsubishi GTO and the Nissan 300ZX. Both threatening bills in the thousands should the slightest fault occur.
Shame really because both cars appeal to me on a massive scale.
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jbi
5,285 posts
73 months
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Sam1990 said: The two I've come across, which have put me off looking into 2 cars I would like to own are the scare stories of the Mitsubishi GTO and the Nissan 300ZX. Both threatening bills in the thousands should the slightest fault occur. 300zx is just impossible to work on. Engine bay is tighter than a knats ass EDIT: not sensationalism... 
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theironduke
6,195 posts
57 months
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TVR's always break down, can't trust them at all, they WILL let you down. That's if you don't end up in a hedge on fire first.....
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bakerstreet
1,001 posts
34 months
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NadiR said: S2000, or any performance Honda. No. Suspension bushes are a known problem and that certainly isn't a myth. Howevr mechanicallty they are known to be as good as you can get
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