Rover SD1 Vanden Plas EFI 1985
Discussion
Hello Guys and Girls
Iv got myself a Rover SD1 Vanden Plas EFI 1985 With Air Con [condition unknown] Cruise Control it looks like its been in a Garage/barn etc for a long time the last road tax is dated 31/03/2006 and the MOT history show a fail in 2015 but no record of passing. Starting to have a look at what needs doing body work dont look to bad no massive rust holes its had some welding under the wheel arches, the o/s has had a paint job and shows how the rest has faded and the clear coat is starting to lift in places, engine has a misfire but the compressions are all around the 145/160 psi mark so needs looking in to. If I can do half as good a Job as Joe Lambert [1275 GT] ill be well pleased
Iv got myself a Rover SD1 Vanden Plas EFI 1985 With Air Con [condition unknown] Cruise Control it looks like its been in a Garage/barn etc for a long time the last road tax is dated 31/03/2006 and the MOT history show a fail in 2015 but no record of passing. Starting to have a look at what needs doing body work dont look to bad no massive rust holes its had some welding under the wheel arches, the o/s has had a paint job and shows how the rest has faded and the clear coat is starting to lift in places, engine has a misfire but the compressions are all around the 145/160 psi mark so needs looking in to. If I can do half as good a Job as Joe Lambert [1275 GT] ill be well pleased
Lovely cars these. My grandfather was a long term Rover owner who was able of buy one of the first SD1s registered back in 1976. I was a small child at the time but still remember the huge interest the car received wherever it went when it was new. It was a dark red (Richelieu red?) He owned a facelifted one like this later on in Moonraker blue, but it wasn't the Vanden plas.
Lovely car. 
In 1984 I bought my first 2.8i Capri from someone who had bought one of these as his family was getting bigger!
I had V8 SDis on my radar as a potential replacement, until I sold the Capri to go towards a deposit on my first house.
Joes Vitesse is superb so if you can get anywhere near that you'll have done well.
In 1984 I bought my first 2.8i Capri from someone who had bought one of these as his family was getting bigger!
I had V8 SDis on my radar as a potential replacement, until I sold the Capri to go towards a deposit on my first house.
Joes Vitesse is superb so if you can get anywhere near that you'll have done well.
Had 2 of these, lovely cars.
First one a 2600 with a difficult gear change (later found out it was likely the wrong oil in the box ...) Delightful sewing machine engine, every panel had lacquer crazing, spent a couple of days with 2500 wet/dry, warm water and a bar of soap, careful ground all the lacquer off, the T-Cut and polished the paint underneath - came up a treat, everyone thought it had been resprayed!
The other was a 2.0, badged as a "Rover 2000." The engine was from a Sherpa van, and was harsh if extended, but otherwise bumbled along quietly enough. Very rare, never saw another 2.0. Family loved the car.
Just a shame the build quality was always poor, such capable cars.
First one a 2600 with a difficult gear change (later found out it was likely the wrong oil in the box ...) Delightful sewing machine engine, every panel had lacquer crazing, spent a couple of days with 2500 wet/dry, warm water and a bar of soap, careful ground all the lacquer off, the T-Cut and polished the paint underneath - came up a treat, everyone thought it had been resprayed!
The other was a 2.0, badged as a "Rover 2000." The engine was from a Sherpa van, and was harsh if extended, but otherwise bumbled along quietly enough. Very rare, never saw another 2.0. Family loved the car.
Just a shame the build quality was always poor, such capable cars.
Earthdweller said:
Looks pretty good and solid
What engine is in it?
Drove them with both the 2.6 and 3.5 engines at work years ago
I think they also did a 2.0 as well as a diesel though I’ve never driven either of those
Look forward to the updates
IIRC they made SD1s with a 2 litre diesel (best forgotten), 2 litre petrol (also nothing special), 2300 and 2600 straight 6s and V8 3500s. What engine is in it?
Drove them with both the 2.6 and 3.5 engines at work years ago
I think they also did a 2.0 as well as a diesel though I’ve never driven either of those
Look forward to the updates
EFI was only ever fitted to the V8s which are obviously the ones to have - like this one! VDPs were predominantly Autos with all the whistles and bells but Vitesses were mostly manuals with a bit less kit, but the hooligan choice in the 80s.
My 2.8i Capri couldn't keep up with those.
Mr Tidy said:
IIRC they made SD1s with a 2 litre diesel (best forgotten), 2 litre petrol (also nothing special), 2300 and 2600 straight 6s and V8 3500s.
The 2.0 petrol was the O series, it seemed to work better in line rather than transverse. The diesel wasn't a 2.0, it was an Italian VM engine 2.4TD.
Love the OP's VDP Efi, I prefer them to the Vitesse actually. We had a pair side by side in the showroom once and the VDP seemed so much more sitting inside with the door clunked shut.
Thanks for all the positive replys Guys it is a V8 3500cc
Iv got it in the Garage now and the first job im looking at is the brakes took the rear drums off to find new shoes and cylinders the fronts were a different matter I was not told by the seller about the method of holding the o/s pads in not good !!
The pistons were super tight not in bad condition but the wiper seal retaining rings had rusted through causing rust to form in the top of the bore above the main seal causing the tightness, So striped down du-rusted in a citric acid solution with the aid of a fish tank heater primed painted new seals, and as Iv no history I changed the flex hoses for Goodridge type braided stainless steel hoses, and replace the steel pipe with copper as it was all I had to hand but might get some kunifer brake pipe at a later date
Iv got it in the Garage now and the first job im looking at is the brakes took the rear drums off to find new shoes and cylinders the fronts were a different matter I was not told by the seller about the method of holding the o/s pads in not good !!
The pistons were super tight not in bad condition but the wiper seal retaining rings had rusted through causing rust to form in the top of the bore above the main seal causing the tightness, So striped down du-rusted in a citric acid solution with the aid of a fish tank heater primed painted new seals, and as Iv no history I changed the flex hoses for Goodridge type braided stainless steel hoses, and replace the steel pipe with copper as it was all I had to hand but might get some kunifer brake pipe at a later date
Edited by Steve_steve on Friday 8th December 20:29
21st Century Man said:
Mr Tidy said:
IIRC they made SD1s with a 2 litre diesel (best forgotten), 2 litre petrol (also nothing special), 2300 and 2600 straight 6s and V8 3500s.
The 2.0 petrol was the O series, it seemed to work better in line rather than transverse. The diesel wasn't a 2.0, it was an Italian VM engine 2.4TD.
Love the OP's VDP Efi, I prefer them to the Vitesse actually. We had a pair side by side in the showroom once and the VDP seemed so much more sitting inside with the door clunked shut.
It was pretty agricultural but pulled really well, admittedly fairly leisurely pace wise mind
The car does run with a misfire but running it up to temp it was smoking from the what I thought the back of the engine so Got it jacked up and found the o/s downpipe covered in oil some of which looked to be coming from the gearbox and doing some reading on the GM180 auto box there some prime candidates that leak info found on Rover SD1 forum so set to fixing the leaks made a new gasket [as it was cheaper to buy a sheet of cork gasket than buy the correct gasket from rimmers] for the sump and while off put a drain in to aid changing the gearbox fluid.
As in the bottom of the sump was a film of crud looks like it had never been changed.
The kick down cable was broke where it goes in to the box so new on order and the selector shaft had some "o" rings fitted.
It just one job leads to another another etc
I checked the vacuum unit on the gearbox to make sure it was holding vacuum
As in the bottom of the sump was a film of crud looks like it had never been changed.
The kick down cable was broke where it goes in to the box so new on order and the selector shaft had some "o" rings fitted.
It just one job leads to another another etc
I checked the vacuum unit on the gearbox to make sure it was holding vacuum
Edited by Steve_steve on Thursday 21st December 18:53
Been a while .............. but been doing some work on the car I turned my attention among other bits to the miss fire I wanted to make sure the engine was running ok ,so doing some basic checks looking at the ignition leads, cap, arm, plugs, on to a compression check which all around the 150 psi mark thought might be a bit better
Checked for vacuum leaks all good then started on the injection system wiring checking continuity of the wiring all tested back to the ECU and was all OK need to dig a bit more, tested the power resister for the injectors still no faults.
A Job on the list of many was to replace all the fuel hose for ethanol proof hose so off with the plenum to give access to the fuel rail and injectors, the short hose on the injectors was in a sorry state some of the other fuel line had been changed but iv renewed it all.
When I took the fuel rail off the injectors in a couple of the injectors was rust that needed cleaning out,
I tested all the injector with a diy rig on a can of carb cleaner 7 tested ok and 1 dribbler no amount of cleaner would stop it. I had some spares I tested and made a good set.
I also replaced some very dodgy fuel line under the car back to the tank and pump
Checked for vacuum leaks all good then started on the injection system wiring checking continuity of the wiring all tested back to the ECU and was all OK need to dig a bit more, tested the power resister for the injectors still no faults.
A Job on the list of many was to replace all the fuel hose for ethanol proof hose so off with the plenum to give access to the fuel rail and injectors, the short hose on the injectors was in a sorry state some of the other fuel line had been changed but iv renewed it all.
When I took the fuel rail off the injectors in a couple of the injectors was rust that needed cleaning out,
I tested all the injector with a diy rig on a can of carb cleaner 7 tested ok and 1 dribbler no amount of cleaner would stop it. I had some spares I tested and made a good set.
I also replaced some very dodgy fuel line under the car back to the tank and pump
Edited by Steve_steve on Saturday 24th February 20:08
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