Mk2 MG ZS TD - Return to Former Glory

[Enright]

I've just bought a 54 plate Mk2 TD hatchback which had been partially stripped because it had stopped working.

I'm getting no engine management light when I turn on the ignition, and from the amount of fault-finding that had already been attempted I think that the ECU may be dead. So primarily I need to repair or replace it, along with the ignition switch transponder and any related electronics to get it going again.

After that I want to make everything work how it was designed to do. This means replacing the electric windows ECU, loom and rear electric window mechanisms. TBH I'd settle for just getting the front ones working properly.

I also need an exhaust back-box. The car previously had a Powerflow one on it, which would do nicely. Or a Wingy one. But a standard one at a pinch would get me road-legal.

Oh and finally, can anyone tell me if the exhaust trim from a Mk1 would fit a Mk2? Ta!

[Enright]

Bit of a bump - my ECU is definitely dead.
I need to either repair or replace a facelift TD ECU.
Is anyone breaking a Mk2 TD?
If not, does anyone have any recommendations about where I could get emergency surgery for mine please?

[peterzs]

Have you tried any of the scrap yards round your way, dont know what these are like but see they do ECU's.

http://www.roverbreakersukltd.co.uk/

Hope you can sort it easily.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[petet16]

Failing any of your local breakers you could try www.partsgateway.co.uk

I'll find you a link for the guy who did my scu when I retrofitted lecky front windows on my mk2.

Here you are

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/alun22bham/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=25&_trksid=p3984

[wackyschild]

If you replace the ECU it will no longer be matched to the SCU so may be worth looking out for the set with matching keyfobs. I have been looking for a while, silly prices been quoted to me though.

[Enright]

Thanks for all the replies - I'm working my way through the contacts and will post back if/when I have any luck. Meanwhile, much appreciated. :D

[Enright]

Well, I've had some luck.
I got quite a few replies via PeteT16's "partsgateway" link, including one from the Rover Breakers mentioned in PeterZS's post immediately above.
Unfortunately most either went quiet or said "no" when I said that I required the ignition switch transponder, central locking ECU and keyfobs too -apart from the aforementioned Rover Breakers, who wanted ?192 (ouch).
Fortunately somebody local to me recommended this place: http://www.allcarelectronics.com/
It's quite close to both my home and work addresses - in fact they had a driver in the area late this morning. So they collected the ECU from me, and will rebuild it retaining the original coding and engine map for ?165. Now I know that sounds like a lot compared to ?192 for everything, but bearing in mind that the ECU had already had a remap and replacing that would cost me at least ?150, I'm pretty happy. I should even be able to get the security codes so that I can get another keyfob programmed into it, and as they're nice and local, I've got a few more options should the job not go straightforwards.
With luck the car will be roadworthy again within the week...

[peterzs]

Glad you got someone that knows how to sort it.

Will be worth it as it was a great looking car and will be again.

:beer2::beer2:

[petet16]

Good result.

That's an outrageous price from the breakers, I paid ?70 for a mk2 180 ecu/scu +fobs and transponder.

[Enright]

Glad you got someone that knows how to sort it.

Will be worth it as it was a great looking car and will be again.

:beer2::beer2:

It's getting there already. I've been alternating between a bit of cosmetic work (well, it spurs you on to be able to be working in a nice environment!) and a bit of electronic/mechanical.

Tomorrow I should get the resprayed bumper back, then the progress will really start to show.

[p_b82]

glad to see that you are getting on with things and getting that ECU sorted will get the car on the road...

[Stephen]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-ZS-2-0-TD-2005-SPORT-BREAKING-SPARES-/320755127314?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4aae7ed412


MK2 Diesel Breaking!!!

[Enright]

PANTS - 1 day too late!!! :(
Oh well, worth a price enquiry I guess...
Edit: they wanted ?125 for the ECU, central locking ECU, transponder and keyfob. Not bad I guess, but if I'm getting my resurrected remapped one back for ?165 then I'm probably better with the devil I know. After all, you can never be too sure how rough scrapyard monkeys are going to be when removing stuff on your behalf!

PS Thanks for the spot and the heads up.

[Enright]

Turns out the above was well worth going for - the repair failed. In fact the ECU specialist had to let me down and admit defeat after it had already cost MORE than the entire kit from the breaker, so I bought the one from the link, it arrived yesterday, and I got the car started for the first time this morning - hooray!!! :D

I had got a source for an exhaust back-box, but I've been let down there too. The one at the breakers is a bit boring and standard, but I would like something a bit "fruitier", pretty quickly, and without spending a fortune. Can anyone help please?

[p_b82]

Surely if the people could not repair it there should be an element of refund available- seeing as they were not able to provide the service they said they could? (minus some diagnostic time charge etc)

best baet for a backbox is to grab something 'free flowing' with about 2.5-3.5" backslash or similar tail pipe trim...

powerflow can do them for you or grab one off the shelf - i know a lot of the ZR people use the petrol 160 janspeed ones to good effect (twin pipe)

[Enright]

Yes, I'm just chasing up the refund side of things at the moment for exactly the reasons that you mentioned, and agree that there will be SOME element of time related cost, but that it should be "reasonable".

Thanks for the exhaust tips (no pun intended). I'll try Powerflow as there is a dealership in Nottingham, but I hope that they have a pattern or standard dimensions that they can use, rather than copying off your old back-box, because I bought my car without one.

I know that from my posts it might sound like I bought a right old shed (and maybe it was when I first got it), but I honestly think I got a bargain and the foundation for a lovely car. In fact it's coming on really nicely now...

[Enright]

Help - I'm confused by my windows! :confused:

The previous owner sold parts of the system out of my car, but I'm guessing that what he got rid of was all of the centre console switches, the door cards including switches, rear regulators including motors and the rear looms. Oh and possibly an ECU, if it had one.

So far I've replaced the rear electric regulators with manual ones and replaced the door cards and rear central locking looms. At least that gets the rear windows (and doors) working properly. However I'm struggling with the front window switches and ECU.

I've been offered a full set of switches, and have had a Mk1 driver's door apart and found the little electric windows ECU in the recess in there. But I can't even find the wiring inside my Mk2 door for the ECU - it just doesn't appear to live in there. My question is:

Are the electric windows on a Mk2 simply enabled by the programming in the BCU, and then it just relies on the correct switches being installed? Or can I get a Mk1 system for just fronts to work in a Mk2?

[wackyschild]

The electric are controlled through the BCU, may be worth getting it plugged into a reader of some sorts and see if there is any fault codes.

[Enright]

Excellent - just what I wanted to hear, thanks. I only need the centre console switches for the front ones to work again then.
I've plugged in my ELM327 and cleared the fault codes, so it runs, but I need a lot of stuff re-programming back in to enable it to all work properly.

[talkingcars]

I have no idea how mk2 electrics work.

The ECU in the mk1 is purely for the one touch down on the drivers door.

If you need a quick fix a lower spec Rover 400 or Honda Civic may have manual fronts.

If you take your car into powerflow they will make an exhaust to fit.

The ECU on my first maestro died, this was many years ago before the internet! I searched the local scrap yard and could only find one which had been partially removed by someone and left where it was being dripped on so it was full of water, I brought it home, dried it out on a radiator, car started first turn!

[Enright]

Got it!!! :thumbsup:

It turns out the previous owner had removed most of the relays (No, I've no idea why either)! But replacing them gave me a working rear window wiper and driver's side window, and I've been offered a complete set of switches which will get the passenger side one working too. I can cope with windie ones at the back for now, but will keep my eyes peeled in the scrapyards for Civics from which I can grab a couple of electric regulators and associated wiring.

The Powerflow exhaust is now on the car and I've been commuting in it for a couple of days. Oh what a nice place to be! Feels so much more serene than the ZR - it floats rather than crashes. I'm going to enjoy this...

[peterzs]

Must be a wizard at the electronics and delving into the innards, think you deserve a medal or something for all the work youve done.

Been really great reading your posts and seeing the progress.

Must admit, when I saw the advert when it was in bits, thought, "wont see that up and running".

So pleased you proved me wrong.

:hooray::hooray::hooray::hooray: :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Enright]

Thank you very much, I'm very flattered, although I'd have been nowhere without spares that I could just swap to eliminate suspect bits (or prove that they were faulty). And the discovery of the missing relays was almost pure chance. If I hadn't had to ask about the location of the heated seat relays it would have taken me ages to find the problems!

That reminds me: Credit should go to this forum too - I'd have also been lost without the prompt and friendly assistance that I've received from numerous contributors. It's nice to be able to sort of reward that with a few confirmations that problems have been solved. It closes the loop.

Anyway I promised pics, so here are a few. One of "the fleet" as it currently stands, and a few of the ZS itself. I'm going to stick with the hairpins for now as they are more resistant to kerbing and tyres are cheaper. Also I know the clearance on the exhaust looked a bit tight in the pic from the rear, but I've since opened up the gap between it and the bumper - by standing on it and bouncing up and down a bit! See - I can do brute force and ignorance too! :D

[peterzs]

Like the photos, think the ZS looks great in that colour and I agree with the kerbing bit!!!

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Enright]

Hmm, from its "Parts Wanted" origins this seems to have wandered more into a mini-project thread. I wonder if a helpful Mod could rename it "Mk2 MG ZS TD - Return to Former Glory" and move it into the Build Projects section please?

I've created a little Excel spreadsheet which I use for tracking jobs, time and costs. Mainly because there are so many jobs that I can never remember them all, and I got sick of my other half moaning that I always go over time and over budget, and spend more time on the car than I do on her!!! :whistle:
Anyway if anyone wants a copy of it to use for themselves, just PM me with an email address and I can send it over.

To justify it being an ongoing project, here's what I've completed so far:

* Check Timing
Clean Engine Bay (WD40 & Jetwash)
Clean Interior (Cockpit Shine)
Clear Fault Codes
Fit Seat Heaters, Switchgear & Repair SRS Wiring
Remove Stickers
Repaint Brake Calipers & Discs
Repair Aerial
Repair N/S/F Door Handle
Repair F Grille
Repair R Speaker Wiring
Replace Aircon Pipe
Replace R Bodykit Parts
* Replace Bonnet Release Cable
Replace Dashboard Bulb
* Replace F & R Bulbs
* Replace F Bumper & Crash Bar (inc Foglights & Spraying)
* Replace Central Locking R Looms
Replace Cigarette Lighter
Replace F & R Door Trims (inc reshape speaker cone)
* Replace ECU inc Bracket, BCU & Ignition Transponder
* Replace EGR Valve & Engine Cover
* Replace Exhaust Backbox
Replace Exhaust Trim
* Replace Fusebox
Replace Owner's Handbook
Replace Ignition, Door & Glovebox Locks
* Replace Injectors
* Replace Intercooler Hoses
Replace Mirror with MG TF one
* Replace Turbo Intake Pipe & MAF Sensor
Replace Parking Sensors
Replace Pollen Filter
Replace Radio & R Speakers
Replace R Wash/Wipe Relay
* Replace R Window Regulators
* Replace Wheels & Locking Wheelnuts
Wash, T-Cut, Polish & Rain-X Windows

(* = priority job - i.e. required for basic running, roadworthiness or legality)

Here's the To Do List:

Replace R Seatbelt Clips
Fit MAP Monitor Wire
Replace Oil & Oil Filter
Repair R Window Heater
Repair Glow Plug Circuit
Repair Driver's Storage Box
Clean Boot Carpet
Repair R Quarter Panels inc R Bumper Alignment
Replace F Speakers

And here is the Shopping List which will be added to the To Do List as parts become available (at the right price!):

Air Filter Housing inc Filter, Intake Pipe & Bracket
F & R Electric Window Switches & R Looms (inc fasteners)
R Badges
Spare Fuses
Timing Belts & Tensioner
Towbar
Wheelarch Liners & Fasteners
Aircon Recharge
Climate Control
Spare Key Fob & Key
F Seat Backboards Inc Map Pockets

It may be of no interest at all, but with the Completed List now being longer than the To Do one and the positive feedback received so far, just thought I'd share.

[peterzs]

Sorry, dont know how to rename and move threads, have to wait for a clever mod to come along!!

However the work you have done is immense, think it would have been quicker and easier to have bought a cat C or D with bumper damage!!!!

The end result is worth all your effort and you have a great ZS Derv still on the road.

:band::band: :-D:-D

[Enright]

However the work you have done is immense,
Ah, much of it is just niggly, fiddly jobs that don't individually make much of a difference, but as a whole they transform the car. When I see something I don't like I just add it to the list, then I don't have to keep trying to remember stuff.

think it would have been quicker and easier to have bought a cat C or D with bumper damage!!!!

I can see your point, but there are a few good arguments against that:

1) I'm cr@p at bodywork! I just don't have the patience or the facilities for all the prep work. If I can do straight bolt-on replacements then I'm fine, but after that I find it all a bit of a black art. Give me mechanical/electrical issues to sort any day. The finish is much less subjective - they either work or they don't! :D

2) I've tried it before with the blue ZR TD that was in one of the previous pictures. It only had some sill damage which had previously written it off due to a general state of neglect/abuse, and which I was able to cover up with a sideskirt.
As a Cat C you get no history (not even a number of previous owners), and with that one after I went through all the effort to get it running and VIC checked it turned out to have been clocked, AND I was owner number lucky 13! Then having got it just about how I wanted it, when I got ran into I had further insurance problems because my insurer had a clause in the small-print that they don't insure previous write-offs, so cancelled my policy. Settlement is still outstanding as I'm having to chase it myself. Note of caution to others - avoid Swiftcover.com! :spank:

3) Facelift ZS TD's are like rocking horse poo, especially for that price. The last decent one I saw was the yellow one on Copart, which ended up going for silly money. For this one the expense hasn't been too bad. The major investment has been time, and hey, it keeps me off the streets!

[petet16]

Slightly ot, but how much did the Yellow one on Copart go for in the end, I was really tempted by that one but things didn't quite come together, hey ho.lol

[Enright]

I think it fetched ?925.
However somewhat oddly it reappeared a few days later, only to disappear again just as quickly.
My guess is that they re-advertised after having difficulty contacting the winning bidder, only for him to turn up when he saw he was about to lose it.

[petet16]

Yeah, I recall it being listed twice, it looked a really easy fix.

[Enright]

Well if it's any consolation, that's what I thought about mine before it took me a month to beat it into submission! :D

[petet16]

lol, thanks.

Yours has been well worth the effort.

[Enright]

Thanks, I appreciate it.
I'd love to install ATC like you appear to have done - that gloss black facia looks good too. Did you do those mods yourself?

[petet16]

The ATC mod is a deception, the pics are of 2 different cars.

But yes I did both of them, and a third set to sell on ebay, but it went for a really low price so never bothered to do any more, I thought they might sell quite well as an alternative to the technical Grey that comes as standard.

[talkingcars]

I like lists....

IIRC and based on my own MGF, the map pockets are part of the cover which slides over the fram like a sock over a foot. I'd had my F for a year and only discovered the map pockets when I took the seats out to fit TF leather and alcantara which didn't have them.

My '51 ZS180 had map pocket backs which I transfered to my leather and alcantara mk2 ZS seats when I changed them, I think they were a victim of project drive. You may well find them on high spec R400 and R45's as well and I beleive the ZS/75 uses the same seat so they may give up some.

[Enright]

Fortunately I had some backboards with map pockets on already - the only problem was that the previous owner had been a bit heavy-handed when removing the boards from the seats, and had snapped too many of the lugs for them to stay in place. So based on your experiences I took up the suggestion of swapping the pockets over to some plain (but intact) boards.

Oddly my pockets attached to the boards in 2 completely different ways, even though from the outside they looked identical:
The first pocket had 5 little plastic stalks moulded to it that poked through circular holes in the board, then bolted to it from the inside.
The second one had 5 L-shaped lugs moulded to it that poked through slots and then slid and locked into place.

All that was required was marking out the position of the holes or slots, then using a soldering iron to melt through the boards in the right shape, and trim off the excess plastic with a knife. It took me a couple of hours to perfect, but the result was worth it. Not sure if the burn in the carpet from where I dropped the soldering iron on it was, but the missus hasn't spotted it yet...! :blush:

Another job bites the dust. Next please...

[talkingcars]

Nice one, pleased to have helped with the info. :)

[Enright]

I weakened. I'd said elsewhere that I was going to stick with hairpins, but on Friday I spotted some 11 spoked OEM Mk2 ZS wheels at a scrapyard. OK, one was smashed and the others were risky, but they only wanted ?95 for them, so how could I refuse when they're the last thing I need to get the car back to standard?

Since then they've been given a good clean and spun up on my hubs, and they seem to be alright. The tyres on them are just about legal, so I'm pretty chuffed. Just need to find one more to complete the set (then spend a small fortune on rubber)!

I've noticed something a bit odd though - my near-side rear wheel has a bit of play in it.
When you grab the top and bottom of the wheel and rock it, it moves by about 5mm, the same as if the wheel bearing needed tightening. But it doesn't. The whole trailing arm seems to rotate slightly. I bet it's an MOT failure, but how should I fix it? Should simply replacing the trailing arm bush cure it?

[Enright]

It's a while since I posted any pics, but this thread seems as good a place as any. These were taken during a visit to the Midland Railway Centre at Swanwick just last month - hence the rather "old industrial" background.

The car passed it's MoT a week later with just a few advisories, and is going really well. The next big thing will be to install all the ATC parts that I've now amassed (which would have been done already if I hadn't gone and lost the bloody wiring loom)! Hopefully when the dash comes out of George's next breaker I'll be able to pop over and buy what I need to connect it all up.

[stamford]

You've done a grand job, looks superb.

[petet16]

You've done a great job there.

11 spokes set it off nicely.

[Enright]

Thanks all. I wasn't really fishing for compliments - honest guv! I'm just happy to have a nice car out of it all, and thought people might be interested in the journey. It certainly seems like we've come a long way since when I first found it (and the state it was in), and how it turned up at my house...note the gaffer tape holding the windows up!!! :D

[peterzs]

Good to see you bucking the trend, so many getting broken.

Looking good now, worth all the time and effort that you have put into it.

:wave::wave::wave:

[p_b82]

great job there- glad you have got it all sorted and road worthy again - seems such a shame the number of 'breaking my car' threads you see accross all forums!

[Enright]

Yesterday I dived headlong into my ATC conversion project. Unfortunately I wasn't feeling very well and got steadily worse throughout the day, to the point where I had to give up and go to bed to try to shake off a sudden bout of the lurgy. This was a real issue because I'd only got 1 day off work and the car had to be driveable to get me there and back today.

The morning was spent removing the dash. To do this all of the armrest, centre console, instrument binnacle, glovebox and lower trim had to come out. The steering column even had to be dropped to give better access and allow the dash to be freed. That’s about the point that I took pics 1 & 2.

Then the central air distribution box had to be removed, as the replacement has lots of servos and sensors on it. This meant getting the big steel frame out of the way from around the steering column, and disconnecting the heater matrix from iinside the engine bay. At this point, as can be seen in pics 3 & 4, Rudi decided to lend a helping paw!

With the central airbox removed Rudi retired to my seat for a rest (pic 5), leaving me to fight the new air distribution box into place and to start reconnecting everything. It was nice to think at this point that I was beyond half way and it was now all about reassembly. I’d previously spent time removing a wiring loom from another vehicle and stripping all the bits out of it that I didn’t need, leaving just the ones I did. But it still looked pretty nasty (pic 6).

I connected up as much of the new loom as I could, then because I was feeling so ropey I went inside and didn’t surface for about 3 hours, leaving the car immobile. To get it running again all I had to do was bolt the steering column back in place, reconnect the upper wiring loom and replace the instrument cluster.

The biggest fright came at testing time when I flicked the ignition on - I got a lot of warning tones and lights, hazards flashing and central locking clicking! It turned out that when I’d removed the steel frame around the steering column, I’d managed to activate the plunger attached to it that senses if the entire vehicle has been flipped upside down – so my ECU thought that the car was on its roof! Having worked out what had gone wrong and reset the plunger to correct it, and with a running (if somewhat cold) car, I went back to bed.

This morning was greeted with a groan as I saw the frost outside – it was going to be a cold 22 miles to work! Fortunately, installing heated seats was an earlier successful project and they really came in handy today. The car currently appears as can be seen in the last picture. A lot is still to be wired in or fixed back on - during one spirited getaway from a set of lights this morning there was a sudden clonk as the instrument binnacle toppled towards me, falling over onto the steering column shroud and temporarily hiding everything!

To finish now, I just need to tap my new loom into the appropriate places in the original one, test the system and refit all of the missing bits of trim.

More pics to follow when it's all done...

[dida4g]

Awesome.

[peterzs]

Scare me having all that out and making sure it all goes back in the right place.

Great project, best of luck with it.

:smile1::smile1::smile1:

[MG 53 ZED]

You have done a fantastic job there well done.

[Enright]

Just a quick one as it's very late, but the ATC system is in and functioning perfectly! Can't post pics from my iPad to prove it, but I'm over the moon with tonight's progress. Just got to tidy up the installation now.

[peterzs]

Great result!!!!

[Dan1971]

And when you drive it and hear a Miaaaeow from behind the dash you'll know where you left the cat !

Great job there ...

[Enright]

Hahaha! :D (I'm a LOLaphobic!)

Thanks.

I'm not sure if a How-To would be worth the effort for the relatively few who might wish to attempt the Mk2 ATC conversion project, and this thread isn't quite the right place for it. But if anyone has any questions about, er, "how to" (!), then they're welcome to give me a yell. I'm happy to create a Q&A thread if the demand is there especially while it's still fairly fresh in my mind. I just don't want to scatterbomb the forum with redundant threads for the mods to have to tidy up (or waste any of my time either).

[talkingcars]

Nice one - I'm trying to do a ATC convesion with a twist as mines a mk1 so a Q&A /how to thread would be great - first question is -

Tell me about the wiring.

[readie86]

spitting image of mine looks great

[Enright]

I bet yours is in better nick, but thanks anyway.
A bit more progress today - just found a KV6 engined 75 with cruise in it at my local scrappy, so I'll be having that off it! TC, prepare for a few daft questions! :D

[peterzs]

Dont forget the loom by the sound of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[readie86]

I bet yours is in better nick, but thanks anyway.
A bit more progress today - just found a KV6 engined 75 with cruise in it at my local scrappy, so I'll be having that off it! TC, prepare for a few daft questions! :D

its got a few age related marks worst is a graze on the nsf bumper from the previous owner but im not surprised with how little full lock these have

[talkingcars]

I bet yours is in better nick, but thanks anyway.
A bit more progress today - just found a KV6 engined 75 with cruise in it at my local scrappy, so I'll be having that off it! TC, prepare for a few daft questions! :D

Dont forget the loom by the sound of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Frustratingly the dash loom is different.

You'll need the
2 cruise ECU's from the passanger footwell
pump from driver side bulk head
actuator from throttle body
a master switch
and steering wheel switches
all the plugs
some wire
lots of patiance
extra pins for main ecu, abs ecu and rotery coupler wiring