I feel really bad about this. During my time it was always well behaved. The miles I drove in it from Dan's and the funeral it was faultless. If I had the money and the room I'd have it back as I miss it, it looks superb. I really don't know what to say.

Just told Kathy (the good lady) and she is shocked. Still says I was daft to sell it as she says I've gone backwards with the recent purchase. She's not wrong, T16 needs some work as nowhere near as good as I envisaged. I don't think it was looked after when stored.

That's unfortunate Matt, £325 for 4 hours labour is criminal !

Sounds to me like you could potentially have an air lock in the system which is stopping the coolant from circulating.

It's a real shame your so far from me otherwise I'd happily take a look for you !

Hi Mick,
please don't feel bad, its just my bad luck. Ive had a stinker over the last year, Kawasaki engine blew up, then I got my Triumph stolen and crashed my dads bike, ZTT engine blew up on the way home from buying it and 2 non fault crashes in my MG3....
If I could keep the ZS just to look at it every morning I would! Its simply stunning and a credit to former owners. The car is one of the best ZS's I've seen and driven, but its not worked out. Had to stay at work until 7 just so I knew all the rush hour traffic had cleared. Its more than likely something small but I can't sink another £300 into it, its cost me over £600 already. It wasn't bought for commuting, but thought id give it run before a potential track day in a few weeks and to check everything over. The best run was the day I bought it, loved that drive home. I knew there would be ups and downs on a 13 year old, heavily modified car, its just unfortunate that I've had a bad start to 180 ownership. To top it off, the ZT160 has failed the MOT and needs thousands spending. I have to laugh or id cry!
Again, no disrespect to previous owners, its just a post to air my frustration.

Surely there must be some local enthusiast's over your way that could help take a look??

is rad hot or just the pipe work?
coolant still in tank?

catch 22 when selling a car as your going to get offered peanuts for a 180 with overheating issues :-(

P.

Coolant is still at the same level it left the garage with, so it's not lost any. It's had a full check over at the garage and all the right tests. I can't get it down until Thursday now so will have to wait and see. Hoping it's something simple. Just strange that the temp gauge went down when I put the heating on, suggesting a different issue.
Gutted, as I wanted to take it to the BTCC media day next week.
It's probably worth more in bits but I couldn't do that with all the work that's been carried out.

Frustrating but it sounds simple, like an airlock somewhere.

Gutted for you mate.

But .....

Don't be afraid to say it's rubbish. Previous owners have done their best to look after it and modify it, but maybe it's at the time of it's life where it gets a heart transplant - plenty of 180 engines out there. If that's not for you then you'll get pants offers for it selling it with an unknown fault and your experience will be even worse.

You're right to say that it'd be worth more in bits - and it would - by miles. The exhaust and leather interior would likely get you £500+ . Don't be anxious just because previous owners are here, you decide what's right for you mate. If it is strip it to get some money back - do it. If anyone slates you for it, I'm sure you'd listen to offers from them for it.

I don't mean to be harsh but with the luck you've had in terms of your motoring/motorcycling would mean to me that you need to cut your losses and make some tough decisions.

I would have it back, but fear there would be two more ZS's up for sale when the owner was found expired under strange circumstances!

It sounds to me like there is an airlock, or something related to the pressure in the system. (thermostat working correctly?)

If you've paid a garage to sort out the issue, then I'd expect them to sort out the issue. 4 hours to find and change one piece of pipe is quite steep IMO. Allow them the mileage to give the car a good run - that should solve the "we fixed it mate" type comments, and give you the confidence that they've actually sorted it this time round.

I'm so glad the L-series has ZERO issues when bleeding the system, the amount of coolant I've lost over the years, and had to top it up, I'd have got even fewer miles done than I have lol.

As to selling, I'd honestly say don't be too hasty, I think you've had a really **** run of luck, but I don't believe for a second you've bought a lemon... if your garage can't sort it, maybe organise a "come to my house to fix my car day" or look to get a different set of mechanics to look at it?

Thanks all for the replies and help. Only just got round to it as works been hectic! Took it back to the garage and they can't find a fault. I suspect they just took it round the block....
A few people have suggested the thermostat and new expansion cap. Any ideas how long a thermostat should take to change? I don't want to be mugged off again by the garage!

Time taken depends on if it breaks off flush with the block. 2 hours max I say worst case. £50 ish for the parts, last time I bought them anyway from Rimmer Bros.

Always worth noting the mileage when dropping a car off, a mate dropped his almost new RX8 off for an oil change, car did over 100 miles......he was into his technology and had trackers and a camera on the driver to identify the driver if stolen, it made an interesting conversation with the garage.

I'd recommend getting a different garage to look at it or even if it cost the few pound extra get on of the MG specialist mobile mechanics to come out and look at it? Might be a bit more money but worth it for the piece of mind that it's been looked at by someone who knows these cars and doesn't have the "oh it's just an old Rover, they all overheat" mentality

I'd get it booked in with Dave at MG Rover Mobile Mechanics up in Derby

Good shout as they will travel to you M8

I would try replacing the thermostat, i've had one fail where it backed the coolant up into the header tank. Just a thought.

Got in contact with MG Mobile mechanics but there is 4-5 week wait.
Annoyingly the heater is not working now, just an error code on the screen, so can't even run it with the heater on to keep the temp down. Ive washed it for the first time, so at least it looks good!
Also, there are no lights on there dash. The lights/indicators are working though. I doubt all the bulbs have blown overnight?

A www.pscan.eu or a T4 will bring up codes not normally shown on OBD readers.

Just a fuse issue. Lights back on now.
Error code was L9, took it out and cleaned up, now working.
Anyway, she's for sale now if anyone is interested before she goes on eBay :(

So is it a loss of trust now or does it have a fault?

Bit of both Dan. I would have loved to have gone for a blast this weekend, but I couldn't trust it at the moment. Sure once I get the new thermostat in it'll run fine though. I have done my back in aswell so it's a job getting in and out of it. Going for physio next week so hopefully that'll help, don't think I ever recovered properly from the bike crash. I'll be sad to see it go but apart from the drive home I've yet to go for proper drive!

You could try Jon Norris of roughluckracing.co.uk or if you are on the ZS Owners FB page have a word with Sam Tomkins and he would be able to do stat change (just did one on one of his at the weekend)

So sorry pal - I don't think there's been someone around on the site for so long and then finally got hold of the car they wanted - ie - for you, a 180.

I hope it's not put you off and when you get some wedge back, you jump right back in again ..... there are a few out there.

Thanks Dan. I'm going to get the engine running properly and take it from there. I had bought it knowing there would be a few issues and to be fair they aren't major. It's been looked after by all the previous owners, I've just not had the best start with it. Itching to go for a blast but not until its had a full check over by someone who knows these cars. I can see the garage I took it too we're clearly not interested. I'll be phoning a few MG specialists tomorrow and go from there. It's the car I've always wanted, so perhaps on reflection I've been a bit too quick in deciding to sell up.

Hope you do keep hold of it - given how long you've waited for it.

Maybe speak to Rally Matt too - might be an option as well?

That's great news. Take your time. Cars with that provenence dont come up often to be fair. But owning a car like a 180 should be a joy, not a burden.

It is easy to give up when things appear to go against you. Sometimes you need to take a step back, have a think and see the bigger picture, Christ that last sentence was so full of cheese! Anyway good decision, pretty sure it'll work out for the best once you get some expert eyes over it. If I were nearer I would help.

Cheers Mick, she's at a specialist in Northampton today so fingers crossed :)
Drive over there was fine, so will be good to get it all fully checked over.
I think posting on forums after a few beers doesn't help me sometimes, I look back at some of the drivel I've posted!

Bad news I'm afraid, head gasket has gone. Annoyed with myself not to have checked that before I bought it over. Gutted as it drove really nice this morning :(

Ooft that's not good Mattie.sorry to hear that.

how did they diagnose it? did they do a proper sniff test with the die? you can get these kts yourself from amazon for less than £25. Think they call them block testers, by dr headgasket.

i thought id got HGF but it turned out to be the oil cooler gasket was letting coolant contaminate the oil. Still havent gotten around to sorting it yet as cant seem to find the gaskets. will probably end up getting one of those make you own gasket kits.

Thanks mate, at least I've give it a go! Would have been nice for the first garage to have told me that before I spent hundreds on it but there we go.
Quoted £1800 to fix (head gaskets, cambelt etc) so I'm in 2 minds now. I'd feel like I'll let the previous owners down if I break it but on the flip side I could spend thousands and it potentially fails the next MOT. Balls :(

I left it with him but he said there was a huge amount of pressure in the coolant system and mayo in the engine, you could see it on the dipstick and where you put the oil in. Very think and gungy. He used to run the MGR garage in Northampton for 25 years so knows the cars I'd like for think.

That Kayleigh and Dave will do the same job for less than half what he's asking.

Ouch - that seems a lot for that job tbh.

It makes sense to do the belts while the head is off, but it seems that he is billing for the two jobs as separate quotes.

While no engine is immune it is typically unusual for the KV6 to go that way, you've had a really bad run of luck if that is the case!

Tell me about it! I've enquired with Mg mobile but there's a month waiting list, same with lates

Get another engine .... ?

Damn Matt, You've not had a good start to 180 ownership at all !

Has an issue with the oil cooler been ruled out completely ?

If it has been ruled out then I'd have to agree with Dan, you'd be better off sourcing a good used engine and swapping it out. There's a lad called Sam Tomkins on the MG ZS Owners Club on Facebook. He's quite well known within the MG community and he may be able to help you with an engine and possibly fitting of it, definitely worth getting in touch with him.

Will be a damn sight cheaper then £1800 too.

Would be a real shame to break her up but it's your car and your decision to make regardless of what the previous owners may think.

Well she's booked in with MG Mobile mechanics at the end of April so will go from there. Won't be able to go POL in her but at least it's getting a proper diagnosis. Gives me a month to get the radio and bodywork sorted :) Seems to point more towards an oil cooler fault than HGF so fingers crossed. If that is the case then I will be quite annoyed with the chap at the second garage assuming it's HGF.