alanrichey

Kerry was looking for a pass, don't know if Pete followed it up. Just PM him your code just in case.

Just PM Kerry with your code and he can print out a set of instructions and a pass. No need to meet in person. Mind you, weather now looking a bit iffy

Hi Peter I suggested that was before we found we had been given a Club Stand. No point now as we will be automatically together. Al

The joy of being retired

There have been a number of threads on this topic, in that the standard Superspec struggles to crank over the engine when it is hot. I have always dreaded stalling at traffic lights as I always worry she won't start. Various suggestions were made: 1. Poor Earth 2. Weak battery 3. ECU leaving timing too far advanced 4. Engine naturally tightening up when hot. And when a similar question was asked on a Car phone-in show (Car Talk in the USA), the hosts suggested the problem was with the starting motor overheating, thereby increasing the resistance in the windings. Well I had tried Number 1, my battery was OK and there was nothing I could about 3 or 4. But I did like the overheat idea. The starter motor on the Superspec is on the top of the engine, hidden under the firewall with absolutely no air flow over it so I could see the logic. So as an experiment I added a tube to the top of the engine, bending down at the back so the starter received a constant ram-air flow over it. Well, I have just done a 2hr+ drive and with the engine nicely warmed up I tried 4 hot starts and on each occasion she cranked over at full speed. So no guarantees of course but I am quietly confident that I have solved that problem now. If only I could sort out the cooling....

HI Andy I've been trying to contact you for weeks but didn't know your forum name and had no replies from your e-mail. You are already booked in as Number 12 on the stand so just turn left as you enter the field and look for other Hoods. Cheers Al

I jammed it in The MOT was last week and as I said in my original post, it just scraped through the emissions (as it has done for the last 3 years) even though this year I had a new cat. Haven't had a chance to get the emissions checked yet.

OK, final post on the subject Weather looks like it should be OK for this Sunday, fingers crossed. I have the following as attending: Me Nigel (niDuncan) Richard (richard7)) Pete Lee Ken (2bcruisng) Derek Chris (tractor) Chris Brown Peter Ray (peter2b2002) Mick (mowerman) the others who registered were: Paul Petch ('the spanner man') Andy Church (don't know forum handle) Neither of them has replied to my messages so I just hope they are going and we don;t waste 2 spots. Just a reminder to all of you that you need to print of the instruction sheet and have it with you when you arrive at the entrance to the field. And remember we are all on the Club Stand so you will have to tell the marshall you want to turn left and not be directed to the 'Modern Classic' area. See you all there. Cheers Al

Nigel's mechanic deserves the praise But it would explain a lot wouldn't it, when it appears all Rover-engnied Superspecs suffered the same. I'll report back when I can manage to get the emissions checked properly with and without the plug just to confirm it isn't just my imagination,

Ever since I have had my Superspec it has been marginal on the emissions test and this year, even with a completely new exhaust system it only just scraped through. At the same time I have always felt that something wasn't working properly. Although she idled OK there was a bit of hunting. When I pulled away she occasionally hiccupped, when I put my foot down there was sometimes a bit of hesitation before the revs picked up, and she would regularly have a small uncommanded surge for no apparent reason (lamda sensor switching mixtures?). Finally, there was lots of popping and banging on the overrun. But up till now I have lived with that, as with a non-programmable ECU and the fuel injection I didn't think anything could be done or adjusted. I just assumed some of the sensors were a bit iffy. But while I was asking for help on the forum regarding my catalytic converter Nigel Evans (n.r.evans) told me of a trick a mechanic had recommended to him when he was trying to pass the emissions test, which I don't recall reading on the forum before, and that was to block off one of the 2 exhaust outlets. So, willing to try anything I shoved the remains of an old tea towel up the exhaust. What an amazing transformation. She now idles perfectly, and there is no hesitation during acceleration. The power (apparently more than before) comes on smoothly when I put my foot down, and there are no more unexplained surges. She is now working as you would expect. There is also no more popping and banging on the overrun (which is a pity as I quite liked it ) So what is the explanation for this dramatic improvement? Nigel's mechanic reckons that when the system was designed there was no attempt made to match all the exhaust components, they were just picked because they fitted together in the right space available. In particular he thinks the lamda sensor needs some back pressure before it will work correctly and with the exhaust as designed there just wasn't enough. Blocking one of the outlets is just enough to provide the necessary back pressure to make the sensor work. Obviously I can't prove it but it seems very logical? I haven't had a chance to check if it has improved the emissions yet but based on Nigel's experience I am very confident. Meanwhile I am enjoying a much improved performance. I just need to find a more professional way of blocking it than an old tea towel. Hope other Superspec/Rover owners find this useful. I would be interested to hear from anyone else who tries it. Al

Mine is posiitoned high on the firewall next to the coil and the cooling expansion bottle. As such it has no effect on the passenger footwell. Looking underneath I think I could extend the footwell a couple of inches before it would interfere with the clutch arm.

I'll take you up on that if I may. No rush, as it was only an advisory, but will have to go to Sheffield hospital sometime in the next couple of months, so could drop by. So if you could put them somewhere safe.... (and the ECU if you can find it ) Thank yet again Al

As per title, my Superspc had an MOT advisory on one of the rubber bushes at the bottom of the shock absorber where it goes through the trailing arm (I think that is what it is called?). I assume this is a pretty standard part ? I checked out E-Bay, GBS and CBS but nothing leapt of the page for me. Could someone point me in the right direction ? Al

It certainly sounded OK when we just started her up in neutral to check for the infamous Superspec 'rattle', so I guess the diff maybe the cause. Having said that, my Superspec makes so much noise and has so many rattles I don't think I would hear a whinning diff

It's been a few months but having given up myself I asked a local mechanic to check it over. And contrary to my hypothesis that the braided pipe was absorbing petrol while the car was standing and then evaporating off when the engine got warm, he found I was totally wrong and the reason was exactly as you described. As the pipes dried out the joint began to weep when you first started the engine, just as you describe. Once they got wet again the pipe expanded and closed off the leak. Do you have a ref for the inserts ? I need to fit them as well.

In fact none of our applications for the Show were unsuccesfull so we had applied in plenty of time. What happened was that there were 130 applications for the 'run-out' and there were only 30 slots. But some of our members who were declined for the run misunderstood and thought they had been declined for the whole event. I should also emphasise that the allocation of a stand was not of our doing, and I don't think you can request it. Becasue 12 of us had put RHOCar on the application form the organisers grouped us together on their own initiative. So all we need to do next year is apply in plenty of time. As it stands we have 10 cars going. I still haven't heard back from Paul Petch ('the spanner man') and Andy Church (Had to e-mail him as I don't know his forum handle) so I guess we have to assume they are going, which means we have our full quota of 12 cars.

Popular time of year Mine just passed it's retest (failed first time on a worn steering column/rack U/J joint, easy fix) with just an advisory on a rear suspension bottom bush. Depressingly it only 'scraped' through the emmisions despite the fact it has a new cat fitted (the old one had totally disintegrated inside). But standard Superspec problem as far as I know. Poor exhaust design ?

Just picked it up and a great long chat with Jez. A very generous gesture from him and it is much appreciated. Unfortunately I couldn't help him much with his current problem, which is the tubing layout for his turbo. As far as I know he is the only person in the Club running a turbo on the Rover 2000cc engine in the Superspec. Unless anyone know differently ?. Al

Perfect , thanks, never too old to learn

I hesitate to question the master but are you sure ? Won't you have +12V on one side of the bulb and 'indeterminate' on the other ? If you had a +12V on the handbrake side of the bulb and then the handbrake switch earthed it you would short the battery ? Thinking on, with the fact that the switch side of the bulb is not connected, does that mean the +12V is picked up 'across' the bulb ?

Got it. Nice to have you on board.

Mick: PM sent

In fact the organisers are happy for us to keep the original 12 slots and just tell them who will be coming. So we don't have to fiddle it. Now I know Peter and Chris are coming I am just waiting to hear from Paul and Andy Church (still don't know his forum name so haven't been able to contact him directly). After that I will offer the slots out,

Yes, I've just heard back from the organisers and they pointed out that both Dave and Paul were ONLY rejected for the 'run out' and not the actual Show. Unfortunately both Dave and Paul have made other arrangements so I have asked the organisers if we can reallocate their slots. Also it looks as though Richard (richard7) did not apply as a member of the Club so was not included in the 12 cars. So he can take one of the slots. So the latest state of play is: Attending: (Subject to weather ) Me Nigel (niDuncan) Richard (richard7)) Pete Lee Ken (2bcruisng) Derek Chris (tractor) Chris Brown Peter Ray (peter2b2002) Mick (mowerman) the others who registered were: Paul Petch ('the spanner man' I assume) Andy Church (anyone know his forum handle ?) Al

Thanks Dave, Paul said the same. I have contacted the organisers to see who they 'think' the 12 cars belong to. Cheers Al