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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - Getting better...?

Having never had the opportunity (or money!) to own a car from new before my ZS180 is the first car I have run in. Being careful to keep the revs low in the first 1000 miles then gave way to enjoying the power of this wonderful V6. It's difficult to know what to expect from recent engines and their run-in period, but it's either my imagination or the engine really does improve with distance. Anyone else seeing improvements (subjective I know)?

Now that my engine is heading towards 4000 miles on the clock I have heard some people recommend an early oil change before the first sheduled service..any thoughts?
Richard

I'm finding a similar improvement with my ZS 120.

2800 miles now and its getting faster, also acceleration seems to have improved over the last 1000 miles.

I've read, on other threads, similar commentsso it cannot be us imagining this.

John
JLD

ZS180, just over 6000 miles on the clock and getting better! :-) Complete oil change not done yet, but on the cards!!

Kelvin
Kelvin

Hi,

I changed the oil in my ZS180 to 0w-40 Mobil 1 at 1300 miles. I am also using Shell Optimax petrol and the car really flies. Even the technicians at my dealers reckon its quick.

Give it a go...see what you think.

Regards
Mark
Mark Pilkington

Used Optimax a couple times, hard to detect difference I found! May do further trials!

Kelvin
Kelvin

ZR160 1600 miles now done and the cars seems a lot quicker and more revvy

rob
rob

Another performance related item is the PDI done by your dealer.
Some early ZS's were not electrically configured at PDI because the dealers didn't have the correct Testbook disc to carry out the process.
My dealer managed to get the data from the factory and manually input the required settings. May be worth asking your dealer next time you are passing. My dealer nearly missed the fine print in his Bulletin from MGR. (This ONLY applies to ZS 180's ...all other models are OK)

Regards
Mark
Mark Pilkington

> any thoughts?

I mentioned an early oil change to my dealer when I ordered my ZS180 and he advised against it. They checked with MGR when a MGF purchaser requested a change to Mobil1 at 1000miles and they said that the first oil has additives to coat the engine parts to make up for the lack of something in modern fuels. Apparently, changing the oil early may result in sticking valves later in the engine's life. Hence, I have decided to wait for the full first interval before switching to Mobil1.

Mine now has just over 5000 miles on the clock and I reckon that the 0-60 is now comfortably sub-7 seconds, and that's being kind to the drive train and not just dumping the clutch. A friend with a 254bhp Scooby came over the other day and was very complimentary about the car and how difficult he found it to reel in despite the huge power advantage.

The only thing is that I've noticed that the insides of the front tyres seem to be wearing more quickly than the outsides (the opposite of what I usually get!). Has anyone else found this? Is it just the geometry of the car causing this or do I need to get my tracking checked?

Cheers,

S.
Steve H

Steve, where in Cambs are you?

I have not looked closely at the tyres yet, maybe I should. I did wonder about monitoring the tyre wear rate with gauge across the tread pattern!

Kelvin
Kelvin

> Steve, where in Cambs are you?

Live (temporarily) in Orwell and work in Melbourn.

Incidentally, I saw a Trophy blue ZS180 in the Beehive centre car park on Sat. afternoon. Anyone here? Damn, they sound good from the outside as well as the inside!

S.
Steve H

Maybe I will take a drive over to Melbourn. Mine sounds very nice BTW. Dont shop at Beehive so it was not me!!

Kelvin
Kelvin

Mines closing on 4,000 now and a yes a big improvement. Better pick up, and sounds better too. I have topped up with about a litre of oil so far, but have found the level difficult to determin on the dip stick. I intend getting the oil changed at around 6,000 as this is what I have done with all my cars in the past. Haven't checked the tyres, but will have a look at lunchtime. It would be interesting to see if there is any differance in wear between the P Zero's and the Michellins I have P Zeros on mine.

I am still having problems in gettig my panel alignment and heater sorted out. My car is now due to go to a "Diagnostic dealer" for them to sort out the list of problems" I will ask them to check the EMS is set up correctly as well as I have concerns that many of the dealers have not been properly trained on the Z cars and are just treating them as they would the bog standard Rovers!

Has anyone with a saloon had problems with the boot not staying up when open?
Climber

>>They checked with MGR when a MGF purchaser requested a change to Mobil1 at 1000miles and they said that the first oil has additives to coat the engine parts to make up for the lack of something in modern fuels. Apparently, changing the oil early may result in sticking valves later in the engine's life.<<

Something doesn't ring true here. It is true that modern fuels have lost the lubricant effect of lead, but in the most part other additives have taken up the slack.
If the dealership claim that the oil in the running-in period is required to provide a life-time of protection, I'd like to know how this is possible. Any 'protective film' of this original oil will be long gone within a year- and no-one is suggesting regular top-ups of the original oil.
No, there is something wrong about this explanation. more likely is that the running-in oil is there to allow components to bed down more quickly- but perhaps someone else has a better idea of what the real situation is?
Rob Bell

You deffently don't want any coating on the rings, bearings, etc. otherwise they will never bed in properly. This is a better explaination of why you don't want to put in an advanced oil too soon.

Jon
Jon

>Has anyone with a saloon had problems with the boot not staying up when open?

Car must be level! does not take much on a slope to affect the fine balance of bootlid fitted with xtreme spoiler (as my wife can testify! - ouch!)

Kelv.
Kelvin

Sounds like MG Rover should look into developing a gas strut(s) to fit as an accessory.
Climber

Climber - you need make sure the bootlid in pushed up/back as far as it will go. Mine seem to have a fine balance at TDC (for want of a better term!!)
A light breeze can can bring it crashing down!!!

Went out for a drive lunch time, saw a Red ZT, who returned my flashing headlights with a wave. :-)
Also spotted Roche Bentley's ZTT too.
(fited with an appropriate registration I might add)

Kelvin
Kelvin

Super synthetic oils are so damn good at lubrication they do indeed seriously impinge on the bedding process of rings to bore.

Expect any K series engine to reach a peak of efficiency once it passes 10k miles.

The double spring bars, under the parcel shelf, do not seem to have adjustment as some of this design do, but as mine is like Kelvin's, I wonder if one of the bars has become dislodged and so isn't providing the spring effort it should.

Rog
Roger Parker

Yep! Our boot lid does not stay open very often either. The one shot down on the window doesn't work now either.
Nik & Anita

This thread was discussed between 07/01/2002 and 08/01/2002

MG ZR ZS ZT Technical index

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