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Old Rover - What Engine?
Dick Axtell - 28/6/11 at 04:56 PM

The car of potential interest is an N-reg Rover 214. Been standing unused for a few years. Just wondering -

a) What engine is fitted,


and b) could it be used in a book-type chassis?



As I recall, its necessary to remove both the engine loom and the crank sensor, (whereever that resides!).

Your advice will be read, marked and inwardly digested.

wylliezx9r - 28/6/11 at 05:45 PM

That ll be a k series then, the only engine that a head gasket is classed as a consumable

britishtrident - 28/6/11 at 06:17 PM

N reg 214 will be the later type block K series, it could be single cam (K8) or twin cam (K16) and it could be either single point or multipoint injection. The desirable one is the multipoint injection K16 this produces 103ps not bad for a 1.4.

The essential thing is the the MEMS ECU and the Lucas 5as security control unit and matching fob are kept with the engine as they are matched to the flywheel reluctor ring.
If you get the immobiliser off and engine running in the donor before it is possible to neuter the security feature of the MEMS but the immobiliser has to be actually be in disarmed state while this done.

There are other ways round the security system.

MikeRJ - 28/6/11 at 06:21 PM

It can be used in a book type chassis, Caterham used the K series for a long while, and it's a popular engine to fit to the old MG Midget and Frogeye so bellhousings are available to mate the engine to a Ford Type 9.

It's a very light engine as well, so is well suited for a Locost.

britishtrident - 28/6/11 at 06:34 PM

quote:
Originally posted by wylliezx9r
That ll be a k series then, the only engine that a head gasket is classed as a consumable



Funny thing the one outside my door has going on 97,000 and never had gasket problems. The majority of so called gasket failures on K series engines are actually simple external water leaks, the radiators, hoses & hose clips Rover used were basically crap. I know of one car that was diagnosed by an AA patrol and a garage as head gasket failure, the garage fitted a new exchange engine the car got 200 miles only to die in clouds again. A different AA patrol diagnosed head gasket failure again but a second garage swiftly found the trouble blowing turbo oil seals.

Many K series gasket do tend to weep around the 45,000 mile loads of warning not sudden failure easy fix about 1.5 hours labour in a 25 or 45 slightly more in the 75 cos the access is tighter, parts cost is about 25 quid for a 2 multi-layer gasket + oil and coolant. Provided care is taken fitting the gasket and the engine hasn't had a major cooking Once the multilayer gasket is fitted they never fail again.


The worst ever Rover engine for head gasket failure was the non-S version of the 1275 A series as used in the Marina/Allegro ----- even worse head gasket junkie than the Stag or Hillman Imp but everybody considers the A series a bullet proof model of reliability.



[Edited on 28/6/11 by britishtrident]

Humbug - 28/6/11 at 07:41 PM

I can vouch for a 1.4 K-series as I had one in my Stuart Taylor. Mine was a later (2001) 16v from a Rover 25.

Dick Axtell - 28/6/11 at 07:51 PM

Thanks for the replies, and britishtrident for the very detailed info.

Now, I need to get a look under the Rover's bonnet. (The owner can be very uncommunicative).

britishtrident - 28/6/11 at 08:36 PM

Magic letters on the back are 214SLi or 214SEi ---- in theory no difference in engine spec but the 214Sei somehow felt faster.

wylliezx9r - 28/6/11 at 09:25 PM

Just remembering my freelander ownership, and it was a pig of a job because the engine sat so low in the chassis. Apparently it was worst in the mgf/elise since the engine was rear mounted and the cooling wasn't as good. Another problem is that the engine holds feck all water so any leaks can be catastrophic if not found early enough



quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
quote:
Originally posted by wylliezx9r
That ll be a k series then, the only engine that a head gasket is classed as a consumable



Funny thing the one outside my door has going on 97,000 and never had gasket problems. The majority of so called gasket failures on K series engines are actually simple external water leaks, the radiators, hoses & hose clips Rover used were basically crap. I know of one car that was diagnosed by an AA patrol and a garage as head gasket failure, the garage fitted a new exchange engine the car got 200 miles only to die in clouds again. A different AA patrol diagnosed head gasket failure again but a second garage swiftly found the trouble blowing turbo oil seals.

Many K series gasket do tend to weep around the 45,000 mile loads of warning not sudden failure easy fix about 1.5 hours labour in a 25 or 45 slightly more in the 75 cos the access is tighter, parts cost is about 25 quid for a 2 multi-layer gasket + oil and coolant. Provided care is taken fitting the gasket and the engine hasn't had a major cooking Once the multilayer gasket is fitted they never fail again.


The worst ever Rover engine for head gasket failure was the non-S version of the 1275 A series as used in the Marina/Allegro ----- even worse head gasket junkie than the Stag or Hillman Imp but everybody considers the A series a bullet proof model of reliability.



[Edited on 28/6/11 by britishtrident]

MikeRJ - 29/6/11 at 03:57 PM

quote:
Originally posted by wylliezx9r
The worst ever Rover engine for head gasket failure was the non-S version of the 1275 A series as used in the Marina/Allegro ----- even worse head gasket junkie than the Stag or Hillman Imp but everybody considers the A series a bullet proof model of reliability.


Never had an issue with A series head gaskets, pretty rare for them to fail on standard engines though there was a big batch of duff gaskets made by Payan a while back.

Worst Rover engine for head gaskets has to be the early KV6, they all failed pretty much, and worse still Kia bought them to use in one of their Australian models and they all failed in that as well. The later KV6 is very reliable however.