rad fans and clutch

Kukkar · 26th July 2008, 14:07

Good afternoon, gents.
I hope you can help me, I have just found your forum.
Apologies for a very negative first post...but I am sure you will understand.

Last year my ZT 160 V6 cost me an arm and a leg in troubles as it neared the 90k/5yr mark. A new clutch and slave unit, several AA tows home because of ill-fitting cam seals and oil everywhere and then a radiator fan needed replacing! On top of the usual service items such as belts, tyre and brakes - nearly £3k to keep the car on the road! More than she's worth!

This last few weeks, the rad fan appears to have failed yet again. It started to overheat in standing traffic but then cooled as I got moving, and the coolant is fine, not sign of loss in the usual places such as the valley, or transfer pipes under the rad. Been ok since, but the fan is very noisy especially with the air-con on. Surely the replacement is not dead after less than 18 months? Is there an alternative unit available at less than the horrendous £100's I paid last year?

Today, my wife just called me out to fetch her, the clutch has gone to the floor. I managed to pump it a few times, and get a solid enough pedal to drive it home. When the slave went it was a complete loss, so is this likely to be the master? Are the parts available?

Am I seriously facing the same repairs again this year? If I am, I have to say that no matter how much fun this car has been it's a disaster and it will be replaced very shortly.

Greeners · 26th July 2008, 14:20

Welcome along...

You do seem to have had your fair share of problems. Having said that, most members only seem to suffer problems once. A lot of the time it's down to the garages not knowing how to cure the problem properly.

Fan

The chances are, if you've had a new fan fitted already, it's a 2 speed one and the resistor will have failed. Time consuming to do, but relatively cheap in parts.

Clutch.

Bit of a weak spot, Ideally you should replace the Master and slave cylinder at the same time.

Where abouts are you as it may be possible to direct you to a member who can assist you.

Don't give up just yet

Kukkar · 26th July 2008, 14:34

Thanks for your reply, David.

The fan was a special purchase from SMC at their reduced price offer last year so I can't say if it's a 2 or 3 speed. What's the deal with the resistors?

The car seems to be running ok temperature wise but I gather the temp gauge needle is "fixed", so I can't say if it's hotter than it was, but the fan seems to be on continuously with the climate control. It had a new water pump with the belts last year, I always ask for that as standard.

Clutch - I was surprised at the complex design and the cost last year, and I had thought perhaps the master was not too far behind but to be honest the car is used mainly on long runs so I am surpised the clutch has packed in so early, especially as the clutch plate had hardly any wear on it when it got soaked by the slave leak.

Is the master easily available at the minute? I am struggling to get hold of the transfer pipes as mine are second-hand last year following the fact my originals started to leak. Is the m/c also a hard-to-get part?

I need to keep repairs as cheap as possible before it gets traded in.

Thanks for the words of encouragement but I do need to think about a reliable car, it seems that Anglo-Teutonic engineering is incapable of surpassing the 5yr/90k mark like most Japanese cars I have had in the past.

Greeners · 26th July 2008, 14:42

Master cylinder is around the £125 mark. If you try ECP_2004 (I think) on ebay they have them in stock and are cheaper then Xpart. My original M/C failed at 136,000 so I can't really complain.

If you look at your fan, if there is a silver resistor at the 2 o'clock position it's a 2 speed, if not it's a three speed. If the fan still runs, it may be something simple like the gas level being too low.

Kukkar · 26th July 2008, 14:48

Thanks for the info on the m/c, I'll follow that up.

Gas level, is that the air-con side as I was wondering if might need a service on the air-con. Would that affect the general running temp and high fan speed?

Many thanks for your patience and very quick answers!

T-Cut · 26th July 2008, 20:19

If the fan runs continuously with the A/C on (i.e. it doesn't run for 20 secs, stop, then start again after 20 secs) then it's working normally. The A/C system requires continuous cooling to operate correctly. This applies to both 2 and 3-speed motors. A 2-speed motor with a failed slow speed resistor will cycle at fast speed, on-off-on every 20 secs or so. Continuous running is fine.

TC

Kukkar · 27th July 2008, 21:34

Thanks, TC

Reading another thread, I had the same "interesting" whine from the C/C when I started the car. I see that the Kwik-Fit challenge maybe a possible solution so will give that a try and see. I noticed the other day although the temp gauge was showing normal (as it would unless it was about to boil, I gather!) the outside temp indicator showed a whopping 31°C on a relatively cool day at 21-22°C. Is this inter-linked?

I have looked up the excellent "How-to" on this site and referred to the Haynes, so I will order the clutch master and I hope that this will be the end of the problems for now, because there are some very tempting newish second hand cars out there, but none match the ZT for sheer driving pleasure.

Thank you all for your assistance.

26th July 2008, 14:07	#1
Kukkar Newbie MG ZT Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	rad fans and clutch Good afternoon, gents. I hope you can help me, I have just found your forum. Apologies for a very negative first post...but I am sure you will understand. Last year my ZT 160 V6 cost me an arm and a leg in troubles as it neared the 90k/5yr mark. A new clutch and slave unit, several AA tows home because of ill-fitting cam seals and oil everywhere and then a radiator fan needed replacing! On top of the usual service items such as belts, tyre and brakes - nearly £3k to keep the car on the road! More than she's worth! This last few weeks, the rad fan appears to have failed yet again. It started to overheat in standing traffic but then cooled as I got moving, and the coolant is fine, not sign of loss in the usual places such as the valley, or transfer pipes under the rad. Been ok since, but the fan is very noisy especially with the air-con on. Surely the replacement is not dead after less than 18 months? Is there an alternative unit available at less than the horrendous £100's I paid last year? Today, my wife just called me out to fetch her, the clutch has gone to the floor. I managed to pump it a few times, and get a solid enough pedal to drive it home. When the slave went it was a complete loss, so is this likely to be the master? Are the parts available? Am I seriously facing the same repairs again this year? If I am, I have to say that no matter how much fun this car has been it's a disaster and it will be replaced very shortly.

26th July 2008, 14:20	#2
Greeners Moderator MG-ZTT Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ware, Herts Posts: 19,798 Thanks: 161 Thanked 1,249 Times in 1,036 Posts	Welcome along... You do seem to have had your fair share of problems. Having said that, most members only seem to suffer problems once. A lot of the time it's down to the garages not knowing how to cure the problem properly. Fan The chances are, if you've had a new fan fitted already, it's a 2 speed one and the resistor will have failed. Time consuming to do, but relatively cheap in parts. Clutch. Bit of a weak spot, Ideally you should replace the Master and slave cylinder at the same time. Where abouts are you as it may be possible to direct you to a member who can assist you. Don't give up just yet __________________ *David* Impecunity is the mother of ingenuity Useful how to's for common problems Car Of The Month Jan 2014 [SatNav Power Down] [Coolant Level] [SatNav Repair] [Diesel Non Starting] [Paint Codes] [Rear Light Seals] [Reversing Light Switch] [Bleeding Brakes][Sunroof Drain] [Early ZT's][Instrument Pack Diagnostics][ATC Diagnostics]

26th July 2008, 14:42	#4
Greeners Moderator MG-ZTT Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ware, Herts Posts: 19,798 Thanks: 161 Thanked 1,249 Times in 1,036 Posts	Master cylinder is around the £125 mark. If you try ECP_2004 (I think) on ebay they have them in stock and are cheaper then Xpart. My original M/C failed at 136,000 so I can't really complain. If you look at your fan, if there is a silver resistor at the 2 o'clock position it's a 2 speed, if not it's a three speed. If the fan still runs, it may be something simple like the gas level being too low. __________________ *David* Impecunity is the mother of ingenuity Useful how to's for common problems Car Of The Month Jan 2014 [SatNav Power Down] [Coolant Level] [SatNav Repair] [Diesel Non Starting] [Paint Codes] [Rear Light Seals] [Reversing Light Switch] [Bleeding Brakes][Sunroof Drain] [Early ZT's][Instrument Pack Diagnostics][ATC Diagnostics]

26th July 2008, 14:34	#3
Kukkar Newbie MG ZT Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for your reply, David. The fan was a special purchase from SMC at their reduced price offer last year so I can't say if it's a 2 or 3 speed. What's the deal with the resistors? The car seems to be running ok temperature wise but I gather the temp gauge needle is "fixed", so I can't say if it's hotter than it was, but the fan seems to be on continuously with the climate control. It had a new water pump with the belts last year, I always ask for that as standard. Clutch - I was surprised at the complex design and the cost last year, and I had thought perhaps the master was not too far behind but to be honest the car is used mainly on long runs so I am surpised the clutch has packed in so early, especially as the clutch plate had hardly any wear on it when it got soaked by the slave leak. Is the master easily available at the minute? I am struggling to get hold of the transfer pipes as mine are second-hand last year following the fact my originals started to leak. Is the m/c also a hard-to-get part? I need to keep repairs as cheap as possible before it gets traded in. Thanks for the words of encouragement but I do need to think about a reliable car, it seems that Anglo-Teutonic engineering is incapable of surpassing the 5yr/90k mark like most Japanese cars I have had in the past.

26th July 2008, 14:48	#5
Kukkar Newbie MG ZT Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for the info on the m/c, I'll follow that up. Gas level, is that the air-con side as I was wondering if might need a service on the air-con. Would that affect the general running temp and high fan speed? Many thanks for your patience and very quick answers!

26th July 2008, 20:19	#6
T-Cut This is my second home Rover75 and Mreg Corsa. Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sumweer onat mote o'dust (Sagin) Posts: 21,753 Thanks: 341 Thanked 3,660 Times in 2,924 Posts	If the fan runs continuously with the A/C on (i.e. it doesn't run for 20 secs, stop, then start again after 20 secs) then it's working normally. The A/C system requires continuous cooling to operate correctly. This applies to both 2 and 3-speed motors. A 2-speed motor with a failed slow speed resistor will cycle at fast speed, on-off-on every 20 secs or so. Continuous running is fine. TC

27th July 2008, 21:34	#7
Kukkar Newbie MG ZT Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks, TC Reading another thread, I had the same "interesting" whine from the C/C when I started the car. I see that the Kwik-Fit challenge maybe a possible solution so will give that a try and see. I noticed the other day although the temp gauge was showing normal (as it would unless it was about to boil, I gather!) the outside temp indicator showed a whopping 31°C on a relatively cool day at 21-22°C. Is this inter-linked? I have looked up the excellent "How-to" on this site and referred to the Haynes, so I will order the clutch master and I hope that this will be the end of the problems for now, because there are some very tempting newish second hand cars out there, but none match the ZT for sheer driving pleasure. Thank you all for your assistance.