Charles' early 92 827 manual coupe

[Charles827si]

The rear ABS sensors fit in a different way. They go through the back of the hub carrier so are in fact at right-angles to the reluctor rings and have a diamond shaped "nose" on them which does the sensing.

On the fronts, the brackets the sensors sit in tend to corrode and when they corrode, they produce crystals of aluminium oxide which grow.They can't grow outwards because the brackets are there so they grow inwards and crush the sensor, killing it.

The back ones don't go so often because although the hub is cast iron, it doesn't corrode so rapidly or easily as the aluminium brackets on the front.

When i had to do the front sensors on my last 740 (same sensors as the 800 rears), after a combination of drilling, die-grinding, burning, chiseling and whatever else i had to do, i spent another hour or so on each one slightly enlarging the hole then polishing it to a mirror finish. I then used some Vaseline as a protective grease when i fitted the replacement sensors. Also did the same on the Sterling when the front sensors went in that.

I couldn't think how best to explain the problems and I'm not altogether clued up to the workings of the ABS. The picture shows how the front should be (drivers side)
The rear ABS ring is encased so it can hardly be seen when looking under the car.

[scoobyh123]

Something looks strange there Charles but can't put my finger on it just now. Had a hectic day on the Sterling which decided to blow the rear speakers!

Then trying to do the rad, the ATF cooler hoses wouldn't budge from the cooler lines on the box so i gave up in the end, tomorrow is another day and my brain cell is cabbaged now!

[Charles827si]

Had a hectic day on the Sterling which decided to blow the rear speakers!

Then trying to do the rad, the ATF cooler hoses wouldn't budge from the cooler lines on the box so i gave up in the end, tomorrow is another day and my brain cell is cabbaged now!

In the spirit of 800 ownership, your determined mind and skills will prevail against those niggling obstacles.

Just looked at the picture with more focus and I think there is a problem there, and that's how it was before any work was done.

[scoobyh123]

Thanks Charles, your encouragement will make sense once i'm more awake!

Got an idea brewing that i can use the swageing block from my pipe flaring kit to grip the ATF pipes on the gearbox then lever the hoses off with an open-ended spanner. Might work, hope so!

That sensor is damaged and missing half the bracket.

Have the sensors and/or brackets been replaced?

[Charles827si]

Thanks Charles, your encouragement will make sense once i'm more awake!

Got an idea brewing that i can use the swageing block from my pipe flaring kit to grip the ATF pipes on the gearbox then lever the hoses off with an open-ended spanner. Might work, hope so!

That sensor is damaged and missing half the bracket.

Have the sensors and/or brackets been replaced?

Since this picture was taken, the ABS system has supposedly had all the diagnostic work carried out at the front and the sensors with brackets put back into the correct position. I did have a look under the car yesterday and I didn't see anything a miss.
If I'm honest though I'm not 100% sure if the sensors are doing the job they should be doing.

[scoobyh123]

What makes you say that Charles?

[Charles827si]

What makes you say that Charles?

Well I can say confidently braking feels improved at the front because I don't have the scary incidents with non working brakes and using the handbrake precautionary when I really need to stop.

However the ABS light is still on permanently, but this is due to the rear hub with the broken teeth ring.

Considering the age of the car and the fact that the sensors are likely to be original, I have no way of knowing if all these work as they should with the affects of age, driving conditions taking a toll. I don't have the diagnostic information and perhaps I could ask for that.
There was no service history before Brads ownership and there wasn't the work done on the ABS system itself, despite Brad overhauling all the brakes. Brad did tell me there had been a mouse living in the engine bay which had chewed and shredded the entire under bonnet felt insulation
So for all I know this little rodent mouse could have chewed on the ABS sensor wiring also.

[scoobyh123]

I'll try and find the self-test and fault code information for you Charles, i know it's already on here somewhere but if i can't find that thread i'll post something up from the Rover WSM on fault finding the ABS system.

I'll have a look and see if i have a spare rear hub floating around with the ABS ring on as well.

[scoobyh123]

Then trying to do the rad, the ATF cooler hoses wouldn't budge from the cooler lines on the box so i gave up in the end, tomorrow is another day and my brain cell is cabbaged now!

In the spirit of 800 ownership, your determined mind and skills will prevail against those niggling obstacles.

The swage block idea wouldn't work, not enough space. HOwever, i did manage to get enough space on one hose to get a 10mm open ender in and lever the hose down enough to get another spanner in and lever it a bit more.
The other hose was a bit more tricky as there was no gap between the swaged stop for the hose but a little further up, a bracket is welded onto the pipe. Used that with several spanners to take up the slack until i got the hose shifted enough to get the 10mm O/E in again and then used the same method.

Worryingly when i got the rad out and tipped it to one side, i got a lot more coolant out of it, suggesting it is blocked somewhere!

Having a coffee break while the fan switches etc soak in white vinegar the i'll go back out and start fitting the fan switches, do a little bit of other prep work then get the rad in and the new ATF cooler and it should (in theory) be all systems go!

[Charles827si]

Then trying to do the rad, the ATF cooler hoses wouldn't budge from the cooler lines on the box so i gave up in the end, tomorrow is another day and my brain cell is cabbaged now!

In the spirit of 800 ownership, your determined mind and skills will prevail against those niggling obstacles.

The swage block idea wouldn't work, not enough space. HOwever, i did manage to get enough space on one hose to get a 10mm open ender in and lever the hose down enough to get another spanner in and lever it a bit more.
The other hose was a bit more tricky as there was no gap between the swaged stop for the hose but a little further up, a bracket is welded onto the pipe. Used that with several spanners to take up the slack until i got the hose shifted enough to get the 10mm O/E in again and then used the same method.

Worryingly when i got the rad out and tipped it to one side, i got a lot more coolant out of it, suggesting it is blocked somewhere!

Having a coffee break while the fan switches etc soak in white vinegar the i'll go back out and start fitting the fan switches, do a little bit of other prep work then get the rad in and the new ATF cooler and it should (in theory) be all systems go!

Hopefully things will turn out. I've been painting the wall today with test paints. I've tried 5 different paints on the wall I bought from Homebase this afternoon and..I don't like any of them! Anyway at least I know they aren't the same as on the outside pot and it's also given me the idea to go for a different paint colour altogether

Thanks Dave for the offer of looking for a spare hub. I went to Bradford Auto Spares (Rover breaker) yesterday on the off chance but the '200/400/600/800 expert' wasn't there so he is supposed to call me on Monday. (I guess the other fella didn't have much idea of stock) Anyway I'm sure I'll get the right part given time.

[scoobyh123]

Painting walls? Sounds too much like torture to me!

I haven't spotted any rear hubs in the usual places so i'll have a look in the unusual places tomorrow if i get the chance. Only place really will be my trailer (what's left of it!) so hopefully there will be one in there.

Had quite a bit of progress with the Sterling, hoping to get the rad back in tomorrow, full write up to come in the Galactic Dawn thread.
Suffice to say the new ATF cooler is installed and plumbed, someone has renewed the rad before and the ATF cooler hoses with 1000psi continuously rated hydraulic hose - now wonder i had trouble moving it!

[scoobyh123]

Good news Charles - i do have a rear hub!. It's a left hand one and still attached to the lower control arm/spring seat and the trailing arm.
I don't know if i can separate them all but you're welcome to the whole shebang for cost of postage. The hub itself wouldn't be a direct fit (the inner diameter of the bearings is slightly different left to right) but if the hub was removed, cleaned up and the correct bearings fitted, there's no reason why it shouldn't go straight on and cure the problem.

Drop me a PM if you're interested!

[Charles827si]

Painting walls? Sounds too much like torture to me!

I haven't spotted any rear hubs in the usual places so i'll have a look in the unusual places tomorrow if i get the chance. Only place really will be my trailer (what's left of it!) so hopefully there will be one in there.

Had quite a bit of progress with the Sterling, hoping to get the rad back in tomorrow, full write up to come in the Galactic Dawn thread.
Suffice to say the new ATF cooler is installed and plumbed, someone has renewed the rad before and the ATF cooler hoses with 1000psi continuously rated hydraulic hose - now wonder i had trouble moving it!

I only spent an hour just testing paint colours but it's not proved very useful. I have a better idea of what doesn't appeal.
Sounds like your making quite good progress with the Sterling. The ATF cooler sounds like a great addition.

I got my coupe back this afternoon with a complete new exhaust fitted with manifolds. However fitting the manifolds wasn't without problems.
The spacing of the manifold pipes to the engine cylinder outputs were too narrow to fit the block, which meant these had to be modified which as you can imagine took nearly a days work to modify and then fit onto the car. To add, the lambda sensors have needed to be relocated as well.

The middle section and rear box section were made up and fitted today (pictures to follow soon)

What I notice, is the car is very quiet at idle (as before) but quite somewhat more noisy with the revs. On the whole the car feels no more powerful, but at lower revs the engine feels slightly increased in size.
It reminds me of somebody's old BMW 3 series 3.0 convertible I used to get a lift in because it sounds similar and has a very smooth power delivery. (like before but with the feeling of a slightly enlarged engine)

I can only think the reason for the car not feeling faster in acceleration is due to the extra baffles in the exhaust. The guy who built it called Tony said the back box is longer than before. I guess this is to accommodate those baffles.

As I had wondered there were holes in the old back box. I feel the money was worth it. The coupe is a classic which deserves a decent stainless system and unlike the regular replacement mild steel item, won't need replacing.
On the contrary, I've kept the old manifolds just as a precaution. Hopefully the welding work is up to snuff, it's not easy to see those manifolds now.

All in all, a great job done and I certainly think has added some value and street cred to the car. Hopefully in time all this expense will pay off!

[Charles827si]

Good news Charles - i do have a rear hub!

Drop me a PM if you're interested!

PM sent. Cheers Dave.

[Charles827si]

Wasn't expecting this style of tailpipe but I think it's alright! I've not had a proper look see at the whole exhaust.
However the rewiring at the front end for the lambda sensors will need to be sorted better if it's to withstand time.