| RV8
Workshop Notes Most recent RV8NOTE - see the most recent RV8NOTE added to the series. Most recent RV8NOTE Search for your queries or topics of interest using our detaliled Index to the whole RV8NOTES series. RV8NOTES Index How do I find useful tips on servicing and spares queries from the RV8 Workshop Notes? More Buying an MG RV8 or just acquired one? some guidance notes in our Top Tips for New MG RV8 enthusiasts with the checks you will need to make. Asbestos awareness for auto mechanics. More Volume 1 Part of this note concerning the RV8 alarm transmitter has an important warning about ensuring the batteries in the transmitter are renewed regularly. You can view this note on this website as RV8 alarm transmitter. 1. Headlight units Bryan Ditchman Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue 0265) provides a workshop note which highlights you can get headlamp glasses rather than the entire headlamp unit. This note has a tip which will save you money when replacing a cracked headlamp glass. (Sep 99) 2. Door mirrors Bryan Ditchman A cautionary note on removing and replacing the RV8 door mirrors. 3. Water pump Bryan Ditchman Bryan Ditchman's (Caribbean Blue 0265) researches have identified a supplier who will service water pumps avoiding the cost of a new unit. A useful tip on where you can get a water pump overhauled to avoid the cost of a new one. (Sep 99) 4. Hose and pipe clips Bryan Ditchman In this workshop note, Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue 0265) sets out the fruits of his research into the clamps and clips used on the MG RV8. It is a comprehensive checklist of the various hose clips on an RV8. (Sep 99) 5. Water hoses and breather pipes Bryan Ditchman Another checklist, this time of the various RV8 hoses and pipes. 6. Hydraulic hoses, cylinders and repair kits Bryan Ditchman Another checklist of hydraulic hoses, cylinders and repair kits with the Rover part number cross referenced to the Lockheed part. 7. Petrol tank, fittings and hoses Bryan Ditchman A useful workshop note from Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue 0265) which highlights the need for ensuring your RV8 fuel tank is protected from rust. (Sep 99) 8. Windscreen washer jets Bryan Ditchman With replacement washer jets NLA, this useful note suggests a substitute part and how to get at it for replacement. 9. MG RV8 toolkit Bryan Ditchman A checklist of the contents of the toolkit with their Britool codes, is set out below. Replacement tool rolls are available, see also Notes 63, 72, 73 & 78. (Sep 99). To view this note, RV8NOTE9. 10. MG RV8 road wheels Bryan Ditchman Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue 0265) provides this note highlighting important differences between the road wheels and centres of early and later cars. (Sep 99) 11. Aerial replacement Bryan Ditchman Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue 0265) has lost two aerials, broken off by overhanging twigs from overgrown hedges in the narrow lanes he uses in Hampshire. He feels the aerial would be better placed on the offside wing but prepared this workshop note for normal replacement. (Sep 99) 12. Dashboard fascia removal Bryan Ditchman This useful note is based on Bryan Ditchman's (Caribbean Blue 0265) experiences with getting behind the dashboard and sets out the stage by stage procedure, with some cautions for the unwary. (Sep 99) 13. Wiper blade adjustment Bryan Ditchman A brief note on a check all RV8s enthusiasts should make. 14. Clutch master cylinder cap Bryan Ditchman A suggestion for an essential addition to the RV8 toolkit - a Zyliss Strongboy jar and bottle opener. 15. MG RV8 wheel corrosion Bryan Ditchman Another useful tip from Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue 0265) which will help MG RV8 enthusiasts keep their wheels in good shape. (Sep 99) 16. MG RV8 exhaust system Bryan Ditchman A short tip from Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue 0265) on the importance of keeping a drain hole in the exhaust system clear. (Sep 99) 17. Leathercare for the MG RV8 Bryan Ditchman A brief note with tips on leather care treatments. 18. Dirty gearknob Bryan Ditchman A brief note with a tip on cleaning up a grubby gear knob. 19. Throttle pedal resistance Bryan Ditchman With the smooth power available from the RV8 engine, it can be irritating to have a lethargic pickup response from low speeds. This note from Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue 0265) explains how to check and cure that situation. (Sep 99) 20. Hood rattle Bryan Ditchman A short note with a tip to remove an irritating rattle. 21. MG RV8 performance upgrade Bryan Ditchman For those RV8 enthusiasts who wish for a smoother response, improved torque and economy, Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue 0265) suggests you contact RPI International Limited in Norwich. Their kit is available without the need for a single spanner inside the engine compartment. (Oct 99). See RV8NOTE21. 22. Windscreen Bryan Ditchman Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue 0265) had to remove his windscreen to cure water leaks and has produced a comprehensive note on the exercise which will be of interest to MG RV8 enthusiasts. (Oct 99) RV8NOTE22 23. The boot Bryan Ditchman For the enthusiast, Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue 0265) suggests removing the spare wheel, carpets and back board just to find out what is under and behind. (Oct 99) 24. Change points in the design and technical specification Bryan Ditchman Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue 0265) has produced a detailed table of key production change points for the MG RV8 which will be an invaluable reference for all RV8 enthusiasts. (Oct 99) 25. Areas of rust and corrosion Bryan Ditchman Rust and corrosion are concerns for any classic car enthusiast. Here Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue 0265) sets out a checklist of RV8 parts which he finds rust easily. (Oct 99) 26. Inlet manifold gasket Bryan Ditchman A short note with a tip on sourcing parts. 27. Sill tread plates Bryan Ditchman A cautionary note on sill tread plate removal and a tip. 28. Starter motor Bryan Ditchman This note from Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue 0265) resulted from a repair to his starter motor. With about every fifth start there was no cranking, so under the car he went to investigate! Bryan provides a tip on where to get a starter motor serviced. (Nov 99) 29. Fuel pump, filters and fittings Bryan Ditchman This short note from Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue) highlights the need for care when removing the fuel pump as the mounting unit is no longer available. (Nov 99) 30. Seats and trim panel removal Bryan Ditchman A note which suggests you do your homework before working on the RV8 seats and trim panels, as some items are awkward and the fixings very tight. 31. Brakes Bryan Ditchman & Roger Parker A useful note on the front and rear brakes on an RV8. You can view this note as RV8NOTE31. 32. Shock absorbers Bryan Ditchman A note with a tip on how to get your shock absorbers serviced for 25% of the cost of a new set. 33. Hang on to your old parts! Bryan Ditchman A note with a plea to hang on to all old parts which have been replaced through maintenance or following failure. 34. Air intake mesh Bryan Ditchman A note with a tip which will be of interest to MGBV8 enthusiasts too. 35. Headroom Bryan Ditchman A note with a tip of interest to six foot enthusiasts! 36. Exhaust rattle Bryan Ditchman & Roger Parker A note on a possible remedy for fixing loose heat shields. 37. Filler plug spanner Bryan Ditchman A brief note with a suggestion for an additional spanner for the RV8 toolkit. 38. Front wheel bearings Bryan Ditchman A note highlighting the two front hub bearing assemblies used on the RV8 production. 39. Reimporting an MG RV8 from Japan Ron Armstrong A note on what needs to be checked and changed. 40. Rear wheel bearings Bryan Ditchman A note on rear wheel bearing replacement. 41. K&N filter maintenance John Barnes A note reminding RV8 enthusiasts this filter can be serviced and should not be replaced during routine services - this could save you a tidy sum! 42. General corrosion related issues Roger Parker A further note on some areas to watch for rust problems. 43. Noisy fuel pump Roger Parker A note on possible causes for fuel pump noise and how to cure them. RV8NOTE43 44. Air conditioning Roger Parker A brief note for members with Japan spec RV8s who are thinking of retaining the AC systems. 45. Electronic fuel injection systems Roger Parker This note sets out some useful information on the RV8 fuel injection system. 46. Stiff hood operation Roger Parker A brief note on the need for lubrication of the 32 joints on the RV8 hood. 47. Sheared hood pivot repair Roger Parker A note on dealing with a seized hood frame pivot point. 48. Alternator replacement Roger Parker A note describing a fault experienced with an RV8 which was traced to the alternator and how it was diagnosed and solved. 49. Tips for attending the annual 24 heures du Mans event Victor Smith A note providing tips for planning your visit to this annual endurance motor race together with some map extracts. You can view this note, which is also V8 Workshop Note 214, as RV8NOTE49. 50. Clutch slave cylinder Ian Lloyd Following a clutch slave cylinder failure, Ian was duly informed by his local Rover garage that the part was NLA! This note is probably one of the most useful - the part is still available but under another part number which you will need to quote as the RV8 parts list may show it as NLA. Volume 2 51. Torque settings Bryan Ditchman A note listing the torque wrench settings for the RV8. 52. Gearbox mountings and cross member Bryan Ditchman A useful note which highlights the differences between the LT77 gearbox on the early cars and the R380 fitted from VIN0644. 53. Hood backlight replacement Bryan Ditchman A step by step guide to replacing the backlight. 54. Steering rack removal and maintenance Bryan Ditchman A note relating an investigation of play in the steering and how it was cured. 55. Tonneau covers Bryan Ditchman A note with useful tips on using the full tonneau. 56. Battery management Bryan Ditchman This note is essential for enthusiasts who leave their RV8 garaged for periods. Fitting an automatic battery management conditioner ensures your battery is kept topped up. You can see this note on this website as RV8NOTE56. 57. Fascia instruments Bryan Ditchman A note with several tips on RV8 door cappings and instruments. RV8NOTE57 58. MG Car Club badge mounting Bryan Ditchman A note explaining how to fit an MG Car Club badge to an RV8. 59. MG RV8 front coil springs Bryan Ditchman A note comparing the RV8 and MGBGTV8 front coil springs. 60. Advance and retard pipe Bryan Ditchman & Roger Parker A note which has proved to be very useful for members with Japan spec cars. See also RV8NOTE258. 61. Insurance for classic MGs Victor Smith Insurance is an important consideration for the V8 enthusiast and it is vital to ensure the policy provides sufficient cover in the event of a claim. (Apr 96) RV8NOTE61 62. Water leaks saga - an inherent fault? Robert Lewis A useful note on how to cure a water leak which the local MG Rover dealer was unable to remedy. The note explains how Robert solved the problem himself and on notifying the MG Dealer got the reply "oh yes we have started doing that on the MGF". Not so much an inherent fault as poor communication within MG and its local MG Dealer. 63. Replacement tool rolls are available again! Malcolm Gammons The answer to the regular question from new members with Japan spec RV8s - "where can I get an RV8 tool roll as the original has gone missing". To view this note see RV8NOTE63. 64. RV8 maintenance schedule John Barnes A detailed maintenance and service schedule prepared by John is set out at the back of Volume 2. 65. Replacement headlamps Bryan Ditchman A cautionary note and a sequel to the first RV8 Workshop Note. 66. A starting problem solved Bryan Ditchman A tale of an investigation into a starting problem and how it was cured. 67. Fuel cut off switch Bryan Snedker A useful note to store away in case the non starting gremlins strike your RV8. 68. Removal of door drop glass Bryan Ditchman A detailed step by step guide to removing and replacing the glass and a tabulation of the part numbers. 69. Radiator cooling fan switch - a useful modification? Graham Bartholomew A note on a non standard but nevertheless useful modification. 70. Wheel arch flares Bryan Ditchman A note which saves you puzzling over how the wheel arch flares or blisters are fitted. See also the research by Jim Dolbel into when the front wheel arch flares were discontinued on Japan spec cars. Volume 3 71. Replacement of crankshaft rear oil seal John Barnes This note sets out how to tackle a major maintenance item 72. More on RV8 toolkits Anon Another note on tool for the RV8 toolkit. To view this note see RV8NOTE72. 73. Battery lifter or carrier Anon A note on an alternative battery lifter to the Brevette lifter. 74. Door mirror Bill Wood A brief note on smartening up the RV8 door mirror. 75. Rear brakes and adjustment Bryan Ditchman This note highlights between the rear brake set up on the RV8 and the earlier equipment on the MGBGTV8. 76. FM radio frequency converter Bryan Ditchman This note is very useful for enthusiasts with Japan spec cars and avoids the need for a new radio. See RV8NOTE76. 77. More on RV8 gear knob renovation Ian Cranston An inexpensive way of renovating a grubby gearknob. 78. Battery lifters or carriers, another source Brian Jackson Information on another battery lifter. 79. Radio fascia panel removal Bill Ratcliffe A note with amendments to RV8 Workshop Note 12. 80. Bonnet hinge alignment Bryan Ditchman A brief note with a useful tip for aligning the bonnet. 81. Wear on wheel lock nuts Bryan Ditchman A brief tip on how to avoid wear on the wheel locking nuts. 82. RV8 parts supply update Bryan Ditchman A brief note on the growing NLA problem with RV8 parts. 83. Dreams come true! Peter Garton A note relating how Peter reimported his RV8 himself. 84. Background note on the RV8 LSD Roger Parker A useful note with background information on the LSD fitted to the RV8. 85. Instrument & fascia switch bulbs Colin Humphrey A note with part numbers for fascia bulbs. 86. Trim colours Bryan Ditchman A note with colour changes on RV8 trim colours. 87. Waxoyling reimported RV8s Roger Parker A suggestion for treating reimported RV8s to help offset the effects of a double journey by sea. 88. Oil pump cover & washers Bryan Ditchman A note on finding an NLA part. 89. Windscreen glass & VIN number Bryan Ditchman A very brief note on how the get the VIN etched on the windscreen glass. 90. Water pump & air-con drive belts Bryan Ditchman A note with a changed part number RV8 enthusiasts will need to note. 91. K&N air filters & news of a water pump exchange or repair service Clive Wheatley A note with a spares update from the V8 spares guru, Clive Wheatley. 92. Alternative source for the petrol pump & filter Bryan Ditchman A note with an alternative source of key parts which will help reduce maintenance costs. 93. More of leaks & wheel corrosion Bill Ratcliffe A note with tips on silicone treatment! 94. More on front shock absorbers Bryan Ditchman A note on overhauling the RV8 front suspension at a reasonable cost. 95. Fitting the new, smaller V8 Register badge to an RV8 Bryan Ditchman A brief note which will help you fit the new, smaller badge 96. Brake callipers - inspection for corrosion when carrying out maintenance work Bryan Ditchman A note on inspecting and removing the brake callipers. 97. Exhaust clamps - down pipes to cat pipes Bryan Ditchman A brief note with a useful tip. 98. Front coil springs Bryan Ditchman This note sets out a procedure which is not set out in the RV8 workshop manual. 99. Hang on to your old parts - a plea from the Editor! Bryan Ditchman Another plea from the Editor. 100. Catalyser - overheat sensors, overheat ECU & warning light Anon The first of a series of notes on sensors and RV8 diagnostics. RV8NOTE100 Volume 4 101. Differences between UK & Japanese specification RV8s - cat overheat sensors Roger Parker A useful explanation of some of the key differences. The cat overheat sensors, linked to the ECU, were an addition to the RV8s exported to Japan. A number of members with reimported RV8s have reported difficulties with them (see RV8 Workshop Note 100 in Volume 3). This useful note from Roger Parker (Green V8 4092) provides some background on the subject. 102. Brake servo failure Victor Smith Fortunately brake failure because of servo problems is rare but unlike difficulties with slave cylinders early warning signs of potential servo failure are few and the consequences spine chilling! Although this note is from the sixth volume of the original V8 Workshop Notes series, we feel it has important information of concern to MG RV8 enthusiasts. The note is from Victor Smith (Harvest Gold V8 1089), with contributions from Roger Parker, Geoff Allen and Jim Gibson, examines a couple of cases of servo failure and considers the options 103. Radiator blanking panel John Bolt A practical tip. John Bolt (Nightfire Red RV8 1228) from Buckinghamshire sent in a useful modification to the radiator blanking panel as a solution to the fracturing by the fixing lugs where they are bolted to the slam panel. 104. More on brake servos for the RV8 Bryan Ditchman Bryan has further thoughts on servos for the RV8as a brief follow up to RV8 Note 102. 105. RV8 spares - looking to the future Bryan Ditchman A topic that need some thought. Despite the fact that Clive Wheatley and Brown & Gammons are each putting in a great deal of time and effort to complement the availability of some of the RV8 spares which are no longer available or NLA, they are unable to cover the whole situation which undoubtedly will become more difficult as time goes on. Here Bryan Ditchman sets out his list of twenty items which he considers RV8 enthusiasts are well advised to acquire as soon as possible. The list is in order of priority and in the main indicates the items specific to the RV8. 106. RV8 toolrolls & handbooks - an update Clive Wheatley An update which will be of interest to members of Japan spec cars missing their toolkits. This note from Clive Wheatley (Flame Red RV8 0294) reproduces information provided to an Australian member seeking a tool roll and handbook for his Japan spec RV8. 107. Cleaning a coffee stain from an RV8 hood David Lawler A note which will be useful if you need to clean the RV8 hood. Whilst David Lawler (Woodcote Green RV8 1920) was having an alarm fitted, unfortunately a fitter at the installation company managed to spill coffee on the soft top. This brief note sets out how he cleaned up the mess. 108. Avoiding the rear window crease Peter Garton An imaginative idea from Peter Garton (Woodcote Green RV8 1238) in Germany who has devised a way of avoiding a crease in the rear window of an RV8 soft top. RV8NOTE108 109. Problems with the zip for the rear screen in the RV8 soft top Victor Rodgrigues A note with some useful tips on RV8 rear screen zips. Victor Rodregues (Oxford Blue RV8 1621) from Switzerland reported a difficulty with the zip around his rear screen. This note explains how he resolved it together with some comments from John Barnes (Woodcote Green RV8 0636) in Wellington New Zealand. RV8NOTE109 110. Using fire extinguishers in V8s Andrew Brown Fire prevention in the car is something we should at least think about and hopefully fit an extinguisher. Like life assurance and writing a will, you will probably feel an article on fire extinguishers in cars is not an exciting topic. Few of us think about the possibility of fire in our cars and what we would need to bring it under control. In this useful note Andrew Brown (Flamenco Red V8 2501), from the West Midlands, provides the necessary background information and guidance for selecting a suitable extinguisher so early action with an interior or engine fire is possible. 111. Preventative maintenance on RV8 rubber water hoses Peter James A note with a useful check. Peter James (Woodcote Green RV8 1022) from Warwickshire has a brief but useful reminder on checking your rubber water hoses and replacing any which look suspect as preventative maintenance. 112. Reassurance on RV8 reimports following a BBC1 Watchdog programme in July 2001 Chris Watkins Members buying a reimported RV8 will find this note reassuring. We contacted Chris Watkins who runs the leading RV8 reimporters, HS Imports, following a BBC1 Watchdog programme on the Great Car Fraud with Quentin Wilson concerning a substantial flow of stolen 4x4s, stolen in Japan, which are turning up in the UK. Most of these reimports are high value vehicles like Toyota Land Cruisers, some involving some imaginative reinventions of vehicle identity at a staging post in Dubai on the way! Chris knows Japan very well and has considerable experience with reimporting RV8s to the UK. In this note explains how the system works in Japan and how the HS Imports team take care with the cars they reimport from Japan. You can view this note on this website as RV8NOTE112. 113. Renovo soft top care products Victor Smith Following RV8 Workshop Note 107 from David Lawler, Victor Smith (Harvest Gold V8 1089) called Renovo who provided a brochure with details and prices of their useful range of soft top care products. This note is based on the text of Renovo's brochure and provides a summary of that information. 114. Gas struts - an additional danger in vehicle fires Andrew Brown A cautionary tale. Andrew Brown (Flamenco Red V8 2501) provides a brief further note following an experience with a gas strut bursting whilst attending a recent vehicle fire 115. Diagnostic plug on an RV8 Anon A fascinating note on RV8 diagnostics from a member who has the full range of hand-held equipment and databooks needed for electrical component testing and fault diagnosis on the MG RV8. He warns that although the RV8 may look like a cosmetically-reworked variant of the MGB with a V8 engine, it is in fact full of modern electronic systems which need training and sophisticated equipment to carry out relatively routine servicing tasks. You can view this note on this website as RV8NOTE115. 116. Reprogramming alarm transmitters on Japan spec RV8s Anon A note which should be read by all RV8 enthusiasts, especially those in Australia and New Zealand with Japanese-specification RV8s who need either to acquire new immobiliser handset transmitters or have their existing one(s) reprogrammed for some reason. 117. RV8 immobiliser requirements demanded by some insurers Anon An alarming trend of insurers seeking to escalate their requirements for the retrospective fitting of Thatcham 1 immobilisers on open top sports cars has been noted by our anonymous contributor. Here the contributor provides a briefing on the present situation. This note can be viewed on this website as RV8NOTE117. 118. Meeting the diagnostic challenge with the RV8 Anon On a casual acquaintance, the RV8 can be seen as a car which appears simply a cosmetically-reworked, luxury MGBV8 but on closer inspection it is clearly a product of the modern era. Gone are carburettors, contact breaker points, choke cables and a simple wiring harness - a package the enthusiast can maintain and tune with ease - and instead you find, beneath that classic car body, the RV8 has a sophisticated engine management system. Ordinary test and dwell meters are not enough - you need sophisticated equipment and data to tune the RV8 and check out systems faults. Our anonymous contributor has been beavering away to gain a better understanding of what systems are in the RV8 and what equipment is needed to run the diagnostic checks your MG Rover dealer is required to do when your RV8 goes in for periodic servicing. This note will fascinate you and leave you better able to deal with any "flannel" from the service staff - the moral is find service people who know what they are doing and can handle the very sophisticated diagnostic equipment so your RV8 is serviced correctly! 119. K&N filter check Godfrey Dance Another useful tip. 120. Modifications on reimported RV8s Godfrey Dance An important note on a key modifications that has to be carried out on RV8s reimported from Japan. You can view this note as RV8NOTE120. 121. Locking wheel nut tip Godfrey Dance Godfrey Dance (Woodcote Green RV8 1210) from Surrey provides a useful tip on undoing your locking wheel nuts should you be unable to find the socket. 122. Where can I get the RV8 diagnostic leads? Anon A key question for members wanting to do diagnostic checks. John Hornabrook (Woodcote Green RV8 1781) from Australia contacted the V8 Register seeking help in finding the "computer leads to connect the RV8 to a Land Rover Discovery test monitor" as he had found there were no garages set up to service the RV8 out on the Gold Coast. The local Land Rover agent had offered to help "if they had the right plug and lead". Well our anonymous contributor has done a great deal of research in this area and provided a reply which is reproduced as this note. 123. More on RV8 electronics and diagnostics Roger Parker Roger Parker (Green 4092) from Staffordshire, a well know MGBV8 expert, has provided some useful observations and comments for the reply to John Hornabrook (Woodcote Green 1781) from Australia who contacted the V8 Register in February 2002 seeking help with RV8 diagnostics. 124. More legroom for the air-conditioned! John Barnes A modification that can provide real legroom benefits in an RV8 by removing the air-conditioning surround and using a modified cover box. This brief note explains the modification. 125. RV8 paint codes Graham Burcher Graham Burcher (Oxford Blue 1729) from Yorkshire had tried to confirm whether the colour of his car was Oxford Blue or Caribbean Blue and found the colour codes difficult to decipher. A call to Bryan Ditchman soon found he had a book with the colour codes listed. Graham has prepared this note as an aid for other RV8 enthusiasts, together with contributions from Bryan Ditchman and Roger Parker. Volume 5 126. Hot RV8 cockpit Graeme Renshaw An Australian V8 enthusiast, Graeme Renshaw (Nightfire Red 0477) from New South Wales, reported hot footwells in his RV8. This note is based on some thoughts from Roger Parker. A copy of this note can be seen as RV8NOTE126. 127. Fitting
a windstop to an RV8 128. Solving
a problem with the RV8 heater control cable 129. PAS
options for the RV8 130. Hunting
down a misfire on an RV8 131. Play
in the RV8 steering rack 132. Tired
tyres with warehoused RV8s 133. Caution
with space saver spare wheels 134. Check
your exhaust hangers, engine mountings & battery Bruce Webster A note for members downunder. Bruce Webster was one of the first overseas members to receive his RV8 Workshop Notes on CD and after a rapid read promptly produced a brief note. 136. A leak down ones right leg! Bruce Webster Another water leak note. 137. RV8
hardtop for an RV8 138. Strange
noises on the left hand side 139. Stretching
your legs in an RV8 140. Erratic
idle on an RV8 141. Take
care of your clips! 143. Another
windstop installation 144. ECU
location, removal & refitting 145. RV8
skirt removal 146. What
a sweaty business in an RV8 in Tokyo! 147. Why
was the VIN stamped in the RV8 rain channel? 148. Blown
a fuse? 149. Boot
release 150. Plastic
plug rot 151. Three
replacements on checking over a reimported RV8 152. RV8
brake hydraulic system and master cylinder 153. Have
you got a screw loose? 154. Replacement
door cappings 155. Dealing
with a noisy back axle 156. RV8
back axle reconditioning service 157. RV8
front indicator lamp connector terminal corrosion 158. RV8
coolant filler plug - worth changing to the brass plug 159. Got
a blown plastic coolant filler plug? - a tip to get you home Editor Peter Wallis (Nightfire Red 2178) from Hampshire bought a reimported RV8 and shortly after he contacted the V8 Register for information on replacement tyres. As most RV8s seem to be low mileage vehicles, the topic of replacement tyres had not been covered in the RV8 Workshop Notes series, so a request for members' views on tyres was sent out by email and a message posted on the V8 website Bulletin Board. This note is a summary of the feedback received from our RV8 members. You can view this note as RV8NOTE160. Volume 6 161. Fitting a new glove box locker plunger switch Peter Garton Peter Garton (Woodcote Green 1238) in Germany posted a note on the V8 website bulletin board describing his marathon job to replace his glove box switch. Clearly his copies of the earlier volumes of the RV8 Workshop Notes were essential! 162. Check
your replacement brake shoes 163. R380
gearbox lubrication 164. Exchange
Lucas Alternator 165. Ghostly
lights in the footwells 166. RV8
spares checklist 167. Removing
the RV8 headlamp cowl 168. Thatcham
immobilisers 169. Replacement
RV8 rear brakes 170. Solving
RV8 overheating problems 171. Why
does the red "No Charge" warning light stay on? 172. Choose
where you have your RV8 serviced with care! 173. Sorting
out an air conditioning fan that has rusted up 174. Are
your shock absorbers working for you? 175. Insulated
air cleaner on an RV8 176. Changing
indicator lenses from amber to clear on an RV8 177. RV8
bottom hose problem 178. RV8
radiator blanking panel radiator check 179. More
on replacement tyres and savings 180. Steering
wheel locks 181. Replacement
RV8 shroud stickers 182. Recommended
tyre supplier 183. Replacing
the MG badges - care 184. Should
I keep the air-con system on a reimported RV8? 185. RV8
water hoses 186. Spasmodic
idle failure with an RV8 187. Off-side
underbody knock on an RV8 188. RV8
starting and running problems 189. Where
does the air conditioned air enter the RV8 cockpit? 190. Warning
- an unusual RV8 fire risk 191. RV8
alarm ECU - suspected vulnerability 192. Reimporting
an RV8 - what are the options? 193. New
mobile phone law in the UK Gavin Brown Gavin Brown at the MG Car Centre at Launceston in Tasmania has obtained a supply of replacement up-rated front springs. (Oct 03) RV8NOTE194 195. Factors causing Japanese RV8 owners to send their cars to auctions Colin Shea Colin Shea explains some of the economic and social factors which influence Japanese owners of classic cars like the RV8 to send their "ageing" car to auction from which they are generally exported to the UK or Australia. The flow of RV8s to auction in Japan is a key factor in the supply and demand balance in the RV8 markets in the UK and Australia so is inevitably of interest to RV8 enthusiasts there. (Nov 03) RV8NOTE195 196. Lowering the RV8 back end John Barnes Lawrie Steere (Oxford Blue 0933) who runs the MG Service Centre in Christchurch New Zealand races his RV8 and has been trying to get better handling. Here John Barnes (Woodcote Green 0636) from Wellington reports on progress so far. (Nov 03) 197. RV8 clutch slave cylinder repair kit Clive Wheatley Although repair kits are not available for the RV8 clutch slave cylinder, it is possible to use the kit available for the MGBGTV8. Here Clive Wheatley explains how. (DEC 03) 198. RV8 tyres - Michelin Pilots are available Bryan Ditchman Brian provides a workshop note update on the availability of suitable "V" rated replacement tyres for the RV8. (DEC 03) 199. RV8 front foglights - an alternative source of replacement units Bryan Ditchman Bryan provides a note on alternative source of replacement front foglights to help owners of UK specification cars (and owners of Japan specification RV8s wishing to convert them to UK spec) who are unfortunate enough to suffer stone damage. (DEC 03) Volume 7 200. Timing adjustment on reimported RV8s Chris Hunt Cooke Chris Hunt Cooke (Woodcote Green 2038) posted a note on the V8 Bulletin Board with a useful reminder to have the timing checked on reimported RV8s, even after the modification to the vacuum advance mentioned in RV8 Workshop Note 60 has been done. (Aug 03) 201. Unichip connector problems John Hornabrook John Hornabrook (Woodcote Green 1781) has prepared this note on the improved performance achieved by fitting of Unichip to his RV8. (Jan 04) 202. Velcro pads on RV8 trim panels Colin Shaw Colin Shaw (Woodcote Green 1397) from Lancashire, provides an account of how he solved a problem by sourcing an elusive spare part from another Register member. (Jan 04) 203. Removing an RV8 nose cone Gavin Bailey Peter Kilmister (BRG 0320) from Hampshire posted a query on the V8 Bulletin Board for help in removing the RV8 nose cone and Gavin Bailey promptly responded! (Feb 04) RV8NOTE203 204. Hot feet! Nick Grant Nick Grant (Woodcote Green 0388) from Tyne & Wear was concerned that the legwell air vents were permanently blowing hot air onto his feet. - fine in winter but with the approach of Summer he was wondering how to cure it! Fellow members provided help. (May 04) RV8NOTE204 205.
Folding windstop for an RV8 211. Uprated
RV8 Koni shock absorbers 212. Replacing
the reversing light switch 213. Checking
the gearbox oil level and/or replacing oil 214. RV8
suspension damper adjustment 234. RV8
alarm resynchronization - not alarm ECU damage 235. Power
assisted steering for an RV8 294.
Which brake fluid?
Bob Owen Bob Owen has produced an excellent article which sets out the facts with a dispassionate assessment of the issues so fellow members can understand the DOT categories, the DOT fluid performance tests and the benefits and disadvantages of each fluid. He has also highlighted some concerns - key variables where there is uncertainty. In essence they are the lack of information on the composition of the replacement rubber seals and the effect of various formulations of glycol fluid available in the market on those different types of rubber seal - and the effect of silicone fluid on them too. They are being examined and a further report will follow. (Jan 09) RV8NOTE294 295. Cooling hoses layout V8 Bulletin Board thread Mike Howlett posted a query on the V8BB seeking help with the cooling pipes on his conversion. (Feb 09) 296. Where can I get replacement ignition keys V8 Bulletin Board thread Mike Giblenn posted a V8BB message asking fellow members where he could get a replacement RV8 key with the pivoting fob? (Feb 09) 297. Space saver tyre for the RV8 Gavin Bailey Gavin Bailey (BRG 0766) from Surrey obtained an RV8 spacesaver tyre and as they are not readily available, he has provided some photos. (Feb 09) 298. Tyre sealants V8BB posting Roger Parker mentioned tyre sealants in V8NOTE247 as a way of coping with the removal of a spare tyre to make more room for luggage in an MGV8. (Feb 02) 299. Check the steel connecting pipe between the lower cooling hoses John Holmes John Holmes has a brief note but it is nonetheless a useful reminder of a check you should make when you change the rubber cooling hoses on your RV8. (APR 09) 300. Where can I get a touch up! Angus Munro Angus Munro posed this question on the V8BB and the response was most helpful. Surprisingly Miss Whiplash from Milton Keynes did not respond! (Jun 09) RV8NOTE300 Volume 9 301. Replacement boot bulkhead clips Hugh Boddington Hugh Boddington was looking for spare clips for his RV8 but had been unable to get them and then saw them in a magazine. (Jun 09) RV8NOTE301 302. RV8 windstop for the taller driver Angus Munro Angus Munro wanted a windstop but as he is quite tall had to think of ways of adapting the standard windstop. Here he describes the project and in a copy of this note, illustrated with photos, available on the V8 Website he provides a detailed guide to fitting a windstop plus provides a drawing of the new rail too. (Jul 09) RV8NOTE302 303. Renovo's plastic window polish works! Angus Munro Angus Munro posted a note on the V8BB of his experience with Renovo's product. (Jul 09) RV8NOTE303 304. Spacesaver wheel and tyre for an RV8 John Bolt Following a V8BB posting by Alan Spence, John Bolt provides details of the spacesaver wheel and tyre he has used on his RV8. (Jul 09) RV8NOTE304 305. Take care with adverts for RV8 brake discs on eBay! Julian Holmes Julian Holmes spotted an advert on eBay for RV8 replacement front brake discs at bargain prices but discovered they were not RV8 discs. Later he spotted an advert on eBay from MG Services Heathrow offering genuine RV8 discs which included a warning for RV8 enthusiasts to avoid discs offered on eBay by some traders. They are not RV8 discs but quite probably Rover 800 discs. (Jul 09) RV8NOTE305 306. Curing RV8 speedometer faults Peter Garton Peter Garton, an RV8 enthusiast in Germany, posted a VBB note reporting he had a faulty kph speedo. The responses were very interesting and highlighted some concerns for UK enthusiasts who still have a kph speedo on their reimported RV8. (Aug 09) RV8NOTE306 307. Critical views on spacesaver wheels Ian Quarrington & Bob Owen Some of the feedback on the spacesaver thread on the V8BB was critical of the idea of a spacesaver following the release of RV8NOTE304 on Tuesday 4th August . (Aug 09) 308. Converting RV8 headlamps to LHD Peter Garton Normally the RV8 reimports from Japan, apart from being originally equipped with the speedometer in kilometres, also have the headlamps fitted which are suitable for the UK - the Japanese also drive on the left! – so will need changing if you keep your RV8 in Mainland Europe or other countries where they drive on the righthand side of the road. (Aug 09) 309. Finding replacement RV8 cats Barry Martin Barry Martin started to hear the dreaded death rattle from the underside of his RV8 and he knew he had to find some replacement cats. Here he tells us where he found a good supplier. (Aug 09) 310. What is a Hoyle rear suspension upgrade like? Robert Crowson This is a question owners consider when they consider whether the handling and ride of the standard suspension package on their RV8. Nigel Hylands-White posted a message on the V8BB seeking fellow RV8 members' views. Here Robert Crowson relates his experiences of a Hoyle set up. (Nov 09) 311. Fitting a Hoyle independent rear suspension upgrade on an RV8 Steve Newton Steve Newton at Clive Wheatley mgv8parts has fitted a number of Hoyle rear suspension upgrade kits and provides an outline of what is involved. (Nov 09) 312. Not all suspension mods on an RV8 are a good idea Angus Munro Angus Munro bought an RV8 that was advertised with various suspension modifications supplied by a reputable company. He found the handling of the car was alarming. Here he describes what he found and how he cured the problems. (Nov 09) 313. LHD headlamp conversion on an RV8 Frank Labruier Most RV8s were produced in right hand drive (RHD) form as the major markets were Japan and the UK, both of whom drive on the left However, many of the Japanese RV8s have been put up for sale in recent years due to the cost of passing the very stringent tests their regulations impose on older cars. Moreover, the recession in the UK has increased the number of RV8s for sale in the UK and the strong state of the Euro and has made them attractive to continental buyers. So as more continental buyers want to register their RHD RV8s in mainland Europe a key requirement for compliance is that the headlights should dip to the right and meet the various cut-off and light scatter regulations. Frank Labruier of Luxembourg has an RV8 he bought in the UK and has come up with an economical and elegant solution. Frank apologises for his 35 year old school English but in fact it is very good, so the following is Frank's explanation, with a few very minor amendments from Bob Owen. (Nov 09) RV8NOTE313 314. Refurbishing RV8 wheels V8BB postings Hugh Boddington set a V8BB thread running with the question "has anybody had any experience of stripping the lacquer from an RV8 wheel using Nitro Mors water based paint and varnish remover?" It soon became an active thread and finally David Sutcliffe from Australia posted details of how he had refurbished his RV8 wheels. (DEC 09) RV8NOTE314 315. Water pump overhaul V8BB postings Ross Boyd posted a query on the V8BB seeking help with his water pump overhaul. (DEC 09) RV8NOTE315 316. Space saver wheel David Sutcliffe David sent in a set of photos of his modified SAAB 900 spacesaver spare wheel he uses with his RV8 when he needs boot space. He had a local engineering shop to make a spacer ring which is permanently fitted to the inside wheel centre. His photos show the improved boot space. (Photos: David Sutcliffe) RV8NOTE316 317. RV8 wheel refurbishment sequel Hugh Boddington Following the contributions to a V8BB thread on refurbishing RV8 wheels launched as a query by Hugh Boddington, he set about cleaning his wheels and replacing the removable studs. In this sequel he provides a photo record of how he refurbished his wheels. (Jan 10) RV8NOTE317 318. RV8 tacho removal and wiring Gavin Bown, John Brown and Hugh Boddington Ross Boyd posted a query on the V8BB saying could someone please tell me how to remove the tacho without removing the whole dash? (Jan 10) 319. Fitting a tow bar to an RV8 Tim Hipwell Nigel Ricardo posted a query on the V8BB seeking advice on fitting a tow bar to an RV8. Tim Hipwell responded with some photos of the tow bar he had fitted to the RV8 he used to own. (Jan 10) 320. What are the differences between the two types of drive - Phillips and Posidriv®? George Wilder The front of George Wilder's RV8 was hit by a pigeon as he was driving along a single carriageway. Fortunately on inspection he found no damage to the paintwork, but needed to remove and adjust the position of a headlight cowl on his RV8. He discovered the fixing screws were not Phillips but Posidriv®. This may not be a distinction which someone without an engineering background may be aware so this note explains the differences between the two types of drive so you will be able to make sure you have the correct screwdriver for the job. (Jan 10) 321. Wipers failed? - test the relay as well as the fuse Simon Austin Simon Austin recently imported RV8 (Woodcote Green 0590) to Canada from Japan and during the process of having the car MOT'd for licensing had run into a small snag. His wiper/washer system was not working. He thought he had isolated it to the relay/control unit on the back-side of the fuse-box. Unfortunately he found that this relay was not available in Canada so he ordered a new one from Rimmer Bros. Simon posted a message on the V8BB to see if any other RV8 owners had had their wipers fail and found the relay at fault. If not the relay, were there any other areas to check out? (Jan 10) 322. Concerns with modern antifreeze formulations for classic MG enthusiasts Victor Smith Concerns over the suitability of current antifreeze formulations for use in classic cars were raised in a recent newsletter from the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC). When you refer back to the handbook for the RV8 published it recommends using an ethylene glycol based antifreeze, but on visiting the Bluecol website a small footnote states their Bluecol 5 Year product is "not suitable for classic cars". So what does an RV8 enthusiast use for antifreeze today, what are the issues behind the changes to an iconic motoring product like Bluecol and what are the concerns for a classic car enthusiast? (9.3.10) 323. RV8 boot lid struts Peter Wallis Peter Wallis from Hampshire posted a note on the V8BB with a useful, moneysaving tip on sourcing replacement struts at a competitive price. (Mar 10) 324. RV8 Engine mounts orientation? [note is being drafted] Replacing his engine mounts, Darren Jones wanted clarification on which way round to fit them, so he posted a request for help on the V8BB. (APR 10) RV8NOTE324 & Extract 325. RV8 rear bumper alignment Peter Garton Peter Garton in Germany posted a note on the V8 Bulletin Board and later sent in a set of photos which help explain how he got his nearside rear bumper correctly aligned. (APR 10) RV8NOTE325 326. Blocked fuel filters - an essential check for RV8 enthusiasts Brian Kitching and Peter Garton Useful threads appear on the V8BB regularly and recently two threads clearly have a link producing a useful reminder for fellow RV8 enthusiasts on the need to check the fuel filter and a possible cause for the rust particles that can accumulate there! (Jun 10) 327. RV8 oil pressure switch John Bolt Geoff Day, a new member from Suffolk, contacted Club Office with a query - "my car is an early one, number 13 made. I need a new Oil Pressure Switch, but have been supplied with part number GPS 181 twice, which does not fit. Can you help?" (APR 10) 328. Fitting a Classic Additions' windstop Richard Wood posted a note on the V8BB seeking help as he has just purchased the classic additions windstop, but had found the instructions consist of some very grainy photos. Could someone tell me how to connect the windstop to the brackets and which way up the side brackets go. Also the bolts that connect the actual windstop to its side brackets seem far too long. Classic Additions sent us a useful photo.(Jun 10) 329. Unlocking a seat belt inertia reel Erik Persson When removing the seat the belt on his RV8, Erik Persson in Sweden found the belt completely rewound back onto the reel. Extending the belt proved impossible as the inertial lock appeared to have engaged and the belt could not be rewound further to get the lock to release. How did Erik solve the problem? (Jun 10) 330. Understanding and maintaining RV8 brakes Editor Christopher Allan posted a note on the V8 Bulletin Board seeking help understanding how the Rv8 brakes work and can be adjusted. This note provides links to copies of the sections on the brakes in the RV8 Technical Reveal and the RV8 Repair Manual. (Aug 10) RV8NOTE330 331. How safe is the jack in your RV8? Chris Allan Shortly after Chris Allan purchased his 1994 RV8 (Flame Red 1192) he decided to check the contents of the tool tray located within the spare wheel centre. What he found was not reassuring. (Aug 10) 332. Make sure your hood toggle catches are fixed correctly Michael Bernhard Michael Bernhard (Woodcote Green 1169) in Switzerland posted a useful caution on the V8 Bulletin Board. (Aug 10) 333. RV8 gear lever rubber gaiter replacement Richard Wood Richard Wood (Caribbean Blue 0370) from Lancashire found help from a fellow member via the V8 Bulletin Board on this occasional service item. (Sep 10) RV8NOTE333 334. Should the ashtray have an insert, metal or plastic? Richard Wood Richard Wood posted a note on the V8 Bulletin Board noting "as the RV8 is still new to me, but should the ashtray have an insert, metal or plastic?" (Nov 10) 335. Windstop installation from Holland Leo Schetters Leo Schetters has provided a set of photos and drawings of his neat windstop. (Nov 10) RV8NOTE335 336. Heater blower not working? Richard Wood Richard Wood posted a note on the V8 Bulletin Board seeking help with a heater blower that would not work. An RV8 enthusiast in Germany, Peter Garton, spotted a possible solution which solved the problem. (DEC 10) RV8NOTE336 337. What pressures do you use for modern tyres on an RV8? Ron Gammons Julian Holmes posted a message on the V8BB saying although much has been written about tyres on the V8BB, I haven't seen anything about tyre pressures used by other MGV8 members and wonder what they use?" (DEC 10) RV8NOTE337 338. Identifying the RV8 replacement cooling hoses Steve Newton Simon Austin in Canada posted a V8BB query seeking help in identifying a couple of hoses in the set of eleven in the replacement hose kit. So we have prepared a note identifying each one. (Jan 11) RV8NOTE338 339. Take care with excessive use of sump sealant Steve Newton On checking an RV8 for a sump oil leak, Steve Newton at Clive Wheatley mgv8parts was surprised by what he found! It could easily have lead to an expensive engine rebuild. (Jan 11) 340. Fitting central locking to an MGV8 Martin Ashby Martin Ashby (Bracken 1346) from Coventry says after owning many modern cars all fitted with remote central locking, he decided to retro fit remote central locking to his MGBGTV8. He had fitted the same style of kit to other classic cars he had owned including a previous MGB with great success. Here he describes the kit you will need to get and how to carry out the conversion. (Feb 11) 341. Fitting cruise control to an MGV8 Ralph Coulson Ralph Coulson acquired his V8 Roadster in 2007 and has enjoyed it a great deal including a memorable MGOT track day at Castle Coombe in 2009. Here he describes how he installed a cruise control system to his V8. (Feb 11) 342. RV8 "badge" Chris Allan Michael Gledstone posted a query on the V8BB saying "I note with some surprise that the RV8 does not display a badge, which says 'RV8'. I realise this is a matter of opinion or personal taste, however I feel a car of this class should have a visible identity. My car only displays ROVER - has any member fitted an RV8 badge? If so please could you say from where it was obtained?" (Mar 11) RV8NOTE342 343. RV8 rear window zip Peter Wallis Peter Wallis sought help on the V8BB with sticking zip and some useful tips followed. (Mar 11) 344. RV8 instrument bezels Dominic Scott Dominic Scott from New Zealand posted a query over instrument bezels. (Mar 11) Intro. (Mar 11) 345. Folding windstopper design for an RV8 Leo Schetters Dutch RV8 enthusiast, Leo Schetters, has generously provided a useful set of drawings for making folding brackets for an RV8 windstopper. (Mar 11) 346. Luggage rack options for an RV8 Chris Yates Richard Woods posted a note on the V8 Bulletin Board seeking help with a replacement luggage rack. Chris Yates responded with photos of both a fixed and a removable rack. Peter Beadle provides several footnotes. (Mar 11) 347. Where does the coolant go? Graham Cornford Simon Austin in Canada posted a query on a cooling difficulty. Graham Cornford in the USA suggested a possible cause and a way of avoiding coolant loss. (APR 11) 348. Useful tool for fitting a hood press stud Richard Wood Richard Wood posted a useful tip on the V8BB on hood studs. (APR 11) 349. Heater rail modification to avoid a heavy indentation on a rubber heater hose Steve Newton Steve Newton has come across a number of RV8s with an indentation on an elbow shaped rubber heater hose on the end of the heater rail near the alternator. He suggests a cure. (APR 11) 350. RV8 driver's footwell water leak Dominic Scott Dominic Scott, an RV8 enthusiast in New Zealand, highlights how he solved a water leak around the pedals. (Jul 11) 351. Fitted luggage for an RV8 Peter Wallis and Ken Clayton Peter Wallis and Ken Clayton have found some fitted luggage from a specialist supplier, Hillsalive, is an efficient way of packing for a weekend or a longer tour in an MGV8. (Aug 11) 352. Refurbishing a seat frame on an RV8 Olav Jansen Olav Jansen found the seats on the ex Japanese spec RV8 he bought were rather dirty and the iron frame was somewhat rusty, so he took out the seats to carry out a refurbishment. (Sep 11) RV8NOTE352 353. Cautionary tale with a socket ratchet set Nic Houslip Nic Houslip provides a word of warning to those of you who use socket set ratchet handles that you need to push the spindle through and turn over to reverse the direction of operation. (Jan 12) 354. Power steering options Victor Smith Fitting power steering to a classic MG is a topic often raised, particularly in relation to the RV8 which many people find heavy to steer. Hydraulic power assisted steering (PAS) systems have been available for a while, and some RV8s reimported from Japan have been retrofitted there with the MGF EPAS (electric power assisted steering) system. With a new EPAS conversion available in the UK, how do these systems compare? Victor Smith reviews the available options. (DEC 11) RV8NOTE354 355. Official type approval for the EZ EPAS system in Switzerland Michael Bernhard A Swiss RV8 enthusiast, Michael A. R. Bernhard, has been working hard with his local classic car specialist and EZ Power Steering in Holland to get official type approval for the retrofitted EZ EPAS system in Switzerland. Here he describes how they have successfully obtained official approval for the retrofit. (Jan 12) RV8NOTE355 Volume 10 356. First impressions of an EZ EPAS system Mike Lane Fitting power steering to an older MG is a topic often raised, particularly in relation to the RV8 which many people find heavy to steer. Mike Lane gives his first impressions of the pleasure of driving his RV8 fitted with an EZ EPAS retrofit from Clive Wheatley mgv8parts. (APR 12) 357. Draining and refilling the RV8 coolant system Peter Garton Following a query raised on the V8 Bulletin Board, Peter Garton sets out the procedure he uses to drain and refill the coolant system on his RV8.. (APR 12) RV8NOTE357 358 Replacement RV8 radiator cover Peter Garton The plastic radiator cover often breaks at the offside mounting point. Here Peter Garton describes his experience with the problem and how he fitted an upgraded replacement. (APR 12) 359. Refurbishing an RV8 brake master cylinder Paul Ireland As the hydraulic fluid in the brake master cylinder looked like old engine oil, Paul Ireland felt it looked as if the fluid had not been changed since his RV8 was built. So he decided to rebuild the master cylinder and the wheel cylinders. The master cylinder proved to be challenging because, not helped by an error in the RV8 repair manual - hence the reason for this note. (May 12) RV8NOTE359 360. Rechipping an RV8 Victor Smith It's a topic often raised by RV8 enthusiasts and in a V8BB thread in May 2012 Peter Garton sought a clarification of the difference between the the Optimax and Tornado chips supplied by the rechipping specialist Mark Adams. (May 12) RV8NOTE360 361. Replacing clutch and brake return springs Peter Garton A useful note from a V8 Bulletin Board thread launched by Peter Garton. (June 12) RV8NOTE361 362. RV8 wheel refurbishment Angus Munro From time to time a discussion opens on the V8 Bulletin Board regarding refurbishment of the wheels fitted as original equipment to the RV8. Angus Munro has followed these threads for some time and with the information gained had planned to do the work himself, but then found a first class specialist providing a good wheel refurbishment service. Angus relates his experiences. (July 12) RV8NOTE362 363. Setting up a Hoyle IRS upgrade on an RV8 Angus Munro When Angus Munro was considering the idea of putting the Hoyle Engineering IRS upgrade onto his RV8 he did as much research as possible before deciding to go ahead. He found the excellent article on fitting the upgrade by Steve Newton of Clive Wheatley mgv8parts published in Safety Fast! December 2009 was helpful but felt there was a distinct lack of information regarding the set-up of the system and moreover, what to expect of it. Here Angus describes his experience with setting up his Hoyle IRS. (Jul 12) 364. Spax shock absorber settings on an RV8 Angus Munro Shortly after bespoke Spax Krypton replacement shock absorbers were made available by Clive Wheatley in late 2007, Rob Collier reported his experience with fitting them and the pleasure driving an RV8 with much better handling and ride. In a V8BB thread in July 2012, Angus Munro reported his experience with softer settings on his replacement Spax shockers. It proved an interesting topic as Angus relates. (Jul 12) RV8NOTE364 365. Bonnet gas struts upgrade Simon Austin In an effort to improve on the RV8 design, Simon Austin wanted to install gas struts to the bonnet on his RV8. He'd always wondered why MG Rover didn't use struts but it may have just come down to cost. As Simon has had previous experience installing the struts on two other MGBs he has owned, he felt this task could easily be accomplished. Here he describes how he fitted a pair of gas struts. (Aug 12) 366. RV8 boot lid lock and boot light switch During a recent thread on the V8 Bulletin Board, Godfrey Dennis was able to solve two problems: first solving a problem with the switch forming part of the boot lock and second solving a missing tell-tale lamp on the dashboard switch for the boot lock. (Aug 12) RV8NOTE366 367. Radiator pressure caps Tony Lake The V8 cooling system just about copes with modern motoring so here Tony Lake provides this useful note on cooling, what is so "hot" it could be regarded as overheating and the importance of a correctly pressurised cooling system. (Aug 12) RV8NOTE367 368. Changing the small bulb in the RV8 dashboard boot release switch Godfrey Dennis During the discussion of how to solve a faulty luggage compartment lamp switch in the boot lock, Godfrey Dennis also checked the tell-tale light in the dashboard switch which opensthe boot. Here he describes how he tracked down a source of the small replacement bulbs and fitted one to his switch. (Aug 12) 369. Remote ignition module installation Simon Austin Simon Austin offers this modification saying you're not likely to find any reference to the remote ignition module kit in any RV8 manuals as the kit is actually intended for use on Land Rover vehicles. Since the RV8 uses the same ignition system as the mid-90s Land Rovers, this remote kit can be added to an RV8. The main reason for the kit is to extend the life of the ignition module by getting it away from heat. (Aug 12) 370. RV8 cooling fan modification Peter Garton Peter decided that a modification which allowed the cooling fan to run after the ignition was turned off would be a useful improvement. This note describes this modification. (Aug 12) 371. How to deactivate or disable the RV8 volumetric alarm Peter Garton Peter Garton explains how this adjustment to the burglar or anti-theft system can be made. (Aug 12) 372. Dealing with tyre punctures - a personal view Peter Varley Peter Varely responded to a V8 Bulletin Board thread discussing spacesaver wheels for the RV8 as a way of making more room for luggage when touring, with this personal view on his approach to the issue. (Sep 12) RV8NOTE372 373. RV8 cooling fan override switch John Anthistle Peter Ferguson posted a V8BB note seeking help making this useful modification saying “looking at the wiring diagram it looks to me that a switched, earthed wire to "85" on the cooling fan relay would bypass the cooling fan switch when required. However I am no auto electrician and would appreciate guidance from someone who has done it with success”. Helpful replies provided the answer. (Feb 12) RV8NOTE373 374. Tracing an engine misfire on an RV8 Oliver Libuda and Peter Garton After a lengthy and expensive series of tests and replacement parts by a local distributor, the problem was traced to a failure of the RV8 mass airflow sensor resulting in negative exhaust emission values when the engine was at normal operating temperature and causing misfiring when accelerating. Here Oliver and Peter explain how the problem was solved. (Oct 12) 375. Fitting electric wing mirrors to an RV8 John Taylor & John Cumming John Taylor made this reversible modification to his RV8 so he now has electrically adjustable wing mirrors with a heated element to remove condensation or frost from the face of the mirror. (Oct 12) 376. Preventative maintenance with the RV8 aircon condenser fan and motor John Cumming John Cumming found that when he took off the air conditioning condenser brackets and fans to repaint the metal work, the fan blades are mounted upside down and trap water in the closed part of the fan. This trapped water then rusts the fan motor case. He outlines a useful modification. (Jan 13) 377. More on electric wing mirrors Tim Smith Following RV8NOTE375 contributed by John Taylor and John Cumming, which described how the RV8 can have electrically controlled and heated mirrors, Tim Smith owner of Nightfire Red 1218 has added notes from his experience of fitting the mirrors. (Apr 13) 378. Aircon recharge on an RV8 David Allen After 16 years good use his with ex Japan 1996 RV8, David Allen found the air conditioning system failed to produce cool air. Here he explains how he found a convenient way to have the system checked and recharged. (Jun 13) 379. Replacing a yellow brake fluid warning label Richard Wood Richard Wood posted a V8BB note saying he had been cleaning the engine bay of his RV8 and noticed that 18 years of brake fluid has not been too kind to the "little yellow flexible plastic warning label" that sits under the brake fluid filler cap which is on top of the brake fluid reservoir. He traced a supplier. (Jul 13) 380. Scratch reduction on an RV8 rear window Philip Irving Philip Irving in Germany posted a note on the V8BB of his experience with a useful product for removing scratches from an RV8 rear screen. (Sep 13) 381. Solving crunching gears with an RV8 gearbox Peter Varley A query posted on the V8BB touched on a topic that will increasingly become an issue for RV8 owners as the mileage builds up on their LT77S or R380 gearboxes. (Feb 12) 382. Cures for a notchy gear change V8 Bulletin Board thread New RV8 member, Michael Burnside, posted a query on the V8 Bulletin Board saying "I don't know if all RV8s are the same, but with my car when changing into 2nd from 1st or 3rd it is a tad notchy. It is not crunching, it just is not smooth going in. My car is chassis 951 so has the later R380 gearbox with reverse to the right and back. Are there any adjustments or cures I could try?" The note provides useful information on lubricants for LT77 and R380 gearboxes. (Oct 13) 383. Rear spring shackle George Wilder When changing the rear spring shackle bushes on his 1965 MGB Roadster on one of the rear shackles, one of the pins separated from the shackle. Here George Wilder provides an advisory note suggesting that careful inspection of the shackle is required when changing the bushes and if there is any doubt over the condition of the shackle it should be replaced on a preventative basis. (Oct 13) 384. How to grease your gear lever and remote Steve Newton Steve Newton describes how the grease the gear lever cup on the remote on an LT77 or R380 gearbox fitted to an RV8. Access is tight and particular care needs to be taken with a spring loaded nylon plunger which holds the gear lever both when removing it and when replacing the gear lever - if you are not careful it can fly off and then you will need to spend time scrabbling around under the car hunting for the spring and plunger! Steve says "let's begin". (Nov 13) 385. Replacing the bush in a drop link eye at the end of the anti-roll bar Editor Replacing the bushes in the drop link eyes at the end of the bar and the bushes under the clamps securing the anti-roll bar to the main frame rails will necessary from time to time. Over time the bushes degenerate and allow some movement of the bar and drop link fixing which will reduce the effectiveness of antiroll bar as part of the suspension system. Replacing the bushes in the drop link eyes (1 right) at the end of the bar and the bushes (5) under the clamps (4) securing the anti-roll bar to the main frame rails will necessary from time to time. Over time the bushes degenerate and allow some movement of the bar and drop link fixing which will reduce the effectiveness of antiroll bar as part of the suspension system. (Jan 14) 386. LED lights upgrade Victor Smith Fitting LED bulbs as a direct replacement for the original filament bulbs results in a brighter more intense light than a filament bulb and a significantly lower power consumption too, a useful benefit with an ageing wiring loom. The bulbs use Light Emitting Diodes (LED) and most of the bulbs supplied by Classic Dynamo & Regulator Conversions use an LED called an SMD (surface mount diode) to emit a brighter more intense light than a filament bulb. They light instantly and have no filament to "blow". They are also good with vibration. (Apr 14) Published in the V8 Newsletter April 2014 issue of Safety Fast! 387. LED sidelight bulb upgrade John Cumming Following the article on LED bulbs published in the April 2014 V8 Newsletter in Safety Fast!, John Cumming provides additional information on an LED side light upgrade. (Apr 14) 388. How does a Quaife differ from a limited slip differential? Nic Houslip Nic Houslip explains how they differ. (Apr 14) 389. RV8 wheel refurbishment Al Barnett Wheel refurbishment has been a regular topic over for RV8 enthusiasts over the years and in a V8 Bulletin Board Al Barnett reported how he had his wheels refurbished by a specialist in Kent. (May 14) 390. Coolant loss? - it could be a crack in the expansion tank neck Chris Yates His RV8 was examined and it was found the expansion tank was losing fluid and this was because, over time, the pressure cap had been over tightened creating a hardly discernable hole at the mouth of the expansion tank. This crack was just enough to create the conditions for a reduced pressure on the cooling system and the loss of coolant. (Jun 14) 391. RV8 seatbelt repair or replacement Andrew Jeyarajah Wear on seatbelts can be an MOT failure, so what can you do if you need to repair or replace a worn or damaged seatbelt? (Jun 14) 392. Gaiters to cover cracked RV8 seatbelt belt stalk covers Mike Lane Mike found a way of repairing his cracked seat belt stalk plastic covers. (Jun 14) 393. RV8 aircon saga - round 2 David Allen David Allen contributed a useful RV8NOTE378 in June 2013 based on his experience of having his aircon system checked and recharged by Kwikfit. Here he provides an update. (Jun 14) 394. RV8 rear screen zip repair Mike Lane and Peter Wallis When the zip for the rear window on his RV8 failed, Peter Wallis sought help from fellow members on the V8 Bulletin Board. (Jun 14) 395. What are the key issues to consider when deciding whether to fit 175 or 185 tyres on an MGBGTV8? Victor Smith A question often posed by V8 members is "I need to fit some new tyres shortly and had a look around at what fellow members have on their cars. Currently I have 185s but am considering going back to 175s. Are there any strong views on what is best?" (Jul 14) 396. Avoiding a fine for incorrect registration plates George Wilder With the end of paper tax discs on 1st October the DVLA will be relying on Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to check vehicles have a current vehicle excise duty, even a NIL value VED for a Historic tax class vehicle. Using ANPR cameras will also give the police the opportunity of spotting other offences such as incorrect registration plates for which there is a potential fine of £1,000. George Wilder highlights how to check your classic MG built on or after 1st January 1973 has the correct plates and avoid a heavy fine. (Oct 14) 397. Getting an MG that has been stored back on the road Mike Howlett, Malcolm Venables, Gavin Brown & Bob Owen David Conte recently bought a Factory MGBGTV8 and as he had always been a classic Mini enthusiast he felt working on a V8 was a departure. He mentioned the car has been stored for the last 14 years and as a consequence needed a little work to get it back on the road. The car was in great condition body wise and mechanically seems strong. As the car only done a genuine 49,000 miles with evidence to prove it, David was not anticipating an engine rebuild but he had some questions and sought fellow members help in a V8BB posting. (Nov 14) 398. Retrofitting daytime driving lights to a classic car Vic Todman So how can a classic car enthusiast improve the relative visibility of their car particularly at night and in adverse conditions but also during the daytime? This note examines the case for DRLs and Vic Todman describes a modest DRL modification he has made on his MGV8. (Nov 14) 399. Alarm not working on an RV8 Gavin Brown, Simon Austin, Peter Garton, Alan Rennie and Richard Withington A note was posted on the V8BB by Terence Carney seeking help with solving a problem with an alarm not working. Terence asked "is there a relay that could need replacing, where it and where is the alarm fitted? He added "is the relay colour coded? I can only think that it can be this because everything was working as normal when I last left the car." In the end Richard Withington met up with Terence and solved the problem - a defective electronic key fob. (Nov 14) Volume 11 400. Headrest upgrade for the RV8 Ian Cranston Ian Cranston describes a useful upgrade for the headrests in his RV8. (Jan 15) RV8NOTE400 401. Lubricating an RV8 steering rack Gerald Wright & Clive Wheatley Gerald Wright has an RV8 in Zimbabwe and has provided some interesting feedback on his experience with maintenance on his steering rack. (Feb 15) 402. ECU upgrade caution Paul Baker Paul Baker is pleased with the Optimax chip upgrade but has an important caution. (Feb 15) 403. What does an ignition amplifier do and what is the benefit of having one? Chris Ho, Alan Rennie, Mike Howlett & Simon Austin This question was raised on a V8BB thread on rechipping an RV8. Fellow members responded. (Feb 15) 404. Which gearbox fo you have - an LT77S or an R380? Editor An LT77S gearbox was fitted to RV8s until VIN 0643 and from 0644 an R380 was used for the rest of the production run. How can you check which gearbox you have? (Apr 15) RV8NOTE404 405. Repairing the gear lever dust cap on the RV8 LT77 gearbox Nic Houslip The gearbox dust cap on the LT77 and R380 gearboxes fitted to RV8s and many other Rover products is a little weak in its design, relying on a single screw to hold it in place. Often you will see that the small bracket on the side has broken or the spot-welds holding the bracket on to the cup have detached. Nic Houslip explains how to do the repair. (Jun 15) 406. Routine checks on brakes are worthwhile Steve Newton Thankfully classic cars continue to have an annual MOT test but not every problem with an ageing car is revealed by that test as a note from Steve Newton highlights. (Jul 15) RV8NOTE406 407. Caution with the interior light control Roger Glover Roger Glover has owned two RV8s over the last twelve years and says "I have only just discovered a peculiarity with the interior light control and thought that it might be of interest to fellow RV8 owners". (Sep 15) 408. FilterMag magnetic oil filter wrap John Hale, Ian Haynes, Bob Owen, Victor Smith and Victor Todman In a V8BB thread John Hale sought information on where he could get a magnetic engine sump drain plug but as the thread developed another neat alternative appeared - the FilterMag wrap for the oil filter. (Aug 15) 409. RV8 coolant bleed insert Stuart McGuigan Anyone who has done the job will know what a pain it is to refill the RV8 cooling system when changing the coolant or following work on the system. Here Stuart McGuigan describes a modification he has made which makes the job far easier. (Nov 15) 410. Check your antiroll bar drop links Nic Houslip Recently there have been some failures of the front antiroll drop links. These connect the outer ends of the antiroll bar to their respective lower suspension arm. Nic Houslip feels it is probably worth spending time checking the condition of the drop links. Failure of the link will affect handling, by allowing much more body roll in corners. (Nov 15) 411. Improving your MG RV8 Roger Moran Recently Roger Moran had some 'under the bonnet' changes made to his RV8 which have resulted in improved performance and lower fuel consumption. In addition, the engine now runs even more smoothly, and, in Roger's opinion, results in a greater enjoyment of the car. Here Roger explains why and how the changes were made. (Nov 15) 412. Where can I get replacement drop links? Peter Beadle Following the note on drop links contributed by Nic Houslip, Peter Beadle provides a useful update of where you can get replacement parts. (Dec 15) RV8NOTE412 413. Check your plastic breather pipe is not missing on the back axle Derek Squires Derek Squires highlights a check worth making on your RV8 back axle. (Dec 15) RV8NOTE413 414. Curing a leaking heater matrix Barry West Barry West sought help with a V8BB posting with a heater matrix leak on his Japanese spec RV8 and Paul Atkinson responded explaining how he had replaced the heater matrix on his RV8. (Jan 16) 415. RV8 thermostat - drilled vent or undrilled? Nic Houslip In a V8BB posting Morris sought clarification on whether the thermostat is vented. (Feb 16) 416. Wrapping or coating exhaust manifolds Gavin Brown, Peter Ferguson, Geoff King, Mike Haughton & Alan Reeling Barry West posted a note on the V8 Bulletin Board seeking the views of fellow members on covering his RV8 manifolds with an insulating wrap but wondered whether it was worthwhile. The thread provided a range of views some based on some useful practical experience. (Mar 16) 417. Removing and replacing the cowl on an RV8 headlight Mike Haughton posted a query on the V8 Facebook Group page saying "bit of advice please - the headlamp cowl on my RV8 has mysteriously acquired a split. If I take it off would it be repairable from inside? And how does the cowl come off?" Useful comments and information came from Godfrey Dennis, Derek Squires and Victor Smith and then Mike provided a note on RV8 headlamp cowl removal. (Sep 15) 418. Thread compatibility with replacement back axle breathers Stuart McGuigan and Nic Houslip Following Derek Squires highlighting a useful check worth making on RV8s to ensure the original plastic back axle breather has not broken or vanished, an alternative breather was identified by several members - a Land Rover part no. 515485 - and generally regarded as a far better quality replacement part. The key concern is whether the thread on the brass breather is compatible with the thread on the recess on the top of the back axle. This topic has a wider interest as plastic back axle breathers were fitted as original equipment on MGBs and MGBGTV8s. This note aims to clarify some of the compatibility concerns. (May 15) RV8NOTE418 419. Touch up for RV8 leather trim David Knowles David Knowles has found a useful, low cost way of touching up the Stone Beige leather trim in an RV8. (May 16) 420. V8 sump gaskets Tony Lake A thread on the V8 Bulletin Board in May 2016 discussed the suitability of several sump gaskets for the RV8. One contributor, Tony Lake, mentioned how a problem with the pressed steel sump is the light steel section used. He noted "the V8 sump is one of the best candidates I've seen for leakage, along with the valley cover". He then mentioned he had some sketches of the stiffening pieces he had made to overcome the problem and solve the leaks. (Jun 16) RV8NOTE420 421. Solving an RV8 alternator problem Nic Houslip Nic Houslip enjoys track days and sprints with his RV8 and V8 Roadster and here relates a tale of how a problem developed with his alternator on the RV8 at a sprint. Nic's article provides useful information on solving the problem for fellow members. (Jul 16) 422. Advance or Retard the spark? Nic Houslip Go forward or go back? That is an interesting question and when investigated it turns out that it isn't at all what you thought it might be. Nic Houslip, who prepares his RV8 and V8 Roadster for use in sprints and hillclimbs, explains what's involved. (Jul 16) 423. Timing the V8 engine in an RV8 and MGBGTV8 Nic Houslip Nic Houslip explains how to set the timing on an MGV8. (Aug 16) 424. Changing seatbelts in an RV8 Nic Houslip Nic describes the task of fitting the seatbelts and an alternatives of getting new belts or having the existing belts refurbished. (Aug 16) 425. How to connect up a battery conditioner in an MGV8 Nic Houslip During a call from an enthusiast who had just bought an RV8, he enquired whether a battery conditioner like an Accumate could be connected to the power socket in an MGV8 as a simple and convenient way of maintaining the battery condition and charge when the car is parked in a garage for a while. This note shows it can be done easily. (Aug 16) RV8NOTE425 426. How to clean your RV8 to almost concours standard Howard Guiney So you want to revive your RV8s appearance from a dirty but sound car to nearer a concours finish? Concours winner Howard Guiney explains what you need. (Aug 16) 427. Using a trolley jack on an RV8 Nic Houslip and George Wilder They set out useful guide on how to use a trolley jack and highlight a caution with the torque control bar on the rear suspension. (Aug 16) RV8NOTE427 428. RV8 ECU - what is it and what does it do? Nic Houslip At a quick glance the RV8 has the retro MGB Roadster appearance but, developed and produced three decades after the original MGB, it's a substantially re-engineered car in many ways, not least with an engine management system. Many members without the technical knowledge are keen to try an understand how that engine management system works so here Nic Houslip explains what the ECU is and what it does in the RV8's engine management system. (Aug 16) 429. Understanding the RV8 Engine Management System Dave Morris, John Anthistle, John Hale and Nic Houslip A detailed note on the operation and maintenance of the 'brain' behind their fuel injection system. Their article delves into some of the details of the engine management system, fault detection and diagnosis. They also explore the options for owners who want to upgrade by 'chipping' or 'remapping' their engines. (Sep 16) RV8NOTE429 430. Collapsible steering column Mike Macartney In one of his V8 Roadster Rebuild reports, Mike Macartney described how he refurbished the collapsible steering column. An expanded illustrated note was then produced. (Nov 16) 431. Checking the air filter on your RV8 Robin Plumley describes here how he checked the air filter on his RV8 and decided to replace the green filter with a new replacement K&N part. (Dec 16) RV8NOTE431 432. Changing a speedometer when an RV8 is reimported from Japan Contributors to a V8BB thread Japanese specification RV8s were exported to Japan with a speedometer incorporating an odometer, both calibrated in kilometres. Many RV8s have returned to the UK as reimports so what is the position with regard to the need for a speedometer change from kilometres to miles and retaining evidence of the mileage before that change so the owner of the vehicle can provide an indication of the total mileage when the car is subsequently offered for sale? This note explains the options, sources of dials or specialist conversions and costs. (Dec 16) 433. Getting information on your car from DVLA David Worthington After contacting the V8 Register for information about previous owners for his MGBGTV8, David Worthington made an application to DVLA under their V888 procedure. Here he describes how it works, what it costs and what information he received. (Jan 17) RV8NOTE433 434. RV8 self purging top hose insert Stuart McGuigan Stuart has devised an improved solution to filling an RV8 cooling system in the form of a self purging top hose insert. (Mar 17) 435. Correction to ignition timing guide in RV8 repair manual Mike Macartney & Nic Houslip Following a discussion between Mike Macartney and Nic Houslip they believe the description of setting the distributor in the manual (copy alongside) is not correct. Nic Houslip sets out the correction. (Jun 17) RV8NOTE435 436. RV8 aircon heater cut-off flap vacuum actuator Derek Squires & Gavin Brown A query posted on the V8 Bulletin Board by Derek Squires said "the rubber diaphragm on my RV8 has perished and split in the heater cut-off flap vacuum actuator. Does anyone have one that they've removed while taking the aircon system out of their car and would be willing to sell to me? Alternatively, has anyone had and solved this problem, as the actuators are no longer obtainable. It's the black unit that sits in front of the heater box under the bonnet and moves a lever to shut off the normal airflow when aircon is selected, with 'ACTS Ltd 01685' moulded on it". (Jul 17) 437. Solving an RV8 hot start problem Tim Volker In July 2016 Tim Volker launched a thread on the V8 Bulletin Board seeking fellow members' advice on a hot start problem he had with his RV8. Almost exactly a year later Tim posted a note saying he had discovered the cause of the problem and a fix. (Jul 17) 438. Why does a starter motor not turn over? Nic Houslip Turn the ignition key to start the engine and all you get is a "Clack" from the solenoid, or perhaps even a "clac-clac-clac-clac" sound. As you realize that the starter motor won't turn over you get that sinking feeling, wondering what is going on. The answer is not as easy to explain as to describe but here Nic Houslip explains the checks you can make and some of the background information you will need. (Aug 17) RV8NOTE438 439. Where to get touch up paint Barry Kelly Picking up on the advice in a previous workshop note by Angus Munro - RV8NOTE300 - for supplies of paint for the odd touch up job, Barry Kelly says "I have previously bought Oxford Blue (BLVC1203) from Halfords and been happy with the blend match to the existing paintwork. Having recently obtained some more cans at the end of May earlier this year which I had used up, I went to Halfords again to get a couple of cans of Oxford Blue. On visiting them on 6th July I was told that all Halfords stores have stopped doing paint mixing in branch". Here Barry relates how he solved this problem. (Aug 17) 440.Road speed sensor for the RV8 Nic Houslip Responding to a member searching for a road speed sensor for his RV8, Nic Houslip agreed it is difficult finding one but added "when I first had my RV8 it had some issues with idling at strange speeds, so I thought I had narrowed it down to the sensor. I then dissembled it and checked the operation. His note describes how the sensor works. (Oct 17) RV8NOTE440 Volume 12 441. Changes to the availability of information on vehicles from DVLA Editor It's clear that the procedures for applying for information on a vehicle and current and former keepers under the DVLA V888 procedure have been changed since an article was released on the V8 Website in January 2017 and added to the RV8 Workshop Notes series as RV8NOTE433. This note sets out the current DVLA approach and procedure. (Oct 17) RV8NOTE441 442. Ever broken a stud removing parts from your engine? Nic Houslip It happens, particularly on studs that are exposed to the elements and to heat, as exhaust manifold studs invariably are. Here Nic Houslip recalls having the front most stud holding the exhaust manifold shear off just below the nut on a car that he was working on and was able to remove the residue with a stud remover. (Nov 17) 443. Why doesn't the boot open remotely via the switch on the dash? A useful reminder from Peter Garton. (May 18) RV8NOTE443 444. Basic windscreen wiper maintenance Nic Houslip A useful check of the condition of the wiper blades. (Jun 18) 445. Dealing with an RV8 Ignition module overheating Nic Houslip & John Cumming Doug Bush reported a difficulty with an RV8 at a mid-week run in Australia with three RV8s when the temperature was 28C plus and one of the RV8s developed Ignition module overheating and ta failure to run. Nic Houslip and John Cumming responded with some useful information. (Nov 18) 446. Waterless coolant concerns Nic Houslip and Tony Lake Chris Danner sought advice or information on replacing the standard antifreeze/water coolant in an MGBGTV8 with the waterless type? Here we have some useful information and views on waterless coolants in an MGV8. (Nov 18) 447. RV8 alloy wheels and plastic rivets Clive Wheatley & David Knowles Who made the original alloy wheels for the RV8 was a question raised by John Brown in a post on the V8BB and later John Stevenson asked "is there a supplier for replacement plastic rivets" Useful clarifications came from David Knowles and Clive Wheatley. (Nov 18) RV8NOTE447 448. Wheel centre fixings on an RV8 John Anthistle RV8 owner John Anthistle was concerned about the ease with which wheel-centre-caps could be removed on the majority of RV8s. He found a source for improved fixings and Clive Wheatley agreed to stock and supply these items for owners. (Dec 18) 449. Rear parking sensor John Gay Finding a way to fit rear parking sensors on his rubber bumper MGBGTV8 was something John Gay wanted to do, so he set about researching the options and the practical ways of undertaking an installation. As an early step he posted a query on the V8 Bulletin Board seeking fellow members' views. Here he explains what he found and the trial fittings he has undertaken. (Dec 18) 450. Improving the air con flow to RV8 driver's feet John Anthistle RV8 owner John Anthistle had always been unimpressed with the airflow from the Air Conditioning to the driver's footwall and decided to investigate further. He has devised a simple improvement that can be easily reversed. (Feb 19) 451. Solving the the second gear problem with an LT77 or R380 Andy Leondiou Andy reported in a V8BB post that he thinks "we have sorted out the 2nd gear problem with the RV8s thanks to Stuart Ratcliff of The MG Centre of Sydney." His note explains how it done. (Aug 19) 452. Cure for “sloppy” gear lever Martin Cridford and Graham Vickers Tony Smith found the gear lever on his RV8 had suddenly become very 'sloppy' with a lot of movement and that it was never like this before. He sought fellow members’ ideas as to why this should have happened. Some useful tips came from fellow members including Martin Cridford and Graham Vickers. (Aug 19) 453. Solving the second gear problem with an LT77 or R380 Andy Leondiou and Graham Vickers Andy Leondiou reported in a V8BB post that he thinks we have sorted out the 2nd gear problem with the RV8s thanks to Stuart Ratcliff of The MG Centre of Sydney. (Sep 19) 454. Next note Expansion tank corrosion Jim Dolbel On removing the bracket for a closer inspection, I was alarmed at the amount of corrosion that was hidden from view by the expansion tank and behind the retaining bracket at the base of the windscreen washer tank. I would strongly advise all RV8 owners to inspect the base of the bracket as both my RV8s had corrosion. (Nov 19) RV8NOTE454 455. Concerns with relative visibility of classic cars Victor Smith Classic car enthusiasts are increasingly aware that with the growth of bright Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) on modern cars which have become much larger, not least from the growth in new SUVs and 4x4s, the relative visibility of a car like an MGBGTV8 is becoming a real concern. They are also aware that when you drive on UK roads today you sense that MGV8 is much smaller than many modern cars which seem to get larger and larger - not to mention the explosion of even larger SUVs and 4x4s. (Feb 20) RV8NOTE455 456. Keep your back axle breather clear to avoid moisture build up Ralph Hardwick Ralph found it appears that the rear axle breather was blocked - the resulting condensation build up together with having only covered 1,000 miles in the last seven years, has caused some corrosion and bearing issues. Checking your back axle breather is not missing and replacing it with a brass item which is much more durable is a good upgrade. (Feb 20) RV8NOTE456 457. Are LED headlights upgrades legal in the UK? Chris Hunt Cooke highlights a useful website which has clear information on the current legal position with LED bulbs used as an upgrade on classic cars. The ABD website covers the key areas of concern. (Mar 20) 458. Fuel filter change needed even on a low mileage car Jeff Shaw Jeff has a reminder for fellow RV8 owners of the need to change their fuel filters regularly, even on an exceptionally low mileage RV8. (Apr 20). 459. Replacement radio amplifier Julian Drew Julian Drew needed a replacement for his faulty amplifier and placed a wanted advert on the V8 Spares for Sale webpage on the V8 Website. Here he reports how he made the replacement. (May 20) 460. RV8 real lamp repair Aidan Pavey With a dmaged rear lamp but fortunately the parts still there, Aidan describes how he made a repair. (August 20) 461. Strategy for dealing with a sheared engine fastener Jim Livingstone It is every engine dismantler's nightmare. The fracture of a fastener and the realisation that what started as a simple job has just become complicated and time consuming. Threaded fasteners in aluminium tappings have a disconcerting tendency to seize through electrochemical reaction between the metals and this seizure is frequently enough to prevent normal removal of the fastener. When planning the overhaul of the V8 engine in an MGBGT the prudent dismantler will consider a recovery strategy for such eventualities. The purpose of this note is to outline some of the available options. (August 2020) 462. Checklist of manuals for the V8 engine in the MGBGTV8 and MG RV8 models Editor As the V8 engine underwent a series of developments over the 30 years and more it was an important engine for MG-BL-Rover Group and Land Rover, it's helpful to see a checklist of the many manuals with information from various sources on the V8 engine produced by the Rover Group. (August 2020) 463. What's causing a rattling sound in an RV8 engine? Andreas Gloor, Nic Houslip & Tony Lake Andreas Gloor in Switzerland raised the question: "Are there members who experienced valve problems? More precisely who has experienced valve rattling as soon as the engine is heating up a bit? Nic Houslip and Tony Lake offered some explanations. (October 2020) 464. Routine engine oil and filter change Jim Livingstone Useful note recommending an oil change before a winter layup. (October 2020) RV8NOTE464 465. Fitting an MG Car Club 90th Anniversary grille badge to an RV8 Marion Quarrington Marion Quarrington explains how she fitted a Club 90th Anniversary grille badge to her RV8. (November 2020) 466. Fitting a V8 Register grille badge to an RV8 John Anthistle John explains how he carried out the task on his RV8. (November 2020) 467. Fitting a heat shield to a starter motor Paul Taylor This illustrated note shows how to fix a heat shield. (November 2020) 468. Avoiding a dashcam drop Victor Smith A simple way of avoiding a dashcam falling from the windscreen if the suction pad fails. (December 2020) RV8NOTE468 469. Wall mounting a battery conditioner Peter Spurrs The general principle is to mount the unit in a safe, ventilated place where any heat that might be generated in or around a conditioner can be dissipated. Peter Spurrs feels a wall mounting is the obvious place. (December 2020) 470. Prudent safety measures with electrical devices during a lay-up Nic Houslip One protective device is the use of an RCD(Residual Current Device),or as they are technically termed a Residual Current Circuit Breakeror RCCB. Nic Houslip feels any protection is better than none and the more thebetter. Here he provides information on how an RCDcould be useful and how it works. (December 2020) RV8NOTE470 471. Care when using battery charger rather than a battery conditioner Nic Huslip Many classic car enthusiasts keep their vehicle connected toa modern battery conditioner to maintain the battery charge level and conditionwhilst others do periodic charges of the battery using a battery charger. Here Nic Houslip highlights the differences between a battery conditioner and a more traditional battery charger and the care you need to take with a charger. (December 2020) RV8NOTE471 472. What are the popular battery conditioners for a classic car? Peter Spurrs A survey of V8 owners indicated the two mostpopular brands of battery conditioners are the CTEK and Accumate. (December 2020) RV8NOTE472 473. Confirming the position of TDC identification Jim Livingstone Jim Livingstone has been preparing instructions for his when he inherits the car and one useful guide is how to confirm the position of Top Dead Centre Identification. Here Jim sets out his useful guide. (May 2021) 474. Priming the oil system in a V8 engine after a prolonged layup Jim Livingstone Jim Livingstone has been preparing instructions for his son when he inherits the car and one useful guide is priming the oil system when a Rover V8 engine is unused for extended periods. Here Jim sets out his useful guide. (May 2021) 475. Replacement aluminium radiator for an RV8 Julian Drew Here Julian Drew explains that he purchased an aluminium Radtec radiator for his RV8 last September because he was a little concerned that the relevant standard replacements available were probably units that had been refurbished a number of times already and having experienced a couple of poor examples, He felt a new fabricated unit the way to go. (February 2022) Volume 13 476. Replacing spacer fixing pads on a number plate Victor Smith This simple but useful maintenance item could then save an MGV8 or MGRV8 owner the inconvenience and expense of replacing a number plate that had fallen off. Over time the adhesive pads holding the plastic number plate to the back plate can begin to fail. It's easy to replace all three pads. Replacement pads are available from Halfords. (August 2022) 477. Dealing with RV8 sump gasket oil leaks John Brown, Graham Vickers, Chris Beauclerk & Martin Cridford RV8 owner John Brown posted a note on the V8 Bulletin Board on how he approached dealing with an oil leak from the sump gasket. There V8BB thread was active with interesting contributions. (August 2022) 478. Polybushes disintergrating on an MGBGTV8 Gavid Bailey In a V8 Bulletin Board post Gavin Bailey in the US reported problems with polybushes fitted to his MGBGTV8 disintegrating. His photos illustrate the problem. (August 2022) 479. Re-gassing an aircon system Peter Cutting & Simon Williams At a gathering of RV8 enthusiasts in the southwest of England organised by Peter Cutting, an aircon regassing exercise was included using a DIY kit supplied by Thompsons. This note has been prepared with the contribution provided by Simon Williams. (August 2022) 480. RV8 exhaust downpipe and clamp safety issue Peter Berry Peter Berry believes all RV8 owners need to be made aware of this safety risk and carry out an inspection to check if a non-original replacement exhaust pipe with a clamp has been fitted to their car to ensure they will not face similar serious damage to the wall of their tyre. (November 2022) 481. Getting heat out of an MG engine bay Victor Smith, Mike Howlett, John Brown, Peter Varley, Nic Houslip, Tony Lake & Peter Ellis A V8 Bulletin Board thread launched by Mike Howlett mentioned the twin Factory style cooling fans on his MGBGT conversion with a fuel injected 3.9 engine from a 1991 Range Rover and using a Clive Wheatley uprated radiator really struggle to keep things at a sensible temperature. He sought fellow members’ views. (November 2022) 482. Earthing issues with an RV8 Temperature Gauge Julian Drew & Paul Atkinson Paul Atkinson experienced a puzzling issue when driving his RV8. When he switched on the dipped headlights the needle on the temperature gauge climbed and went off the scale! In a post on the V8 Bulletin Board he sought fellow members’ views on how to solve the problem. Paul carried out a procedure suggested by Julian Drew and a proving run did confirm the earthing problem had been resolved and the temperature gauge works well with no sudden rises of the needle. (January 2023) 483. Improved front side lights John Brown's note on LED replacement front side light bulbs followed his looking at increasing the quality of his front side lights as from time to time he felt other car drivers do not appear to see his Woodcote Green RV8. He replaced the original bulbs with ‘Daylight White LED bulbs which give a whiter light closer to other running lights. (June 2023) John Brown 484. Replacement numberplate bulbs John Brown John Brown sent in this note on fitting LED replacement rear number plate light bulbs. (June 2023) 485. Thin wall spark plug sockets Victor Smith Note on the availability of thin wall spark plug sockets for MGV8s. (July 2023) 486. Worn Prop shaft Universal Joints David Sell, Andrew Noble, Peter Ellis, Clive Wheatley In a V8BB post David Sell in the USA said “I'm in need of replacing the drive shaft universal joints. I have yet to find part numbers for them. Does anyone have experience replacing them? If so, are they the same as another vehicle?" (April 2024) 487. Headlamp Dust Cover Jeffrey Lister, Paul Atkinson, Andreas Adam The dust cover at the back of the headlamp on Jeffrey Lister’s RV8 fell off whilst he was driving home and in a V8BB post he asked if “anyone has a screw on dust cover/access cap for the rear of the head lamp casing or know of an alternative solution”. (April 2024) 488. Importing a vehicle to France John Upton, (Franck Morand) Bracken 1322) a few years ago and his V8 reverted to its former UK registration. He subsequently retired to France and was able to get the V8 registered there without difficulty. Here he provides an update on the current procedure. (April 2024) 489. Insurance write-off categories Victor Smith Occasionally classic cars are seen offered for sale mentioning a Cat C write off classification. In some cases the disclosure of Cat C is not clear and in any case a potential buyer will need to understand what that classification means and the consequent effect on the value of the car and its attraction to any future buyers. (April 2024) 490. Problems with a noisy hydraulic tappet Tony Lake & Victor Smith James Clydesdale contacted the V8 Register saying “I have problems with a very noisy hydraulic tappet in my RV8 and wonder if somebody could point me in the right direction regarding this. Would appreciate any help or advice or perhaps guidance to a company or professional who could make it good”. Here preliminary checks are set out and an inspection of the tappet s and options for solving the problem. (July 2024) 491. Steering gaiter clips Peter Berry He was under his V8, completing the annual oil change and he noticed that the rubber boots on the track rod ends had significantly perished and torn on both sides of the car. He purchased new gaiters from a well-known MG parts supplier and was slightly surprised to find that they came with plastic tie-wraps, rather than the more usual stainless steel jubilee clips. Here he describes the clips he used and where he sourced them. (August 2024) 492. RV8 radiator blanking panel repair Jim Dolbel/Geoff Lane Geoff sent in photos of his engine bay displaying a modification to the Radiator Blanking Panel on his car. (January 2025) 493. Breakdown safety kit Victor Smith Victor Smith feels it's clear sense to have them in your car should you breakdown so they can be easily reached and put on before stepping out of the car next to heavy traffic. (May 2025) 494. How often should I replace my battery? Victor Smith Car batteries can last for five years or a little more depending on how you use your car and care for the batteries. Here he highlights four tips. (May 2025) 495. Battery carrier/lifter Peter Berry When carrying out a battery change he found a battery carrier (Sealey Bt91/9) very useful. (May 2025) 496. V8 engine steel sump upgrade kit John Henke After reading Tony Lake's article on a sump upgrade he came across classeparts of Leighton Buzzard who sell a “Rover V8 Engine Steel Sump Upgrade Kit” which he then installed. (May 2025) 497. Next note Contributor Updated on 11th July 2025 © V8 Register. No reproduction, copying, transmission or sale of the whole or any part of the RV8 Workshop Notes series is permitted without the express agreement in writing of the V8 Registrar of the V8 Register. The series continues and all contributions will be very welcome. Please send them to the to the V8 Registrar, Victor Smith at email . See the Asbestos cautions for classic car enthusiasts. More |
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