Spunagain's MG ZT260 Pages

Spunagain's ZT260 pages are under construction.

This page is made up of my own experiences and cullings from the Xpower forums

  Poor Climate Control


The Climate control on the 260’s is notorious! It is significantly poorer than the front wheel drive versions (Mrs Spunagain has a ZTT190). The Air flow is poorer, the response time is slower and it is much noisier. All of this I can live with as the ZT is the first car I have had with any sort of air con and basically it works, in that is keeps the car cool in summer and warm(ish if >0 degrees C outside) in winter .

 However there are some common faults that make the Climate control fail or perform really poorly all aof which can be fixed so don't panic!  Symptoms include no cold air or an ICY blast only with the system set to max.

 
1) The hot/cold water blend valves fail and this is probably the most common problem.  The valves replacements supplied these days do not have the correct "mounting" to allow it to fit on to the ZT/ Rover bulkhead inside the heater plenum this has to be swapped over. This always led some to suggest that they were not original MGR equipment and possibly a modified and improved component – possibly wishful thinking!

 The valve can be removed from the system and visibly checked to make sure it is moving through its full cycle, you can look down the pipe and see if the valve is rotating inside, closing the hot coolant flow off, if it isn’t closing fully, hot water will continue to flow through the heater matrix.

How to check the blend valve

The water blend valve is located at the back of the engine bay on the near side. The proper way to access it (and the pollen filter, which will most likely need changing) is to remove the black plastic access access panels on both sides in front of the windscreen. Remove the windscreen wipers, remove the scuttle clips (prise out with screwdriver) and remove the whole black plastic grill panel directly in front of the windscreen. You will need to pull off the rubber seal at the front of the panel, to get it out. The panel will then lift off (you may have to carefully bend it to get it out). Beneath this panel, on the nearside, is a further black plastic splash panel held in with a couple of screws. Underneath this, you will see the heater valve (identify by the three hoses feeding into it and an electrical cable harness). Behind this, sitting vertically, is the pollen filter. These are inevitably filthy, even after low mileages, so is worth changing. Check that the valve operates when changing the temperature from max hot to max cold. You should see the lever arm moving over a fair angle 90 deg+. If it doesn't move - there's your problem. You may be able to assist it into the cold position so that at least the car will be bearable! Sounds like a lot of work but really only takes half an hour or so. Best of luck! (Thanks to "DWP Industries on Xpower forum)

Improved replacement

Thanfully Black Olive of the Two-sixties has a solution and has made a new valve using a much more robust and better sealing valve assembly. Costing £150 all in -less than the crap standard part..
The process is for you to post that you require a heater valve on Here. Steve will then PM you his address to send the cheque too. This PM will be confirmation of order. Once the valve is made you will then receive a further PM confirming dispatch of the valve. £150 posted.

Heres what it looks like.
New heater valve


 And fitted:
Heatter valve fitted

Reports from those wh have fitted them have been very positive, and I will be fitting one soon!


2) The connectors to the Climate control unit (the unit on the dash with the buttons and LCD temperature display) can be inserted incorrectly causing the pins on the connector to be pushed in preventing all the connections to be made which can either prevent the unit from operating vales or prevent the temperature sensor information from getting to the unit.

Climate control Connector block

In the above case the black plug to heater control has terminal 5 pushed out resulting in temp motor control not working and consequently no adjustment.

3) On early cars it has been known for the temperature sensors to be connected incorrectly.

4) Overheated compressor where it gets too hot and welds itself together. A small company called Vehicle Climate Control (VCC) in Perivale - talk to Martin (02088 107 666) can source the components far more cheaply than through XPart/Dealers - but still an expensive job though!

The compressor is from Visteon the FS10 - his comment was that if he was designing an a/c system, this compressor would be near the bottom of his list....I think it's the same model as used on Mondeo V6.

Apparently Visteon in the past had a problem in sending out their compressors with only the 'test' (small) amount of lubricant in...you can guess what happens to these after even a short use - it is possible MGR bought a job lot of these.  When one owners was dismantled (and it was perfectly air/oil tight) there was no sign of ANY oil in it whatsoever.....

The system hadn't got too contaminated from the compressor giving up, just the drier module needed replacing, along with a system flush.

A supplier in the USA for Compressors is 001 800 993 7339 they will ship to the  UK.
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This web page is designed and maintained entirely by Spunagain.  Please let me know if you have new information or anything here is demonstrably incorrect!
Thanks.

Spunagain <questions@spunagain.co.uk>