A work mate is looking at getting a MG ZT, the 1.8T 160 model. Am I right in thinking this is still a k series engine so will come with the disadvantage of the crap head gasket design?

Apart from that is there any other issues with these?

I reckon he should have gone for the BMW diesel engined jobbie but he wanted a petrol......


Cheers

 

yip, k series, not as good as the diesel but they're cheap so not bad for the money realy

 

Check out the rover 75 and ZT club forums.
There's a t piece you can get which can help prevent the issue with the head gasket I believe.

The handbrake compensator stretches causing a poor hand brake, but it also depends what options the car has, such as the driver intelligence pack which includes rain sensor, reverse parking sensors (both bmw) and obc. They go pixelated with age and are impossible to repair.
Also, depending on age, if the a/c doesn't work it may be because of the radiator fan failing, rather than an issue with anything else.

I had the diesel one which comes with it's own issues. Egr, maf, clutch / dmf issues, injector issues.

 

Oh so they've got plenty of possible issues then.

Hopefully he gets a good'un.

Thanks chaps

 

Yep. I'd never have another one after the issues I had with mine, and mine was meant to be a good one.

Diesels also suffer with intercooler o ring problems, so boost is lost and then oil also blows past them.

Genuine Bosch mafs aren't cheap, and if you want to run the pierburg one you also need a synergy box as it compensates.

Diesel is also prone to fuel pump failure (pre face lift ones ran 3 pumps and the intank pump is the one that often goes first).

 

I'd be looking for the V6 version, seems to have slightly less issues (other than belts and VIS motors). Just looking out for one for a mate at work, he wants the ZT T

 

Vis motors are prone to fail and belts are very expensive to have replaced.

Other than that, generally reliable.

Also, make sure that the drain areas under the scuttle panel are clear. If there is water in there sloshing about then it will get into the ECU. Why the ecu is there is beyond me!!