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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - LINKS BETWEEN MGTF & MGZS

Have been looking at the details & pictures of the Sports cars & wonder if it might be possible to
rejuvenate the interior of the ZS by using elements from the F( such as the dashboard), and from
the TF( installing the new 135 HP engine).Feasible ? Desirable ? What do you think ?
andrew

The changes required to make a ZS120 into a ZS135 are going to be pretty simple, and would not necessitate a whole sale change of engine. All you'd probably need is the new throttle body and a new air filter arrangement... ;o)

The dahboard? Crumbs- that'd be a difficult job. Nothing is impossible, but I think that this would be something that'd prove to be very very hard.
Rob Bell

Thanks for your comments Rob,but what are the downsides of the power increase ? Obviously higher fuel consumption & ,insurance premiums,but if MGR are doing it,hopefully not worse reliability nor shorter engine life !!
andrew

I doubt that there is any reliability impact Andrew- the larger TB is something that MG have fitted themselves already to the MGF Trophy 160 and the ZS160. The revised TF range continues with the 160 bhp VVC, and the 135 bhp 1.8i is likely to use the same breathing tricks to get the improved power (although the introduction to the new range in 'Car' suggests a reworked head- this will require verification).

Yes, there will be an impact upon insurance, and fuel economy may be altered- but I don't think by much. However a number of MGF and Elise owners have already made the TB mod already (indeed with the even larger GM TB), so it will be interesting to see how their experience pans out.
Rob Bell

Rob, I believe the Trophy had a fiddled head anyway.. AFAIK at least.

Perhaps they fiddled the head to reduce HGF risks and found it increased power anyway!

Ok, that's unlikely I guess ;)

Steve.
Steve Childs

andrew,

in France it's forbiden to do so. You will not be insure if you change the caracteristique until you go to have the certificate for "Les mines".

maxime
mabonnet

IIRC, all they did to the Trophy 160 head was to clean up the casting a little. Nothing along the lines of gas-flowing or polishing was performed Steve.

In fact it is reasonably easy to get a standard VVC up to 160 or a 1.8i up to 135 bhp without resort to head work- just some careful attention to the breathing of the engine (high flow filter, good cold air supply) and a free flowing exhaust system, and Bob's your uncle. If you add in a slightly larger throttle body, then the power is practically guaranteed.

Porting the 1.8i head (which as we all know is actually shared with the 1.4i !) and fitting VVC-sized valves and a slightly wilder cam will readily result in 155-165 bhp with not too much effort (see Roger Parker's and David Andrew's separate efforts).

Actually, I was interested in 'Car' magazine that the new 1.8i might actually possess a mild cam anyway- perhaps Rog might be able to comment on this in the near future?
Rob Bell

Thanks for your info Maxime but I would ideally wait till the 135 HP model becomes officially available,either in France (or via Belgium- in which case I have to go via the French Mines bureau anyway) Am also waiting to see the new range of colours for these cars.
andrew

andrew,

Concerning importing cars, the UE can help you. Indeed if a car you bought outside France has the same caracteristics than the one in France then your don't have to go through the French mines... Else, too bad...

maxime
mabonnet

Rover updated the old 400 estate and 200 coupe with a modified version of the new 200 dashboard and very good it looks too. Why not have a bash at the dash in the ZS?
Yorkie

When Im driving my ZS I look at the road not the dashboard!! Its fine!!!

Kelvin
Kelvin

I quote Kelvin.....When Im driving my ZS I look at the road not the dashboard!! Its fine!!!


so how do you know if your about to run out of Petroleum old chap? or come to that boil over?
cecil kimber

Very clever, you know what I mean!!
Kelvin

Speculation at the mo, but how many remember the Motorsport head casting for the K series? As a reminder this is a mix of VVC and MPi, where the ports and valves of the VVC are married to the solid cams of the MPi. Being as the VVC porting is significantly different, and valves bigger to MPi it seems likely that adding this head with the alloy manifold will be all that is needed to increase the power to 135PS(133bhp), probably without the need for the 52mm throttle. This introduces no special finishing to the parts so it is simply a normal engine build and fit.

It is interesting to note that the Trophy spec was 'fudged' a little, yet the fully EOBD3 complient version fitted to the subsequent 160PS spec engines did have mention of some minor porting changes. Again these will be done in a way that is easy to accomodate in the production process.

I expect there to be improvments in reliability (for reasons which I will expand on sometime soon) and little change to fuel economy.

Rog
Roger Parker

Hopeful news from Yorkie as it would be ridiculous that the dashboard is the thing most difficult to change in a car!.Anyone know who manufactures dashboards in the UK ?
In reply to Kelvin,I myself don't find it too bad,but the motoring reviews (and most prospective buyers on the continent), have very negative comments-which would also make my car more difficult to sell later.
andrew

> the motoring reviews (and most prospective buyers on the continent), have very negative comments-which would also make my car more difficult to sell later

Possibly!!

In my view the ZS is a drivers car, and the positive comment will overide the dash issue, which as far as I am concerned its not an issue! In the futre the archives of this BBS may make it look like an isssue too.

Kelvin
Kelvin

Andrew,

The dash has huge safety issues attached to it that make changing it very expensive.

The interior shape of the F is very different to the interior of the 400/45/ZS/Old Honda Civic and there must be zero chance of the inferior of an F being bodged to fit in the 400/45/ZE even it it was not a no no from a safely perspective.

Finally, while I dearly love our F, I find if very difficult to get excited about the dash. Surely is this a large lump of dark grey plastic with the instrument binnacle from the 200 boltered on...

Cheers

Patrick
Patrick

To put costs of these items into some perspective I suggest that the development costs of a dash assembly for a new BMW was more than the total development costs for the MGF.

Rog
Roger Parker

I asked someone from Rover about dash, It was suggested that to tool up for new dash could be as much a 2 million pounds!!

Kelv
Kelvin

>>Surely is this a large lump of dark grey plastic with the instrument binnacle from the 200 boltered on...<<

Very probably as I've now fitted a white dialed MGF instrument pack to my 220 GTi turbo and it bolts straight in. At least the 220 has a piece of fake wood to liven it up a bit though - LOL
Gary
Gary Boxall

Patrick;

"...the inferior of an F..."


Freudian slip?
Growler

Time does not stand still & we have to push MGR to keep ahead of the pack !
Have just read a review on the latest Corolla* as competitor to Golf & 307; it seems pretty good
and has a 110 HP engine -hence importance of 135 HP unit for the ZS as I suggested in launching this thread.
*PS note BBS on the Corolla under MG Car Company
andrew k

My 'speculation' on the use of the @Motorsport' head was misplaced. Having seen the spec of the 136PS, (134bhp) engine let me say I do not think you would want it in the heavier saloon. When the fuller deatils emerge you will see why I say this, but lets just say the changes alter the power and torque rpm peaks.

Rog
Roger Parker

This thread was discussed between 09/01/2002 and 18/01/2002

MG ZR ZS ZT Technical index

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