Thanks guys. Yeah, I'll probably keep it rather than bypass as it gets fairly frigid here in the winter and I'm paranoid about complications due to taking something out of the equation. I have to replace the coolant reservoir, one of the lines running across the radiator, and now the throttle body so I may just do it all in one go. Hadn't planned on using my entire week's vacation for fixing the Rover but hey.. happens. Just seems like a lot of it lately. Have been chasing down a homeless man who blatantly wrote a $250 bad check at my shop and walked away with sterling and turquoise jewelry. Probably is going to pawn it and found out that we weren't the only ones he took advantage of. Two weeks ago I had a freezer go on the fritz and the aftermath was like something out of a horror show (didn't eat for days).. had the cable guy, working at the neighbor's house cut our AT&T lines, leaving us without service for 3 days while I played detective.. and now I have no wheels. It's all child's play compared to what my colleagues in Houston have been going thru this past week. I have no problems compared to them, however I do wish this stupid curse would leave me sometime soon.

Thanks again and hope you are all enjoying your weekend

 

Is your shop in the old insane asylum, my wife's been there (not while it was a insane asylum...but after...granted...of never mind...lol).

Hope you start having a better weekend.

Brian.

 

I'm not saying with 100% certainty that it will never cause an issue, but I can say with certainty that I've never heard of anyone who's bypassed on a D2 having any kind of issue. The only vehicles I've ever seen have an issue are old carb'd engines.

I'd vote bypass, also. It gets below zero where I live occasionally also with varying levels of humidity. I've never had a single issue with mine bypassed in the three years since I bypassed it. No ice build up in the intake at all, and I've checked a small hand full of times just to be sure.

 

Thanks Brian,

Lol...of all the places in Traverse City that we could have a shop and you pick the old insane asylum It's a great place...you should check it out sometime with your wife. You can even rent one of the condos here for the weekend thru Vrbo. I think I'd be too scared to sleep here but I have spent the entire night here once or twice putting out new merchandise.

I rented a Uhaul today for wheels - figured I could kill two birds and work on the shop and tackle the Rover Tuesday.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend,

Christina

 

Hi Christina

Firstly, a confession, I know little about the Rover V8 engines, but, I guess that the throttle body is preheated from the heater system looking at RAVE. IMHO unless you suffer seriously low temps (circa -10 to-20) continuously for weeks on end I reckon the throttle body heater isn't required. Having said this I would be guided, if I were you, by the opinions of others in your state or region as to the necessity of the throttle body heater. If you don't need it then blank it off as it's just another coolant leaky problem.

 

It's not just about ambient temps. It's also about humidity levels and the venturi effect. Opinions vary here and on other forums, both Rover forums and others. It's just annoying that the DII TBH design is so prone to failure.

 

I am aware that cool humid air aids combustion as opposed to hot dry air but surely preheating of the throttle body be it a roller, slide or butterfly type is intended to avoid the frozen throttle sticking in the open position albeit it has a spring return. The intake venturi chilling effect on extremely cold humid air, as you rightly say, would have a tendency to freeze on initial entry. Being the D2 has been designed to operate in all ambient temperatures, hot and cold, the throttle body heater in many climates is superfluous to many needs.

 

I expect the lawyers had as much If not more to do with there being a TBH on the DII as did the engineers.

 

If one looses the throttle icing lottery it could happen in any climate, at any ambient temp or any throttle position. It's for the what if situations when all the atmospheric conditions line up.



Would agree with that.
......

 

The day lawyers start engineering vehicles...will be the day I stop buying/working on them...lol.

Most lawyers don't know the slightest thing about a mechanical engine, let alone engineering one. Lawyers clean up the "mess" from poor engineering...not preventing it. Think about it, there ain't no money in that for them. Being on the payroll for multi million law suits is where the monies at.

Anyhow...back to the question at hand.

Right off the top of my head, and after 40 years of being a mechanic, I can't think of one other brand that has a intake/throttle body heater. Only other coolant throttle body heater I've seen was on a propane application. Now, diesel engines have a grid heater to help assist start up in cold conditions, but after it has done its job...it is out of the equation. Normally, the heat generated under the hood is enough to keep things from freezing.

Personal experience with LR's...

I've got the one bypassed on my 01 and the 03 still has it (just because it was part of the engine kit I bought)...and experience no issues with either. Granted, the 03 was idle all winter.

Brian.