Engine rebuild advice

[Tim Ward]

Hello

My Head gasket has gone! Looking for advice from people who have rebuilt their own engine.
In your experience do you wish you had taken it to a professional engine re builder to begin with.

The reason I ask is that I don't want to start and end up damaging heads, studs ect and then have to take to a specialist anyway. I have read and heard of stories about heads sticking and studs snapping.

I was thinking of Newark engines, but have read the previous posts. I am in Leicester and a firm called "Welham motors" are near to me. Can anyone recommend others?

Thanks Tim

[Dave Worrall]

Hi Tim,

when I did mine, the heads were a right pig of a job to get off - the PO had used some kind of loctite on all the bolts. I ended up shearing bolts on the inlet manifold and a couple on the heads. The heads had also warped so much so that I ended up getting a new engine instead from Newark.

I suppose you could try starting the job yourself, and if it looks like it may be tricky, take it to the experts.

Dave.

[richardthestag]

I rebuilt mine, but then I have rebuilt a few other engines before so it didn't worry me.

If it just the head gaskit that has gone are you planning for a top end overhaul? if so that is pretty straighforwards on the TV8. Even if the studs do sieze there are a couple of proven methods for getting them out using the lift, bend and hacksaw method

I would also plan to replace studs as part of the head job anyway so no worries about damaging them

[V Mad]

It all depends on how long it was since the heads were last removed. If it was a long time, (much over 10 years) then they will need stag specialist knowledge and techniques to get them off. If you take it step by step, using advice from here, and you are up for it, there is no reason why you should fail. Allow at least 20 hours work to do it properly, the odd Sunday afternoon is not really enough. I use a special stud remover followed, if necessary by heavy angle iron brackets and a jack to remove stubborn heads. Good luck.

[Another Peter]

Tim

I would be tempted to let the experts do the job unless you are a relatively competent home mechanic.

You are quite lucky living near Leicester as there are two specialists near by.

http://www.cherishedclassiccars.com/

I visited Cherished Classics yesterday to look at a couple of Stags they had for sale, and Lee seems to live and breathe Stags.

The other specialist is http://www.ejward.co.uk/.

Perhaps others have more knowledge and experience of these two.

Regards

Peter

[martin]

Tim

I would be tempted to let the experts do the job unless you are a relatively competent home mechanic.

You are quite lucky living near Leicester as there are two specialists near by.

http://www.cherishedclassiccars.com/

I visited Cherished Classics yesterday to look at a couple of Stags they had for sale, and Lee seems to live and breathe Stags.

The other specialist is http://www.ejward.co.uk/.

Perhaps others have more knowledge and experience of these two.

Regards

Peter

Hiya Tim, for peace of mind, and a guarantee, have a pro do it. Cherished Classics sell cars out of his Uncles farmers barn out in the countryside ! He told one customer, one of my members, that the engine was re-built by the Stag Owners Club, nonsense !
Your namesake, E J Ward are in Bruntingthorpe, the engine re-builds are carried out by John, the founder, a more experienced quality guided man you never met ! The engines are properly balanced and built with great care. He re-built mine in '03 and with on the dot oil changes it's as good as it was then. No, I'm not on commission, I speak as I find. Cheers, Martin.

[STAG1973]

Hi Tim

I renewed my head gaskets last year, to be honest if you are handy with a set of spanners is quite a easy procedure, the hardest part was taking the heads off it took me nearly 8 hours just to get the heads off, i had two studs snap on me.. all you need is alot of patience..

I have a few pictures in a photo album in my profile page..

Cheers
Adrian

[Another Peter]

Adrian

That is one very impressive engine bay!!

Regards

Peter

[martin]

[QUOTE=Another Peter;141483]Adrian

That is one very impressive engine bay!!

Regards








Oh lord, don't encourage him ! Martin.

[STAG1973]

Cheers Peter and Martin...

Adrian

[Tim Ward]

Thanks every one for your opinion. I was trained as a mechanic 25 years in the RAF, so was skilled then with the spanners . I have looked at the engine rebuild kits for nearly 1k.
Will make a few calls tomorrow to some of the engine re builders mentioned to get some prices. My thoughts are take the engine out give it to a re builder with a guarantee and then spray the bay my self. once again thanks Tim

[jleyton]

Will make a few calls tomorrow to some of the engine re builders mentioned to get some prices.

Maybe you could get a family discount from EJ Ward LOL

Seriously, if you trained as an RAF mechanic then I don't think the job will be beyond you - it's just a case of how stubborn the heads may be and, if they are, then it helps to know every trick in the book, so experience counts then.

Cheers and good luck,

Julian

[Tim Ward]

My concern is that I don't think the heads have ever been off. Have visions of starting the job and everything going wrong, and then having to take it to a specialist. To then be told why didn't you bring it her to begin with.

Will make a few calls today

[nib]

Tim
The studs are the fly in the ointment,so what I did was try the studs to see if they would move,unfortunately they were well and truly stuck,so I sent the car to a specialist to have the work done.
Try the studs with the two nut method before you decide.
Mark

[Tim Ward]

Mark and everyone

Thanks for opinions. Just spoken to an engine re builder" Welham motors" who have been around since 1946. They are only round the corner from me, so I have decided to remove the engine myself and give it to them. The seem very helpful on the phone and prices for individual items for the rebuild seem very reasonable. Whilst the engine is out I will spray the bay.

Tim