HGF 2014 the saga continues

[richardthestag]

Damn and blast

700 miles since rebuilding the engine, heads retorqued at about 400 miles. I worked in the correct a-b-c order and backed each off a fraction of a flat but some needed more than one flat to get them back up to torque.

Anyway been running beautifully until Friday gave it a run out to Milton Keynes and back, exercised it up to 4k rpm a couple of times. Then when driving Friday night it wasn't quite as smooth, felt a bit odd. parked up and I could hear the pressure cap hissing, bugger. check the top hose and it was rock hard. temp was normal. double bugger

From cold yesterday I brimmed the header tank, started up and almost instantly there was a steady stream of bubbles. triple bugger and double duck farts

Reached for my block tester and the fluid has gone green so that is no good. Going to do a compression test later and will report back but I think it is pretty conclusive

NOW

Onto the help bit

Firstly - These are the gaskets that I fitted, lost receipt so this is all I have

IMAG0864.jpg

edited to add, Payen are dead long live BGA. I wont know why it is gone till i take it apart, last time the gasket failed around #2 cylinder.

Secondly - I bought the standard head gaskets before the heads came back from engineering.

One head has been skimmed to a thou of its life, what would you do? Thick Payens?

This is the better of the two heads, pic taken last year before assembly.

IMAG1335.jpg

Thirdly - what is the opinion on sealer in addition to Head Gasket, OR should they go on dry?

Car is locked in garage, off to watch oldest son play football and enjoy a few Senorita Beaters

Cheers

Richard

[Another Peter]

I am expecting I fitted dodgy parts, is Payen the way to go?

Richard that is disappointing news.

With regard to which gaskets to use, when my engine was rebuilt in Sept 2012, the engine rebuilder stated that Payen weren't available anymore. He recommended BGA gaskets and so far, so good (nearly 5k miles later).

No doubt others with more technical expertise will be along whilst you watch footie.

[cosmicwheels]

Hi Richard ,I fitted bga extra thick gaskets from ldparts 5000k ago tightened down at 500 and 1000k no problem. hope this helps,John

[GDPR]

5 million miles John? I know you are Cosmic Wheels but I thought that was your alloys - seems it's because of your space travel.....

[richardthestag]

it is raining here on and off, mrs taken boys to football

All plugs mainly a nice tan colour, last ran it on choke so some soot deposit

Did compression check all at 140psi from cold and dry

Then thought I will just go round and double check head bolts / studs and then order more block test fluid.

Started o/s head, working methodically a-b-c slackening a crack and then nipping up to 60ft lb

All were great except when I got to rear long bolt "I" it was loose to the touch, bugger! I though I would unscrew it and this is what I found

IMAG2668.jpg

Seriously I am not a knuckle dragging gorilla, this may be a legacy of my badly calibrated torque wrench from 20 years ago. Usefully re purposed to break up concrete now.

This is the second bolt that has broken on this engine. a short bolt snapped while trying to remove last year. This one was torqued up earlier this year to 55/60ft/lb. My TW is calibrated against a second and seems ok.

Anyway pushed car into garage and locked it away the ungrateful *******.

QUESTIONS

1. replace all bolts, short and long? If so would you risk doing the good side from cold and replace in order or would you remove head and replace gasket? think I know the answer
2. O/S head has to come off to extract the thread remains, I plan to fit thick gaskets, must I do both sides? Or would you just fit a standard gasket and do the one bad side?
3. Am I unlucky

Seriously fall out of love with this car sometimes

Regs

Richard

[cosmicwheels]

5 million miles John? I know you are Cosmic Wheels but I thought that was your alloys - seems it's because of your space travel.....

Its what my kids call a senior moment,but I like to keep my false teeth in the fridge. John {I think]

[73stagman]

it is raining here on and off, mrs taken boys to football

All plugs mainly a nice tan colour, last ran it on choke so some soot deposit

Did compression check all at 140psi from cold and dry

Then thought I will just go round and double check head bolts / studs and then order more block test fluid.

Started o/s head, working methodically a-b-c slackening a crack and then nipping up to 60ft lb

All were great except when I got to rear long bolt "I" it was loose to the touch, bugger! I though I would unscrew it and this is what I found

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29280[/ATTACH]

Seriously I am not a knuckle dragging gorilla, this may be a legacy of my badly calibrated torque wrench from 20 years ago. Usefully re purposed to break up concrete now.

This is the second bolt that has broken on this engine. a short bolt snapped while trying to remove last year. This one was torqued up earlier this year to 55/60ft/lb. My TW is calibrated against a second and seems ok.

Anyway pushed car into garage and locked it away the ungrateful *******.

QUESTIONS

1. replace all bolts, short and long? If so would you risk doing the good side from cold and replace in order or would you remove head and replace gasket? think I know the answer
2. O/S head has to come off to extract the thread remains, I plan to fit thick gaskets, must I do both sides? Or would you just fit a standard gasket and do the one bad side?
3. Am I unlucky

Seriously fall out of love with this car sometimes

Regs

Richard

Is that the side thats been machined to within a thou of its life? Wonder if its too close? Maybe the thick gaskets will solve the problem.....

We did use welseal on Crossys stag engine when we put it back together this time. But on my Rover the heads went on dry. I believe its horses for courses and it seems that the Stag engine likes a little wet comfort blanket when the heads are being fitted...

[richardthestag]

For them that is interested

Head is off, remains of bolt removed

IMAG2688.jpg

Yes this head is skimmed more that the N/S head

IMAG2699.jpg

The gasket that came off was 63thou ish at the fire ring, anyone know if that is a thick gasket or not.

IMAG2695.jpg

Irrelevant really i guess as this head has been skimmed more than the n/s so a thick gasket will be going back anyway.

Only tiny issue I had was that one of the cam - sprocket bolts disappeared inside the timing cover , pretty sure that the where the bolt went has a clear path down to the sump. I had a good root about with an expendable magnet but didn't retrieve anything. inclined to leave it to enjoy the sump unless anyone on here might think it could do some serious damage!

Right now to order bits

any opinion on whether I should replace bolts on t'other side or not?!?

edited to add, cheers 73stagman, the current set went on wet with wellseal, I will do the same again