Four head gaskets and two engines later... End of thread

[Alexg]

I *may* have one, and I need an excuse to clear out the garage. I'll investigate Sunday eve.

[SambaS]

Oh dear LORD Will did you not time it up first!

[SambaS]

I'm sure we'll get the MG going, plus this head is going in the bin

[SambaS]

Will do not under any circumstances move the crank shaft or the whole lot will have to come out and be rebuilt, the head bolts hold the whole bottom end together!!!!!!

[crapcarcollector]

Put the old head bolts back in with some spacers cut from tube, time it up, wip 'em out. Job jobbed.

[explosive-cabbage]

Don't worry guys! Its all timed up to BDC!

[crapcarcollector]

Win

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Are you changing the engine then or just the top end? I have opened up my K-series today and one of the pistons has got a bastard hole in, so now I need a piston! 

[Alexg]

I *may* have one, and I need an excuse to clear out the garage. I'll investigate Sunday eve.

nope, I don't

[KruJoe]

Are you changing the engine then or just the top end?

 

Complete bare engine delivered today, reputed to be a good* one.

Watch this space, still tbc whether it's being broken for the head, or lobbed straight in as is. I'd go for the latter, but it's not up to me.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I'm supposed to be getting this bottom end for mine one lunchtime this week. I've had a thought though, I bet its been sitting under a workbench or whatever for yonks and the bores will need cleaning up, which will be difficult if i can't turn the crank, also who knows what position its in and i wont be able to time it up. Its sounding like a bit of a flipping ballache the more i think about it TBH. I'm having visions of needing to piss about chopping down my old head bolts to hold everything together while i sort it out.

[SambaS]

Quite sure my bottom end on the MG is scrap as the liners sit lower than the block in some places and I can run my finger nail around the gap between the liner and the block in some areas which tells me the block itself may be warped, I wouldn't think there'd be so much deviation in the fit of the liners.

 

But what do I know.

 

I'm going to take advice on this.

 

However it's looking like the whole new engine is going to be needed. I guess taking the head off it and comparing the two would help.

 

Mr B are your liners slightly proud of the block? Flush, or slightly lower? Are there gaps between the liners and the block on any four quadrants of any of the cylinders?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Well today I made a set of chopped-down head studs which should hopefully allow me to get this new bottom end ready for use without wrecking it.

 

 

I think my liners are slighty proud of the block, i'm fairly certain they are supposed to be. I haven't done a detailed inspection admittedly, as like you i have sort of resigned myself to the fact that its buggered. I will hopefully get the replacement bottom end tomorrow and see what its like.

[SambaS]

Okay my local MG Rover guy says that the liners should be proud of the block. There are gaskets underneath. If it has got that hot, which mine clearly has then it has probably had it.

 

Lets hope the new engine is in a better state.

[SambaS]

Will has got the old engine out and just found out this is the state of the new one:

 

I'm not entirely sure where that gunk has come from, other than its oil mixed with water. HG?

 

All I was told about the new engine is that it was loosing water, so assumed it was HGF... also I was told it was running and hadn't been cooked like mine.

 

 

[KruJoe]

Yeah, it was pretty snotty under the lid.

 

 

Will jet-washed it to buggery, and while it dried properly, he boshed a new water pump on the fresh block

 

 

And filled this hole...

 

 

With this:

 

 

He elected to lift it in single-handedly while it was still light enough, and do the belt and head work later.

 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I'm just going through all this joy, thought I needed a bottom end, turns out on closer inspection the head is buggered as well. FFS! 

[explosive-cabbage]

Good luck Mr Bollox!

Hoping to have this one running* by Wednesday night.

[SambaS]

 

 

[Parky]

Did that white smoke clear up?

[SambaS]

Unsure we'll have to wait for Will's update!

[M'coli]

So who's the new pope?

[KruJoe]

Pope William the First.

 

I've just come home to news of this running, Will handed me the keys and I took it down our private* lane just to have a feel. I won't say it drives nicely, but it's probably as it should be. It runs well enough, gets up to temp without drama and the fan kicks in ok. The smoke has (99%) cleared up. There's a slight tap tap from a stuck tappet maybe... Might this fix itself? It also sounds a bit 'tight', but this might calm down.

VERDICT: The boy done good.

[explosive-cabbage]

As Joe said.

 

All went resonably well, went for a run in it to the pub and it is god awful to drive, sluggish and boring with awful progressive power steering that noses into corners way too sharply. Crap compared to my 2.0TD one!

But at least it works.

When you get it back, stick with your character-full Samba Edd, sell this shiter on for quick bucks!

 

I will run it in a bit more next week when I have my next days off work, check nuts and bolts, give it a clean, change coolant/oil and invite Edd for a pint!

 

When are we swapping for Polly Edd?

[SambaS]

It's not fast enough in 1.4 form is it, other than that I quite like it 

 

Cant thank you enough man, errr Polly... whenever.

 

Wonder how many miles the engine will manage before it goes bang again.

[Rusty_Rocket]

I'm surprised you find the 1400 lacking.  I've had two 1.4 ZR's and both felt very lively.  Bloody good on fuel too.  Apart from the obvious  they're straightforward and reliable cars IMO!

[SambaS]

I give it it's dues I was getting 43 mpg from it prior to dieing..... the fact my Sambas barely make 30MPG annoys me somewhat because they used to be really good on fuel.

[SambaS]

The engine had a noisy tappet, bout £100 to replace and totally uneccessary says my MOT man. Where this will be going shortly as it has ran out! Whatchya mean by sounds 'tight'?

[KruJoe]

It has a gentle whizzing or whirring sound relating to engine speed, like many modern or new petrol engines have. My parents once had a 2.0 Espace which always sounded like this. I don't think there's anything wrong with it, it should calm down with use I reckon.

By comparison, the 90k 1.4 K-series in the R8 I'm breaking ran silently like a well-oiled sewing machine.

[Faker]

Fella I know used some sort of triple or multi layer head gasket on his mg recently. It's supposed to crush when fitted, allowing for the discrepancies commonly found in the varying wet liners in the k series. I'll check with him and see what it's called if you like. It worked a treat for him, and he drives the balls off the thing!