A40 - saggy bottom firmed

[Matty]

7 minutes ago, DaveDorson said:

Arse..

I know. Still here. Patrols been and gone. Done a compression test. 3 bar on pots 1 and 2, 6 bar on pots 3 and 4. So low compression on 2 cylinders. I'm assuming (hoping) valve train but seeing as he didn't even take the rocker cover off, at this point fuck knows.

[Rustybullethole]

Bumhats. Hope you don’t have to wait long and it’s an easy fix. On the plus side you’re saving fuel. 

[Matty]

8pm apparently. Don't know whether that's good or not

[S2000]

Had a similar thing on my Wolesley last year on the A40 near Oxford and turned out to be HGF, similar metallic noise to what you explained. Unfortunately mine resulted in much more than HGF….

Hope it’s not that bad and you get recovered soon.

[Matty]

11 minutes ago, S2000 said:

Had a similar thing on my Wolesley last year on the A40 near Oxford and turned out to be HGF, similar metallic noise to what you explained. Unfortunately mine resulted in much more than HGF….

Hope it’s not that bad and you get recovered soon.

Tell me more. I mean, I'm sat here doing bugger all anyway 😄

[DaveDorson]

While you're passing the time feel free to sell me those bucket seats 

[Asimo]

Check the coolant? If it’s low for some reason engine will start pinking like the hammers of hell. 
Piss works ok as a short-term coolant…

[Joey spud]

If a head gasket blows between two cylinders the ignited fuel in one cylinder can travel across to the other cylinder causing a horrible knocking / pre ignition noise 

Lazy arse of a patrol could of lifted the cover off to see if there is any obvious valve train damage I know I would have done just to satisfy my own curiosity.

[SiC]

I guess they could have done some more investigating but unlikely they could do much either way and it's going on the back of a recovery?

Did you get back alright Matty? Or still waiting?

[Matty]

12 minutes ago, SiC said:

I guess they could have done some more investigating but unlikely they could do much either way and it's going on the back of a recovery?

Did you get back alright Matty? Or still waiting?

Half 9. Don't know whether that's good bad or indifferent in the real world. In my world its a bloody joke but then it appears I've high standards 😆

[Matty]

14 minutes ago, Joey spud said:

If a head gasket blows between two cylinders the ignited fuel in one cylinder can travel across to the other cylinder causing a horrible knocking / pre ignition noise 

Lazy arse of a patrol could of lifted the cover off to see if there is any obvious valve train damage I know I would have done just to satisfy my own curiosity.

Strip down starts tomorow morning. First port of call is rocker cover off and see if I still have a full roll call of operational rocker arms and push rods. Though as according to the RAC I'm down compression on 2 pots, I'd reckon it unlikely I'd get this lucky. As a few have said, maybe head gasket? Fuckin engine only has 2 and a half thousand miles on it and goes like stink, disappointing somethings gone this quick. Still though, onwards and upwards.

[Matty]

3 hours ago, DaveDorson said:

While you're passing the time feel free to sell me those bucket seats 

Dave, I'll PM you in the morning. I've took quite a few pictures of the seats with a tape measure up against them in the important dimensions. I'll put them in the message and see what you reckon

[SiC]

Was the engine head retorqued after run-in? Iiirc you're supposed to after head gasket change. 

Of course it could be shite quality modern repro parts caused a HGF too. 

[DaveDorson]

I hope you get in OK and the damage ain't too bad 

[S2000]

I had a highly tuned 1098 that blew between 2 and 3, if I recall compression was low on those about 65, the rest were about 160.

My newly rebuilt engine after 200 miles has possibly gone the same way, I drove out last weekend and had a nightmare trying to start the thing unless foot to the floor and choke out. When I got back to my unit I had white smoke out the back so fucked it off and came home on the motorbike….. I’ll compression test tomorrow and share the pain with you.

On a positive note it’s an A Series so pretty bullet proof and an easy repair 🤡

[Matty]

9 minutes ago, SiC said:

Was the engine head retorqued after run-in? Iiirc you're supposed to after head gasket change. 

Of course it could be shite quality modern repro parts caused a HGF too. 

Fuck, that's a point. And of course it hasn't been. Well worth an investigate

[Matty]

Can I just say a massive thanks to everyone whose offered advice and shown support. I'm by no means fucked off, I work with recalcitrant old shit for a living so it's a bus man's holiday. Still it's nice that folk want to help. This place etc etc

[captain_70s]

Certainly sounds a blown gasket between two cylinders. At least not a major disaster on a cast iron pushrod lump.

I never retorqued the cylinder head on the Dolly till it'd done 200 odd miles and in that time it'd gone so slack there was oil leaking down the side of the block! No idea how it'd not blown the gasket, must've been nearly a full turn on most of the head nuts before the torque wrench clicked.

[Matty]

37 minutes ago, captain_70s said:

Certainly sounds a blown gasket between two cylinders. At least not a major disaster on a cast iron pushrod lump.

I never retorqued the cylinder head on the Dolly till it'd done 200 odd miles and in that time it'd gone so slack there was oil leaking down the side of the block! No idea how it'd not blown the gasket, must've been nearly a full turn on most of the head nuts before the torque wrench clicked.

Right, stop it now you lot. You're making me hope for a simple fix when the reality is going to be 2 snapped conrods, a scored block and premature baldness 😄

[Matty]

Buy an old car they said. It'll be fun they said. Bloody Sunday morning and all. Even god had a day off.

[SiC]

What's the verdict?

I mean it was expected to break as it's drive it day today and sods law says so.

[Matty]

And captain 70s, SiC s2000 etc were right. Blown accross pots one and two and not far off going accross all 4. Heads already away for a light skim to clean up. Blocks ok.

[SiC]

At least a simple problem.
10D engine code - I thought you had a 1275?

[Joey spud]

A nice easy fix then.

Maybe this guy had been here too,I wonder if a old copper gasket is better than a unknown branded fibre one ?

Those rocker arms are the later solid ones that I also have in my 1275 midget engine and not the weaker old pressed steel jobbies so that points to a better than 1960's spec engine. It wouldn't hurt to measure your valves to see if their bigger than standard too.

[Matty]

28 minutes ago, SiC said:

At least a simple problem.
10D engine code - I thought you had a 1275?

Still a 1098 bud

[Matty]

18 minutes ago, Joey spud said:

A nice easy fix then.

Maybe this guy had been here too,I wonder if a old copper gasket is better than a unknown branded fibre one ?

Those rocker arms are the later solid ones that I also have in my 1275 midget engine and not the weaker old pressed steel jobbies so that points to a better than 1960's spec engine. It wouldn't hurt to measure your valves to see if their bigger than standard too.

Its supposedly got a cooper spec head. 12g29 something. I've got I written down but can't remember the exact number off the top of my head. The heads going to Wier Street in Blackburn tomorow morning. Get it checked and a light skim to clean up. They will supply a full gasket kit. They've been engine reconditioners for decades so it should be decent quality. I'm also going to change the washers under the head nuts. They were thin little things that had deformed, which won't be helping tightness. From memory I think it's form b washers that are twice as thick. There's enough thread on the studs that it'll stand  them.

[Christine]

That isn't  a 12g295  ... but someone has modded it  by the look of it .  The numbers will be cast  into it , 

[Mally]

Next time it may be quicker to ring me.

Not when I'm in Spain like now mind.

[SiC]

You're probably sorted now by the looks of it. If you do have engine trouble, I have a 1098 and a 948 if unknown quantity but has compression that I have no home for that you can have mega cheap 

[Leyland Worldmaster]

I think this is a A40... 🤔