[ROVERNET - UK] De-coking a rover V8

[Gavin.Walker at csiro.au]

Hi Kent,
  Oven cleaner!! Now why didn't I think of that?  I've been carefully
scraping the faces with chunks of Formica from an old P6 door.  Do you
using it on the pistons too?  The short block is still in the car.  I'd
love to get the heads worked over but frankly I won't get much for it
when it comes time to sell in a few years (or earlier if it doesn't get
done in time).  The exhaust valves were replaced at some stage and are
marked with a rover part number.  Inlet valves are more worn and have an
"EC" part number.  Don't know what pistons are in there, block says 8.13
but the pistons don't look dished enough.

The car is a '82 SD1 (was EFI, then Holley, now Stromberg).

Thanks.

Gavin Walker
Canberra, Australia

-----Original Message-----
From: rovernet-bounces at lyris.ccdata.com
[mailto:rovernet-bounces at lyris.ccdata.com] On Behalf Of Kent Kinard
Sent: Monday, February 06, 2006 5:42 PM
To: rovernet at lyris.ccdata.com
Subject: Re: [ROVERNET - UK] De-coking a rover V8

Hi Gavin,
I don't know if the product is available in Oz, but I have used 
non-toxic oven cleaner (Easy Off blue).  May take several applications.
I used to swear by the composite gaskets, but I think proper use of 10 
studs per side (rather than 14 bolts) makes even the steel gaskets work 
quite well.  If your heads are held by all 14 bolts, the heads are 
actually tilting on the block promoting leakage.  Des Hammil actually 
reccommends specially ground studs that bottom "on center" in the block.

Just one of many good tips in his book on the Rover V8. If you need to 
lower compression a little, use composition head gaskets.  Buy new 
valves.  What year is the engine?

Roveroverbakedly,
Kent K.

Gavin.Walker at csiro.au wrote:
> Hi,
>   Last year a stuck inlet valve bent a pushrod 45deg.  I have finally
> taken the heads off.  All the valves appear straight.  One valve guide
> on the other head has dropped and cracked but the valve seems ok.
Some
> of the exhaust valves are a little stiff in the last few mm of
movement
> but I expect that'll disappear when I clean them up.
> 
> The carbon is really thick on both the heads and the pistons.  What
the
> best way of cleaning this up?  
> 
> The head gaskets show signs of cylinder leakage between the cylinders
> and into the valley.  Heads and block, however, are flat within
0.05mm.
> Don't know what's going on there.
> 
> Gavin Walker
> Canberra, Australia
> 
> _______________________________________________
> rovernet mailing list
> rovernet at lyris.ccdata.com
> To unsubscribe, go to this web page, look near the bottom and follow
instructions:
> http://mailman.nipltd.com/mailman/listinfo/rovernet
> Back-up list and photos at:
> http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Rover_net/
> 
> 


_______________________________________________
rovernet mailing list
rovernet at lyris.ccdata.com
To unsubscribe, go to this web page, look near the bottom and follow
instructions:
http://mailman.nipltd.com/mailman/listinfo/rovernet
Back-up list and photos at:
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Rover_net/