puttputt

New headgaskets per bank and compression has been resotred. However number 4 is still under the other. The car now fails to idle properly when cold, Is this due to compression testing after rebuild (wet and dry readings- twice) or does it sound like idle control valve - that was fine before? Many Thanks.

Faced throttle body heater base and fitted new. Idle shot up and would not stop. Is this a simple air leak, am I a pillock?

Are all P38 engine oil coolers and there pipes the same (Gems and Thor 4.6's) Ta.

Hi Chaps, Have put a straight edge and used a 0.05mm feeler leaf to measure both the engine block and cylinder heads both crossways and diagonally. It has not been possible to insert the feeler gauge anywhere on either the heads or block. The gaskets look OK with no blows and the water and oil were not mixed. There were two low compression readings, the first being cylinder 4 and number 7. The only thing to compare it with is the sump gasket has split in the joining bridges at the front and back of the engine block. As the low compression is at the rear bulkhead cylinder (7) could it be that the compositie head gasket has aged similarly to the sump gasket and is blowing bue to the close proximity of other passages (but it does look OK)? The camshaft measures a range of 34.09 - 34.20 accross the lobes and the lifters only look slightly domed in the middle leaving a small ring around the outside (approx a third of the total surface area). The car was not run for more than the length of time needed to pull over safely after the dash warning light came on (10 seconds approx) and when home, did not overheat when filled with additional coolant. Some of the hoses have been changed, perhaps needlessly, as there was pink/red coolant around the ends of them indicating coolant was escaping or if the thermostat was failing they were being pressurised forced to let coolant out. Would the thing be to replace the thermostat and install new headgaskets (also have a new camshaft and lifters). Any help would be more than gratefully recieved. Many Thanks for your time, Puttputt.

Flat everywhere. No blows in the head gaskets, valves look OK can't fit a feeler gauge through any of them. Any suggestions are welcome...

Straight edge ordered results to follow...

Geoff thanks, Have found the £60 ones on ebay (cam), can you source genuine for that?

Is it worth skimming the heads? (gaskets didn't blow).

Removed the water pump which was as new (in keeping with all findings thus far).. Genuine part quote: Head Gaskets, bolts, inlet manifold, exh manifold, downpipe and w/pump: £187.74. Have there been any bad reports on the £60 ebay camshafts and lifters? Many Thanks.

Thanks Steve, Yes you are probably right. At least it has enabled us to find the cause of low compression and we get to fix a water leak to boot. Every cloud etc. The numbers are 66a gf 30, will do other checks in due course.

Removed drivers side head, everything looked OK. Will I incur forum wrath if re-use head gaskets and exhaust gaskets (60D type engine)? Put thermostat in kettle to test. Opened a few mm thus allowing some flow. Should they open as far as the spring allows? Many Thanks, Putt putt.

Removed the passenger side head. Gasket OK. Soot on low comp cylinder valves, others looked right for the miles and were light tan in colour. Cam was noisey when cold, some tappets (not with car at present) were hollowed from use, pushrods looked OK. So low comp from warn cam? Water pressure and coolant loss from something else? Drivers head to be removed. Will update further.

Having read arguments for both, Is it OK to remove the heads cold? Your thoughts please Gentlemen.

Thanks, who do you recommned for the gaskets? p76 Rangie: The coolant passes from the block to the heads at the rear of the engine on each bank of cylinders. The coolant, or lack of it, can affect the head gasket causing a leak either to the outside or to the rear cylinders. A head gasket can go between cylinders, but you would have had two cylinders next to each other with low compression. Which you don't have. So the lower reading on the drivers side is either an inaccurate reading or something like valves not sealing proper. Unlikely to be a head gasket issue. It is also best to replace the head bolts with ARP studs to help avoid any problems in the future. Again thanks, who do you recommend for the studs?

'FridgeFreezer' Everyone assumes new block with those, can be as simple as a stuck thermostat or dead head gasket. Start with the cheap stuff! Thankyou. will test the thermostat. Given the odd compression readings on the drivers side what do you suppose? There is no tapping (a slipped liner signal) when wam)? 'p76rangie' It is usually the rear cylinders that will blow the gasket. By the rear passenger side only being 120 psi, there is a very good chance that you have done the head gasket at that cylinder. If it was a slipped liner, you would hear it once the motor warmed up. Thankyou, it does seem odd that the warp is in the the middle of the driver side rather than the normal 'end' as per the passenger side. The noise the liner will make. from research, is suggested to be a tapping noise when warm; there is no tapping noise to be heard only a slightly vocal idler pulley bearing (to be replaced in due course). What is wrong with the original head gaskets? . Will take heads off next week. Many thanks to all.

Should also add. The intial overheat (last week) was during a 24 mile roundtrip, after approx 15 miles. The following day when tested; it overheated as the thermostat opened ish. And today before the compression test, the car was was washed and left idling for 'a not insufficent length of time', approx 1 hour and could not be made to overheat. Plugs were dry just lacking compression on two cylinders, one on either bank, so assume any water would have evaporated. The top hose was not solid either.

Cheers Bowie, if your sure to be sure I'll have a poke. 'Twas using water yet the plugs were all perfick.

Sirs, Conducted a compression test this afternoon, warm engine, all plugs out and no throttle. Always taught plugs out WOT, lack of hands meant no throttle avail. Compression test results show two weaknesses as follows: Starting from the front of the car: Drivers side: 180, 155, 180, 180 Passgr side: 178, 170, 180, 120. Who is the best machine shop to weld and cut for liners? Many Thanks.

Hi, Yesterday afternoon my Mum's 66000 mile 2000 'V' Range 4.6 V8 HSE overheated. The AA duly recovered her home, diagnosing it with a coolant pressurising fault. So filled it with coolant and run it up to temperature in the garage and it went into the red. The top hose is also solid. It occasionally has a faint misfire when first starting (this is not a car I start everyday) otherwise runs well. Already replaced the heater o rings (1500 miles ago) which suggests there is a pressure issue prior to this overheating. No visible leaks I am ssuming it needs a new block based on these series of events. Is this a fair assumption?