sixtwoeight

Looking at the valve springs and the seal I can't really see that there will be a problem with compatability between the 2 but definitely interested to know either way.

Took the valves out the head and the seals were very hard and brittle and crumbled, also some were missing the little spring that goes around the top of the seal?? Mine also has double valve springs, which I always thought was a performance thing but did some searches and found the following statement... "This is one of the reasons why I realised the head had been fitted with the wrong valve stem seals - the inner spring rips the new style valve seals to pieces. The correct seals for Ciggys engine should have been O rings down the stem tube. My old Series 3 2.25d was a later engine with single springs and the later stem cap seals. I assume this is normal". So if that is correct does that mean the wrong seals were fitted to mine and in which case the seals I have bought are wrong? Or is that possibly just a diesel thing?? There is a little bit of play in the valve guides but I don't know how much is too much. Has anyone replaced their guides - I looked on Turners website and it says they need reaming to size after fitting but have also found threads were a bloke in his shed (like me) has fitted new guides and not mentioned having to ream to size.. Any ideas?

Thanks, that's a good tip for the head and I will definitely do it. Elbows still have some grease left at the moment, if I can still type by the end of the weekend il report back. Good story, thanks for that. Made me smile!

Thanks, good to hear, I may have a chance then. Excellent, seems the consensus is going the same way. So we all know how il be spending tomorrow. £40 for a head skim is fine, but then id have to do the block as well really which I really don't want to be removing and stripping that as I know it will throw up more issues and then probably rebuilding at more expense. Thanks to all replies, much appreciated.

Ian, Thank you for your ideas and it's nice to hear that you can understand my situation and suggesting ways that are not correct but may work for me. Il have a think about it today and decide which way to go, but will probably do exactly as you've suggested. I can't be the first to be doing it the "wrong way" and knowing it's wrong. Thankyou.

Mmmm, not happy. Ive spent far too much time and far too much money on this now, its starting to get me down. Anyway... It has been sat for a good 20years, rear chassis was rotten, ive replaced that along with many brake and suspension parts, rebuilt the gearbox and probably other bits I forgetting. I guess it was parked up for a reason?? I did a compression test and posted the results on here on another thread, and they seemed acceptable. I have to get this done now for next to no money.

The oval (ish) shapes between the pushrod holes on the gasket a couple have just very small pin holes and the others are more oval but have slightly torn the gasket - bad photo. Is that correct? Also 2 of the exhaust valves are a different colour?

So, Gasket had water on it (appreciate water will have come from head as I took it off but...) and there is a stain by number 1 cyl - is that water getting by? where I'm pointing these are raised on both the block and the head - the gasket has obviously compressed more in these areas by wonder if that means the rest of the gasket wont seal as intended if the raised areas bottom out on each other? How do I get the areas flat - without getting the block decked and head skimmed?

Tried the above methods (not air) and none worked, the valve opened and spring compressed so couldnt remove the collets. I wasted an hour trying this so probably quicker to take the head off so... I noticed when I took the rocker cover off there seemed to be water in the top but I assumed it was condensation? Anyway, I've taken the head off to get the valves out and have noticed a few little potential issues...including more water, il stick some photos up when I get home for your expert knowledge... It had a copper head gasket and the pistons and bores look good and clean to me. I thought about getting the seats changed and guides replaced but phoned for a quote and it is more than I can afford so if the guides need doing il see if I can do them? Pics to follow.

No I'm not sure at all, just hoping I suppose. My theory is that it wasn't used for probably 20 years so hoping the seals have gone bad and now its been run, it is not sealing. So once the springs are out the valves should have little/no sideways movement??, just so I know whether I'm wasting my time with the seals.

I had a read of your thread and have made a similar tool, seals didn't come in until late so only got as far as rockers off. (sounds like you had bit of a nightmare)

Interesting ideas, if the seals arrive tomorrow il be giving it a go - I was going to do what peaklander suggested with tieing some cord around the valves but the rope method that AV8R mentioned sounds good. Il see what takes my fancy tomorrow. Cheers chaps.

Ah ok, thanks, so I'm guessing from that, that at tdc the valve would drop too much then?

I'm looking at changing my valve stem seals on my 2.25 petrol. I would rather not take the head off, so how much will the valve drop once ive removed the collets and springs - obviously with piston at tdc. Thanks

Thanks for the reply and glad you agree with what I was thinking as to what's not too good. I think I will try and get genuine parts if possible. Thanks for the good luck!

Yes well worth fiting, although I hope when I've finished replacing parts it will be good for another 10's thousands of miles. Looking at @Peaklander pictures above and comparing to my pics above itdoes indeed look like my 3/4 synchro will need replacing. I'm thinking that the burred and raised edge on the teeth of 1st/2nd synchro will make any sliding very difficult so could be an issue. So I'm thinking I need a new 1st/2nd synchro, new 1st gear and new 3/4 syncro, new seals and gaskets?. Although still appreciate any opinions on my pictures above.

I used a bar and welded a couple of spanners to it so the spanner locked into the splines - worked well. Anyway, with the mainshaft out - I pressed it out, I have had a look at the gears and would like some advice as to whether I'm correct or not. So the problems that I can see are. 1st gear, small teeth behind the syncro cone look not too good, although my knowledge doesn't tell me what problems this would give. Back of 1st gear - is that a groove for oil?? 1st/2nd syncro broken tooth on inner - tooth found in sump Slighlty burred and raised on edge of inner teeth, by end of screwdriver. 3RD/4TH syncro spring broken causing it to sit all wonky - obviously needs new spring at least, but: Teeth of outer ring seem very worn? And finally are the inner teeth at one end meant to be chamfered, I expect so but? Everything else looked very good, to me at least.

Thanks again for the info, I had been reading gazza's thread where I think he used an old clutch and angle iron to hold the input shaft, which had stuck in my mind. Hopefully today once I've dropped my daughter at her grans i can get the main shaft out and have a good look. Cheers

Started the strip down today, came across a couple of issues. I made a tool to lock the input shaft to enable me to undo the main shaft nut - what an absolute pig that was to undo. The locking tool worked well but no amount of hitting a chisel would budge the nut ( locking tab was bent back out of the way).... I tried for a long time but it just wasn't happening so I had to use a die grinder, I'm not proud of that but it wasn't coming undone. I also made a castelated tool out of a socket but unless it's an absolute perfect for it just slips off. The springs i found were from the 3/4 th synchro, without the spring it was all sitting wonky so needed attention. Last issue is i can't get the main shaft out of the case. The manual says just tap the shaft out, but that isn't happening. I hadn't removed the large circlip as the manual doesn't say to, and it's there only for the seal/bearing I think. So il try it on a press next time.....

Thanks for the extra info, much appreciated.

Thanks for that, so in that case it's pretty much a full strip down. There's was a fair amount of grinding paste in the oil ( there wasn't a great deal of oil in there). Have pmd you as well. Cheers

Excellent thankyou. Il look at the stem seals then.

Ok thanks for the advice I will do as you've said. Its been a long day so excuse me, but what is the HB drum? (edit, handbrake drum!!) I made the English wheel (not the anvils though), ive run my fingers over a few times...ouch! Still practising with it.

Ahh ok, that's good news then. Thanks. Lol, yeah I put it back on yesterday last thing, not know what I was going to do with it, but ive man'd up.

Any opinions as to whether the numbers are ok and therefore not pointing towards rings??