V8i top end question

[discodave]

Hello all. My question about the V8 top end is in relation to a comment Bull Bar Cowboy made about engines with over 100,000 miles being worn, on a thread about oil in the tech archive. I've read as much before and need advice. Mine's at 124,000 and as far as I know is original. I've had a look down the oil filler and the rocker shaft has a bronze colour to it. The motor runs pretty sweet (reaches for wooden furniture) and is on LPG unless I cant find a supplier within my tank range when out and about. Should I be thinking about replacing camshafts and all the related bits now, and if so how far should I be going (decoke, valves etc)? Bear in mind that in a couple of weeks, after a few more hundred miles, it's going to be pretty much parked up and I'll be driving a company truck most of the time until autumn. Cheers in advance. DD

[steve_d]

If it aint broke don't fix it.

The colour sounds good so if you have no faults with it then leave it alone.

I your post had started "It's done 124k and now it's...... guttless, smokes, reluctant to start etc." then there would be reason to dive in.

Steve

[Chicken Drumstick]

I also agree, why spend money when its not needed.

If you are going to tear into it I personally wouldn't bother with stock parts. Go for a performance cam and maybe some decent heads, it'll really wake the motor up and allow it to run how its supposed to.

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

IMHO

The condition of a V8 is nothing at all to do with mileage, its all to do

with how well and how regaularly its been serviced and been looked after

I have seen totally destroyed V8s at 40,000 and OK ones at 150,000

The issues with top ends are normally No 7 lobe on the cam wears heavily, this can

cause all sorts of probs, if bad enough it shows as a misfire as the vlaves don't take in fuel so doesn't

really actaully "fire"

Yours sounds as though it is fine, and your worrying due to mileage - don't

Treat it to a good quality GENUINE or high quality filter and a change of Oil (Valvoline VR1 is the best IMHO)

FWIW I change the oil on mine every 6 months as the mileage is low, and sometimes more if I have had

it in very deep water for any time, short journeys wreek havoc on oil vs long journeys, so again "Mileage" is not

just the issue - time can short journeys is bad for V8s generally, hence why a ex Top Managers RR with moon miles that

has sat all its life on motorways long journeys and regularly dealer serviced can drive behave and

feel like a V8 with a 1/3 of the miles on it

If you wnat to clean to injection system too, shove 1 bottle of FORTE INJECTOR cleaner through it

(nothing elase) and only have 1/3 tank of fuel, run to low and then fill up, one long trip is better with this stuff.

Check fuild levels and check Antifreeze ratio

Other than the above forget 'mileage', what Ian said about 100,000 V8 needing top ends is sadly true due to muppets NOT

looking after them, V8s top ends wear fast when old oil, congells, carbon deposits form and maintainance seems to be

booting it everywhere and filling up with fuel and "Giving it Large" without ever opening the bonnet ever again

Nige

[discodave]

Thanks for your input. That's what I usually do, but being new to V8's I wasnt sure whether an expensive failure could be imminent. Nige, I read your bit about Valvoline oil and Duckhams Classic being a good second choice. I've found a bloke on eblag doing the Duckhams for a good price so thought I'd go down that road for now as I'm very gentle on my truck - rarely rev over 3000rpm, most miles on motorway and it's less than 3000 miles or about 5 months, 3 of which it's been sat and only started up once a week while the missus and I were on holiday, and I'm changing the oil. The most it's gonna do in the near future is tow my 14' caravan to work, about 200miles, then it'll mostly sit all summer until I finish work and go home again. Guess I'll just keep an eye on it for now. DD