Back from the dead? Rebuilding a K blog

[roadboy]

What he said! I'd warm it up and run it for a little bit before pulling the head off. Its quite common and will sort itself fairly quickly if that is the problem.

What's the history on the head? Has there been valve-piston contact in the past?

Dan

[steve_weegie]

but i know that it will get fixed very soon

You're a 'glass is half full' kinda guy. aren't you?

Don't mock a desperate man! I have a trip in 3 weeks that makes FF8 look like a jaunt to the shops! Mindless optimism is all i have left

Were the cams out?
I had issues with valves sticking open as the tappets expand over time if left uncompressed and hold the valves open -
I sh!t myself as half of them were stuck open, after a couple of days they settled back down.

Rich, the cams were in, but the tappets had been completely stripped and cleaned of oil. They should only pump up when they're full of oil, right??

What he said! I'd warm it up and run it for a little bit before pulling the head off. Its quite common and will sort itself fairly quickly if that is the problem.

What's the history on the head? Has there been valve-piston contact in the past?

Dan

Dan, I fluffed the valve timing on this head while doing a gasket and snapped 3 exhausts and bent 3 others. This is the first time its been on the car since. The head was skimmed, de-valved, lapped in with new exhausts and new oil seals fitted. It all "looked" spot on TBH... I must admit to being a bit confused, especially as there was no compression what so ever

Cheers,

Steve

[robin]

Weeg,

Did you check/replace the valve guides on the bent exhaust valves? They often crack when the valve is bent. (although this won't cure itself, so if this is the cause of the issue, you need to remove the head anyway).

Have you double checked the timing of the cams? (although this would cause all of the cylinders to behave in a similar way).

Before removing the head in it's entirety I might be inclined to split off the cam ladder, pop out the lifters and check that (apparently) all the valves are returning to the closed position. This is essentially free as the only materials you need to reassemble are the cam ladder gunk.

Another option is to tip a small amount of engine oil into the bore and repeat the compression test. If it scores something now rather than nothing that would point to piston rings.

My money is on a hole in the piston ... only kidding

Cheers,
Robin

[Rich H]

Lifters pump up when left un compressed. They take a little while after assembly to settle.

As robin said though cam ladder off is easiest option.

[steve_weegie]

IT LIVES!!!!


Stripped the cam ladder off this morning and repeated the compression test... Hey ho, we have compression! Turned out to be a problem with one of the tappets, holding the valve open. Rebuilt the tappet and reassembled and she fired up fine

Ran her up to temp and took her for a short spin up the track... No signs of leaks, temp stable and no nasty noises anywhere.

MOT on monday

[Victor Meldrew]

IT LIVES!!!!


Stripped the cam ladder off this morning and repeated the compression test... Hey ho, we have compression! Turned out to be a problem with one of the tappets, holding the valve open. Rebuilt the tappet and reassembled and she fired up fine

Ran her up to temp and took her for a short spin up the track... No signs of leaks, temp stable and no nasty noises anywhere.

MOT on monday

Bout friggin time...

[r055]

IT LIVES!!!!


Stripped the cam ladder off this morning and repeated the compression test... Hey ho, we have compression! Turned out to be a problem with one of the tappets, holding the valve open. Rebuilt the tappet and reassembled and she fired up fine

Ran her up to temp and took her for a short spin up the track... No signs of leaks, temp stable and no nasty noises anywhere.

MOT on monday

Bout friggin time...

[steve_weegie]

Well, the car is back complete with tax and MOT so i guess its time to put this thread to bed. The first 150 miles have been faultless, but the fear of somthing untoward happening is still there, albeit diminishing slowly! Hope to get the oil changed next week so i can give it some beans

Quick specs of the engine:

Block machined for correct liner heights
Liners honed
New piston rings gapped to suit liners
New main bearings
New big end bearings
New crank thrust bearings
New AP clutch and cover
New uprated bottom oil rail
Balanced crank
Balanced flywheel
Balanced clutch cover
MLS Gasket and shim
Tappets fully striped and rebuilt
Lotus 135 head, port matched to inlet manifold

I must thank Robin, for talking me into this instead of buying an ebay spec unknown.... Mckeann for his blown up block ( now replaced in the SE parts pool with my old lump ), Hambo for his exhaust welding expertise, Stu for the machining work and finally Ali and Josh at SLS for storing the car when i simply couldn't afford to get it fixed, letting me help out to keep the costs down and generally being nice guys

It's been emotional

[meatball]

You do realise that you have just cursed it now? It may be good but is it weegie proof?

[mckeann]

I think that as its built on my old engine block, i should be allowed to help run it in

[Modena Scotland]

Glad it's back on the road

[woody]

Good going Stevie.

[steve_weegie]

Meatball, we'll find out if its weegie proof in the 15th August.... On the Nordschleife

Neil, you should be reported to the RSPCE ( Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Engines ) If you bring it a peace offering of Silkolene however, a short supervised visit "may" be arranged

[mckeann]

If you bring it a peace offering of Silkolene

I didnt bother with oil in it the first time, i'm not going to start now


Joke

[mac]

If you bring it a peace offering of Silkolene

I didnt bother with oil in it the first time, i'm not going to start now


Joke


unless your name is Simon

EFA


Mac