Engine bits.

[Uncle Frank]

Metro and Maestro engines will be no good as the crankshaft is different..(transverse type), A+ engines from an Ital are very good, they have a stronger block and better crank, all 1300 inline engines should be ok, Midget or Moggie would do.
High compression engines are fine too

[Philip]

Cheers Frank.

[Philip]

You know I'm quite impatient, well I decided to take the head off the Marina today. It had the head overhalled two years ago.

This is what I found...













The scoring on the bore obviously isn't a good thing, I can feel it slightly but I don't think that this is my issue. Have a look at the last two pics... That isn't right is it!!

[Uncle Frank]

:shock: Bloody hell Phil!......the bloke who refurbished that wants shooting!, still at least you can now see what the problem was :roll: .

[Philip]

My thoughts exactly Frank. Can you see the position of the valve stem seal? I guess that is my problem rather than the scoring to the bore?

[Philip]

Can anyone remind me, the main head nuts, should there be washers under them all? This one only had washers on the ones that aren't under the rocker cover. The ones under the rocker cover tightened down onto the rocker shaft only, no washer, is this correct?

[MarinaCoupe]

The Mk1 BL Parts manual shows washers under all the nuts securing the head, whether open or under the rocker cover. They are all the same.

That's quite a bodge job you've got there, the angle of the valve stems suggests hopefully that the guides are worn and that's where the engine has been sucking oil in from. If you are unlucky, the head has been drilled on the skew and the guides are straight. If you whip off a valve spring does the valve slop about in the guide? If so a set of new valve guides and perhaps valves (if the shafts have worn) should sort it.

[Kilroy]

Its looking as though you will need to have new seats or inserts fitted on that burnt one - perhaps you should get that looked at before you go buying too many bits for this head..

[Philip]

I have a spare head, I could fit that I guess. What are you seeing in the pic that I'm not? The stem seals are half way up the guides.

[MarinaCoupe]

It may be just the angle of the picture, but the valve stems don't look verticle, as though they have worn the valve guides oval and have moved off verticle.

[Philip]

Just quickly, head nut torque, is it 40 or 50 ft/lb my bl manual contradicts itself.

[Number 63]

50 for a 1.3, 40 for a 1.1, so 50 then!!

[Kilroy]

I have a spare head, I could fit that I guess. What are you seeing in the pic that I'm not? The stem seals are half way up the guides.

Unless its the photo - the first picture appears to show some bad erosion of the inlet valve seat.
Almost like its cracked at about 7 o clock position.
Maybe its just carbon.
Just suggesting that without removing the valves you will not be able to see the full extent of what needs doing.

Cheers.

[Uncle Frank]

New head studs on their way tomorrow Phil, hope you get her sorted in time for the photoshoot

[Philip]

Thanks guys. Head back on now. The seats looked quite good. I measured the distance between the valve stems where they stick through the head, they seemed ok. So I think it's just a camera trick. The valve stem seals were loose fitting and quite hard. As I said before a few of the seals were not sat down and were ridden up the stems. I think that although the rest isn't great, that was my problem regarding oil consumption. All I need to do tomorrow is rob a head stud from my other car, torque the head up properly as the head is only sat down with the nuts slightly more than finger tight, I've got to tighten the manifold and connect the downpipe then fingers crossed it'll be finished.