Well that's made it worse

[pinchmeimdreamin]

Well finally got the engine back together after replacing the head gaskets.

Thoroughly checked, cleaned and replaced everything where needed ( also slotted exhaust manifolds whilst off makes a huge difference when refitting )

Fitted nice new leads ( new plugs rotor arm and Dizzy cap end of last year).

Filled up with Mobil 1 0-W40.


turned her over........started straight away...............


Sounds like a bag of spanners ( Clattering badly from NS ) and still misfiring

There were no shims under rocker pedestals so not that. all pads still on rockers so not that.



Think I may have been over confident with my abilities and done something silly,

So any ideas guys before I get it trailered in to someone who knows what they are doing ?

[pinchmeimdreamin]

jojackson4 said:

Did you do the preloads?

When I pulled mine there were no shims but it needed them
Also my rockers and shafts were wrong
Did you check the lifters had movement

And the golden oldie the 4 into 1 cracked?

Didn't do the preloads as the head wasn't skimmed and I had no problems with rattles beforehand (should I have? )

Definitely not the exhaust.

[pinchmeimdreamin]

Sardonicus said:

Well I wouldnt of used that viscosity of oil personally and if you have mixed up the push-rods chances are your waiting for the tappets to pump up how long did you run it ? I take it you have oil pressure etc ?

definitely not mixed up the pushrods ( bit of cardboard numbered holes )

Ran it at tickover to bleed the system till warm ( not really noticeable then but put revs on and gets bad.

I thought that was one of the reccomended oils.

[pinchmeimdreamin]

I will try that guys see if it helps ( hopefully the misfire is not related )

Quick video of how it sounds ( not the greatest but think you can tell)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFpDgEjzyl0&fe...

[pinchmeimdreamin]

OK so just tried holding her at 2500 revs for 2 minutes I didn't notice any difference, Its just goes totally against the grain to hold revs on an engine that's rattling to me ( I know I'm probably being a wimp)

Think I will get someone a bit more knowledgeable than me to have a look make sure its nothing more serious I have caused.

[pinchmeimdreamin]

Well I checked the manifolds tonight all seem ok, although I am not sure about the gaskets that came with the head set from RG.

They look like this ( as in thin layers rather than the solid ones I used last time I did them ).



So plan now is to leave it till the weekend, then remove inlet manifold again, N/S rocker arm check lifters are free, then refit all again triple checking everything reseal exhaust manifold again ( may try different gaskets ).

Double check I haven't left a spanner in there somewhere

[pinchmeimdreamin]

chrispitman said:

Were you getting decent oil pressure?

Its sitting at 25-30 on tickover. (same as it has always done)

[pinchmeimdreamin]

gruffalo said:

Did you have the cam out, I had this once and the cam timing was one tooth out, all the valves on one bank were just touching the pistons. It did not do any damage, I retimed the cam and all was well for anothet 75K miles till I sold the car.

No I'm not that brave.

[pinchmeimdreamin]

macdeb said:

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but, those gaskets look nothing like what you should have

no those are nissan ones its the construction of the gasket I meant ( sorry for my crap descriptions )

Layers of thin tin rather than solid ones.

[pinchmeimdreamin]

TOV!E said:

Filled up with Mobil 1 0-W40.

Yes I know I had a blonde moment and took Racing Greens advice.

But mocking aside could this be part of the problem ?


I have ordered new. Lucas cap and Rotor arm to change out the OEM ones.

[pinchmeimdreamin]

phazed said:

It seems to me, iirc, that you renewed your rocker shafts, reassembled but didn't set the preloads.

Did you remove the heads? If you did then this is the problem.

Even if the heads weren't removed, I wouldn't reassemble the top end without setting the preloads.


Just checked back, the heads were removed, defo reset the preloads, I'm sure that's your problem.

Edited by phazed on Wednesday 23 April 16:12

I thank you, will be my first job saturday then. I did warn you I may have surpassed my talent levels

[pinchmeimdreamin]

So doing my homework for this weekend, is the V8 development method of setting the preload using feeler gauges ok (I have feeler gauges I dont have welding rods )

http://www.v8developments.co.uk/technical/valve_tr...


Or should I pop into local engineering place and try get hold of some welding rods?

[pinchmeimdreamin]

jojackson4 said:

Have you ordered a shim kit
Rimer Bross / real steal are cheaper
The wire method is a lot easier I used copper wire

Going to order a kit well use one of the above as I looked on Fleabay and the want silly money for them compared.

Will have a word with the engineer at work see what he has lying around rod wise then if its easier .