Rover K - oil leak(s) from head/block

[Smitters]

Id really appreciate an experienced view. I've just buttoned up a new hg on my 1.8k. First time ever opening up an engine. Pretty sure I followed things to the letter, but I now have a number of leaks from the head/block join.

Are there any accepted actions prior to pulling it all apart again?

I was, I thought, pretty fastidious on cleaning the faces, so are there any other easy to spot reasons for a leak.

TIA

Yours, frustrated in Glos...

[DVandrews]

There are not many (if any) places where oil can leak from the head gasket without coolant also being ejected.

It may be the oil is pooling there having leaked from a cam seal / cam ladder / cam cover.

Dave

[pusb]

I'm no expert on this by any means (so please don't assume what I'm saying is right), but don't you have to let it all get up to running temp, then re-torque the bolts?

[Sardonicus]

pusb said:

I'm no expert on this by any means (so please don't assume what I'm saying is right), but don't you have to let it all get up to running temp, then re-torque the bolts?

Not on the K no

[Smitters]

DVandrews said:

There are not many (if any) places where oil can leak from the head gasket without coolant also being ejected.

It may be the oil is pooling there having leaked from a cam seal / cam ladder / cam cover.

Dave

Thanks Dave (and all),

I shall investigate the cam cover (new gasket, fitted by me), ladder joint (unknown to me) and cam end seals (fitted by me) then. That would be a result to be honest.

I have flushed the cooling system out twice and it's not looking contaminated (or re-contaminated) and I'll be changing the oil again really soon, so that'll reveal any water movement.

[MG-Steve]

Is it a vvc? I had leaks from the vvc mech oil seals after rebuilding despite torquing correctly (10nm).

I nipped them up without removing the cambelt with a small spanner and 1/4 sockets through the cam wheels and was alright after that!

[itcaptainslow]

Any pictures of the area and the leaks?

[Smitters]

Not VVC, so minimal gubbins at that end.

I've cleaned up the block as best I can, so next time I get it started I'll have a much better chance to see the source. The head was cleaned off the car and it really doesn't look like it's coming from above the head/block join. I reseated the cam cover anyway and just checked to make sure I didn't miss a 180 degree pass on any head bolts.

If anything, I'd say it's coming from the cylinder 4/exhaust corner, where the head overhangs the block somewhat.

Right now, I'm enjoying the citrussy notes of 3in1 heavy duty degreaser.

[DVandrews]

That is the lowest point on the head/block join, so it likely that the oil is gathering there by capillary action from another source. There is no active oilway at that point of the block/head, the only oil passageway at this point is the head drains down the bolt holes, these are isolated from the outside world by the coolant jacket, so no oil can reach the outside without traversing the coolant space...

Dave

[Sardonicus]

You sure you dont have a leaking end camshaft Inlet or Exhaust oil seal? with new translucent oil it will be hard to see the trail but the end result will be where your talking about I would imagine , I presume these are new all 4 of them

[Smitters]

DVandrews said:

That is the lowest point on the head/block join, so it likely that the oil is gathering there by capillary action from another source. There is no active oilway at that point of the block/head, the only oil passageway at this point is the head drains down the bolt holes, these are isolated from the outside world by the coolant jacket, so no oil can reach the outside without traversing the coolant space...

Dave

OK - time to break out the talc. Thanks for the insight. On the one hand, it's reassuring that the oil has to come past coolant to get out and the coolant is clear. On the other hand, for how long will the coolant remain clear? I've only run it up to 90 degrees a few times and not put any load through it! Ho hum.

Sardonicus said:

You sure you dont have a leaking end camshaft Inlet or Exhaust oil seal? with new translucent oil it will be hard to see the trail but the end result will be where your talking about I would imagine , I presume these are new all 4 of them

As above - thanks. I'll triple check, but I'm pretty sure. I stood there with a rag as it ran up to temp, having already cleaned the area under the two sealing plates with white spirit. As above, talc/chalk line time and see how it's sneaking about. Time to start paiing more attention to the area under the inlet manifold too. It looks clean, but there are blindspots. Mirror on a stick for me then.

[DVandrews]

If it was leaking past the coolant then you would be losing coolant at a rapid rate of knots and you would see evidence of contamination in the header tank, so I wouldnt worry unduly.

Dave

[Smitters]

Thank you - that's cheering news.