Hole in engine? Plus manifold advice

[jamescooper47]

Hi everyone

So, amongst all sorts of glass shards (guessing window broken in a past life) I have found a hole in the top of my RV8! Omg, I’ve tried looking at all sorts of gallery images online but cannot identify it.

Does anyone have a clue what this is? Why would there be a hole in the valley?



In other news, I’m going to tackle the near side manifold gasket soon. Any advice of gasket seal type? Got the new gasket and all bolts appear to turntable so just preparing myself for some swearing. I’m used to working under the mini so have good dexterity in the hands, and very mush used to losing all my skin so think I’m prepared. Very welcome to make comment on starting such a crazy venture, but would welcome any tips. Does patience help? Because once starting something I must finish it in double quick time so patience is limited.

Thanks all.

P.s one more tip if you would, how can I make my drivers door mirror rotate far enough for the a mirror to be useful? Blind spot at the moment could hide Jupiter

[Belle427]

The holes are normal, I’m not sure why they are there but can only think they allow collected water to run out.
You have a valley gasket underneath the intake so they are not open to anything so to speak.
Gaskets are fiddly but pretty straightforward, just make sure you put them in the right way.

[DickyC]

jamescooper47 said:

... I’m used to working under the mini so have good dexterity in the hands, and very mush used to losing all my skin so think I’m prepared...

Push spanners and wrenches with the flat of your hand. Many skinned knuckles saved.

[jamescooper47]

I’m glad the hole is normal!! Phew. Looks worrying though doesn’t it - I had this terrible feeling a bung should have been there and all sorts of rubbish had gotten into the internals.

Happy again

Although still not looking forward to manifold gasket job 🤣

[NicBowman]

My previous pre cat Griff used to take me 12 hours to remove both manifolds! Unfortunately I had to do it several times.

Watch out for the threads, they are into aluminium and quite easy to mess up…. Helicoils are a good mod if you ever get the heads off, makes them more robust.

Nic

[QBee]

Look, I know many people on here like doing jobs on their own cars, so I am wearing my fire retardant undercrackers and full face crash helmet as I write this.

But some jobs just cry out to be booked in with your local TVR expert. Exhaust manifold removal is one of them IMHO. It's a fking awkward son of a bh of a job, and as far as i know it is made a lot easier with a) 20+ years full time TVR experience b) a selection of suitably modified spanners and c) more patience than I have.

Have fun.. You can borrow my trailer to take the car to the said TVR expert when you get stuck half way through.

[jamescooper47]

Well that’s made me feel better about it 😳

[Steve_D]

QBee said:

........But some jobs just cry out to be booked in with your local TVR expert......

Gee thanks. What makes you think we like manifold bolts any more than anyone else?????

Anyway, if OP is still game to do these then start by buying a set of AP bolts. The design constraints of the manifold mean that it is not possible to use a ring spanner on some of the standard manifold bolts leaving open ended spanners as the only option. Sod's law says those bolts will be the tightest bolts on the whole car with the high risk of damaging the bolt head before you can get it loose (then you will be booking it in to a TVR garage). The AP bolts have a reduced head size (3/8 AF spanner) so are much easier to use.

Another tip. It is possible to fit the gaskets the wrong way round so make sure they properly align with the ports. Be aware that the gaskets are the same shape and (in most cases) have the appearance of being stamped out of the gasket material leaving a rounded edge to the cut on, say the top face, and a sharper edge on the bottom face. On each side of the engine one gasket will face out the other in.

A related tip. Trying to manage a manifold, gaskets and bolts can be hours of fun. Oh what fun it is groping around under the car trying to retrieve a dropped gasket but nothing like the fun trying to get a gasket that has dropped down the back of the starter motor.
Most gaskets cover a pair of ports so find which way round the gasket goes to align with the ports and cable tie it to the bridge piece between the ports on the manifold. Once you have the manifolds fitted just cut off the cable ties.

Steve

[jojackson4]

Mine has holes in it as well

[jamescooper47]

Thanks for the advice. Interesting to know the gaskets have a particular way round, and cable tieing to the bridge is a great idea. Luckily it appears my bolts are already easy to turn, some were not particularly tight so guessing these have been left unchecked from the last change and allowed to blow causing my issue.

Hoping for no damage or pitting to the surfaces, fingers crossed.