Well that's gone and blown it....... head gasket woes
Discussion
Recently experienced one incident of coolant boiling over after a particularly hard run. Had cooled down a bit as trundled back through town, but had to park up (engine off) to ask numpty to move who was blocking my garage, then engine on to move Cerb into the garage, when it blew coolant out in spectacular fashion...... Probabaly had exessive heat build up under bonnet? Once cool, topped up, gentle run, topped up again - but decided as car was due for 12K service to get it done right away and get it checked out.
Just been diagnosed with a leaking head gasket......
and that this is going to be an engine out job. Bummer.... Was some leakage on passenger side bank up past one of the retaining bolts.
What a great bit of TVR design, that need to remove one bolt from behind front timing cover to get heads off, and can't remove timing cover with engine in place as it hits chassis rail. Top bit of design, that.....
How long does it take to take the engine in and out again? Steeling myself for quite a large bill......
And there's always that old chestnut of "while the engine's out, what else needs doing...." However, as I've got new-ish RP clutch, RP flywheel, reconditioned gearbox, new-ish CATS, replaced fuel and brake lines, new nearside wishbone, Waxoiled chassis - hope that the list is limited!!!!
Just been diagnosed with a leaking head gasket......
and that this is going to be an engine out job. Bummer.... Was some leakage on passenger side bank up past one of the retaining bolts.What a great bit of TVR design, that need to remove one bolt from behind front timing cover to get heads off, and can't remove timing cover with engine in place as it hits chassis rail. Top bit of design, that.....
How long does it take to take the engine in and out again? Steeling myself for quite a large bill......
And there's always that old chestnut of "while the engine's out, what else needs doing...." However, as I've got new-ish RP clutch, RP flywheel, reconditioned gearbox, new-ish CATS, replaced fuel and brake lines, new nearside wishbone, Waxoiled chassis - hope that the list is limited!!!!
I am sure the 'book' says 15 hours for engine in and out but others on here might know better than me.
I had quite a long list of things to do whilst engine was last out - it got expensive :-(
I would suggest keeping the list to a minimum if you can!
If your clutch and both slaves are newish then I guess you might want to consider replacing the silicone and stainless water pipes?
Your manifolds might need welding once off?
Paint and wrap the chassis near the manifolds?
The heat protection stuff on the side of the engine bay?
Check the oil/water pump.
4.8 conversion :-)
I had quite a long list of things to do whilst engine was last out - it got expensive :-(
I would suggest keeping the list to a minimum if you can!
If your clutch and both slaves are newish then I guess you might want to consider replacing the silicone and stainless water pipes?
Your manifolds might need welding once off?
Paint and wrap the chassis near the manifolds?
The heat protection stuff on the side of the engine bay?
Check the oil/water pump.
4.8 conversion :-)
Not interested in underbonnet bling.
BUT - I'm hoping that this is a very rare occurence to have the engine out.... therefore was thinking:
Check condition of chassis tubes, repair or protect as necessary
Check heat shielding - replace if necessary
Look at condition of water pipes etc - these will now be 9 years old and price up replacement hoses and clips
Hope nothing else lurking under there...... as it will also be having 12K service the labour costs are totting up, and this bills not going to be easily hid from SWMBO.......
BUT - I'm hoping that this is a very rare occurence to have the engine out.... therefore was thinking:
Check condition of chassis tubes, repair or protect as necessary
Check heat shielding - replace if necessary
Look at condition of water pipes etc - these will now be 9 years old and price up replacement hoses and clips
Hope nothing else lurking under there...... as it will also be having 12K service the labour costs are totting up, and this bills not going to be easily hid from SWMBO.......
Silicone hoses are £182 plus VAT (but watch them as they need tightening 2 or 3 times after fitting!)
Cylinder head water rails are £452 plus VAT
Stainless coolant pipes are £149 plus VAT
Cant remember which ones I got - I think all three :-) :-(
(I also had clutch, fly, stainless rad, heat shield etc etc)
Cylinder head water rails are £452 plus VAT
Stainless coolant pipes are £149 plus VAT
Cant remember which ones I got - I think all three :-) :-(
(I also had clutch, fly, stainless rad, heat shield etc etc)
mikeinsheffield said:
.....Probabaly had exessive heat build up under bonnet? ....
Gutted for you mate. Crapped myself when I was stuck in a 3.5 Hr jam on the M20 a few weeks back but with Joo's 'Cool' chip and ACT's hoses, she was superb. Never went over 92 Deg Good Luck with everything. At least you've got it in a good place
amazon said:
Mine was changed with the engine in situ. They all said it couldn't be done. But it was. And it's great 
.
Which side gasket do you need - I have a spare one - it's the driver's side. Had to buy a pair
.
Oh and I have a 4.2 so maybe that's the difference?
Edited for typo!
Mikes car is a lateish 4.2.... .Which side gasket do you need - I have a spare one - it's the driver's side. Had to buy a pair
.Oh and I have a 4.2 so maybe that's the difference?
Edited for typo!
Who did it in situ?
Sorry to hear about that Mike. As a suggestion from an outsider I would seriously consider what Gazzab wrote.
If it's lasted 9 yrs so far, replacing all the stuff you can't get to will see it last another 9 without the added faff of having to have the engine out in a years time when something fairly simple goes. How many threads have we all read where things like this happen? Cash willing of course.
Please feel free to ignore this
If it's lasted 9 yrs so far, replacing all the stuff you can't get to will see it last another 9 without the added faff of having to have the engine out in a years time when something fairly simple goes. How many threads have we all read where things like this happen? Cash willing of course.
Please feel free to ignore this
amazon said:
Mine was changed with the engine in situ. They all said it couldn't be done. But it was. And it's great .
I spent a long time studying the possibility of removing the timing cover without moving the engine, and I can't see how the cover could clear the crank. I would be interested in reading any more details of the technique you used. Photos illustrating what would be an extremely useful procedure would be even better - or is it all a trade secret???.Edited by ukkid35 on Tuesday 12th July 13:43
amazon said:
Mine was changed with the engine in situ. They all said it couldn't be done. But it was. And it's great .
Which side gasket do you need - I have a spare one - it's the driver's side. Had to buy a pair.
Oh and I have a 4.2 so maybe that's the difference?
Edited for typo!
Hi Amazon - thanks for the kind offer..Which side gasket do you need - I have a spare one - it's the driver's side. Had to buy a pair
.Oh and I have a 4.2 so maybe that's the difference?
Edited for typo!
Mine is an 02 model 4.2, but due to the very healthy power and torque figures and that it is a later model AJP - our suspicions have always been that it could well be a 4.5 bottom end with the 4.2 injection system etc on top. At least we can now check the bore diameters and find out for certain!!! Who said that the cloud doesn't have a silver lining....
Russell at RP showed me where the one bolt is at the front of the engine that you need to remove the timing cover to get at...... grrrrr!
WRT to the gaskets, am investigating using copper gaskets with RP as a stronger replacement. Will also get the heads skimmed slightly whilst we are at it.
If RP was a restaurant, I'd already be donning the marigolds and starting on a mountain of washing up...
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