Getting bold now - Changing the inlet manifold gasket?
Discussion
If I don't die doing the fuel pump I will try and replace the leaking inlet gasket.
From what I can find on Rimmer Brothers website the gasket kit gives me the red, blue and green bits. I need some gasket seal too I guess but are there any other gaskets that will need replacing at the same time. Anything else I should consider before I start this task?
1 - Disconnect battery
2 - take everything off the top of the engine
3 - replace the gasket
4 - slap some sealant on it
5 - Stick it back together again
6 - Sit back with a large red wine and enjoy the sunset
From what I can find on Rimmer Brothers website the gasket kit gives me the red, blue and green bits. I need some gasket seal too I guess but are there any other gaskets that will need replacing at the same time. Anything else I should consider before I start this task?
1 - Disconnect battery
2 - take everything off the top of the engine
3 - replace the gasket
4 - slap some sealant on it
5 - Stick it back together again
6 - Sit back with a large red wine and enjoy the sunset
Definately drain the coolant, or you'll flood the cylinders and sump. Get the composite gasket not the original tin; also get the rubber rocker cover gaskets not the original cork. Be gentle with the aluminium, I stripped a couple of threads and I was being very careful... soak it in WD40 and be patient, plus use a T-bar and socket instead of a spanner where you can.
I'd change the thermostat while you're in there too.
I'd change the thermostat while you're in there too.
JMF894 said:
Which side is this? Driver's or passenger's.
From what i can gather one side is tricky for access to some of the bolts and the engine needs to be cantered over to one side slightly.
On top of this be very careful as these bolts can be prone to shearing.
Good luck though.
Jimbo
Maybe you're thinking of the exhaust manifold gaskets? Or the head gaskets? The valley gasket is a piece of the proverbial, morning's job at worst.From what i can gather one side is tricky for access to some of the bolts and the engine needs to be cantered over to one side slightly.
On top of this be very careful as these bolts can be prone to shearing.
Good luck though.
Jimbo
As said the Green bits are metal and don't need replacing.
The blue bits need replacing with a small amount of sealant on the tips only.
There are at least 3 versions of the red piece.
1. Metal (ovoid like the plague) you need to sealant to get it to seal.
2. composite flat finish (cheap OEM) but they are better than the above.
3. Composite fury finish (OEM Grade) these are the better ones to use and seal very well without any sealant.
on the tuned SE engines with higher compression, the head and block will have been skimmed, so you may need to do some fettling to get the gasket to fit / align up to the ports.
But if its a standard 3.5 it should be very easy. but a SE could take all day +
Drain the block on both sides, and still be on the look out for water still in the inlet manifold.
Also with the gasket removed you can have a good look at the camshaft, also if you improve your rev limit, you could set the pre-load correctly. but this could take another day to do correctly.
The blue bits need replacing with a small amount of sealant on the tips only.
There are at least 3 versions of the red piece.
1. Metal (ovoid like the plague) you need to sealant to get it to seal.
2. composite flat finish (cheap OEM) but they are better than the above.
3. Composite fury finish (OEM Grade) these are the better ones to use and seal very well without any sealant.
- Side note**
on the tuned SE engines with higher compression, the head and block will have been skimmed, so you may need to do some fettling to get the gasket to fit / align up to the ports.
But if its a standard 3.5 it should be very easy. but a SE could take all day +
Drain the block on both sides, and still be on the look out for water still in the inlet manifold.
Also with the gasket removed you can have a good look at the camshaft, also if you improve your rev limit, you could set the pre-load correctly. but this could take another day to do correctly.
Okay, I have had some really useful replies on here but please remember that today was the first time I have picked up a socket set. It has taken seven hours to remove a fuel pump and fuel filter, clean a swirl pot and replace with new pump, a couple of filters, clean the swirl pot and add a couple of valves. The whole day was spent following the simple plan on my last thread.
This does not mean I am ungrateful. The exact opposite, I have loved doing the work. What it does mean is that I need really simple explanations and will ask really stupid questions. Please bear with me. If I make it to a TVR meet I will bring beer.
1 - Disconnect battery
2 - Drain the coolant
..........How do I do this to make sure that the inlet manifold is drained?
..........Drain the block on both sides sounds sensible but how?
3 - Take everything off the top of the engine (very carefully so not to strip threads) using socket set where ever possible.
..........I am planning on doing this when the gaskets I need your recommendations to order arrive so will start squirting anything that looks relevent with WD40 when I place the order.
..........Anything else I can do to help?
4 - Replace main gasket with composite gasket and rocker covers with rubber gaskets
..........Please can you recommend a source and model, I am couldn't find 'furrty' gaskets listed on Rimmer Bros but am happy to be corrected. Even better, post a URL to the correct gaskets.
5 - with the gasket removed you can have a good look at the camshaft, also if you improve your rev limit, you could set the pre-load correctly
..........I will have a good look at my camshaft. What am I looking for?
..........I would love to improve my rev limit, as long as it doesn't grenade my engine, but how do I do that?
..........I would also like to set my pre-load correctly. What is it, how do I set it and what should it be set to?
6 - Re-assemble using a torque wrench and assemby paste fettling if required (hopefully standard 3.5)
..........Any idea of the correct torque?
..........Recommendations / links to the appropriate assembly paste please.
This will be my second major mechanical task after the replacement of fuel pump / filter described on the other thread. It is the help and advice given on that and the fact it worked that has given me the confidence to try this.
If you can answer my queries that would be great. This is a great learning experience and I will post my lessons learned and photos after each job I do. I hope this will encourage other newbies like me to try.
This does not mean I am ungrateful. The exact opposite, I have loved doing the work. What it does mean is that I need really simple explanations and will ask really stupid questions. Please bear with me. If I make it to a TVR meet I will bring beer.
1 - Disconnect battery
2 - Drain the coolant
..........How do I do this to make sure that the inlet manifold is drained?
..........Drain the block on both sides sounds sensible but how?
3 - Take everything off the top of the engine (very carefully so not to strip threads) using socket set where ever possible.
..........I am planning on doing this when the gaskets I need your recommendations to order arrive so will start squirting anything that looks relevent with WD40 when I place the order.
..........Anything else I can do to help?
4 - Replace main gasket with composite gasket and rocker covers with rubber gaskets
..........Please can you recommend a source and model, I am couldn't find 'furrty' gaskets listed on Rimmer Bros but am happy to be corrected. Even better, post a URL to the correct gaskets.
5 - with the gasket removed you can have a good look at the camshaft, also if you improve your rev limit, you could set the pre-load correctly
..........I will have a good look at my camshaft. What am I looking for?
..........I would love to improve my rev limit, as long as it doesn't grenade my engine, but how do I do that?
..........I would also like to set my pre-load correctly. What is it, how do I set it and what should it be set to?
6 - Re-assemble using a torque wrench and assemby paste fettling if required (hopefully standard 3.5)
..........Any idea of the correct torque?
..........Recommendations / links to the appropriate assembly paste please.
This will be my second major mechanical task after the replacement of fuel pump / filter described on the other thread. It is the help and advice given on that and the fact it worked that has given me the confidence to try this.
If you can answer my queries that would be great. This is a great learning experience and I will post my lessons learned and photos after each job I do. I hope this will encourage other newbies like me to try.
Edited by wca on Monday 5th December 19:37
Hi,
Have a look at this, it might be of some use and give you an idea of what you are preposing to do.
http://www.v8engines.com/engine-4.htm#pre-load
Have a look at this, it might be of some use and give you an idea of what you are preposing to do.
http://www.v8engines.com/engine-4.htm#pre-load
I have just read that RPi site explaining what can go wrong. It makes some grim reading. I will have a closer look at the oily bits on my engine but I suspect I will be sticking new cam and tappets in : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rover-V8-Piper-Camshaft-...
Funnily enough I don't have a spare £400 just before Christmas so I shall be blowing oil for a little while unless I am lucky with the condition of the engine bits I guess.
Funnily enough I don't have a spare £400 just before Christmas so I shall be blowing oil for a little while unless I am lucky with the condition of the engine bits I guess.
See http://www.brit-car.co.uk/product.php?xProd=148328 for gasket make sure it has the 'G' in the part code, they will also do the end seals and rubber rocker gaskets, you may also need to remove the thermostat housing, so get a spare gasket or 2, with 'G' in the part code.
You may want to ignore the pre-load for now. but turn the engine over and look at each lobe on the camshaft to see if they are all the same. (inlet and outlet maybe a bit different)
As for the kit you posted that's for a EFI camshaft.
You may want to ignore the pre-load for now. but turn the engine over and look at each lobe on the camshaft to see if they are all the same. (inlet and outlet maybe a bit different)
As for the kit you posted that's for a EFI camshaft.
Well, I have started it.
Backed the car onto my home made ramps (see other thread for a laugh) and raised it to level so I could easily drain the engine block which worked remarkably easily on one side and quite easily on the other. Lowered the ramp so I could easily get at the top of the engine (my tiltable ramp suddenly seems like a good idea). Disconnected a few of the coolant pipes to drain a bit more. Removed the air filter so I could see all the bolts for the inlet manifold.
Gently loosened the bolts about 1/2 a turn having soaked in WD40 last night. With all bolts loosened I then worked round an removed them, noting that the front two are longer than the rest.
Lifted the manifold off to reveal...
...well not much.
Questions
1) What is the best way to remove the old gasket - I think it is the shiney bit in the photo as there is nothing else that looks like it could be a gasket.
2) Should I have disconnected the fuel lines and carbs or can they stay in place? If I should remove them, how do I stop the fuel?
3) Where do I put the silicone sealant and where do I put the blue stuff (and how much)?
EDIT
Removed the gasket and side ones and found the side one split
Still need to know how to remove the old sealant as there is quite a bit stuck to stuff. So answers to 1, 2 and 3 welcome
Some sites recommend carb cleaner (http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_202903_langId_-1_categoryId_255221) to clean the surfaces. I guess it is not a good idea to get this into the oily bits of the engine. Spray on a rag and wipe it?
Backed the car onto my home made ramps (see other thread for a laugh) and raised it to level so I could easily drain the engine block which worked remarkably easily on one side and quite easily on the other. Lowered the ramp so I could easily get at the top of the engine (my tiltable ramp suddenly seems like a good idea). Disconnected a few of the coolant pipes to drain a bit more. Removed the air filter so I could see all the bolts for the inlet manifold.
Gently loosened the bolts about 1/2 a turn having soaked in WD40 last night. With all bolts loosened I then worked round an removed them, noting that the front two are longer than the rest.
Lifted the manifold off to reveal...
...well not much.
Questions
1) What is the best way to remove the old gasket - I think it is the shiney bit in the photo as there is nothing else that looks like it could be a gasket.
2) Should I have disconnected the fuel lines and carbs or can they stay in place? If I should remove them, how do I stop the fuel?
3) Where do I put the silicone sealant and where do I put the blue stuff (and how much)?
EDIT
Removed the gasket and side ones and found the side one split
Still need to know how to remove the old sealant as there is quite a bit stuck to stuff. So answers to 1, 2 and 3 welcome
Some sites recommend carb cleaner (http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_202903_langId_-1_categoryId_255221) to clean the surfaces. I guess it is not a good idea to get this into the oily bits of the engine. Spray on a rag and wipe it?
Edited by wca on Monday 12th December 17:21
Yeah, the guy before me must have got a bulk order of sealant. It was everywhere. Managed to get the majority off with a Stanley blade in a little holder designed for cleaning paint off glass. In the morning I will get some carb cleaner and give it a blast.
So:
1) Blue sealant in a thin bead around the big holes (all of them) right?
2) Silicon sealant along the edges of the valley where the little gaskets sit, especially the V groove at each end.
3) Silicon sealant thinly on the flat bits of the block by the bolt hols.
4) Gasket on, silicon and blue sealant on the same places but the top of the gasket.
5) Inlet manifold back on and tighten the bolts in order. Torquing them a couple of times before full power.
6) Move on to the rocker covers
So:
1) Blue sealant in a thin bead around the big holes (all of them) right?
2) Silicon sealant along the edges of the valley where the little gaskets sit, especially the V groove at each end.
3) Silicon sealant thinly on the flat bits of the block by the bolt hols.
4) Gasket on, silicon and blue sealant on the same places but the top of the gasket.
5) Inlet manifold back on and tighten the bolts in order. Torquing them a couple of times before full power.
6) Move on to the rocker covers
wca said:
Yeah, the guy before me must have got a bulk order of sealant. It was everywhere. Managed to get the majority off with a Stanley blade in a little holder designed for cleaning paint off glass. In the morning I will get some carb cleaner and give it a blast.
So:
1) Blue sealant in a thin bead around the big holes (all of them) right?
2) Silicon sealant along the edges of the valley where the little gaskets sit, especially the V groove at each end.
3) Silicon sealant thinly on the flat bits of the block by the bolt hols.
4) Gasket on, silicon and blue sealant on the same places but the top of the gasket.
5) Inlet manifold back on and tighten the bolts in order. Torquing them a couple of times before full power.
6) Move on to the rocker covers
As said before Sealant is a bit of a bodge due to the crap design of the metal gaskets, if you get the newer style gasket that I posted you will not need any sealant.So:
1) Blue sealant in a thin bead around the big holes (all of them) right?
2) Silicon sealant along the edges of the valley where the little gaskets sit, especially the V groove at each end.
3) Silicon sealant thinly on the flat bits of the block by the bolt hols.
4) Gasket on, silicon and blue sealant on the same places but the top of the gasket.
5) Inlet manifold back on and tighten the bolts in order. Torquing them a couple of times before full power.
6) Move on to the rocker covers
Well your need a little on the V ends of the rubber gaskets that go on the end.
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