Jump to content

Rover Engine Issues


AndyW

Recommended Posts

Ignoring the fuel consumption issue for now, I might have discovered why I'm using a lot of oil.

 

Responses on the Rovertech forum indicate some Rover t-series engines had different valve guides and valve stem oil seals, changed around 1995. Some guides protruded up 12mm and had 14mm tall green oil seals. Other guides only stuck up 10.3 mm and used 12mm shorter black oil seals - those were what I took off my engine.

 

I didn't compare them or know to measure them at the time, but it looks like I might have rebuild my head using the wrong combination. It would seem I've taken off the short black seals and put the longer green ones on, hence they don't sit properly on the shorter valve guides. I guess that's the cause of oil getting into the bores.

 

I only wish there was some way I could see under the tappets and springs to confirm that's my problem without having to strip the head down again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest mcramsay

Can you not take the inlet manifold or exhaust manifold off and set the engine so you have a few valves open and stems visible, pour a little oil around the stem seals and see if it tracks through? If it's that bad you should see some oil build up on the lip of the valve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

To update my old posting, I decided to take the head off my Rover engine again to investigate my excessive oil consumption. And yes, it was down to the wrong valve stem oil seals. The gasket kit I originally used for the rebuild last year appears to have incorrect valve seals - it came with the older taller green seals, rather than the shorter black seals. Bought a set of the correct seals and have now put them in.

 

The head was in a horrendous state - hard carbon and white calcite (?) deposits on the valve faces, carbon and varnish on the stems, loads of soft carbon in the exhaust ports, and soft oily thick carbon paste on the piston crowns as well as puddles of oil. All that had built up in 1600 miles driving over the last year, presumably from constantly burning oil coming through the valve stems. I still find it amazing that poor fitting seals would leak that much oil around the valve stems, as presumably the spring holds the bottom of the seal tight against the head seat. Anyway, it took a days work and fair bit of effort to clean it all up.

 

Also found carbon blow past marks from 3 of the cylinders on the exhaust manifold gasket. Inspection showed the flange wasn't very flat so I had to file the high spots down. Hope that seals a bit better this time and stops some of the popping on overrun, and presumably some mis-fueling.

Edited by AndyW
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

You really need to run my analysis software on the engine to make sure everything is working. So far we haven't found a Superspec that has a working lambda sensor before being fixed. That would mean the engine was running a bit rich which might explain it. I will have my kit at Stoneleigh if you are going.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ed Ive always had one exhaust tailpipe blocked up. That was one of the first things I did (on Als recommendation) last year, so dont think that had much effect on the popping.

 

Since the rebuild the popping on overrun has just about gone although I can still hear the occasional quiet pop. Ive only driven a couple of hundred miles since the rebuild so need to get some more miles under my belt to really check it. When the weather warms and dries up a bit Ill get out there and check all the exhaust joints again to see if they still show any signs of leakage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...