Head gasket issues

E

Erik The Viking

New Member
Hi Chaps,

Old Erik seems to have head gasket issues again............ I was wondering if there is an advantage to be had using the more modern type of Felpro head gaskets?

The original right hand head gasket failed due to corrosion of the gasket at the rear most cylinder. I replaced them with the original tin type gaskets, but after 10,000 miles it seems to have blown one of them again....... ???

Thanks Guy's :)
 
Do you mean the Composite gaskets Richard?
They do ultimately provide a better seal, but being slightly thicker they do lower the compression ratio.

You shouldn't have a problem with the tin type though. Unless the cyl. head face and/or block face were not dead flat, or the surfaces weren't scrupulously clean?
 
Thanks Peter,

Yeah, I did mean the composite head gaskets. I bought my car with camshaft failure, and funnily enough, the original head gasket blew on the same cylinder that the camshaft had died on. I didn't check the heads for flatness when I changed the head gasket, although everything was spotlessly clean. Perhaps it's a case of the cylinder that was running with the poorly camshaft had overheated, and warped the head? :) I think this time around I'll send them off for checking, and skimming as required.
 
The composite gaskets reduce the c.r. by approx 0.6.
I've never found v8 heads to be prone to distortion, as they have so many retaining bolts evenly spread over a relatively small area. Worth checking tho' if you are having repeat problems.
 
harveyp6 said:
The composite gaskets reduce the c.r. by approx 0.6.
I've never found v8 heads to be prone to distortion, as they have so many retaining bolts evenly spread over a relatively small area. Worth checking tho' if you are having repeat problems.
Click to expand...
use a steel rule and feeler guages to check for head distortion - if it is bad, then you will see it and save some cash!
you know about the 3rd row of 4 bolts being tightenend to a much lower torque? this came about on later engines, SD1, Rand Rover etc as it was found that they would apply uneven pressure and result in head gasket problems.
(on mine, I have them removed - makes it lighter too!).
 
If you have the heads skimmed enough you can fit composit HG without reducing the CR.
Its a pity those back axles are so fragile you as can get an awful lot of power out of a rover V8 without trying very hard.
 
Quick update.........It's fixed! Yippee!!

A trip to IanP6man's relieved a V8 of a cylinder head, and then back to the tuning shed for a clean up, and grind the valves in. The head is now fitted, and the car is running a treat, with no more blowing antifreeze out the radiator overflow pipe :D Also took the opportunity to fit a better exhaust manifold, and sort out the blowing downpipes.
 
It took a couple of lazy days to do. No seized bolts, but I had the top end of the engine to bits a couple of years ago, and put everything back together with lashings of copper grease!

The bolts that can be a pain are the inlet manifold bolts that are next to the water ways. If coolant has been seeping down the bolt holes, unfortunately a seized bolt will result..

The Rover V8, although big, is probably one of the easiest engines to work on, so give it a go!
 
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