TomB Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 1995 1.4 K series, HG change Ive taken the head off & hand tightened the head bolts into the block to measure the length between the block & underside of the bolt head. All are less than 97mm, except for 2 bolts on the inlet side. Most on the exhaust side are 95mm or less, with the ones on the inlet side being 97mm dead on or a bit more. Can I reuse them, replace the 2 over long ones or just play safe & replace the lot? OEM bolt sets are 2x price of another place? Is there realistically different about the OEM bolts? Ive also got plastic dowels which surprised me. The dowels lited out easily. The rear dowel appears to have been distorted. Ill try my best to describe it. The dowel has a thin protubance sticking out from the middle RHS of it. It looks like part of the dowel has melted & oozed out between the head & the gasket 4-5mm or so, which has torn the rubber round an adjacent coolant run. Could this be the cause of my symptoms here? here Happy Christmas everyone Edited by - TomB on 24 Dec 2004 13:07:40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 Plastic dowels = bad. No real argument there. They do allow more movement than the metal versions, so it can't have helped. wrt to the cylinder-head bolts, Haynes says (manual 3453 page 2A14) - If the distance measured is under 97mm, the bolt may be re-used. If the distance measured is 97mm or more, the bolt must be renewed. As a precaution, we recommend that the bolts are renewed as a complete set, regardless of their apparent condition. So there you have it... (according to Haynes) - looks like it's renewal time. Now - on the subject of OEM vs. the rest, someone told me recently that the material/construction of the bolts is a critical part of the k-series design (they are stretch-bolts) and that, whilst dimensionally correct, 3rd-party bolts *might* not be a good idea... Having said that, I think I'm using a new set of 3rd party bolts for my engine build this Christmas - they were supplied by DVA, so I hope they are OK.... The real question is - do you want to risk having to do all this again? Project Scope-Creep is underway... Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™ Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahatma Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 Tom, Metal dowels should be with your new HG ... no question, use them. If they aren't included, I've got some in my garage that you're welcome to if you want them. I've also got a few sets of used head bolts that you're welcome to if you want to come and pick them up. I'm just off the M53 on the way into Chester. Mail me if you want to come and pick them up. Andy EDIT: crap spelling, AGAIN. Edited by - mahatma on 24 Dec 2004 14:50:12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 Oh, and keep your old ones - you might want to use them as part of home-made liner-clamps at some point in the future... Project Scope-Creep is underway... Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™ Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB Posted December 24, 2004 Author Share Posted December 24, 2004 Ive got a pair steel dowels with the HG Am very surprised a Minister build engine had plastic dowels! Have remeasured the bolts. 3 on inlet where 98mm, 1 97mm & 1 96mm. Oddly, those on the exhaust side were all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Seabrook Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 I have know 3rd party bolts to snap on fitting fit OEM bolt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 Erm, there is some proper gasket-removal stuff you can use... ...but I used carb-cleaner on a bit of clean rag when we rebuilt the bottom end last week. Just make sure that it has fully evaporated before you rebuild etc. Same could be used for the valves, I guess - but make sure you apply the cleaner to the rag and not direct to the head. Alternatively, put your faith in one of the many petrol additives when you've rebuilt the engine... Project Scope-Creep is underway... Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™ Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave McCulloch Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 Tom This may not be the answer you want to hear now, but the reason the distance under the bolts on one side of the engine are longer may be because they are fouling the sump - this was certainly the case on a K with the standard Rover sump - don't know about the Caterham sump. When I removed the sump all bolts could be wound down to well below the Haynes limit. However, as I didn't know the history of the engine and how many times the bolts had been used, I bought a new set anyway. At least with your new set you've eliminated one cause of the HG failing again! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB Posted December 24, 2004 Author Share Posted December 24, 2004 Right, the new steel dowels fit in the head perfectly, but are a bit big for the block. Should I try rubbing the dowels with some emery paper & put them in the freezer for a bit to contract the metal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 My new block came with the dowels fitted - they certainly aren't loose. I'm not sure what the procedure is to fit them - have you tried a gentle persuader yet??? Project Scope-Creep is underway... Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™ Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 See here They are not supposed to be an easy fit... Still searching for info. on how to get them in though - if I were you, I'd try sending Oily (DVA) an email... Project Scope-Creep is underway... Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™ Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 OK - check out V7's comments halfway down here - he tapped them in with a mallet. He's helped/helping me build my engine up, so I can give him a spanking if this does'nt work (actually, don't need to - first baby due todayish ) Project Scope-Creep is underway... Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™ Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahatma Posted December 24, 2004 Share Posted December 24, 2004 I tapped mine home with a mallet and a small bit of wood. No problems ... so far. You can hear when they are 'home'. Just check the protrusion height of the dowels and the corresponding depth in the head. Clearly, you don't want the dowels to prevent the head being hels away from the gasket. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Riches Posted December 25, 2004 Share Posted December 25, 2004 .......ain't them old X-flows so easy to fix when they go pop, not that they do of course.......merry Christmas to all our readers ! ! ! Nigel. 1982. 5 speed, clamshells. B.R.G / Ali. The True Colours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Englishmaninwales Posted December 25, 2004 Share Posted December 25, 2004 Happy Christmas Tom Relieve the dowels with fine emery so they are a snug fit. I did it with the dowel in a drill bit. Dont hammer them in !! Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB Posted December 25, 2004 Author Share Posted December 25, 2004 Happy Christmas! No garage work today. Im watching TV, eating & drinking!! The dowels are hollow & the front one has a hole in the recess - are they oil or coolant runs? I have been pleasantly surprised how easy & straight forward I have found the job to be. The more I do on the car, the more confident I get. Last year, I wouldnt dream of doing this job un-supervised! I am tempted to find an old head & give it a light porting & polishing now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mav Posted December 25, 2004 Share Posted December 25, 2004 Tom, I have just such a head you are welcome to practice on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V7 SLR Posted December 25, 2004 Share Posted December 25, 2004 No, don't *hammer* them in. *Tap* them in gently. If they won't go in with gentle persuasion, you may need to relieve them but try tapping them in first. You will get a better location. The head ought to go on with little more than applying your weight to it. At worst, a very gently tap with a rubber mallet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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