Routy56 - can you just....

[V8Druid]

where's the rotors and tail gone @Routy56

 

[Routy56]

There's a gap in market for us digger operators to get into - pet burials

On Wednesday our neighbour Lisa, phone me in tears, "Dave are you at home, Leanna has just died"
R - "No but I'll be with you shortly"
Leanna was a young Dog DeBordeau with a serious heart.
Lisa is a real dog lover and like us has a large garden and all her dogs get laid to rest in her garden.

Then to cap it all yesterday. Winnie the elderly chocolate Labrador goes to see the vet.
Winnie has been struggling the last few months.
So she too was buried in the garden (after seeing the vet!)
The turf is just below a covering of top soil and tracked in with a slight hump.
Experience tells me that it goes flat and grass comes thru' after a few months
Each dog gets a special plaque against the fence
Poor Lisa was in bits but at least had the courage to deal with the issues rather than cremation (another big business)
Like a big softy, I did this FOC, and suggested a donation to a dog charity instead

 

[Routy56]

So you guys will recall that Sharon's 'new' MG TF has been getting some serious fettling in the workshop in recent weeks ready for the summer

Latest upgrade is a new SS exhaust system
Life is never simple with old cars - judicious use of Mr. Angle Grinder, Hammer and Chisel got the bugger off....

......but it then revealed that the down pipe flexible was like jelly and the braid was letting go
......and the oxygen sensors (there are 2) were looking tired. So more new parts ordered for delivery today.

So this exhaust upgrade is getting:

• New polyurethane mounts and bushes
• New down pipe and flexible
• New gaskets and SS bolts
• New catalytic converter
• New SS exhaust system
• Fettling of head shield and brackets
• Repaint of rear black insert panel

Guess it's what we do when our plant is running OK and we need our fix of serious spannerin'
This sort of stuff will appeal to many members like @pettsy

 

[pettsy]

@Routy56, Haven’t had much time to get on the spanners (could argue that’s a good thing if not needed I guess!)

Can’t beat having all new bits and doing the job properly

 

[Routy56]

@Routy56, Haven’t had much time to get on the spanners (could argue that’s a good thing if not needed I guess!)

Can’t beat having all new bits and doing the job properly

Agree with that Matt. Loads of new parts have gone onto 'nannies fast car'
Bet you love using new parts for cars that you race
Are you familiar with the Rover K Series engine - apparently tunes up really well.
That said, this engine is in really good condition, only done 72k.
The only difficulty factor is that it's mid-engined and you need to have small hands

 

[Left hooker]

There's a gap in market for us digger operators to get into - pet burials

I do loads just very big ones that eat hay

 

[GazCro]

Agree with that Matt. Loads of new parts have gone onto 'nannies fast car'
Bet you love using new parts for cars that you race
Are you familiar with the Rover K Series engine - apparently tunes up really well.
That said, this engine is in really good condition, only done 72k.
The only difficulty factor is that it's mid-engined and you need to have small hands

Tunable and also partial to head gaskets i seem to remember.

 

[Lancs Lad]

Tunable and also partial to head gaskets i seem to remember.

Definitely got a soft spot for head gaskets, not sure about tuning as I was an A series man.

 

[Shovelhands]

Tunable and also partial to head gaskets i seem to remember.

Rover always denied the head gasket issue iirc, but it was a big problem with the K series. Never had one apart myself, but I was told that the issue was actually caused by the dowels between the head and block shearing, as they were made of plastic! This obviously caused the head gasket to fail, but the gasket wasn’t the actual cause and this was allegedly how they wriggled out of admitting to the issue. I think there was also speculation that the dowel problem was due to the head bolt design, as well as obviously the plastic dowels, but iirc the head bolts go right through the block down to the sump? But like I say, i never had one to bits as always steered clear of them, but picked up bits from mates in the trade at the time when the K series first came out and was in a lot of vehicles. But it’s been years since I was in the motor trade so my memory of it all might be a bit sketchy

 

[V8Druid]

Rover always denied the head gasket issue iirc, but it was a big problem with the K series. Never had one apart myself, but I was told that the issue was actually caused by the dowels between the head and block shearing, as they were made of plastic! This obviously caused the head gasket to fail, but the gasket wasn’t the actual cause and this was allegedly how they wriggled out of admitting to the issue. I think there was also speculation that the dowel problem was due to the head bolt design, as well as obviously the plastic dowels, but iirc the head bolts go right through the block down to the sump? But like I say, i never had one to bits as always steered clear of them, but picked up bits from mates in the trade at the time when the K series first came out and was in a lot of vehicles. But it’s been years since I was in the motor trade so my memory of it all might be a bit sketchy

weren't the 'long bolt' engines snap off heads at correct torque? ..... and damned near impossible to strip

 

[Shovelhands]

weren't the 'long bolt' engines snap off heads at correct torque? ..... and damned near impossible to strip

No idea, I just knew to keep clear of them

 

[V8Druid]

interesting site ...... and article ..

Rover K-series - Modus Engine Services

It has been a headache for owners, garages & remanufacturers since it was introduced in 1988. It’s main problem is a combination of the unique design of cylinder head gasket & a manufacturing defect in the cylinder head casting which has inflicted misery on owners and garages alike !

modusengineservices.co.uk

 

[Alan caddy]

I'm pretty sure I remember replacing the bottom bearing carrier frame on a couple of these engines with a modified version that strengthened the bottom end and uprated head bolts

 

[Routy56]

There's a gap in market for us digger operators to get into - pet burials

I do loads just very big ones that eat hay

Yes there’s another neighbour that may need their dobbin laid to rest soon

 

[Routy56]

Tunable and also partial to head gaskets i seem to remember.

yes was very much aware of that when we took it on
Usual checks were done and all appears ok
The later models seemed to have got the issues sorted

 

[Routy56]

Rover always denied the head gasket issue iirc, but it was a big problem with the K series. Never had one apart myself, but I was told that the issue was actually caused by the dowels between the head and block shearing, as they were made of plastic! This obviously caused the head gasket to fail, but the gasket wasn’t the actual cause and this was allegedly how they wriggled out of admitting to the issue. I think there was also speculation that the dowel problem was due to the head bolt design, as well as obviously the plastic dowels, but iirc the head bolts go right through the block down to the sump? But like I say, i never had one to bits as always steered clear of them, but picked up bits from mates in the trade at the time when the K series first came out and was in a lot of vehicles. But it’s been years since I was in the motor trade so my memory of it all might be a bit sketchy

Yes absolutely right on the plastic dowels issue. And earlier cars had a simple thermostat which caused big temperature changes as it opened and closed
Pleased to say that ours has the later PRT thermostat and seems to be ok.
Although I am prepared to do a head gasket if we have HGF

this is when I did the cam cover gasket - restricted space

 

[Stubota86]

I do loads just very big ones that eat hay

Vegans?

 

[Routy56]

Definitely got a soft spot for head gaskets, not sure about tuning as I was an A series man.

Now you are showing yer age
My first car was a black 1960 Austin A40 - A series engine - did loads of work on that

 

[Gunners]

The K series engine is a brilliant light weight unit. Used in many things including Rover/ MG, Freelanders and Caterhams. Very tuneable and the head gasket issue they got such bad press over was also solved with better bolts and what became known as the "landrover head gasket".
Nice little cars those TF's and one that will appreciate in years to come as they get rarer.

 

[Lancs Lad]

Now you are showing yer age
My first car was a black 1960 Austin A40 - A series engine - did loads of work on that

Hey...let's not start the age thing