went to start my car this morning and it was running on 3 cylinders, number 4 spark plug, was oiled up, i've had a mate take a quick look at it, he fixed it temporarily, and he thinks the valve guides need replacing, so is this an expensive job if done at a garage? anyone?

thing is my car has just had its pistons replaced due to melting number 4, so i am quite worried about this now, as its already cost me a fortune, and i dont want it going bang again, is the car still ok to use, i need to do another 270 miles to run it in before it goes back to msd, do you just suggest i take it back there for him to look at asap?

cheers

any advice is much appreciated

my mechanical knolwedge is very limited to say the least

so go easy on me

 

get it back asap sounds serious but i have melted a piston and mines still going strong

 

Changing the guides themselves isn't very expensive, but since you need the head off, you will need a new headgasket, good time to get a new tensioner, belt, etc...
Head removal and refitting can be done DIY if you have an idea of what you are doing, changing the guides themselves is deffo not DIY (The head needs to be heated up to take the old guides out, and the new ones are fitter with a hydraulic press iirc).

Get it back to MSD asap, better be safe than sorry

 

Hi Bill,
I am just thinking that must be a hell of a lot of oil getting down the guides to foul the spark plug! Is there much smoke from the exhaust? Usually valve guide wear manifests itself after the car has been stood overnight and you get a wisp of blue smoke on start up.
I am a bit concerened that you have already had problems with this cylinder and now is very oily again! I would take it back to who done the work, I think it very unwise to have changed the pistons and not check things like valves etc, especially as all of the work needs to be done with the head off! You will have more expense again Im afraid!
I would go for thin wall guide inserts if the guides are that bad! Dont even think about replacing the complete guides!!! A good machine shop should be able to do this work for you and will be a lot cheaper than replacing the guides.
How did your mate carry out a temporary repair for your problem?


Let us know how you get on.

Mike.

 

cheers guys, was what i was expecting really, just wanted some views off others,

i didn't have the pistons done at msd, just to clear any confusion, that was done by a mate, msd have set it up for me though

ta

 

a mate of mine has done the work, who used to be a mechanic, but he still dables all the time, reason being when i melted the piston i got quoted £5500 off ggr to repair it, so i ordered the parts and my mate fixed it for nothing, so cost less that half of that (so far), so there is no one to take the car back to in effect, there was no smoke from the exhaust that i have noticed, he swapped the plugs around and cleaned them up, to fix it, but he has said it will re occur again,( i think this is what he did, i left him to it, as i was getting a bit pissed off with the car)

would you think i am looking at another grand here?

thanks for your advice

i must apologise for my lack of knowledge about it

 

Hi again,
a grand would easily cover the cost of a head overhaul providing you do the work yourself or with the help of your mate. Go for a decent head gasket set though and a good set of head bolts. Get the valve guides machined for inserts and get the seats recut at the same time, any good machine shop worth their salt will do this as part of the job.
If you need valves be sure to get original spec, there are a lot of cheapies out there but are not really suitable for high performance turbo applications, this is especially important on the exhaust valves where sodium filled are used.
Woodford Garage Motorsport are very good for parts, I dont ever use anybody else as they are keen with prices and always forthcoming with help and advise.

Regards, Mike.

 

cheers mike, but i think i will let a garage carry out the work, so i know it will be right once and for all, as long as it will be under 1k i can live with that i suppose, hope these things are worth all the hassle and expence they cause, think i'll get intouch with stu at msd once i've got some money together, then i know it is in safe hands

thanks again

 

sorry if i sound dumb but is this not just a case of a leaking rocker cover gasket?

 

i had my cossie head off recently

BEing a mechanic I thought that it would only cost me about £200 to do the gasket change......

however, it being a cossie and me not wanting it to go wrong etc etc, i take the head off and buy the bits for putting it bck together......

firstly - it would have only cost me about £250 ish thats with a group A head gasket, all new gaskets all over the head, new stem seals fitted by me, re ground valves, new belt and tensioner....but i decided to get some new lifters too which bumped the total up to jsut short of £400 already.

Theni took the head to engineers as i thort best to have a skim which is abotu £30 but whilst it was off i thought sod it get it pressure checked, fully cleaned and checked over - they ring me, 'it wants most of the valve guides replacing they are all knackered' they said - so £300 later i have my new valve guides fitted, ne stem seals supplied by me, new cam end seals from me, new lifters from me and i have a clean, lightly skimmed, crack/pressure tested head! so the total no £700

then i get home, try to get crank pulley off - no cahnce its stuck on there - bust the pulley and the crank sensor - thats another £70 for those which is lucky cos they are usualyl a lot more! Then a new p/sterring pump as my one is bent £20, new plugs £15..... £800 total so far

then i go to fords, order 16 new exhaust manifold studs, nuts and washers, and a few other bits - £100!!!!! I couldnt believe it when they told me but had to have the bits - im sure there was something else with the studs etc but the nuts, studs and washers alone came to abotu £45-£50 which was astonishing! I really cant rememebr what else i got with it tho....so thats £900!!

pull the hoses out of my boot, they are all knackered n perished - set of 6 silicone water hoses £90""" - getting on for £1k now!!

get head on, hoses on, thermostat housing is pitted and was leaking - £30 for second hand

oil change - synthetic oil + filter £50 - we are now approaching £1100 and im a mechanic getting trade prices and free labour!!

anti freeze £10, various sealers, fluids, petrol trying to find parts, fonecalls etc - and putting it al together in the freezing cold! but its all worthit - i just hope that the bottom end doesnt give up now! lol!

apologies for the essay!

 

Know the feeling

Isn't it just

 

yup!

its definately worth it - i can only afford all this cos i have been saving to play cossies for a while now - it hurts me to spend all this money and i dread to think ho wmuch more it woul dhave cost with someone else doing it

had to put a water pump on it the other day aswell - was only a dribble of coolant but i was fed up with filling it up - so thats sorted

next is prop shaft repair - picking up 2 UJ spiders for transfer prop tomorrow- £54!! well chuffed