mazfg Posted March 9, 2012 Posted March 9, 2012 Went to remove the 3 nuts on my rocker cover to take off and check my valve clearances. First one was fine, but the middle and the one nearest the front of the engine were locked on and the stud started to unscrew. Not a problem as the whole lot came off anyway and I see that at the bottom of each stud is a locknut.Sitting on the RHS wheel and checking my clearances, all of a sudden I noticed cooling fluid appearing from where the front rocker cover stud goes... is this normal, should I be concerned?? Obviosuly when I re-attached the stud and lock nut it should seal in, but wondered why it'd be coming though here? Design of the head and water channels?Thanks
garyf Posted March 9, 2012 Posted March 9, 2012 I've never come across this problem before?It may well be that one of the water galleries in the head runs near where the end of the stud terminates and over the past 40 odd years there has been serious corrosion due to lack of Anti-freeze in the cooling system and its rusted through to the stud drilling, either that or when the head was machined the machinist as got carried away with drilling the holes for the rocker cover studs ??), thats all I can think of?Suggest you screw the stud back in ASAP with some PTFE Tape on it and lock it down firmly with the lock nut.Get the car runnning and up to Temperature with the rocker cover off and check there are no leaks?
heraldcoupe Posted March 9, 2012 Posted March 9, 2012 There is a waterway directly under each rocker cover stud, there should be a good thickness of metal between the water jacket and stud though.Is there any history of work being done on the head?Cheers,Bill.
GT6 M Posted March 9, 2012 Posted March 9, 2012 My self, forget about PTFE tape, and clean it oot, and loctite it in spot.also put a copper washer on bot of nut for good measure.and loktite on nut for even merr measure.Just a bit of info, My self, I like the type of fixing that the BMC engines had, a screwed heeded long nut, that fitted over the 5/16th bolt, looks much neater.these ones bolt headed, but can get em with a screwdriver slothttp://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313&_nkw=BMC+rocker+cover+bolts&_sacat=See-All-Categories
mazfg Posted March 9, 2012 Author Posted March 9, 2012 heraldcoupe wrote:There is a waterway directly under each rocker cover stud, there should be a good thickness of metal between the water jacket and stud though.Is there any history of work being done on the head?Cheers,Bill.Not that I know of. Just been through the file of paperwork I had with the car and no mention of anything to do with the head......It's at the garage at the moment, having various other jobs done that I haven;'t the time to do, followed by MOT. I mentioned the rocker cover problem and cooling fluid and the guys goign to look at it...
Nick Jones Posted March 9, 2012 Posted March 9, 2012 I've seen this before on a 1500 head. Seems that it just depends on the core position when the casting was poured. You can use PTFE tape as Marcus suggests or drain the cooling system down a bit, dry and clean the threads and fit with a one of the thread locking and sealing fluids as I did. Not a big drama. Worth making sure it's well sealed as otherwise you may a get a little leakage in service, which will keep you wondering about HGF where this no HGF.....Nick
Nick Jones Posted March 9, 2012 Posted March 9, 2012 I've seen this before on a 1500 head. Seems that it just depends on the core position when the casting was poured. You can use PTFE tape as Marcus suggests or drain the cooling system down a bit, dry and clean the threads and fit with a one of the thread locking and sealing fluids as I did. Not a big drama. Worth making sure it's well sealed as otherwise you may a get a little leakage in service, which will keep you wondering about HGF where this no HGF.....Nick
heraldcoupe Posted March 9, 2012 Posted March 9, 2012 It's not a big deal with rocker cover studs, but where the front fixing is a bolt it's a bit more of a handful. Is there enough clearance under the bonnet to use a stud at the front of a Vitesse engine?Cheers,Bill.
Nick Jones Posted March 9, 2012 Posted March 9, 2012 heraldcoupe wrote:IIs there enough clearance under the bonnet to use a stud at the front of a Vitesse engine?Cheers,Bill.There is on mine. I agree that the combination of a leaky hole and the need to use a bolt in said hole would be troublesome......PTFE tape would be your only friend I reckon.Nick
mazfg Posted March 10, 2012 Author Posted March 10, 2012 Mine is just 3 studs. think ill try the ptfe approach and lock it down again.Many thanks for all your good info and that its nothing major to worry about...phew!
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