14 replies to this topic

[dl4112]

Hi,

So I am now reaching the end of my tether with my engine rebuild. I have had lots of issues as a novice, but had reached the final stage of getting my 1981 HL back on the road.
I completed the engine and dry ran it for a few minutes to make sure all was going to plan. She sounded beautiful, but then, drip, drip, drip of oil!
Checked around the engine to find the leak, found it. Oil coming from above the head gasket on the left side of the car at the back of the engine. Apparently this is very near the location of the oil feed to the rockers. I have taken the head back off and the gasket is wet on top with oil.
Anyone with help/advice would be very much appreciated.

[Northernpower]

When you rebuilt it were both the block and the head re-faced?

[dl4112]

Yes, both were re-faced, the block went to an engineering workshop to be totally stripped, refaced and is flat as a pancake. The head I had refaced just last week.

[Northernpower]

Which head gasket are you using?

[dl4112]

Its the Classic Mini Cylinder Head Gasket Kit...AJM402 from wood and picket mini centre. I am sad to admit that this is the fourth head gasket the car has had, and its not even left the garage yet! Could it be just as simple as its the wrong way up? Even having checked it? Or are there other, more sinister issues?

[nicklouse]

daft question. you do have the rocker with the oil feed hole over the oil feed in the head?

[Northernpower]

Its the Classic Mini Cylinder Head Gasket Kit...AJM402 from wood and picket mini centre. I am sad to admit that this is the fourth head gasket the car has had, and its not even left the garage yet! Could it be just as simple as its the wrong way up? Even having checked it? Or are there other, more sinister issues?

I can't find that kit number listed?
Edit: I do like Nick's question

Edited by Northernpower, 07 August 2017 - 08:53 PM.

[nicklouse]

but the pressure in the rockers is low but one less thing to be worried about is checked.

[Turbo Phil]

Have you replaced the head studs ? Is your torque wrench accurately calibrated ? And are you torquing the head in the correct sequence ?

Phil.

[nicklouse]

and are none of the block threads pulled proud. best to get then sunk a thread.

[Turbo Phil]

and are none of the block threads pulled proud. best to get then sunk a thread.

That's a good call. If you've had the block skimmed. Have you countersunk the stud holes again ?

Phil.

[dl4112]

Thanks guys, lots of things here to consider, I will have a look tomorrow when I have the head off again. Think this is going to be a case of several schoolboy errors here. I have ordered another head gasket, this time from DSN classics. I have a feeling that the head stud holes have not been countersunk.
I asked a mechanic friend of mine to make sure the torque wrench was calibrated correctly, but worth checking again. Head has been torqued according to the Haynes manual.
nicklouse, this is an interesting point as had never considered there may be differences in rocker setups, I simply have used what was on the car originally!! Maybe not as daft a question as you thought.

Thank you all for your responses and for bearing with my stupidity and ignorance. I will have a look at these issues tomorrow and let you know of my findings.....

[Spider]

Are you 100% sure it is the head gasket that's leaking?

 

I'm not suggesting here that it isn't, only if you are going to pull it down again, be 100% sure of where the leak is actually coming from first. It could for example be from the Oilway Plug, which is also in the same location that you've described, only a little above the gasket.

[dl4112]

So,

Having had a mini specialist come to look at my mini last night, a few issues have arisen...

The issues all stem back to a 'mate' who 'helped' us by stripping the engine at the start of the project and offered to take it to his workplace - an engineering workshop, to have the block cleaned, honed and skimmed. It turns out that this has not been done. As amateurs we had not recognised this. The holes in the block where water passes through have not been cleaned, the bores have not been honed, nor had the block been skimmed.
The block, although looks flat, was in fact warped, having checked with feeler gauges, it is enough to be causing the issues.

To top it all off the head studs we had been supplied by the 'mate' are also not correct.

So, engine strip down, block to go to be actually worked on this time.
Note to self, mates rates doesn't always pay dividends.

[Northernpower]

Yes, both were re-faced, the block went to an engineering workshop to be totally stripped, refaced and is flat as a pancake. The head I had refaced just last week.

 

 

So,

Having had a mini specialist come to look at my mini last night, a few issues have arisen...

The issues all stem back to a 'mate' who 'helped' us by stripping the engine at the start of the project and offered to take it to his workplace - an engineering workshop, to have the block cleaned, honed and skimmed. It turns out that this has not been done. As amateurs we had not recognised this. The holes in the block where water passes through have not been cleaned, the bores have not been honed, nor had the block been skimmed.
The block, although looks flat, was in fact warped, having checked with feeler gauges, it is enough to be causing the issues.

To top it all off the head studs we had been supplied by the 'mate' are also not correct.

So, engine strip down, block to go to be actually worked on this time.
Note to self, mates rates doesn't always pay dividends.

You say the head was also skimmed but you don't mention in the above comment if it was checked by your "specialist".