Kelv Posted August 24, 2023 Report Share Posted August 24, 2023 My 13/60 started sounding like a 2 stroke mower. My mechanic did compression checks. Zero compression on one cylinder and reduced compression on the other 3. He has recommended a head recondition service he uses and quoted a price of £1000. Does this sound about right? What are my options? My neighbour suggested buying a more modern car and putting that engine in the herald lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelv Posted August 24, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2023 The reconditioning service will pressure test, machine the head, fit hard valve seats to enable unleaded to be used, and pressure test again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 24, 2023 Report Share Posted August 24, 2023 as a comparison canley will rework your own head for a lot less only the exhaust generally have inserts fitted , why would they need to pressure test it twice doesnt prove much !!! £1000 sounds a bit like very high Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelv Posted August 24, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2023 Thanks. I'll contact canley classics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 24, 2023 Report Share Posted August 24, 2023 Probably the head gasket has failed and the minimum cost to change that with no other work would probably be about a couple of hundred pounds max. There might be more work found but its very unlikely that hardened valve seats will be essential. Many of us are still driving around without these... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted August 24, 2023 Report Share Posted August 24, 2023 I agree with Johny, Ilke many I've been running on unleaded fuel since it came out with no issues The only way to find out what's wrong is take the head off and have a look. Might be you just need a new head gasket. Don't de-coke, because that's where the "memory of lead" is and what will protect your valves. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelv Posted August 24, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2023 I have been losing oil steadily for a year and my mechanic couldn't find the cause but recently said it's leaking from the head gasket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelv Posted August 24, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2023 I've been adding lead replacement fluid to every full tank. Should I not have bothered? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 24, 2023 Report Share Posted August 24, 2023 Well its a bit of an unknown but if you do few miles and not on long high speed runs the chances of unleaded damage seems to be pretty low... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 24, 2023 Report Share Posted August 24, 2023 the old casting holds a lot of historic lead memory such that addatives are a real waste of money , and there little to show they actually work best to stick with E5 fuel and bin the addatives yes recutting the seats can remove some of the memory . a regrind with paste to revive a good seating wont be detrimental to the memory . to have so little compression on 1 and low on 234 its important the head is removed and inspected , this could well be just in need of a gasket change do not jump into wallet destruction on here say , deal with facts can save you being ripped off big time if the head nuts /washers have any deformation the head becomes loose due to lost torque many use mini flanged nuts to solve this on replacement. oil loss from the head has two choices badly fitting rocker cover gasket and/or the oil feed for the rockers goes through a drilling at the rear left side of the head if the HG is in trouble or the nuts are loosend this can make a seapage from the rear corner a light smear of sealer when replacing around this small feed hole helps Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted August 24, 2023 Report Share Posted August 24, 2023 (edited) Kelv, a compression check is only useful to compare across the block. "Reduced" means nothing as the gauges are no calibrated, and your mechanic is probably used to moderns. But "No compression" on one is diagnostic! Diagnostic for what, needs more investigation. A failed head gasket is more likely to reduce Comp. on two adjacent cylinders. Have you taken off the rocker cover to see what the valves are doing? If one on No.4 is stuck down , doesn't return by the valve spring, then that is the cause. If the valves are moving normally, then it is a cylinder head off job, to inspect the valve seats (need to remove the valves for that) and the cylinder bores ( is there a ridge at the top that you can feel with your finger? = Excess bore wear.) If you're not experienced in engine work, then are you in touch with the Local Area Group of TSSC? The Cardiff group is near to you, perhaps they could help you to work out what is wrong. Alan Gourley is the LAG Organiser Tel: 07802204068 They meet at the pub "Y Maerun", 140 Marshfield Rd, Marshfield, Cardiff, CF3 2TU. Could you get the car there for the next meeting? Alan can tell you when that is. Good luck! John Edited August 24, 2023 by JohnD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelv Posted August 24, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2023 I'll message Alan now. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iainbja Posted August 24, 2023 Report Share Posted August 24, 2023 local machine shop charged me £350 to convert head to unleaded and lap valves it etc that was 2019 though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelv Posted August 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2023 16 hours ago, iainbja said: local machine shop charged me £350 to convert head to unleaded and lap valves it etc that was 2019 though. I think £1000 is a bit steep. I suspect the head recondition company are just sending it off elsewhere and adding their bit to the cost. That's why they say they need it for 10 days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 25, 2023 Report Share Posted August 25, 2023 a little while back we removed a Vitesse head. and used a local machinist had the seats re cut ,couple of new valves re faced and refitted all in the same day and member drove it home 10 days is a joke Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelv Posted August 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2023 And I've got to book 2 weeks off work because I don't have another vehicle to use to get to work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 25, 2023 Report Share Posted August 25, 2023 sorry Kelv, your are just a bit too far away to make a visit and you cant drive it to sunny Luton why not take the head of and let us know what you see we can advise how to on here you cant wreck anything its all pretty simple mechanical stuff and only needs a few spanners Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelv Posted August 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2023 I took the rocker cover off. Everything looks fine I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelv Posted August 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2023 Slowed the videos down so you can see better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelv Posted August 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2023 I was at Luton airport with it in may this year lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 25, 2023 Report Share Posted August 25, 2023 Before you remove the head, if it wasnt done before, its usual to do a compression test with a cap full of oil down each bore just to eliminate the possibility that the low reading is down to a piston/ring problem... A long shot but you could even try checking the head bolts tightness and then testing compression again.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelv Posted August 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2023 Wish I hadn't taken the rocker cover off. Good knows what's happened now. How do I get it back together? That rod in my second photo won't go back into the hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 25, 2023 Report Share Posted August 25, 2023 errr youve got a problem there! The valve seems to have disappeared presumbably into the cylinder so dont turn the engine at all. Thats the valve guide youve got in your hand and thats supposed to be fixed into the head... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted August 25, 2023 Report Share Posted August 25, 2023 Now I can see in the video the rocker shaft seems to be loose as if its mounting post attachement isnt done up enough. There should also be a cap on the end of the rocker shaft held in place with a pin into that hole and which keeps the last rocker from coming off.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelv Posted August 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2023 Bloody hell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now