What is your head

[Adrian]

Hello all

I'm not intending to do this but I was wondering, as our cars are getting older and are passing through an increasing number of hands (some of which do thing right and others not) is there any way of testing/checking to see if a head has been converted to unleaded? We see these cars coming up on ebay etc and we only have the PO comment as to what fuel can be used - I was told the Mini was unleaded but I don't know. Obviously I assume a lack of compression could mean a head was not converted but I know that isn't the only reason it could happen. 

Just wondering?

[Pete Lewis]

you can only wait till a valve or gasket goes and then have a look,  i guess a borescope  down a plug hole and a look under an open exhaust valve you may see

the inserted ring of  the valve seat its  generally  only exhaust valves that have the seat ugrade

theres so much lead memory from running around for years on leaded that the casting takes on a lot of lead memory  there is little cause for any concerns until something does age and a valve burns ,  keep to 97+ ron fuel keep the timing about right  ( not retarded)  and dont run on a weak mixture and they probably out last us 

Pete

[68vitesse]

Been driving my Vitesse since the mid nineties, never had the head converted, average about three thousand miles a year.

Regards

Paul

[PeteH]

In my case. Fortunate to have the paperwork, which shows the head was exchanged for "unleaded" courtesy  TSSC "shop". Sometime in the late 80`s. However I do have a Cylinder showing significantly lower compression, so I will take the head off at some stage.

Edited December 18, 2019 by PeteH
spelin!

[Pete Lewis]

its always worth a re torque , the washers deform and you loose clamp load,

do one at t time  back off 1/2 turn and re torque, then reset the tappets

Pete

[RogerH]

Hi Pete,

I only know stuff about the TR cars/engines all the other TRiumph cars are a  mystery.

The cylinder head  attachment washers come in at £2 each and are on the special side. They do not deform.

 

Roger

[thescrapman]

17 minutes ago, RogerH said:

 

The cylinder head  attachment washers come in at £2 each and are on the special side. They do not deform.

 

Roger

That is assuming that whoever has been taking things apart realises And refits or replaces them.

[RogerH]

10 hours ago, thescrapman said:

That is assuming that whoever has been taking things apart realises And refits or replaces them.

Absolutely. 'Previous Owners' are a strange lot.

 

Roger

[Colin Lindsay]

On 01/11/2019 at 14:15, Adrian said:

Hello all

I'm not intending to do this but I was wondering, as our cars are getting older and are passing through an increasing number of hands (some of which do thing right and others not) is there any way of testing/checking to see if a head has been converted to unleaded?

As Pete says the only way you can tell is to look at the seats and see if there's an insert. This is the sort of thing you're looking for - a clear ring of modern metal that has been fitted into the head around the valve seat. It'll be hard to see with the head on, but where there's a will.. !

I

 

[JohnD]

On 18/12/2019 at 19:33, PeteH said:

In my case. Fortunate to have the paperwork, which shows the head was exchanged for "unleaded" courtesy  TSSC "shop". Sometime in the late 80`s. However I do have a Cylinder showing significantly lower compression, so I will take the head off at some stage.

The oil test will tell you if this low pressure is due to poorly sealing valve or not.     It will always raise the pressure, unless there is a valve leak.

John

[Phil Hayden]

In respect of unconverted heads, whats the panels opinion on the use of additives.

Always use the good stuff but have had different advice in respect of lead replacement additives.

 

Phil

[thescrapman]

Consensus has turned to not bothering, Triumph heads seem pretty good at resisting VSR

[Pete Lewis]

The castings hold years of lead memory and unless the seats are recut you really dont need to worry they will perform okmfor many more miles then most of us  manage,  time to dream  about a exhaust insert is if the head does need to come off

In general You dont need to have  inlet inserts

Each tk thier own but I would stop buying any   addatives use the savings for 97+ or better ron fuel  and go and drive 

Gettiing as close to the 100 octane they were designed to run on and keep optimum timing gives best ecconomy, power and smiles

If you  get paranoid about fuel hose , use gates barricade(  eg   club shop)  change it when you feel like it there are no reports of dissolving carbs or degraded fuel lines from the E Stuff on this forum of collectives but pleanty about aftermarket rubbish of un branded supposed R9 mickey mouse rubber company   which fail due to fake specifications not due to the bigE

Pete

 

 

 

[Colin Lindsay]

17 hours ago, Phil Hayden said:

In respect of unconverted heads, whats the panels opinion on the use of additives.

Always use the good stuff but have had different advice in respect of lead replacement additives.

 

Phil

I'd use them for the supposed Octane boost rather than any kind of lead replacement. A Herald I bought years ago had about 400 one-shop Castrol additives thrown in, I'm still using them when I remember about them. I've no idea if they make any difference, (even the lawnmower has got one on occasion!) but as Pete says, I'd rather go for the higher octane fuel. None of my cars bar the GT6 are doing the kind of miles that would warrant any head work bar valves and guides.