K-engine project - A possible low cost rebuild?

[beinet1]

Originally Posted by rrobson

Great work, it's coming along very nicely.
I peened a head which was put on a 25 and can recommend the procedure.
As long as you don't go daft with the hammer you won't need to remove much more than 10 thou. I think I removed 11 to clean it up.
You can feel the difference when preening around the ring, the exhaust side was much softer than the inlet side.

Good luck

Hi there,

Nice to read your experience

I have done a cylinder head according to the above procedure a while back including the peening. It has covered thousands of miles since that operation and is still working great. What I did that time was also to da a hardnes test and fitted the saver shim together with a MLS gasket. It weeps a little as the MLS`s tends to do, so I will go for the Elastomer gasket this time. Here are the other cylinder head I reconditioned: http://forums.mg-rover.org/showpost....&postcount=107

[beinet1]

Hi all,

Not much done since last update, but I have a few £$£$ extra to spend these days and I am thinking of buying pistons + liners. The cheapest I have found on Ebay is these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROVER-K-SERIES-25-45-75-VVC-4-x-PISTON-LINER-SET-1-6-1-8-/170985520252?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM& hash=item27cf87fc7c . Read on other threads, the quality on these should be pretty good.
On the other hand, I have found piston/liner set a lot cheaper at this site: http://www.island-4x4.co.uk/piston-liner-kseries-lcj000050lkit-p-6218.html
Does anyone have any idea of the quality of these?

Thanks for answers

[beinet1]

Hi All,

Not much done on this project the last month due to vacation, family stuff, etc.etc… but are now trying to move slowly forward when there is a free “time slot” now and then J
The pistons and liners from Island 4x4 was received before my vacation. They was delivered in unmarked boxes with no labeling or part numbers engraved in the parts. Look like “nonames”. The items looks OK, So I hope the quality is also… Time will show



The plan now, is to remove the pistons from the block and have the new ones fitted to the old conrods. Some of this was done last evening:
The sump, pickup tube and oil rail was removed from the block. The bolts was put in bags with were labeled:


I marked the bottom of the conrods with tiny punch marks, number one at the timing belt side had one mark. The marks was punched in the front end of the con rod.

Pistons removed from the block:

I noticed that all the conrods had some “discoloring” on the small end due to exposure from heat. I guess this is from the heating of the small end due to assembly at the factory? Or have these pistons been refitted before?? What do you think?

[beinet1]

Hi All,
Moving forward slightly, pistons removed from the conrods according to Lovel`s excellent procedure (https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=124644 ). A lot of “manhood” was required to drive out the gudgeon pin with a vice, but now they are out J

[Lovel]

The conrods would be discoloured in the factory induction assembly process, so I wouldn't think they have been out before.

Wait until you get to the part to fit the gudgeon pins, can be a bit nerve racking when to install

How much liner protrusion do you have with the new liners.

I still reckon the branded Yenmak stuff is top quality, The shiny unbranded parts you have, well we will see how they survive. Did they come with gudgeon pins?

[beinet1]

Originally Posted by Lovel

The conrods would be discoloured in the factory induction assembly process, so I wouldn't think they have been out before.

Wait until you get to the part to fit the gudgeon pins, can be a bit nerve racking when to install

How much liner protrusion do you have with the new liners.

I still reckon the branded Yenmak stuff is top quality, The shiny unbranded parts you have, well we will see how they survive. Did they come with gudgeon pins?

Hi Lovel,

Thanks for your feedback

I have to admit that I have mixed feelings about fitting the new pistons, but I assume it shall be OK as long as I plan the process throughly.

I had a discussion with an ex marine engine overhauler at work. In general, they used to cool down the inner parts with "dry-ice" rather than heating up the sorunding parts prior to assembly. I guess that there is different fitting techniques to the different brands. I have picked up a lot of usefull tips from this guy

I plan to heat up the small end with a torch and check the temperature with an IR termometer during heat up. 3-400 deg C should do it? I will also put the gudgeon pins in the freezer as this will create a larger temperature differense. The pistons came with new gudgeon pins.

I have not checked the protrution with the new liners yet, but there was a 0,001"-0,002" protrution with the old liners. I will trial fit the new ones sooner or later and buy shims if required. I plan to fit the elastomer gasket to this one, so sligthly above the block would be sufficient.

The piston/liner supplier claimed that the bits came from the King piston company and that the quality was good. He had sold hundreds of them.
Only time will show how they work out, but the Yenmaks in your thread looks better

[beinet1]

Hi All,
Continued yesterday to strip down the block for all external components like brackets, water pump, oil pump etc.. The block is now more or less stripped down except for the crankshaft, which will be removed in the next step. I noticed that the crankshaft endfloat seems to be excessive and did a rough measurement of the crankshaft endfloat with a depth gauge on my caliper. Rough values are 0,6-0,7mm which is far too much… Service limit is 0,35mm. I will inspect the thrust bearings and do a closer inspection on this during removal of the crankshaft….
Any thoughts about this??

[BigJohn]

Enjoyed reading your thread which much interest as I have a MGF although your skills far exceed mine.

Is that a Morris Oxford in the last photo ?

[beinet1]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

Enjoyed reading your thread which much interest as I have a MGF although your skills far exceed mine.

Is that a Morris Oxford in the last photo ?

Hi BigJohn,

Thanks for that

Its a good guess! Its a -68 Oxford which has been in my family since brand new. It still flies through the MOT`s, but its bodywork is not looking good any longer. I am planing a restoration of this one somwhere in the far future.... Now its just resting together with all my other bits in my garage, only taken out in the sun now and then so it don`t seizes up...

[kaiser]

Originally Posted by beinet1

Hi BigJohn,

Thanks for that

Its a good guess! Its a -68 Oxford which has been in my family since brand new. It still flies through the MOT`s, but its bodywork is not looking good any longer. I am planing a restoration of this one somwhere in the far future.... Now its just resting together with all my other bits in my garage, only taken out in the sun now and then so it don`t seizes up...

That just goes to show. Insanity IS hereditary.
British cars!