As title.
Even though I have now sussed out my cooling system, I have still managed to blow the head gasket. Car still runs fine and stays cool, but oil in the
water can mean only one thing.
So - looking for a second engine to install while I take this one out and freshen it up. That way I'll have a spare ready to drop in next time I
have a disaster.
If anyone knows of anything, please let me know. Except ebay of course, I'm already up to speed with everything on there.
Theres usually plenty of 214 Rovers about cheap in the free ads etc..
Id get a whole car and break it for spares to get some money to tune up the engine..
Just for a bit of info you probably already know. The k series heads need to be skimmed when the gaskets go or they blow very shortly after
again.. IIRC Payen gaskets are the best to use after.
[Edited on 4/6/05 by Danozeman]
Yep - payen gasket and steel dowels as I understand it.
There are complete top end sets available just now for a good price.
I still want a spare engine though. Any work on the K does not lend itself at all well to the mid engine config - especially the bottom crank pulley
for getting at the timing belt.
With K series the small engines are generally smoother but 1.6 is the same stroke as he 1.4 the difference shouldn't be great.
Not sure if the 1.6 has much advantage, the top line 1.4 as fitted to the 214Sei has 104 bhp, I have just bought a 75 with a 1.8 K series and it only
claims 120bhp.
With the K series output also varies a lot between individual engines I had a 214Sei and 414Sli both 96 models with identical spec engines but the
214Sei was a lot more free revving.
Late 95 introduced a lot of changes in the K series the block changed but more importantly the head and cams were changed to a better spec, the
manifold and throttle body also changed from alloy to plastic --- the early alloy type flow more air.
Be aware that with the MEMs system if you swap engines the flywheel reluctor ring is coded to the MEMS ECU so the the reluctor ring must be swapped
to stay with the car.
Good running 1996 214Sei donors can be be found for 100 pounds, a yard will charge a lot more than this for an engine.
As for doing the gasket in situ you don't actuall have to see the bottom pulley as the marks are amost impossible to see even in the original
Rover. All you need is enough room to get at the belt tensioner.
I don't use the bottom pulley marks at all instead I find the mid stroke position by measuring by settting the cam sprocket marks in line then
measuring the piston heights to get them exactly equal.
I can imagine a mid being a whore to work on.. The 1.4 is a better free'r engine. IIRC the majority of 1.6 rovers have the honda lump.
My exisitng engine is an early one - alloy manifold version. Obviously, it is also multi point. This is the one reckoned to make 103bhp.
My own experience with this particular engine is tha even though it is now showing 100k miles it has actually improved in the last month or two and
now revs much more freely. I can only conclude that the previous owner didn't give it some - like wot I do guv.
It's a great engine though - gasket problems notwithstanding.
BTW, I may take on board your advice about buying a complete car.
Zil i just found this. May be of interest..
k series info.
The difference in lift between the early and late cams is so enormous that if you put both cams side by side you can see it fom 6 foot away. The cam
followers also changed the later type is lighter.
Another tweak is that the exhaust cam has slightly more duration than the inlet, this is apparently worth a few bhp if one is fitted to the inlet ---
a rotor arm drive dowel has to be custom made to allow this.
25/45 shape 200/400 have a different ECU the vac MAP sensor is mounted on the manifold on these not the ECU circuit board they also have distributer
less ignition..
quote:
Originally posted by DanozemanThe k series heads need to be skimmed when the gaskets go or they blow very shortly after again
I have seen a couple of slightly pitted K series down to using wrong/old coolant but none that were warped. --- I have seen one unit totally
knackered by gross over cooking,
One of the main problems is damaged threads on the head bolts -- this throws the intitial torquing so far out the angular tightening is meaningless.
Checking the headbolts screw in fully down to Rover spec and running a clean-up die nut over the head bolt threads is essential - as the initial
torque is so low (accurate low range torque wrench a must have).
The other bit to be careful with is the gasketless joint between the head and the u cam carrier/bearing cap -- very very easy to block the oil ways.
All 4 cylinder K series engines have the same basic block. The 1.1 and 1.6 have a shorter stroke, the 1.6 and 1.8 have a wider bore. To cope with
the wider bore, the 1.6 and 1.8 have less room for coolant around the liners.
If you are going for a 1.6, you might as well have a 1.8. They are basically the same engine. Myself, I would have a 103 BHP 16v 1.4 version. This
is the engine that it was originally designed to be. It is stronger, because it doesn't have the "damp" liners and it is only 5 BHP
down on the 1.6. I doubt that you would notice the difference on the road. If you are going on a track and so might notice the difference, have the
1.8.
quote:
25/45 shape 200/400 have a different ECU the vac MAP sensor is mounted on the manifold on these not the ECU circuit board they also have distributer less ignition.. by brittish trident
quote:
Originally posted by smart51
Myself, I would have a 103 BHP 16v 1.4 version. This is the engine that it was originally designed to be. It is stronger, because it doesn't have the "damp" liners and it is only 5 BHP down on the 1.6. I doubt that you would notice the difference on the road. If you are going on a track and so might notice the difference, have the 1.8.