Very not happy - using a separate thread in case I swear

[WorldClassAccident]

The day was going great, Nical Engineering rang to say they had my brake bits waiting and had sourced a replacement starter motor and I could pick it up any time.



Drove through the rain to get them and picked up a battery, battery cable and correct length fan belt at the same time.


I decided to test that the fan belt would turn the water pump and alternator so stuck the car in fourth and gently rolled it forward. The pump turned, the alternator turned and just as I was thinking of fitting the starter motor to see if it would turn the engine I spotted this at the back of the driver side bank of cylinders.



Looks to me like the new head gasket hasn't sealed properly. Now I have to strip down the top of the engine again. I am sertain that every other affected gasket will be happy to be broken apart and reseal perfectly, NOT.

Just when I felt I was making progress...

[Mister Towed]

Is there a ittle or a lot leaking out? If it's only a little I'd try a sealing additive in the coolant first.

[WorldClassAccident]

Not sure. The damp patch and the tear drop* you see there is the result of about 3/4 of a revolution of the engine. This is an engine that hasn't been fired up since it was parked in 1989.

I stripped the engine block down until I could see the cylinder tops and all looked okay. It then stuck new gaskets in as I built it back up. I guess one of the gaskets either didn't sit straight or some of the sealant left a gap.

That tear drop is produced when rolling the car forward remember, no idea what it would be like under full pressure. Any clues?

* Damp patches and tear drops - brings back memories...

[Mister Towed]

With the engine running I had a little water seeping out of the (new) water pump seal and from where I'd managed to knock a dent in the new Honda radiator. I added a bottle of 'rad weld' or 'stop leak' or some such concoction and it cured all the leaks in seconds.

[WorldClassAccident]

I might turn it over on the starter motor and see how bad it is. Does Radweld/Stopleak need heat to work?

I still haven't got the engine to the point of firing at the moment, no wiring loom fittted and none funtioning dizzy

[MoriniMan]

I'm afraid the Essex engine is another one on my list of engines to be avoided along with Rover/Buick V8 and Porsche (amongst others).

If you can scare up a spare radiator cap, bolt in an old schrader valve and try pressurising the cooling system to see how bad things are.

[garyh]

Originally Posted by MoriniMan

I'm afraid the Essex engine is another one on my list of engines to be avoided along with Rover/Buick V8 and Porsche (amongst others).

If you can scare up a spare radiator cap, bolt in an old schrader valve and try pressurising the cooling system to see how bad things are.

There are some very clever suggestions on here at times...

[Viatron]

Are you absolutely sure it's a leak and not just water trickling down?

[WorldClassAccident]

Thanks for the bike pump idea. i think I can do that.

I still think I will end up stripping that side of the engine down thoug as it is easier to do it in the current state.

By the way, you have correctly guessed the Essex V6 and the Rover/Buick V8 as the engines on two of my vehicles. Any others you don't like? Something German with a the pointed star big V and something Jap, Diesel, Pick up truck and not one of the main names but they did try a sports car in the 80's/90's with Lotus.

[WorldClassAccident]

Engine stripped and rebuilt. No signs of leaking but I did manage a small fire instead.

[Viatron]

:-0

[Mister Towed]

Was the 'small fire' similar to the Boxing day tsunami that caused a bit of a damp patch?

[WorldClassAccident]

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