Engine Running Rough, no idle.

Direct quote below from V8 Tuner in UK, this is for composite gasket however tin one is very similar except recommend you use hylomar gasket cement or similar on all gasket faces. I have fitted steel one quite a few times, using same process as below. The RTV in corners you want any excess to fall outside engine, not into valley. These corners tend to leak:)


"Use sealant ( RTV) on the part where the block joins the heads - let it start to go off and then put the seals in place. Intake gasket next with the metal plates with bolts loosely fitted. Install the inlet manifold, along with bolts and then tighten the valley end seal bolts."

Got everything back together and added coolant again.

Only to see a pool of green liquid on the inlet manifold gasket between the two banks of cylinders.

I was pretty sure I'd fitted the new inlet gasket okay. It didn't seem to be a hard job.

I guess it is possible for the inexperienced to stuff it up.

I'll take another look tomorrow and then start stripping down the top of the engine again.

Paul

I feel for you Paul, I've done two V8 rebuilds and always coolant leaks from somewhere at the end. This when you swear and utter blood curdling curses at LR engineering - why can't simple things like gaskets and hoses fit easily and positively, like on Jap cars? Is your latest leak pooling at the back or front of the manifold gasket?

Leaking from the rear.

Well it turns out I am actually quite good at fitting inlet manifold gaskets.

There were no leaks from the gasket at all.

However I'm completely rubbish at fitting the Thermostat into the thermostat housing. The thermostat moved when I was tightening up the bolts on the housing and hence the coolant has been leaking out past the thermostat gasket.

Of course I didn't discover this until after I'd stripped down the top of the engine again and removed the inlet manifold.

So new question:

• Can I clean up the sealant off my new inlet manifold gasket and refit the inlet manifold?
• Or do I need to order a new inlet manifold gasket and replace the one that has never had to do any work?

Thanks

Paul

In your position I would bite the bullet and use a new gasket.

They are spring steel and seal by the spring compressing.

I really don't know whether the spring recovers from compression or it is a once off, but I have been there and done that and grimaced and paid yet more money.
Regards Philip A

I reuse the embossed metal inlet gaskets endlessly. Clean off the old sealant, draw a fine line of new sealant around each side of each port and leave it for 12-24 hours after assembly. As for the thermostat, put a few drops of superglue around the rim of the thermostat and make sure it's stuck in place before refitting the housing. You can also get self adhesive thermostat housing gaskets which you apply over the thermostat before refitting the housing. Try a Tridon stockist, they may have one. I use then on the V6 Commodores, their thermostat is similarly difficult.

Same thing happened to me and with thermostat housing and then leaked again when thermostat held in by Tridon gasket as BeeUtey describes. It then took sanding the face of the thermostat housing to ensure it was dead flat and no fine pathways through (quite slight) corrosion to get a seal. Don't forget to make sure the the small hole in the thermostat rim is positioned at the top.

Good news!

After 11 months off the road the motor is running again.

New plugs, leads, Bosch Ignition Module, rebuilt distributor, new inlet manifold gasket, new timing chain/gears, new timing cover and the thermostat replaced.

With so much changed I was more than a little surprised when the motor fired up. Shouldn't have doubted myself I suppose.

There is still more to do. The motor fires up easily and idles well but it misses/backfires when under load or accelerating. My guess is I need to treat myself to a timing light and set the ignition timing. The motor runs on petrol/gas so I believe I should be aiming for 10 degrees before TDC?

Thanks everyone for your help getting me to this point.

Paul

After switching leads 7 and 2 I now have the cylinders firing in the correct order.

With my new timing light I've set the timing at about 10 degrees before TDC and the car seems to be running Okay.

I'll take it out for a proper run this afternoon and see how it goes.

Paul