Thread: Holy Tar Batman! Now I'm worried....

Some engines can get a build up like this. It might be a combination of factors so don't stress over it too much.

If you were going to have the heads serviced anyway, then it will get cleaned off in the acid bath (do they still use acid baths?).

Sticky tappets are common too. Have you removed at least one to check the base? How do the camshaft lobes look?
If reusing the tappets, make sure they go back in the same spot, same with the pushrods.

If there's no wear in the rockers & shafts, leave well alone. Do not clean as they often get noisy after a clean.

Excuse my ignorance but I don't understand what "tarmaces" is?? I think you mean black carbon rubbery goop??

I had a RR V8 that was like that. Mine was from a lobe on the Cam on the exhaust of No. 7 that was worn completely flat or I mean round. The exhaust gases and carbon spread through the inside of the engine like stalactites and stalagmites. The guy I bought it from must have driven it on 7 cylinders for a year.

If you are going to do the top end check the compression before you pull it down and try and get a read on how bad the blow by is from the piston rings. If it is bad and possibly causing some of your goop, you'll need to change them out.
Once you have the heads off it's not THAT big a job.
Good luck

Originally Posted by Peppercorn

Excuse my ignorance but I don't understand what "tarmacers" is?? I think you mean black carbon rubbery goop??

I think he means the people who lay tarmac (tar macadam - named after John Loudon McAdam, the bloke who developed the process of using various sized stones. The addition of tar was by a surveyor, Edgar Purnell Hooley).

Originally Posted by p38arover

I think he means the people who lay tarmac (tar macadam - named after John Loudon McAdam, the bloke who developed the process of using various sized stones. The addition of tar was by a surveyor, Edgar Purnell Hooley).

I'm glad there's someone around who understands me!

And yes, thick black gloop, hardened to the consistency of of something you'd find in an old paint tin in places. The two outer top head bolts were completely hidden, and the rocker gear and valve springs/caps are almost unrecognisable.
On removing the rocker gear, I can see the oilways are pretty gummed up, both in the rocker and head. That's mainly why I'm a little concerned.
The rockers are pretty worn, and will be replaced, though I can't really tell with the shafts as they are so badly covered.

Not one lifter will come out for me to take a look at, but I'm intending to replace them anyway, they'll just have to wait until I've got the cam out and sump off. It's more the fact that they won't come out that worries me - if they're sticking so badly, what else is wrong?!
I've measured a couple of lobes on the cam that I can see and reach easily and compared it to the new one I've bought, and they're about 75% of the new size (new cam is a bog standard one).

So from the replies so far, it seems like I'm worrying a little more than I should. I'll get hold of a compression tester and do the test tonight before I drag the heads off, and go from there.

It is common on rover V8's, the heads dont drain oil correctly so it builds up and gets baked on. A die grinder and a little carefull grinding will fix it.