Thread: Rebuilding a Rover V8

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Khos, they are just 12 point heads as you have found.
The way to undo the allen heads is to get a correct size allen head socket with 1/2 inch drive and a bit of muscle.
They stick because you have to use sealant between the top and bottom sections of the inlet manifold and it flows into the threads.
Once you have undone the allen bolts you will also find the top bit of the plenum stuck on.
Get a big block of soft wood and a hammer and set the wood to the side of the plenum and give it a hard tap/rap/bang.( or three)
Ah the value of education.
Regards Philip A

I took one of the bolts off with a lot of force and it has lock-tite on the threads they all seem to be lock-tited on

loctite goes off if you apply heat, if you have a gas torch heat the bolt up.

Heat is your friend even if it is not a loctite issue, helps with rusty fasteners.

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Khos, they are just 12 point heads as you have found.
The way to undo the allen heads is to get a correct size allen head socket with 1/2 inch drive and a bit of muscle.

Something I didn't have in a 1/2" Drive , so here is an Improvised Tool


MultiGrip is your friend...



They stick because you have to use sealant between the top and bottom sections of the inlet manifold and it flows into the threads.

You're Right again Phillip , I was helucinating ( I think that's how you spell it, Where is RonB ) there is no locktite on the threads



The Threads only had the sealant on them as you described .

Once you have undone the allen bolts you will also find the top bit of the plenum stuck on.

"That was the easy Bit to remove , the Hard bit is removing the Plenum chamber itself , once all bolts are undone"




Get a big block of soft wood and a hammer and set the wood to the side of the plenum and give it a hard tap/rap/bang.( or three)

I suspect I need to carry on with this procedure as the plenum itself has lots of sealant tucked in underneath ,nothing seems to be straight forward?

Originally Posted by slug_burner

loctite goes off if you apply heat, if you have a gas torch heat the bolt up.

Heat is your friend even if it is not a loctite issue, helps with rusty fasteners.

Unfortunately , that's something I don't have/carry in my Tool kit.

The Headgasket Kit arrived this afternoon from BMI , the only thing that's stopping me from going full-steam ahead is the 12 point 5/16" 1/4" drive "socket" to take the Rocker cover Bolts off.

These tings never go straight forward unfortunately. Hope the right socket turns up and the rest goes smoothly. Watching with interest.

Khos, I have sent you a PM.
Unfortunately you have to take the power steer pump and bracket off also, as the front head bolt also mounts the bracket. It has a hidden allen bolt at the back on the front face of the head which is a bit difficult to remove.

The Aircon compressor bracket also comes off with AFAIK 3 bolts, but is easy. Just lay the PS pump and compressor to the side. Maybe hold them back with big zip ties or coat hangers.
I hope by this time you have removed the alternator and fan plus coupling as it makes it much easier.
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by V8Landy

These tings never go straight forward unfortunately. Hope the right socket turns up and the rest goes smoothly. Watching with interest.

Thanks Brett.

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Khos, I have sent you a PM.
Unfortunately you have to take the power steer pump and bracket off also, as the front head bolt also mounts the bracket. It has a hidden allen bolt at the back on the front face of the head which is a bit difficult to remove.

The Aircon compressor bracket also comes off with AFAIK 3 bolts, but is easy. Just lay the PS pump and compressor to the side. Maybe hold them back with big zip ties or coat hangers.
I hope by this time you have removed the alternator and fan plus coupling as it makes it much easier.
Regards Philip A

Thanks Phillip;

I recieved your PM , The Fuel Rail bolts have been removed , the Wiring Harness to the injectors are unclipped ,Power Steering Pump , AC Compresseor & Alternator and Fan to come off yet , that'll happen tomorrow

I tried to get the fan off with my viscous Fan Tool but couldn't do it , i'll give it another try tomorrow .

Originally Posted by Disco_owner

I tried to get the fan off with my viscous Fan Tool but couldn't do it , i'll give it another try tomorrow .

Put the spanner on the nut .... and HIT the SIDE of the spanner with a hammer in a "clockwise direction" .... Trying to undo it with "arm power" won't work