Rover Sports Register Forum

Sorry I forgot to add I want to check ,to see if when the mark on the flywheel is in position,and the No 1 piston is at the top ,then I need to check that the valve timing hasnt slipped .This maybe ,is why a valve has hit the piston ,for the second time the head has been fitted Len

Len,

Looking back through this thread, Luli has already given you the valve timing instructions. It’s not easy to convey this sort of information but I think, as always, he has done a good job. However, I think your friend should invest in a workshop manual so you can refer to it in real time while doing the job. After all, he has you doing all the work!

Tony.

Thank for the information from Luli it seems the timing chain,seldom jumps a cog .My friend said that as soon as he started the engine,after he fitted the rebuilt head it sounded rough and he stopped it and found two push rods slightly bent .My next jobe when I have time and I dont have to look after my wife following her op.is to check the cam timing with the marks on the flywheel .Once I know how accurate the timing it I can proceed Len

The 1936 14Hp timing is a different class, from the 10/12 HP. Look again in the instructions so that if somebody used the wrong set of instructions damage may occur.
To check you ignition timing best use a vacuum gauge. and to check with a stroboscope see here:
https://lulis.org/2014/05/11/%d7%a8%d7% ... %99%d7%92/
and here:
https://lulis.org/2014/08/28/%d7%a8%d7% ... %9b%d7%94/

According to my friend,there are two push rods bent.This happened last time but as I said I cleaned the head fitted a new valve, cleaned the valve guides as the valves were quite tight in them and cleaned the valve shafts and regroung all the valves in .When I filled the chambers with petrol they were sealed perfectly overnight.The head seemed perfect when I returned it to him .He did mention ,that the head was skimmed some time ago.The thing is he has two Rovers a P4 and this one,which is stunning condition .However he has done 339 miles in the last 12 years 28 mile a year !!!! Len

When I get the time I want to check ,that when the EP mark is lined up with the reference point, then number one exhaust is at the top of its travel Then I can try to find why the push rods bend when the engine is started I have so much to do at the moment,looking after my wife then continuing with the restoration on my own car a Daimler Len

Len,

I’ve never worked on one of the six cylinder engines however, looking at the pictures you have posted, I’m wondering if the valves open far enough to make contact with the piston - even at t.d.c? This is clearly your concern regarding the previously bent valve and, now, bent push rods. When the head was removed, was there any indication of piston contact?

I’m not saying the valve timing is correct and that checking it is unnecessary, but I think you should park that idea (assuming the engine used to run ok) and consider what happened, rather than jump to a conclusion. For example, when turned over by hand, are the valves closing fully? If not, perhaps the cam followers are sticking? Also, did your friend set up the tappet clearance correctly before starting? They should be set hot, but all need to be set cold in sequence beforehand. Tight tappets may be causing the bent rods. Is it the same push rods that have bent? Could the sticking valve have caused the push rods to bend and are any other valves tight in their guides? Also, was the pushrod to the bent valve the one that had bent before? Were all push rods carefully checked the first time or could the bent rods have been caused on the first occasion and only come to light now? Having had trouble twice it should be possible to start forming a picture of what happened.

As I said before, do not ignore the ignition timing and fresh petrol before trying to start the car.

A simple compression test prior to starting the car will confirm if all is well before letting it run.

Tony.