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ruben
rick maroni

(8 posts)

Registered:
04/22/2017 01:32AM

Main British Car:


Rover 3.5 head gasket
Posted by: ruben
Date: April 22, 2017 01:54AM

i am replacing the head gasket on an early 3.5 Rover V8 so realy a 215, should I replace the head bolts? Is there any benefit to instaling later TTY head bolts? Or ARP studs? Do the threads on the studs going into the block as lfar as the stock bolts?
I see on the Rover head gasket there is a bead of sealant around the water passage at the rear of the block, Should i add anthing in this area to my Felpro gasket?
jJust trying to do the job correctly since its the second try. I got stuck in traffic and the radiator fan did not come on shortly after installing the engin in a 75 MGB
Thanks inadvance


tr8todd
Todd Kishbach

(390 posts)

Registered:
12/04/2009 07:42AM

Main British Car:


Re: Rover 3.5 head gasket
Posted by: tr8todd
Date: April 22, 2017 02:41PM

Stock bolts should be fine. You can't torque down the ARP studs enough to see any benefit without pulling the threads out of the block. I always put a tiny bead around the water passages above and below the valley pan. Put a dab into each cutout where the ends of the rubber seals sit as well. Less is better than more in this case. You don't want blobs of silicone hanging over the water passages. Don't over tighten the bolts holding down the metal ends. You can split the rubber end seals. These are basically lower compression engines. You don't need massive amounts of clamping force on the head bolts. Make sure you don't tighten the outer bolts as much as the two inner rows. Check torque settings after your first oil change, then you can forget about for many years.


88v8
Ivor Duarte
Gloucestershire UK
(1041 posts)

Registered:
02/11/2010 04:29AM

Main British Car:
1974 Land Rover Lightweight V8

Re: Rover 3.5 head gasket
Posted by: 88v8
Date: April 24, 2017 07:17AM

Don't have my shop manual atm, but the head torques were revised by Land Rover so that the outer row was torqued to a lower value. Someone will have the figures.

Ahh yes, here we are
[workshop-manuals.com]


Ivor


MGBV8
Carl Floyd
Kingsport, TN
(4511 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 11:32PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Rover 3.5 head gasket
Posted by: MGBV8
Date: April 24, 2017 08:20AM

RPI recommends no more than 20-25 lbs/ft on the outer four bolts.

[www.v8engines.com]


BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: Rover 3.5 head gasket
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: April 24, 2017 11:40AM

I would leave the lower row of bolts out entirely, of if used just lightly snug them down. All later SBB and Rover engines got rid of them. Ever wonder why?


ruben
rick maroni

(8 posts)

Registered:
04/22/2017 01:32AM

Main British Car:


Re: Rover 3.5 head gasket
Posted by: ruben
Date: April 24, 2017 04:26PM

Thanks for the input. I was cleaning the top of the block an found one liner .006 above the block. There is alot of talk about liners slipping down but not moving up. This block was previously bored .020 over. Should I be concerned? Is it time to remove the block?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/2017 09:19PM by ruben.


88v8
Ivor Duarte
Gloucestershire UK
(1041 posts)

Registered:
02/11/2010 04:29AM

Main British Car:
1974 Land Rover Lightweight V8

Re: Rover 3.5 head gasket
Posted by: 88v8
Date: April 25, 2017 04:20AM

Which liner?

They can be pinned to stop them moving, see here
[forum.britishv8.org]

Ivor



MGBV8
Carl Floyd
Kingsport, TN
(4511 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 11:32PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Rover 3.5 head gasket
Posted by: MGBV8
Date: April 25, 2017 01:11PM

While we are talking head gaskets for a 215/3.5. Composite in my case. Are the Fel-Pro good enough? Or, is it worth the money to step up to a Cometic?


MG four six eight
Bill Jacobson
Wa state
(324 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 02:15AM

Main British Car:
73 MGB Buick 215, Eaton/GM supercharger

Re: Rover 3.5 head gasket
Posted by: MG four six eight
Date: April 25, 2017 02:54PM

Carl,
Fel-Pro gaskets work just fine. I still use the bottom row of bolts, but torque them down to 10 ft lbs less then the centers if I remember correctly.

Bill


MGBV8
Carl Floyd
Kingsport, TN
(4511 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 11:32PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Rover 3.5 head gasket
Posted by: MGBV8
Date: April 25, 2017 03:07PM

Thanks, Bill. My late Rover heads only have 10 bolts. I would not torque the lower 4 that high from what I have seen of pics. I will post picks of mine when I get them off. I am quite sure that they are leaking compression.


ruben
rick maroni

(8 posts)

Registered:
04/22/2017 01:32AM

Main British Car:


Re: Rover 3.5 head gasket
Posted by: ruben
Date: April 25, 2017 08:16PM

I have one cylinder liner that is .006 proud of the block deck. Measured with a straight edge and feeler gauge.I don't think that is good for cylinder sealing. And how did I miss that when assembling it?
If I pull the block and start over: the pistons are down in the cyl. at tdc should i deck the block to get them closer to deck hight,
Thanks for the help


BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: Rover 3.5 head gasket
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: April 25, 2017 11:19PM

If you have a large flat chunk of steel you might try driving the liner down flush with the deck.

Jim


ruben
rick maroni

(8 posts)

Registered:
04/22/2017 01:32AM

Main British Car:


Re: Rover 3.5 head gasket
Posted by: ruben
Date: April 28, 2017 06:15PM

I used a large flat file and patience and am now putting the heads back on. I will definitely sort the fan switch before leaving the driveway. Thanks again for the advice.


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