Engine and Transmission Tech
tips, technology, tools and techniques related to vehicle driveline components
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Leyland Valve Covers
Hello all,
I have a Buick 215 engine that has cast aluminum valve covers that have the Leyland logo and name cast in them on the undersides. One of the covers has a 1 1/2" diameter hole which has a small area that has threads on it. I'm assuming a breather of some type pushes or screws into the hole but I haven't been able to locate what it looks like. Nor am I able to find an after market breather that will fit in a 1 1/2" hole. Most of what's available are 1 1/4" OD. Any advise or directions as to what I need or what I can use? Thanks, Lou |
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Re: Leyland Valve Covers
Do they look like the valve covers from a TR8? Google it and see. If thats what you have, then the knowledge of such should help you find one. One one side was a breather. On the other side was an oil fill tube and cap.
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Re: Leyland Valve Covers
Here's a photo of the valve covers I have. I like the way they look and want to use them but can't find a breather that fits, at least not yet.
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Re: Leyland Valve Covers
Yep those are the valve covers from TR8 and Land Rovers all throughout the 80s and 90s. If you have any local junkyards with Rovers in them, you should be able to just pluck one. They screw in fairly tight. Most times you need a small pipe wrench or strap wrench to remove them. First time I've seen the covers polished that nicely. Most of the time they just have oil stains and chipped grey paint on them. If you can't find one local, I could send you one for $30 plus shipping. It won't look nearly as nice as the covers you have. I'll try and get a photo of one so you can see what they look like. Have you considered some kind of bushing that screws into the 1.5 and has a inner size of 1.25?
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Re: Leyland Valve Covers
I've only looked for a 1 1/2' OD x 1 1/4" ID rubber grommet that I can use with any after market breather with a 1 1/4" neck. I would appreciate it if you can take a photo of what you have so I can see if I'll go that route or choose a different type.
When I first got the covers the grey paint was stripped off of them but they weren't polished. I brought them to a metal polishing shop a few miles from my house and in one week they were ready. $40.00 for the pair is reasonable and they do look really nice, especially for cast not billet aluminum. Thanks, Lou |
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Re: Leyland Valve Covers
They are made out of steel, so its rusty where the paint chipped off. The bracket around it is suppose to hold a 4 clip spark plug wire holder. Theres a rubber O ring to seal against the valve cover. There is a wire mess inside the breather.
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Re: Leyland Valve Covers
Thanks for the photo and description. How tall does it stand when screwed into the valve cover? Is there a piece that would go on the top or is it just left open?
Thanks again, Lou |
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Re: Leyland Valve Covers
From the base that contacts the valve cover to the top of the vent connector piece is a tick over 3". There were formed 90* rubber vacuum hoses that clamped on to the top, and then went to a Y connector, and then other rubber hoses went to both carbs. Not sure what was there on the FI cars and Land Rovers, but they all had that same breather. You need to hook at least some vacuum to these engines. They generate more crankcase pressure than one would think they should. The other cover should have a small nipple breather as well. What is that you are putting that engine in. Looks similar to this thing I picked up a couple of months ago.
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Re: Leyland Valve Covers
I think I'll pass on the breather as I'm going to look for one that's more 'modern' looking.
The Buick engine is going in is my '78 Lotus Esprit. I have most of the chassis finished including the engine and gearbox back in place. The body is at the body shop which I will get back within a week or two in prime so I can check all the panel fit after I mount it back on the chassis. Once I'm pleased I'll take it back to the body shop for paint. Fun times! Lou |
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Re: Leyland Valve Covers
Looks good. A couple of friends of mine are trying their best to cram leftover Nascar engines into Esprits. Some of the engineering work they have had to do is stunning. I think they are up to 5 or 6 salvage Esprits they have purchased in pursuit of this project. Building one would be daunting enough, but they are each building one. Both have built some pretty spectacular TR8s in the past, so they are the ones to pull it off. Good luck.
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88v8 Ivor Duarte Gloucestershire UK (1041 posts) Registered: 02/11/2010 04:29AM Main British Car: 1974 Land Rover Lightweight V8 |
Re: Leyland Valve Covers
On the SD1 engine in my Landrover - not at home at present - those covers have an oil filler at front left and an intake breather nipple at rear left to attach an open hose or filter. At front right is that breather pictured with the wire mess.
So it breathes diagonally across the rockers covers and through the crankcase. As said, there are rubber hoses with a Y piece that link the wire mess to the SU carbs. Ivor |
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MGBV8 Carl Floyd Kingsport, TN (4512 posts) Registered: 10/23/2007 11:32PM Main British Car: 1979 MGB Buick 215 |
Re: Leyland Valve Covers
Yeah, not very elegant, but those breather canisters work very well.
Listen to Todd about the crankcase pressure. They definitely seem to build too much. |
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Re: Leyland Valve Covers
Thanks for the advice concerning crankcase pressure. I'll make sure whatever I decide to do will provide sufficient pressure relief.
I'll post some photos in the next few days of the chassis/engine/gearbox and the current status of the body work. Having fun! Lou |
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BlownMGB-V8 Jim Blackwood 9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042 (6470 posts) Registered: 10/23/2007 12:59PM Main British Car: 1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS |
Re: Leyland Valve Covers
Yes, a 5/8" vent line should be considered the absolute minimum. That plus a 3/8" PCV valve is better, and a 3/4" vent line instead of 5/8" is a good idea. You could do a search for PCV to get more info. If you are running a 4bbl carb the orifice breather is not helpful.
Jim |
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