Loud ticking after head gasket renewed.

[moggymaniac]

hi, justrenewed the head gasket on my moggy, was leaing between the two middle cylinders. took it for a adrive after i done it,no problems, drove to work today and on the way home it started ticking really fast and really loudly everytime i put my foot on the accelerator, i gapped the tappetts corretly when i put the assembly back on. its really loud and i dunno what it is.

any ideas?

Thanks, Jamie

[PSL184]

Did you re-torque the head after the first heat cycle? If not, you could have blown the gasket again..... Or, the head is warped and needs skimming....?

[mike.perry]

Have you checked the tappets are still locked tight? Double check.
Turn the engine over on the handle and listen for any hissing noise or feel for any low compression

[chickenjohn]

Did you replace the manifold gasket?? If you re-used the old one and it now has a blow then you will get a loud ticking from a leak on the exhaust side. Or the manifold nuts might just need tweaking up.

[bmcecosse]

Does sound like manifold gasket or exhaust pipe joint blowing out - but the advice to retorque and reset valve gaps is good anyway!

[moggymaniac]

turns out it was the manifold gasket, which was new and had been fitted less than 24 hours. it had disintegrated in the middle exhaust chamber. i had torqued the manifold nuts correctly to 15 lbft, the surfaces were smooth, no reason why i should have gone. so i have to put it down to quality of the gasket, bought it in a head gasket kit from esm minors, very flimsy, knackered. bought one from my local motor factors this morning and its much more sturdy, better quality i have re gapped the valves again they are all fine anyway and will re torque the head asap. should i do this when hot after a run or after its cooled down? thanks for your help guys

[Mogwai]

Some of the gaskets about lately seem to be of really poor quality I bought some that looked like they had been cut out by a blind man with some gardening shears. so made sure the replacement's I ordered were made by Payen which are nicely cut & fit properly

[bmcecosse]

Well done getting it sorted. I retorque with the engine hot -after a run. And then re-set the valve gaps again!