Urgent advice required for a bodge, or short block in leeds?

[Matt Tomkins]

Hi all,
really need some advice.
I've traveller up to leeds for the weekend to change the head gasket on a friends moggie (steph holloway, you may know her as a writer in minor monthly and very active young member).

the gasket has gone badly between 1 and 2[frame][/frame]

and taken a nice groove out of the block with it :/[frame][/frame]
as well as filling the cylinders with water.

The good news is, that the engine conked out straight away, and the water didn't compress within and crack the cylinders.
Also, the head appears to be okay.

Basically, i know that what really needs doing is the engine removing, being dismantled and skimmed or the engine changing, however due to the time and costs involved in to do this, it's not possible now, as steph needs the car for work -- or at the very least, able to be driven from leeds to cardiff for some major surgery.

Is there any way that we can bodge this to get her running? double decking gaskets with new head studs torqued right down, any magic gunk which will last fill the gap etc etc.???
advice greatly appreciated, as we really need to get it running by this evening :/

thanks as always.

Matt

[Matt Tomkins]

the other option, of course is if someone in leeds has a short block they would be willing to sell for the right price and would be able to deliver it this morning? : (long shot i know)

[bmcecosse]

Sorry Matt - but that block is probably scrap - would need a LOT of machining to get rid of that groove. The engine must have been run for a LONG time with the gasket blown. I suppose you could try to build it up with braze-----but it might only last 10 minutes, only way will be to try it and see. Of course - not everyone has brazing equipment. Best to pop the engine and hope another turns up. Otherwise - the train will need to take the strain.....

[Matt Tomkins]

Sorry Matt - but that block is probably scrap - would need a LOT of machining to get rid of that groove. The engine must have been run for a LONG time with the gasket blown. I suppose you could try to build it up with braze-----but it might only last 10 minutes, only way will be to try it and see. Of course - not everyone has brazing equipment. Best to pop the engine and hope another turns up. Otherwise - the train will need to take the strain.....

that's suspisions confirmed, then. :/

she said it very suddenly lost compression, went up in steam, then conked out, though the exhaust's been blowing for a while, so could have masked the tell-tail signs i s'pose :/

Might just put it back together with a thick competition gasket torques up to 55 or so with new studs, so she can start her journey to cardiff for surgery and get relayed from this new brake down en-route????

[bmcecosse]

And then the car will be stuck in Cardiff....... If the head is ok - it's possible the block had been bodged up before and another head fitted? And the bodge had suddenly let go? I can't see the block taking all that damage and the head NOT being damaged?

[Matt Tomkins]

And then the car will be stuck in Cardiff.......

where it can be repaired with a new block etc -- here, we're working on the side of a road -- admittedly i did change another friends engine here a couple of weeks back, but it was far from ideal.

If the head is ok

seems to be[frame][/frame]

- it's possible the block had been bodged up before and another head fitted? And the bodge had suddenly let go? I can't see the block taking all that damage and the head NOT being damaged

i think that's a good theory, can't see any signs of metal fragments, though :/

[Matt Tomkins]

excuse me if this is a stupid question, but why, too, is it full of water when the gasket only seems to have gone between 2 cylinders? :/

[Matt Tomkins]

[frame][/frame]

[moggiethouable]

Has anyone ever tried a liquid metal filler that could perhaps be filed down?
"when youre up to your backside in crocodiles dont stop to feel the temperature of the water" and all that.
There is a"hard as hobs from hell" filler made by 3m.
may be available in the Leeds autotraders shops?

[bmcecosse]

Maybe that's what it was bodged up with before....... Where's the old engine you removed from the friend's car?

[Matt Tomkins]

got some ambro steel -- sounds like it could actually be quite good.

going to get everything prepped, cleaned etc before applying the filler, then wack the head down asap after the compound's added. hopefully should do the job.

a bodge, i know, but a good one i hope.

BMC, the old engine went beck for recon, and on its last big trip (from leeds to birmingham) used 3 gallons of oil each way :/ -- a very, very dead engine!

[bmcecosse]

Good luck!

[moggiethouable]

Yeh, goferrit dude proud o yah!
(I think thats what the kids say these days)
Seriously though, good man.

[moggiethouable]

got some ambro steel -- sounds like it could actually be quite good.

going to get everything prepped, cleaned etc before applying the filler, then wack the head down asap after the compound's added. hopefully should do the job.

a bodge, i know, but a good one i hope.

BMC, the old engine went beck for recon, and on its last big trip (from leeds to birmingham) used 3 gallons of oil each way :/ -- a very, very dead engine!

So how did it go Matt? dont know about anyone else but I was hoping for a result!
Let me know before I go on my Friday jaunt to the pub.
Its alright for some innit?

[chrisd87]

Nasty

Probably only thing you can do is to try and bodge it up with some sort of chemical metal, and see how long it holds. Make sure your mobile phone has plenty of juice in it, and your breakdown cover is all in order. Also, make no mention of the fact you knew the engine was dodgy to the breakdown people. They may try and wriggle out of helping you, if they find out you had a pretty good idea the vehicle wasn't likely to be up to the journey.

Good luck!

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

There is some stuff I used on the exhaust manifold of my Allegro which did the trick for ages and ages, I'll dig it out and give you the name, some sort of metal putty which sets like stone but can easily be filed. Available from Halfords, too.

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

Hard & Fast Metal Epoxy Putty: brilliant stuff, been through 2 tubes of it with excellent results.

Here: http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_255230


Worth a try?

[Matt Tomkins]

righto,
thanks everyone for advice, and as a consequence, young members have clubbed together along with others, and a replacement engine sourced from wales.
The amazing Matt Coles has made the epic trip from cardiff with it tonight, and has not long arrived in leeds. (see time of posting).
It's due to go in tomorrow, and should be done by the end of the day

Really is a testament to all who have spent the day searching for options, and particularly people who offered help with parts and transport - especially matt coles for making the 300 mile trip up here!!
so thanks to everyone
keep watching this for updates!

[bmcecosse]

Crikey -well done all - that really is exceptional service !! Hope it goes well.

[moggiethouable]

righto,
thanks everyone for advice, and as a consequence, young members have clubbed together along with others, and a replacement engine sourced from wales.
The amazing Matt Coles has made the epic trip from cardiff with it tonight, and has not long arrived in leeds. (see time of posting).
It's due to go in tomorrow, and should be done by the end of the day

Really is a testament to all who have spent the day searching for options, and particularly people who offered help with parts and transport - especially matt coles for making the 300 mile trip up here!!
so thanks to everyone
keep watching this for updates!

Well done indeed people, its a delight to see you folks all hauling in the same direction like this.
Youre a credit to the human cause , really.