Rover 200 & 400 Owners Club

I've been watching this car on YouTube!

Mr Teddy Bear wrote: ↑Mon Dec 27, 2021 10:44 am I've been watching this car on YouTube!

Haha yeah ill post a link to teh first and last vids at some point

Sometimes if a car hasnt any evidence of overheating i dont bother to get the head skimmed. But this one, i decided to anyway. I sent it off to MODUS engineering, they cleaning it all up, skimmed it, pressure and leak down tested it. So not only is the gasket face all leveled and shiny, but i know all the valves seal properly too. It cost a fair bit, but makes me happy!

It was like unwrapping a present to reveal much shinyness.







Then it was reassembly time. I refitted all the tappets in their correct order and then applied liberal amounts of engine build goop so the interface between the buckets and cams were protected at first start up.





Next it was time to refit and torque down the cam carriers. They seal to the head with special sealer. Its an anaerobic sealer, so it only sets once it is held between two surfaces without oxygen. Clever stuff, as it dissolves in oil. Basically if you were to use normal RTV, the bits that squidge out would block all the oil ways under the carriers that lubricate that cams, or possibly get entrained somewhere else and cause blockages. This stuff just gets washed away and mixed in harmlessly with the oil.





Then it was time to start refitting the inlet and other ancillary stuff. I fitted new cam seals, and then the plastic upper timing cover behind the cam sprockets. The rubber mounting rings had all gone out of shape from oil contamination so fitted some new ones. They are pretty much impossible to find now sadly.



Thermostat housing to head gasket



I cleaned up and repainted the upper inlet manifold/plenum thing



I also sent the injectors off to be cleaned and serviced. They had new rings and pintle caps too. I got this flow chart back too.





All assembled to the head with new gaskets





Then i set about cleaning up the block. I removed the big alloy bracket that holds the alternator, the water pump and power steering pump so i could give it all a decent going over and change the o-ring between it and the block.

One of the bolts holding the alternator was seized solid and then rounded off which was super annoying as i couldnt get very good access to the last bolt between the alloy housing and the block.

Mega frustrating but managed to move the alternator away just enough so i could remove the whole assembly. Then i welded a nut to the old bolt and wound it out.

Black all washed down, de greased





Then painted in gloss black engine enamel. Kind of pointless because pretty much all of this is hidden by the alloy housing, radiator , exhaust manifold etc etc

Very thorough!

Ive often deliberated what to do about painting unpainted items, on some of my other cars i used natural iron coloured paint so it looks original (ish) but stops it rusting and looking unsightly. But black is also good

4V8s wrote: ↑Mon Dec 27, 2021 11:29 am Very thorough!

Ive often deliberated what to do about painting unpainted items, on some of my other cars i used natural iron coloured paint so it looks original (ish) but stops it rusting and looking unsightly. But black is also good

Yeah i think pretty much anything you do has to be better than just leaving it.

More mess and devastation as stuff went back together. Been using the mighty DAF400 as my mobile workshop and tool cabinet!



I dont have any photos of it, but i also removed the sump, sent it off to be blacked and then powder coated. That was most therapeutic to see as it is one of those not good pressed steel items, and the paint had all flaked off.

Cleaned up the block with a razor and some brake cleaner. Then installed new plastic location dowels. Even these are hard to get now :(





I put a drop of oil in each cylinder after i gave them a good clean, and then dropped on the new Klinger head gasket and then the cylinder head.





Then torqued it down with a set on new stretch head bolts. Below is the photo from the manual if anyone needs the torques etc.



New cam seal and cam gasket



New plugs, dizzy cap, rotor arm and i also replaced the split rubber intake to throttle body plate with a new alloy one.



I had everything that was black and metal and was in teh engine bay sent to the blasters and powercoaters. This was the radiator and intercooler frames, battery tray, fuse box bracket, ABS bracket, expansion tank bracket, relay holder etc etc etc. Expensive but should look good and last for ages.

I love powdercoat presents

I saw this on YT - just subscribed and watching the first vid. Excellent work

Great work, keep them updates coming!

Started refitting all the newly powder coated parts which was really satisfying!