Have got the head back in one part all new seals and a cam to replace the broken one



all clean

Keep up the good work Paul, and keep posting the pics. Very Useful - I've now made a start on mine, got it off the pallet and now mounted onto an engine support cradle thing - after looking at your pics I thought it would be a good use of £32 to get it mounted at a nice working height! I took off the exhaust manifold and alternator and mounted it from the exhaust side of the block. Hopefully the block can stay fixed to the holder until the last job of re-fitting the manifold.

I tried cranking it over from the pulley as it had been sat so long on the pallet I was worried about it seizing. Turned over fine but I noticed the compression seems low on one of the cylinders. It becomes quite hard to turn the engine as each piston comes up the compression stroke but for one of them you can hear the pressure hissing out as you turn it. I'm thinking that as there is no exhaust manifold on and I could hear the hiss very clearly its most likely an exhaust valve not seating properly. Hopefully a bit of lapping will sort that. That has finalised my umming and arring about whether to take the head off though.

Are you planning on any port polishing while your head is off?

Hi thanks, sanzomat
I did look at getting an engine stand but did not get round to getting one before starting the work I think it would have been a good idea to get one or make one

I had not seen my engine running so I did not know if the engine was ok. I did not want to get the engine in the car and find out that it needs work
but ass I did take the head of the liners moved so have to reseal them.
I also found the inlet cam was damaged I don't know if I did it or it was like that but I now know that I have a new cam and all seals and gaskets so hope all will be ok

I was looking at the ports on the head today. I was thinking what do you actually gain from doing the work and with my luck would brake something so was going to lave them

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-71173-Flywheel-Locking-Vauxhall/dp/B00023T9LG

I tried one of these for locking my flywheel. Its meant for Vauxhall/Izuzu but at £1.36 delivered thought it was worth a try, even if it needed adapting. As it turns out it just needed a few strokes of a file to get one of the smaller gearbox bolts through the slot and the smaller end fits perfectly into one of the threaded holes towards the bottom of the block when the timing marks are in the service position. Held it fine whilst undoing the pulley bolt that was very tight!

looks like it does the job and cheep

I'm looking for the spring for the cambelt timing pulley

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-Rover-Cambel ... nav=SEARCH

And they are asking 13 pounds for a spring I have the bolt
And you only need the spring to do it up with then you take the spring off roll:

That spring should come in the kit with the new belts. It did in mine anyway. I bought the Gates kit - came with both belts, new tensioner pulley, new bolt for the tensioner pulley, special bolt to take the spring and the spring itself (and a water pump was part of the deal too but in a separate box). As you say, it is only used whilst adjusting the tension and then discarded. I'm probably a few weeks off fitting the new belts as I'm only just starting the dismantle but after that you can have my spring if you still need it!

thanks, I got all my parts through a friend and I don't think they came as a kit and it took so long for them to get the parts I don't want to go back and ask for a spring.
if you could let me have your spring when you have done with your spring I would be grateful it's going to take me a long time to sort out the wiring loom

this part is ok its the main part



I have to make this part fit my car



i also got this speedo corrector to fit

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Big thanks

got I bit more done to the engine



The liners are all sealed in with a new head gasket water pump



It's starting to look like an engine

Wow, thats some good progress. I only managed a couple of hours on it this weekend but I've now labelled all the wires so I know where to put them back and have got the inlet manifold off and the timing belt covers off. Belts off then head off next.

Look out for the inlet cam when you take the head bolts out my cam got damaged

Was that with the camshafts in the service position (timing marks all lined up)? I thought it was safe to do anything when in that position?

its starting to look like an engine

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Good selection of the essential hammers

Yes, it was in service the position I thought the same.
I don't know if it was like that when I took the head off.
unless I did something wrong but I don't think I did

I have been trying to get the drive shafts out of the mgf hub but with not much luck.
but would it be better just to use the mgf hub with breaks set-up or keep the metro one witch has had the mgf hand brake conversion done to it



I think I will keep my hubs and breaks they have all new seals and look so good all painted blue just need to get the driveshaft out from the old mgf hubs





why do people cut things on a car right at the end of the sensor when you can just unplug it

I need the abs sensor and someone has cut the wire right at the sensor


just unplug it what a Waste of an ABS sensor

I have been looking at how to wire up the 1.8 vvc engine and I have found that I have a thermostat switch in the metro radiator.


I also have two thermostats in the engine bay one in the outlet from the head and one in the hose that runs from the engine to the radiator



all I have to do is find out what does what
I think the one which is in the radiator is for the 1.4 rover metro radiator electric cooling fan switch I don't think I need this one for the vvc
the two that are in the engine bay is for the 1.6 mpi engine
one is for the coolant temperature gauge sender unit
and the other one is for the engine management and cooling fan

I think I will have to do some testing this will be fun