Ruby the Riley 11

"Ruby" the Riley
Her new life from 1 Dec 2019 - Rick & Joan Fletcher

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 (new)

UPDATED: 8 October 2021

SEVERAL STEPS BACKWARDS We failed to proceed - due to the loss of 2 cylinders! CLICK THE THUMBNAIL FOR MOST PICS TO SEE LARGER IMAGE.
Very frustrating as there was loss of compression and blowback through the carburettor. \|	Possibilities included some problem with the valves (quickly dismissed by removing the rocker covers and all seemed to be in order) or perhaps a blown headgasket which seemed to be confirmed with a compression test: Cyl 1=0 2=0 3=110 4=110lbs The only way to really confirm what was wrong was to remove the head. That's really hard to accept as it was only a little over a year earlier that I had the head rebuilt and running.
The head is part way off here. Now I can also remove & replace the timing cover which was leaking a lot of oil. The front suspension cross brace is yet to be removed (shown below).	Click to view the blown headgasket between 1 & 2 and this was what caused the problem. Actually there is more to it than that and I will report back on the final solution.
This front crossmember has to be removed before the timing cover can come off. It has been removed in the photo to the right.	The cross member has been removed here by releasing the 3 machine screws each side.
The nearside engine mount has been released from the timing cover ...	... and the offside engine mount has been completely removed. The engine has been supported for this operation.
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The timing cover had been fitted with a gasket which was not in good condition. I will use a sealant as per the workshop manual.
The solid copper head gasket waspurchased from RIDGECREST ENGINEERING - Dromana Victoria Australia Contact Peter on 0401 889 007 He had the 1.5 L Riley on CAD and it was cut & delivered in 3 or 4 days. I have also purchased one for my TR.
The sealant I used was the same one recommended for the solid copper head gasket: ThreeBond 1211 White.	I am ready to slide the gasket and head onto the studs ... MASS PANIC - the head has jammed halfway down the studs and would NOT go down!! I'm standing in the engine bay, lifting it up and down, checking under and around and the 7 minute suggested time has rapidly disappeared. Even help from the wife didn't move it. Lift it off, try to put it on again - no luck. Then I peered down the stud holes and noticed something intruding in 2 of the holes! What the heck, and then the penny dropped as shown below: The 2 water manifold studs are exactly aligned with 2 of the head studs as shown below. I suspect the original water manifold studs had a shorter threaded end - probably approx 3/8". Studs removed and shortened and all OK.

	The photo to the left shows setting TDC on No: 1 I got the distributor timing out of alignment when I reinstalled it but corrected that by removing the distributor and making sure that when it was re-engaged with the camshaft timing gear, the rotor button pointed towards #1 cyl as shown in the row above left. Using the middle bolt in the timing cover to hold a pointer and an engraved mark on the crank pulley, I can check TDC on #1 easily.
Things are going back together, with the radiator reconditioned; the thermofan moved to the front of the radiator; electric waterpump fitting behind the raditor and in a better position. Note the rag stuffed in the end of the exhaust pipe - without that, something is bound to fall down the pipe!