Im amazed you can get stuff so quickly for what must be a rare motor?
As for the rocker cover gaskets I wouldn't have though you needed any gunk on that, the covers should be well made not like the rubbishy tin things we have to deal with on the old stuff!
Sooo, today I got a mail from my pal with a pic of the bits I'd ordered...
His secretary contacts me and says she'll organise a courier ASAP.
Ten minutes later, I get an SMS with a tracking app from Mr Speedy. He's around the corner.
Bloody hell, "Speedy" is right. My mate's place is around 30km away.
Two minutes later, he's outside.
Yup, you guessed it, they'd got the message Peach about face and he was here to collect, not deliver.
This time the courier is coming from Las Piñas and to Manila, rather than the other way around.
8L of Mobil's finest was also delivered today, so that's this Saturday morning sorted out!
ETA; Peach?
ETA 2; What does the team think on the rocker gaskets, fit dry, or with some appropriate gunk?
Found a little discussion online which was more interesting than I'd have thought it might have been!
424 Replacement rocker cover gaskets Graham Cornford (Tundra 0805) in Texas posted a query on the V8 Bulletin Board concerning how to fit a replacement rocker cover gasket on a Factory MGBGTV8. (Mar 11)
Graham's query was - I have recently removed the valve covers on my V8. Admittedly, they had not been off for some years, were stuck fast, and the gaskets were rock hard, but disintegrated whilst being removed I have obtained a replacement rubber gasket, which is advertised to be a better alternative to the cork type. One advantage is that there is a torque restriction ferrule at each screw hole to prevent over tightening. A disadvantage, and here ignorance plays it's part, is that there are no fitting instructions. With the cork gasket it was easy in that it sat against the ridge on the inside lower edge of the valve cover. The rubber one, when the screw holes in the cover and gasket are lined up, is exactly the profile of the outside edge of the rocker box, so it must be fitted, butting up against the lower edge of the rocker box. The problem being that one side of the gasket is flat and the other has a channel approx 1/8" x 1/8" cut out of it all the way round, starting about an 1/8" in from the outside edge.
My questions are. 1. Flat side or channel side against the rocker Box. 2. Does it matter which way round? 3. Should there be any sealant at all, Rocker box to gasket, and gasket to head? 4. If so, what type?
My logic tells me that it is flat side up to rocker box and no sealant as it would make it extremely difficult to butt it up to the box and the head as it would be too slippery to locate it accurately. But I could be wrong! Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Bill McCullough has two MGBV8 conversions looked up Graham's telephone number using the "member only search facilties on the V8 website and replied "Following our telephone conversation, the earlier cork gaskets are attached to the rocker cover with adhesive. The later rubber renewable gaskets use no adhesive and are simply fitted to the rocker cover with the edge of the rocker cover bedded into the peripheral 1/8" recess you refer to. The rubber gskets are designed to replace the cork gaskets in all apllications of the V8. (Land Rover Publication LRL 0164 ENG).
In the real world the initial installation of the rubber gaskets onto clean dry rocker cover 'usually' produces a sufficiently tight grip enabling the cover top be installed without the rubber gasket falling off. Subsequent removal of the rocker cover produces an oil mist lubricated rocker box and rubber gasket, the gasket resolutely refuses to grip the rocker cover at this stage, and from my experience its the fiddling about when attempting to line up the rocker cover/ the rubber gasket/and the cylinder head threads, that can displace the metal ferrule. In these situations I wipe the rubber gasket with a petrol laden rag and likewise clean the rocker cover. I then apply eight spots of super glue gel around the periphery of the gasket in the 1/8" recess, then settle the rocker cover onto the gasket. This enables you to look down the holes in the rocker box and physically see everything lined up before you insert the four screws. The actual compression of the rubber between the rocker cover and the cylinder head takes place inboard of the recess, and ensures that adhesive cannot trespass beyond that point.
I am surprised that you are experiencing a problem with the dimensions of the rubber gaskets, the lip on
Replacement rubber rocker cover gasket with the lip and metal inserts to resist overtightening. (Photo: Steve Newton)
the rocker cover and the recess in the gasket should be a perfect match - if you need to stretch the gasket to match the rocker box proportions, I can only suggest the gaskets are defective. Sorry to be so long winded, hope this helps."
It is also worth mentioning the original "V8 Engine Overhaul Manual" Publication Part No. RCL published by Rover Group Limited in 1996 was replaced by "V8 Petrol Engines Overhaul Manuals" LRL0164 and LRL 0004 by Land Rover UK Limited in 1997 and 1998. Page 4 from the latter publications is reproduced above with advice on fitting a rubber rocker cover gasket.
Victor Smith followed up saying "I spoke with Steve Newton at Clive Wheatley mgv8parts who clarified the rocker covers for the Factory MGBGTV8 are different to those used on the RV8 and the Rover SD1 engines. The rocker covers are squarer in shape on those cars." As for the gaskets Steve clarified:
Factory MGBGTV8 - although a cork gasket was used originally, a plain rubber rocker cover gasket is available now as the replacement part. It does not need an adhesive as the original engine repair manuals recommended for the earlier cork gaskets but Steve says he applies just a few dabs of silicone sealer, very sparingly, and then lets it dry off so it will hold the gasket in place whilst the rocker cover is positioned over the gasket and then carefully tightened up. Steve says take care not to overtighten the rocker cover so the rubber gasket distorts.
RV8 - although a cork gasket was used originally on the RV8, a rubber rocker cover gasket is available now as a replacement. The profile of this gasket is different to that for the Factory MGBGTV8 in that it has a lip plus metal inserts to stop overtightening on the gasket.
Steve has offered to take photos of each gasket and send them to the V8 Webmaster so he could produce and publish an information sheet on the V8 website - and of course add it to the two workshop notes series as part of the information resource for fellow members. Later Steve produced a set of photos and added Clive Wheatley mgv8parts have the correct rocker cover gaskets for each model - the Factory MGBGTV8, the SD1 V8 engine used for many MGBV8 conversions and for the RV8. Most of their gaskets are remade for them by gasket specialists in the West Midlands.
An information sheet is available on the V8 Website. More
Im amazed you can get stuff so quickly for what must be a rare motor?
Parts availability, in-country, is comically hit and miss.
We do have a single Land Rover main dealer who I tried when I first bought the car. I was looking for plug leads (a saga in itself), but they denied all existence of the P38, despite mine being parked outside the Parts Department's window!
And now we have a large Britpart recently opened, so all my problems should be solved. But Britpart...
At one time, I tried to source my own stuff here, there's a few small places bringing in LR parts, mainly for Series, Defenders and Classic, but it was a real disheartening process. Numerous phone calls, wasted journeys, language issues, only finding when you get there that it's the wrong bit, or they only have one when you needed two (or 7, not 8 - see above!), thus starting the whole process again.
The way forward is that larger orders, or anything impossible to find, go straight to Rimmers, or similar, and I normally have the parts in three days. The downside is the crazy customs duties, more to the point, their unpredictability. Yes, I have been charged more duty than the item cost before now.
So smaller orders, like above, I just send over to Fritz. I met him a few years ago (whilst on a parts hunt) and he runs a very tidy set-up down in Las Piñas called Eurospec Motors, unsurprisingly specialising in European vehicles, and, even better, owns a P38.
So now he does all the chasing but, unlike me, tends to know where to go and, obviously, doesn't have the language issue! Then he consolidates the order and fires it over to me. Much easier. I save hours, he makes a bit of money, we're both happy.
He also sources second-hand stuff from the States and recently found me some rear light units, as mine had been ruined by rear ending sidecars. So a good guy to know and we regularly meet up for a beer and a chat.
As for rare vehicle, I don't know, we had 12 all together once!
As for the rocker cover gaskets I wouldn't have though you needed any gunk on that, the covers should be well made not like the rubbishy tin things we have to deal with on the old stuff!
fer4l and gtviva I've now checked the gaskets and they are indeed rubber with the lip on them. They shall be fitted dry. Thanks.
And as I need to depressurise the fuel system, I'll be fitting that fuel filter I've had kicking around for six years at the same time!
As you'll know, the lower tailgates are held in the horizontal position (so one may have one's picnic in comfort, you know) by two steel wire straps.
I've just replaced both of mine, as one had snapped, so I had a look as to why.
They are retained by a bolt on each end and this has a spacer, allowing both ends of the strap to swivel around the fastening when the gate is opened and closed. On mine, both ends of the broken one were seized, which means the cable had to take up the movement rather than the ends. Eventually, because you're flexing a piece of metal at a single point, it snapped. The unbroken one still had full movement at the bolts.
New ones have been greased prior to installation hopefully, to prevent a repetition.
So check yours now. There's nowt more embarrassing than being dumped on your arris, covered with Verve Clicquot and caviar when you're up Henley Regatta!
If Samuel Beckett had lived in Manila, owned a Range Rover P38 and was wanting to do an oil change, he'd have written "Waiting for Garbage Truck." For, like Godot, this bloody thing isn't turning up either.
See, the only space I've got to work is either half in/half out of the garage, which puts it at just the exact wrong angle to drop the oil (and puts me in the gutter - seriously not recommended - never mind Covid, we're talking real exotic diseases), or on the street in front of the house. To do the latter, I need to wait for the garbage truck to come and go, otherwise he'll not get through the gap between me and the abandoned Jeepney across the road.
Normally, they're here around 7am each morning but today, it looks like we've opted for a little a lie-in.
Could have done it before, but I just know the second I take the sump-plug out, he'll come happily trundling around the corner. It's Sod's very own Law.
So, like Mr Beckett's protagonists, I wait, unlike them, in me tropical overalls, for a garbage truck that never comes.
......or "re-locate" abandoned jeepney. You have the prefect tool! I used to take great delight in moving vehicles causing an obstruction with the front bumper of my classic.
"O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!” He chortled in his joy.
Except I didn't.
Garbage truck came nice and early this morning, so re-donning me tropical overalls, I moved the '38 into a suitable oil dropping position (no, not over the grid) and got stuff ready.
I normally use a large translucent box with a snap-top lid for oil changes; it's plenty big enough so I get everything, low, so I can remove/refit plug easily and, having drilled a 1/2" hole in one corner of the lid, it's easy to pour into a disposal container of your choice without oil going everywhere. Of course, it wasn't where it should be. God knows what other use someone's found for it.
Anyway, sump plug out and it drains happily into a not quite so suitable substitute.
Finish draining, replace plug.
Filter twists off nice and easy. New filter on.
The '38 takes 6.5L including filter, which I'd already filled, so I threw in 5.5, a new can and some left over from last time. Fire up, oil light goes out immediately. let settle, open new can to top-up, dip.
"Bloody hell, should it be halfway up the stick?" I ask myself. Well no, no it shouldn't.
Back under, remove plug, nothing except a little dribble.
Bloody marvellous, something's blocking the drain 'ole.
So now it's parked up containing considerably more oil than it should do.
"O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!” He chortled in his joy.
Except I didn't.
Garbage truck came nice and early this morning, so re-donning me tropical overalls, I moved the '38 into a suitable oil dropping position (no, not over the grid) and got stuff ready.
I normally use a large translucent box with a snap-top lid for oil changes; it's plenty big enough so I get everything, low, so I can remove/refit plug easily and, having drilled a 1/2" hole in one corner of the lid, it's easy to pour into a disposal container of your choice without oil going everywhere. Of course, it wasn't where it should be. God knows what other use someone's found for it.
Anyway, sump plug out and it drains happily into a not quite so suitable substitute.
Finish draining, replace plug.
Filter twists off nice and easy. New filter on.
The '38 takes 6.5L including filter, which I'd already filled, so I threw in 5.5, a new can and some left over from last time. Fire up, oil light goes out immediately. let settle, open new can to top-up, dip.
"Bloody hell, should it be halfway up the stick?" I ask myself. Well no, no it shouldn't.
Back under, remove plug, nothing except a little dribble.
Bloody marvellous, something's blocking the drain 'ole.
So now it's parked up containing considerably more oil than it should do.
A good bit did, but as I was draining into a large pan which had double bin bags inside it, It was difficult to tell how much. Obviously not enough!
Now, I had to run it to get it back into the garage, but I'm not really keen on firing her up when she's that overfull with oil. I also refuse to roll around on the garage floor with the cockroaches and cat's doings, so I've ordered up a vacuum extractor so I can evacuate oil down to the right level through the dip-stick 'ole, then get her outside to investigate properly.
It's not arrived yet, so the job will probably have to wait another week.
No pressure on the rocker cover gaskets then! it was all fer4l idea!!
If you do get stuck and need stuff sent over from the UK let me know, we send stuff all over the world apart from SA
Bit difficult to send stuff to a country that no longer has a postal service....SA that is 👎🏻
Tell me about it - trying to send stuff from Abu Dhabi to SA is a nightmare - freight costs more than the stuff I want to send (bet they try to naai me for duty too)! Emirates post to everywhere else is a pleasure, especially to Phil.
Did they manage to break the Post Office completely? Add that to the long list.
So, on Friday, this thing of wonderous beauty turned up...
...undergoing the Barney "sniff test," just before he opened his maw for the vital, "taste test." That was prevented tout damn suite!
Had to load the pic the "old fashioned" way as our internet is that dire at the moment, I couldn't attach as normal.
Anyway, despite looking like something that's landed from outer space (not Barney), it is in fact a vacuum fluid extractor.
You'll remember that I'd left the '38 with a surfeit of oil inside it and, whilst I had to start it up to get it back in the garage, I was loath to do it again until I'd rectified the levels. As mentioned before, rolling around on the garage floor, is not an option, so that left sucking the stuff out.
Sunday, stuff duly sucked, levels all correct, fired up and reversed out. Heavens opened, so nipped around the corner for some gasolina and some ATF, which I also needed.
Still hammering down so put away again.
Anyway, it's a public holiday today (and about time too, it's been over a week since the last one) so, weather, and garbage truck, permitting, I'll have another go underneath.
