stillp Posted March 31, 2018 Report Share Posted March 31, 2018 have seen the price of petrol ???? You'll save a lot of it if you tune those carbs properly! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4 AJJ Posted April 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2018 You'll save a lot of it if you tune those carbs properly! Pete If I tune my carbs, Ill save a shed load of fuel .... because itll stop running ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
8iggles Posted April 2, 2018 Report Share Posted April 2, 2018 This is a well known problem of the cylinder head. I had exactly the same and investigated. I fitted a new cylinder head to cure it. Unfortunately I then suffered with a little coolant coming up the head studs. Another common problem especially when fitting over size pistons, e.g. 89mm. I cured this with "Steel Seal" (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Steel-Seal-Simply-Fixes-Blown-Head-Gaskets-Guarenteed-Fix-Cylinder-Repair-Engine/192499474317?epid=869549883&hash=item2cd1dcdf8d:g:AQEAAOSwl2haGRdV) I wished I'd found this product before I think it would have sealed my cracked (corroded?) cylinder head. It's definitely worth you trying it, you only have £20 to loose. Note this is a purely chemical treatment, it does not contain tiny shards of copper like traditional sealants. I used it reluctantly (because I always considered any type of radweld to be a bodge) but I gambolled my £20 and I won. I have no connection with this product and the link above is an example. Sort by the cheapest but make sure you get the proper steel seal and not some looky likey. I haven't lost a single drop of coolant since in over 3000 miles of touring. Good luck, John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4 AJJ Posted April 2, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2018 Thanks John. I did the K-Seal and yesterday I did a 100 mile / 3 hour drive. At the moment this certainly looks like it might have improved the issue but a little more time to be sure. If it hasnt, Ill have a go with Steel Seal as you suggest. I have this 1300 mile road trip starting next Friday and Im happy with how it is at the moment. Any further treatments Ill do once back. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
8iggles Posted April 2, 2018 Report Share Posted April 2, 2018 You should do the road trip. This cylinder head problem develops over many years. For me the first signs were some paint removal and some corrosion around no. 4 plug. The next phase was paint removal and corrosion in a tiny stream down the block. At this stage clearly coolant was evaporating from the hot block after a run so I didn't even know I had a leak. After some time I noticed one drop of water. This developed into a tiny puddle and only then did I even know I had a problem. Even so I couldn't see where it was coming from. It was a tiny crack close to the plug hole where the casting is very thin. I don't know if anyone has successfully recovered such a head. I purchased a new one. I am a convert to Steel Seal after my initial reluctance. I only used it because it contains no solid particles, e.g. copper, which could gather and sludge in other areas. This type of sealant relies on the copper getting sucked into the hole. Steel seal is a chemical reaction at the coolant : air interface. I even have to put some Vaseline on my radiator cap otherwise the steel seal tries to seal this up too. In the 40 years I've owned my 4A this is the only time I don't have to occasionally top up the radiator, and since the pressure is held the overflow bottle works as it should and the running temperature is constant. John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
steamy Posted April 2, 2018 Report Share Posted April 2, 2018 I had a 'leak' of coolant from no 4 plug thread. Investigation showed it was corrosion through from water way. I put up with it for 6 months ....it didn't get any worse.. and then put red hermatite on plug thread and some PTFE tape against plug washer and cured it. My feeling it leaked more when cooling down due to the expansion when hot? I never noticed any drop in coolant level so it cant have leaked much. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted April 2, 2018 Report Share Posted April 2, 2018 I had a 'leak' of coolant from no 4 plug thread. Investigation showed it was corrosion through from water way. I put up with it for 6 months ....it didn't get any worse.. and then put red hermatite on plug thread and some PTFE tape against plug washer and cured it. My feeling it leaked more when cooling down due to the expansion when hot? I never noticed any drop in coolant level so it cant have leaked much. Might be unwise to leave long term, all you've done is banged a cork into a bottle top ! if there's a crack there which allows coolant through it can travel into the cylinder by forcing coolant down instead of up, an internal seal into the crack would be a good idea. Mick Richards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.