Stag engines

If this is the case why didn't it get used for other makes in the range? BL were short of a decent box for bigger engines.

and how many people run around on empty dashpots - heaps.

OK, bit of an update... I ran a compression test on the engine and it seems reasonably healthy. Most cylinders read between 11 and 12 bar, with just one down at 10 bar. A drop of oil in the bore pushed the low one up to 14 bar. Same amount of oil in one of the higher reading cylinders pushed that one up to 13 bar. Didn't bother with oil in the others. So, while I'm interpreting that as a bit of wear, it shouldn't be stopping the engine running.

So last night I removed the carbs for a closer look at them. Blimey, that's an easy job - just one nut to undo and they both lift off together - nice! First thing I see is a pool of petrol sitting in the inlet manifold. There are a couple of dipped areas directly below the carbs mounting which were quarter of an inch deep in fuel. No wonder it won't start!

I only had time to look in the float chambers and test the float valves. They were sealing OK when I tried blowing through while holding them closed. The floats themselves looked grubby but didn't appear to be full of petrol.

So I suppose I'll have to strip the carbs down and see what's what. I suspect they've been sitting dry for a few years before someone else and then I tried to get the engine running.

It's all too easy to go straight for an engine's so called weak spots - of which the Stag has a few - without checking the basics first. I'll bet everyone reading this has done something similar.

I've been making a habit of it this month. I changed a wheel bearing on the Audi, then found the problem was just loose wheel nuts on the opposite side, which I was damned sure I'd checked beforehand!

Anyway, on a happier note, the Stag engine now runs! I fitted a pair of Range Rover Stromberg carbs, bodged the choke cable and it fired up straight away. Good news is that it runs nicely with no nasty noises. Bad news is the mayonaise that appeared under the oil cap after it had run for a few minutes. Ah well... such is life.

Oil full of water after months of condensation while disused?

Ian

I'd like to think so, but it's a bit of a view through rose tinted spectacles. The oil was clean to the point of new looking before I started the engine, suggesting that the previous tinkerer had replaced it recently. Undersides of the rocker covers looked suspiciously spotless too. So I'd be surprised if there was enough condensation left in there to have this much of an effect. I reckon it's time to pop it on eBay with an honest description and see how it goes.

Before assuming head gasket problems etc make sure all the engine breathers are clear. On a poorly maintained unit they *will* be blocked. I've not done this job on a Stag, but on the Rover V-8 EFI it usually means *drilling* out the gunge from the throttle body intake...

Disconnect one side and sell it as a Dolly Sprint engine with cosmetic additions. Might suit the sort of people who put 5" diameter tail pipes on 1 litre engines ...

Ian

Or the heads have corroded and the gaskets now leak.

rm

I'll have another look, but everything seemed pretty clean. I reckon someone spent some time on it before giving up when those leaking carbs weren't allowing it to start. If I was to persist, I'd need to flush out the engine, start again with fresh oil and see if the problem's still there. As I still wouldn't be able to sell it with any sort of history or guarantee, I'm not sure it's worth the effort.

Fiver's worth of cheapo oil, an hour at most of your time and the difference - maybe - between "Dodgy Stag engine for sale, head/gasket problems likely" and "Stag engine for sale, no history but runs OK".

I think it's a gamble worth taking.

Ian

When you put it like that, you have a point!

Nor is it exactly difficult to lift the heads and check things - and I'd say one that is fixed as regards head/gasket problems would be worth the effort.

Are you sure about that? I've heard horror stories about their angled head bolts seizing and making it a massive headache. Still, I suppose I can check if they turn without commiting myself too much.

Hmm... Perhaps I'll start selling off other parts of the car first, while I decide...

The main studs are slanted through the heads - these do not get any oil on them (unlike the Sprint engine) and corrode and seize into the head making it very difficult to remove the studs. (The threads into the block usually come out OK.) The studs have to be removed first before the head comes off BTW. I have seen the head lifted slightly and the studs cut off with a hacksaw. My method of removing these was to two nuts locking on the end and an air impact wrench with a couple of good sprays of penetrate left overnight. I also had a thin stainless steel tube (hole saw)which I drilled down through the head.

Then you could always fill the cooling system with a sealer :)

before you started the engine did you check the oil for water?? that it had not separated out in the sump??

Another thing I'd be weighing up would be the cost of gaskets to do the repair.

rm

Thanks again Rob. That's the sort of thing that was putting me off doing this if I can avoid it.

Stupidly, no. The dip stick was only showing clean oil, but there could have been a pool of water below that.

Good point, looks like they'd be 40 quid a set, which is something to bear in mind.

The story has now changed a little. I found an invoice in the car for work done at the end of 2004, since when the car's done 2000 miles according to the odometer. It stretches to about three pages, culminating in a total of 877 quid for parts and labour, including head skimming and "extra thick head gasket set". What it doesn't say, is whether both heads were done, but as the thicker gasket would reduce the compression, I can't see anywhere reputable only doing that to one side. Or perhaps they only _charged_ him for the head skimming...

They MOT'd the car at the same time, which shows how hard the last couple of years have been on it. By now, it's so rusty that the drivers seat is nearly touching the ground and the passenger door's jamming as the shell distorts. Amazing considering the last MOT would only have ran out 16 months ago.

You can usually tell by looking at the inlet manifold. If only one head has been skimmed it won't sit square. Remove a bolt either side and look at whether the thread is approximately central. That was the problem with my brother's one - most of the threads on one side were stripped due to forcing in the bolts after only one head had been machined. Had to make up a special gasket after helicoiling.

Thanks, I'll check that. There was some helicoiling on that monster invoice too, but then that's probably not unusual with these engines. I'm thinking I may as well lift off the inlet manifold for a look. I'd like to think perhaps the water could have got into the oil via the manifold gasket, but don't suppose there's any access to an oilway from there.

I'm also trying to find the nerve to ring the previous owner, who's name and address are on the invoice. It'd be nice to find out what happened, but I'm not sure he'd be too happy being reminded of all the money he must have thrown at it.