Rover 216 SLI

These have the Honda D-series engine. Like most engines nowadays, it IS an interference design, and the possibility therefore exists for the valves to hit the pistons. However, you can often reputedly get away with it on these engines without any damage ensuing.

Best bet is to put a new belt on (not too bad a job on these) then try turning it over slowly by hand. If it turns and feels OK, try starting it. You might just be lucky!

Brian.

Forgot to mention - the most common cause of cambelt failure on those engines is the water pump seizing. I believe it's common practice to replace the water pump whilst you've got the belt off. Try Best-of-British

Brian.

Hi Terry,

Not sure if the engines are the same on the 216, but the K16 engine on the

My daughter has the 214 SLi, K16 engined, twin cam on the L plate (1990) that recently lost a few teeth on the timing belt and that knocked out 8 exhaust valves and two valve guides. This has been a beggar of a job to do - between confined spaces, rounded heads on nuts and bolts AND the bl**dy weather - and has cost £300 in parts and cylinder head machining (labour and skinned knuckles supplied free by dad :-)) (hoping to start the engine before the weekend, weather permitting)

If you are doing the job, be aware that on the K16 engine, the nuts holding the front exhaust pipe to manifold joint area little difficult to get at and if the nuts are heavily rusted or rounded off, then you have a problem - it took me an hour and a half to get one nut off :-( - If this is the case, removing the oil filter will make things a little easier on the one side.

PS. If I were to do this job again, due to the access problems I would give some serious though about taking the engine out to do it - but only because the old hands and body are no longer of a size and dexterity that can easily get into confined spaces.

Hope this is of some help to you.

Brian G