Alex Holden (alex_holden) wrote,
Alex Holden
alex_holden

Off with her head!

Fenchurch's engine was sounding a bit clattery before the trip to Glasgow this weekend, and after the 250 mile drive she was also making some odd popping and hissing noises when idling. I tried adjusting the tappets in the hotel car park on Sunday morning but it didn't make much difference. By the time I got home the idle was fairly rough but I drove to work and back today without any trouble. There was no loss of power at any point - I was still happily blatting along the motorway overtaking BMWs and things as usual. Tonight I did a compression test which showed fairly low pressures in three cylinders, so I whipped the cylinder head off and there were clear signs of partial head gasket failure. It also looks like the exhaust valves have started to erode very slightly, despite the head having supposedly been converted to run on unleaded fuel before I bought it. I'll be catching the bus to work again tomorrow, but I hope to source some new unleaded valves locally and get it all put back together tomorrow night.

ETA More technical details over here.

In other news, her gearbox is getting gradually noisier in first gear but it's still usable for now and plans are in motion for me to obtain a rebuilt one in two or three weeks' time.
Tags: morris minor
Subscribe

  • New Business Model

    How to use DRM to annoy and alienate your customers, convert them to piracy and ensure they never give you any more of that boring money stuff.…

  • 365 Photo Challenge

    I took wibble_puppy to Shrewsbury yesterday to see Fairport Convention at the Theatre Severn. Fairport were great as usual. They played…

  • Lyrics of Sarah's Song by Madness

    Edit: Skip down to the comments for the correct lyrics to both versions of Sarah's Song. The short version: I'm trying to figure out what this…

  • Post a new comment

    Error

    switch
    default userpic

    Your reply will be screened

    Your IP address will be recorded 

    When you submit the form an invisible reCAPTCHA check will be performed.
    You must follow the Privacy Policy and Google Terms of use.
    Help
  • 5 comments