Braveheart is sick

[Rifleman]

Well it looks like a good amount of dosh will need to be spent on the beast.
The starter has buggered up on it, still works now and again, but it sounds like a tin of bolts being shaken.
Now though it seems i'll need to remove the heads as well. Lookslike coolant is getting into one of the cylinders.
After a long talk with Robbie it looks like i'm going to bite the bullet and just buy 4 new complete heads for it and get it all done at once while its stripped.
Gonna make a few calls tomorrow to get prices etc for the heads, gaskets, filters, oil and antifreeze.
Its a bit frghtening as the heads look like around £200 each
Big Dazz has located a good secondhand starter for me so at least i'll be able to nurse the engine until i have all the gear.
He's going to help me so that the car is only off the road for the one day
All this when i'm spending lots on my new flat too, AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!
This couldn't have happened at a worse time. But after a wee think about it all, and talking to Robbie, i feel its worth doing as the car has been reliable up to now and is in good condition.
Updates will follow, and so will photos of the job.

[Big Dav]

Thats absolutely horrendous Keith, hope you can get it all sorted without too much outlay.

[Rifleman]

Thanks Dave.

[meooo]

why are you going to replace all cyl heads? can't you replace just the one?
Might just be head gasket?

[Rifleman]

It would seem that the heads are the weak point of the VM engine mate. Hardly ever a gasket fault on these. Thats not to say its not, but i cant have the car off the road, so waiting for the heads to be checked isnt really an option at the moment. At least i'll have some spare heads to keep or flog on. I'll send them away for checking when the car is repaired.
I wish I could do it the cheaper way and wait for the check, but i cant.

[gregster]

I think there is different types of heads for these too Keith...

Personally i would buy an old smoker just to buzz around in for a couple of weeks and just get the bits you need...then sell the banger on afterwards...

Time to drop a 2.8 in Keith I reckon

[horses45]

hope you get it sorted keith mate i loved my 2.5

[robbie]

I know how you feel keith bud as i have to do the same with my beloved 2.5. Been down the road of using second hand heads off low mileage engines and then having to do them again after 6months if that. so seams a bit of false economy my self

[Rifleman]

I have to agree Robbie. I dont want to have to do it all again mate. At least i'll have the peace of mind that the top end is all new and clean. I'll give the inlet manifold a good overhaul at the same time. As i said to you on the phone, ive been having problems with the emissions so hopefully this will cure all that.

[gregster]

I will keep an eye open down this end for you mate to see what I can find...one of my mates is in that VX trade club, dunno if he get em any cheaper for you?

[dave1966]

Keith,thats not good news and I hope that you get it sorted out real soon bud.

[robbie]

If he phones JNL and asks for a price and the says he can get them for cheeper off ebay they will do them for £170 instead of £200+

[Rifleman]

Cheers Greg, and everyone who is helping, or just with good wishes. Making feel a bit better about the whole horror story.

[Sir-Doris]

Dunno if its any use to you Kieth but the VX No's are: 93180833 HEAD, ASSY., CYLINDER, EXCHANGE (WITH VALVES) (CORE RETURN NO. 95 06 454)

[Sir-Doris]

Liners are also available in varying thickness' and the Cylinder head part no on its own is: 91151657

[Sir-Doris]

Speaking of which, VX do reasonable prices on exchange/recon engine bits (for a main dealer anyway) and if you can find someone with a trade account they are considerably cheaper again.

[Rifleman]

Thanks Phil.

[Rifleman]

Right, I spoke to Shane this morning at JNL. This guy is just so helpful, gave me loads of advice and gave me a price for everything I will need.
He has even beaten the head prices on Ebay.
Ive decided to go the whole hog and replace all 4 heads so i know i wont have any more problems.
I have been having issues with the emissions so at least everything on the top end will be nice and clean.
Heres the list of whats coming.

Cylinder heads x 4, £165 each (£199 on Ebay)
Head gasket, £27.93
Rocker cover gasket, £10.60
Copper compression oil rings x 10, £3.15
Delivery, £14.00
VAT, £43.14
Total, £858.82

So once the job is done, i'll carry out the inspection routine Shane suggested to see which head is knackered and bin it.
The other 3 will be kept as spares, or sold to anyone requiring them.
Other gaskets such as both manifolds, EGR valves, and turbo, i already have so no need to purchase them.
Because of the monday holiday, i'll receive them on tuesday.
While its all stripped down, i'll get the inlet manifold cleaned out and polished, and anything else that needs cleaned too.

[robbie]

Now that is a bloomin good price for the heads keith. well done and best of look

[Drift]

Get a job lot of carb cleaner and your away to go