[ROVERNET - UK] De-coking a rover V8

[Kent Kinard]

Hi Gavin,
Just be sure to use the non-toxic variety.  It does not require rubber 
gloves and can be neutralized with water.  The old fashioned kind that 
requires rubber gloves is too corrosive for engine parts. I have always 
been a minimalist when it comes to engine repair prefering not to get 
into the bottom end unless necessary.  Absolute minimum: face the valves 
and seats, hand lap the valves, discard the outer row of head bolts 
using only the ten inner most.  Use steel shim gaskets but strip the 
silver coating off and spray both sides of the gasket with ordinary 
aluminum paint.  When decoking be very careful to avoid scratching any 
combustion surface. Use Scotchbrite to scrub or scrape, but let the 
chemical do the work of softening the carbon. Reapply to keep moist 
until area is clean.

Roverly,
Kent K.



Gavin.Walker at csiro.au wrote:

> Hi Kent,
>   Oven cleaner!! Now why didn't I think of that?  I've been carefully
> scraping the faces with chunks of Formica from an old P6 door.  Do you
> using it on the pistons too?  The short block is still in the car.  I'd
> love to get the heads worked over but frankly I won't get much for it
> when it comes time to sell in a few years (or earlier if it doesn't get
> done in time).  The exhaust valves were replaced at some stage and are
> marked with a rover part number.  Inlet valves are more worn and have an
> "EC" part number.  Don't know what pistons are in there, block says 8.13
> but the pistons don't look dished enough.
> 
> The car is a '82 SD1 (was EFI, then Holley, now Stromberg).