Series 3 Rocker assembly advice.....

Hi all

I have just changed my head gasket on my series 3 2.25 diesel due to it starting to leak abit of oil at the front and near the exhaust side anyway that's all sorted now but after reassembly I started her up with the rocker cover off just to make sure everything is working.

This is the strange bit I noticed that's valves 1,2 5, and 8 didn't seem to be squirting oil out the rocker arm hole it was leaking around the shaft abit.

But while the rocker assembly was off I did test it with an oil can and all seemed fine so. Abit confused do I need to leave it running abit longer as I only had it running for about 1 min as I haven't but the water back in yet.



Any advice would be greatly received.



Many thanks
Richard

I doubt any should squirt. Theyll be the ones with excessive wear

Bobsticle said:

I doubt any should squirt. Theyll be the ones with excessive wear

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Hi Bobsticle

Possibly a poor choice of words its running out all the arms at the back and oiling the push rods. The strange bit is that its not coming out the rocker arm hole. Now I'm not sure if its needs running a bit longer to build up the oil as it would have been drained while off the vehicle.

While the rocker assembly was off that was no play in the bushes and all seemed okay when oiling with a can on the workbench.

Thanks
Richard

You could try an air line bit nothing beats a strip down and poke with a bit of wire. Whenever I remove a head (not very often) I can’t resist a strip down, valve grind and a good general check out.
You can pop off the rocker shaft and give it a damn good clean and poke without removing the head again. Sounds like it would put your mind at ease.

Bobsticle said:

You could try an air line bit nothing beats a strip down and poke with a bit of wire. Whenever I remove a head (not very often) I can’t resist a strip down, valve grind and a good general check out.
You can pop off the rocker shaft and give it a damn good clean and poke without removing the head again. Sounds like it would put your mind at ease.

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Thanks, Bobsticle I am a bit annoyed as I checked it on the bench and it seemed okay it's the only bloody bit I didn't strip down. :-(

Im glad you said it's okay to remove the head bolts for the rocker assembly without affecting the head gasket as that was my next question. I think that will have to be the next step for what bit of time it will take.

Thanks
Richard

Not saying it’s best practice but I’ve done it without catastrophe.

Ric82 said:

Thanks, Bobsticle I am a bit annoyed as I checked it on the bench and it seemed okay it's the only bloody bit I didn't strip down. :-(

Im glad you said it's okay to remove the head bolts for the rocker assembly without affecting the head gasket as that was my next question. I think that will have to be the next step for what bit of time it will take.

Thanks
Richard

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ill drop the water out first just incase

Bobsticle

can I ask a question when I reassembled the head I put some valve caps on top of the valve heads as there was none there I don't suppose this is causing any issue is it and do you know if they should be on as I thought I had seen them referenced on a manual somewhere and thought mine was just missing?

I bought them from turner engineering and was listed under the 2.25 diesel.


Thanks
Richard

You can clean the rocker holes with small drill maybe 1.5 or 2.5mm , the valve caps are fine more usual on the 200tdi just be careful not to drop them down sump.
No need to drain rad to remove rocker shaft

steve2286w said:

You can clean the rocker holes with small drill maybe 1.5 or 2.5mm , the valve caps are fine more usual on the 200tdi just be careful not to drop them down sump.
No need to drain rad to remove rocker shaft

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Cheers guys I will see if I can get out of the decorating tomorrow night and whip it off.

I found the oil holes blocked in some of mine. It trashed the shaft anf follower bushes

Ric82 said:

Bobsticle

can I ask a question when I reassembled the head I put some valve caps on top of the valve heads as there was none there I don't suppose this is causing any issue is it and do you know if they should be on as I thought I had seen them referenced on a manual somewhere and thought mine was just missing?

I bought them from turner engineering and was listed under the 2.25 diesel.


Thanks
Richard

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I put them on mine. The rocker faces were dented quite deeply from the valve shafts and I had to re dress them. They have worked fine on mine. The problem with a dent is you can’t accurately use a feeler gauge to set the gap. The caps should reduce wear in the future.
They were added later on series 3s but 2sand early 3s don’t have them as standard. Certainly won’t cause any issues.

Hi Guys so tonight I took the rocker assembly off and stripped it down cleaned it all in paraffin and blew dry out with the air line and a small drill bit to clean all the holes after reassembly I got oil out all the rockers using a oil can no issue as long as they was all in line with the holes.


So I reassembled it and started the vehicle and left it running at idle for a few minutes then removed the cover and this is what I had.

1,2 6,8 don't seem to be oiling.

So I scratch my head and thought I would oil them up with a can and take it for a short spin.

Went round the block for about 5 minutes and got up to normal running temp then took the cover off and number 8 seemed to have oil and so did 6 buy only a little bit not like the offer where it comes out loads. I then struck the engine backup with the cover off and put my finger of the number one rocker while running and there was a small about of oil so I wiped it and did it again and there was a small amount of oil.

So question is what am I missing the rocker shaft had a little bit of wear in the shaft but all rockers was solid with no play in them.?

Sounds perfect to me. All have oil and the excess is running down through the rest of the gubbins.
It could be low on pressure but it’s working.
When you have the opportunity it may be worth wackin a gauge on the switch at the filter just to be sure but I wouldn’t rush out to buy one special. Any other flow problems could be down to the oil way between head and rocker shaft. That comes up inside the rear most rocker post. Or the oil line that runs up via the two banjos bolts at the back of the head.
Again not pressing problems as oil is flowing.

Looks in much better nick than mine inside

Is it possible to fit the shaft the wrong way round ?

Is there a hole in shaft end that locates on end support at no 4 where oil supply is to stop it going on wrong

Tuther end has a stopper in it.

After a good run for about 40 mins I took the cover off and there was oil on all the valves tops so I think it just needed a good run to get it pumping through fully.

Thanks Richard