Am afraid that I've just gone through the exhaust valves on my unleaded
mini cylinder head. I have been using one on Morris 1098 engine for quite
a while, but now it has died. Due to the cheap price of LRP at the moment,
I have been using that for quite a while.
Just wondered whether anyone has any info on why this might have happened,
and where a good place to get the spare valves is?
Cheers,
Rob - 24 Aug 2005 16:27 GMT
> Am afraid that I've just gone through the exhaust valves on my unleaded
> mini cylinder head. I have been using one on Morris 1098 engine for quite
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Cheers,
Some answers here.
http://www.bp.com.au/products/fuels/lrp/faq.asp?menuid=ed
I use additives which differ in Brand names from country to country.
Also the 98 octane fuel this has cured the MG from all sorts of
problems. We have 3 grades of fuel.
The valves should not have been affected but the valve inserts are the
bits to wear. I have seen a head modified to unleaded, only to find that
the valves stems and valve guides picked up and stopped the valves from
seating, seemed from lack of lubrication, which leaded fuel did.
This could be your problem if the valves are burnt out.
Kelley Mascher - 24 Aug 2005 18:21 GMT
My understanding was that the valve stem is lubricated by oil from the
rocker area. If valve stem seals are installed with too little
clearance the valve stems will seize in the guides. This is one of the
main features of the teflon seals, they're harder to install but will
maintain a small amount of clearance for lubrication. Obviously, this
is a balancing act since too much lubrication will contaminate the
intake charge.
Lubrication from leaded fuel is in the seat area itself. It keeps the
valve from welding to the seat at elevated temperatures. Someone long
ago decided that this was a lubrication phenomena although to me it
sounds more like adhesion impairment.
Cheers,
Kelley
>> Am afraid that I've just gone through the exhaust valves on my unleaded
>> mini cylinder head. I have been using one on Morris 1098 engine for quite
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>
>This could be your problem if the valves are burnt out.
Rob - 25 Aug 2005 01:39 GMT
> My understanding was that the valve stem is lubricated by oil from the
> rocker area. If valve stem seals are installed with too little
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> is a balancing act since too much lubrication will contaminate the
> intake charge.
I think you would have to sight the problem for a full understanding. It
was not a valve stem oil seal problem as it had the o ring type seals on
the valves hence it was was not a clearance question. Like you have
indicated below the valve stem "welded" to the guide at the combustion
area end.
> Lubrication from leaded fuel is in the seat area itself. It keeps the
> valve from welding to the seat at elevated temperatures. Someone long
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
>>
>>This could be your problem if the valves are burnt out.
Kelley Mascher - 25 Aug 2005 19:14 GMT
Playing devil's advocate...
It's certainly not a valve stem seal problem with the o-ring seal.
I've never really understood how they work to limit oil in the guides.
I suspect they do very little. So, this means that you should have had
good lubrication to the valve guide/stem.
If the engine was running lean the exhaust gas temperatures would have
been very high. This tends to burn off any lubrication. In addition,
overheating the valve stem and guide can cause sticking.
I'm not trying to specifically analyze what happened to your engine.
I'm just pointing out that there are more likely or more common things
than the lack of lead lubrication on the valve stem that could cause a
valve to sieze.
Uncontrolled lean running is about the worst thing that can happen to
an engine. It's always best to err toward the rich side of the mixture
adjustment. It's usually more fun as well.
Cheers,
Kelley
>> My understanding was that the valve stem is lubricated by oil from the
>> rocker area. If valve stem seals are installed with too little
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>>
>> Kelley
miniman - 24 Aug 2005 17:28 GMT
> Am afraid that I've just gone through the exhaust valves on my unleaded
> mini cylinder head. I have been using one on Morris 1098 engine for quite
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Cheers,
Hi!
I have heard that different petrol suppliers are using different lead
replacement additives and if you were to mix the different types then
the overall effectiveness would be reduced, try sticking to one type of
fuel or use an additive such as castrol valvemaster plus with any
normal unleaded, I have run it for high mileages and heavy right foot
for a long time with no problems although it does turn your spark plugs
red due to the manganese content!
besides, you say that it was an unleaded head, are you certain that it
does have hardened valve inserts?
other causes could be
running too lean (detonation)
too much timing advance (detonation)
too much timing retard (increased exhaust gas temp overheating valves)
valve seats too thin ( not enough heat transfer from valve)
hope that helps!
I personally use shell optimax and castrol valvemaster plus as my head
is not converted and I get much better mileage out of it!
Miniman
Kelley Mascher - 24 Aug 2005 19:27 GMT
In addition to all of the good advice in Miniman's post, it is
possible to run too lean with out having detonation. The exhaust
temperature rises drastically and leads to burned exhaust valves.
In the U.S. we have been running A-series engines on unleaded fuel for
more than 20 years. Few of these have been converted to lead-free
heads and there have been few problems. I suspect our lack of problems
compared to the U.K. is that we may be willing run richer since our
fuel prices (read: fuel taxes) are lower. Richer running leads to
cooler exhaust valves, leads to less valve seat recession. Just a
theory though.
Cheers,
Kelley
>> Am afraid that I've just gone through the exhaust valves on my unleaded
>> mini cylinder head. I have been using one on Morris 1098 engine for quite
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
>
>Miniman