Practically Classics Forum

You have been in a range rover haven't you? you can't hear anything over the road / wind noise when you are doing more than 15mph anyway

I remember dropping a spring washer when I did something on my old Minx and thought it was under the car. I realised it wasn't when I started the engine - I don't know why I had a spare head gasket set, but it was used that day!

i used to drive a few of them... when they wasnt broken..

That is the problem with mine so far this year. More time fixing than driving. Mind you, when I do drive it I have a heavy foot so my bank manager is happier paying for parts than petrol When it is working, it is a seriously good toy!

About 15 years ago I lost a spanner while working on my then daily driver Merc 190E, dropped it and couldn't find it anywhere under the car or in the engine bay.

10,000 miles or so later when on a trip to Cornwall I had cause to go under the car and lo and behold the spanner was sat there on a cross rail or such like. Not wedged in or anything, was made up cos it was a favourite Blue Point of mine ,amazing how things turn up.

I have taken my old steel rockers apart to see what (if any) bits could be saved to build up a new set. I bought new rockers and shafts and wanted to re-use the springs and pedestals.
Anyway, this is what I found when taking them apart:
inside the rockers themselves, most had bits of aluminium like this which means that the shaft looks like this and this The scoring is up to 1mm deep in places. The ends of the springs are all but destroyed with deep pitting as is the face of the pedestals. After cleaning up the face of the rockers where they press on the valves are all badly scored and pitted too. I am not very impressed!

Fortunately I have a second spare set of rockers which 154,000 miles on them. After cleaning the crud off (the previous owner was not a big fan of oil changes) if I didn't have new rockers, I would happily fit them. The pedestals have minimal wear, the rockers have a polish where they have been in contact with the valves but nothing major and the springs are like new so my steel set is going in the bin and I will build up replacements based on the ones from my original 4.2.

Yep - those bits are scrap!

Top respect to you for persevering with it though - you'll get there.

Cheers

The big flat washers from each end are the only bits I am keeping.
Currently I am looking around for a new set of pedestals. I am amazed as a few years ago they were available from all the specialists, now only a few have them and they want up to £50 each for them! I was expecting more like £5 each similar prices to the rockers themselves. Someone on ebay had a pack of "wavy washers" for less than the cost of one from rimmers so I jumped on those. Split pins from my local car bits shop, springs from my old set are fine, just 8 pedestals to find at a reasonable cost.

I have caved in and spent £93.28+VAT on a set for about £2 worth of aluminium. Fortunately the spacer springs and spring washers are less than £1 each but if anybody else is considering rebuilding their rockers, it is only £10 more to buy them fully assembled, packed with cam lube and ready to use including new bolts.

I have previously heard range rover classics descried as "millionaire motors on a paupers budget". Whoever said that has never had to pay a service bill on one!

or put petrol in one either