MISSION POSSIBLE .. upcoming.

[RoverP480]

[QUOTE=MGJohn;2779549] I have been informed by someone when they worked for the Chinese operation at Longbridge, that the Chinese use a FORCED not GRAVITY fed casting process for those major engine components, the Cylinder Block and Cylinder Head. QUOTE]

I thought the Longbridge casting were vacuum cast not gravity !

[MGJohn]

[QUOTE=RoverP480;2779559]

Originally Posted by MGJohn

I have been informed by someone when they worked for the Chinese operation at Longbridge, that the Chinese use a FORCED not GRAVITY fed casting process for those major engine components, the Cylinder Block and Cylinder Head. QUOTE]

I thought the Longbridge casting were vacuum cast not gravity !

I do not know how the Longbridge/Powertrain engine components were cast. Rightly or wrongly, I believe pressure casting provides a denser end product. When handling the MG6 engine, I got the impression the major alloy components were harder material than Longbridge K-Series I've handled.

Back on track. I got all set-up to start work on this car when my wife told me the remote lever release for the Hatch on the ZS no longer works. So before touching the ZT-T, decided to have a quick look at that for her. Quick look... fat chance. Three hours later, result. I had to loosen all eight main hatch top hinge bolts and nuts to slightly re-position the Hatch Door. Then after close alignment checks and a slight modification to the cable release Tang, normal service restored.

The Sun was well on its way down towards the Hills when I finished the ZS Hatch task so packed tools away and closed bonnet on ZT-T ... Sudden temperature drop then soon had my feet and hands feeling the cold. Cold stopped play. When opening up that ZT-T bonnet first thing, again moisture condensation on most of the still very cold metal parts. I had covered the exposed top of the engine with close fitting soft rubber mats last night. This seems to have kept the condensation away from the exposed engine Camshaft area.

So another day passes without progress on the ZT-T. Could have done without that MG ZS Hatch distraction.

During the near continuous bright Winter Sunshine, directly overhead I heard the distinctive call of the UK's largest Crow. The Raven. Looking up the distinctive profile of its wings and tail along with that call confirmed identification. Not that rare to see over my house and garden area. Every time I see one they are always flying South to North towards the City Centre. Maybe they use Gloucester's tallest building, the Cathedral as a sight marker.

Ravens always seem to fly rather higher than other crows in my area. Less than five minutes later, another Raven with a slightly different call overhead ~ sounded like it had a sore throat ... ... again at the same height and in the same South North direction towards the City.

Helps to pass the time...

[MGJohn]

Took Mrs MGJ to the Railway Station at 9:30 am today. She's off to meet relatives in Birmingham and have a look around the shops. That means I've the rest of the day to myself. Deep Joy... ...

Did a bit of shopping on the way home and then the clouds cleared and a strong but very low winter Sun shone for the next two hours or so, Out with the tools and within and hour the Cylinder Head with the Inlet Manifold still attached was carefully lifted from the car. If I tried that with a T-Series with Manifold still attached ... cue bad back,, .. Plastic Inlet Manifolds have a few plus advantages..

Then after a wipe over of the exposed head-gasket-block interfaces surfaces checked for problems. Yes, all four Cylinder Liners were level and flush. As flush as flush can be. All four failed my finger nail test in both directions across the block liners confirmed this. Previously with over a dozen K-Series engines, my finger nail test has revealed proud liners. Not this time.

I was pleased to see no indentations in the Fire Ring Areas of all four Combustion Chambers in the Cylinder Head. Also there was plenty of Cylinder Head metal material left should it need refacing as the depth of the U-Shaped recesses in all four of the Combustion Chambers shows. I have seen those completely machined / skimmed away on previous project cars. I usually have a good Cylinder head on stand-by for such things.

These images show the progress today. Note the "160" showing on the Piston Tops as one of the close up images show. Leaves me thinking is that for ZT 1.8T 160 Pistons or pure coincidence. Piston Top in #4 Cylinder was noticeably cleaner than the three others. However not to the extent that I've seen when working on other engines. Sometimes one Piston Top is much cleaner than the others. Rightly or wrongly, I assume that's the cleansing effect when coolant passes Fire Rings into the Combustion Chambers.



I could not detect any Elastomer Seal damage on either side of the Gasket. There was what appeared to be Exhaust Gas marks on the WRONG side of the Gasket's Fire Rings. Not 100% sure of that observation.





All four Cylinder Liners flush with surrounding Cylinder Block material.



"160" Clearly present on all four Piston Tops.





Close up of the U-Shaped Recess I check to see the extent of any head refacing processes in previous ownership. That is nice and deep so plenty of metal left there should a reface be necessary.



Pleased with the progress made in the time available today. Glad I packed up when I did because my feet were very cold when I put away the tools.

Next it will be under the car to remove the Oil Pan as they say on the other side of the Atlantic. Then undo Big End Bolts to enable Liners to be raised.

Ongoing.

[Lovel]

160 stamped on the piston crown is unrelated to the ZT output, Also if you have a Rover 1.8T you have 150ps but still 160 stamped on the piston crown.

I believe the 160 reference is related to the build of the MGTF VVC 160 engine.

I like the way that the back of the cam cover just came away with the head ��

[MGJohn]

Originally Posted by Lovel

160 stamped on the piston crown is unrelated to the ZT output, Also if you have a Rover 1.8T you have 150ps but still 160 stamped on the piston crown.

I believe the 160 reference is related to the build of the MGTF VVC 160 engine.

I like the way that the back of the cam cover just came away with the head ��

Thanks Lovel. That "160" explanation rings a very distant bell in my memory when dealing with VVC engines some years ago. We have/had several in the family or friends circles back in the day.. Ten years ago, my son and his friend worked on a K-Series car on the hard standing in front of my garage. They removed the Head with both Manifolds attached. Not seen that before and I now leave the Plastic Manifold attached as it is so much easier to remove the Inlet Manifold's seven 13mm Nuts ... off the car without adequate safe under car access to the difficult to reach ones. A doddle off the car.

As I had worked on this engine four years ago, including fitting those very User-Friendly Allen Drive Exhaust Manifold Studs and Brass fasteners, most things came apart easily without problems. That speeds up progress and makes a huge difference. No corrosion welded nuts or rounded flats in previous ownership on Manifold Studs etc. Using an Allen Drive Socket or Key means the Stud comes out separating the Manifold from the Cylinder head with relative ease. Really speeds up the process and no need to stress things trying to pull them apart.

I have already bought another set of those Allen Key Studs and Brass fasteners for next time I work on a K or T-Series engine. The kit fits both perfectly..