For the love of a tractor engine: The life and times of the 18R-G

[o_man_ra23]

Yeah, was some time ago now. Its a very basic computer, but should work ok. I used to get good economy on the highway, but round town it was a bit finniky due to the fact I never tuned it properly. Looking back, I think the TPS may have been a throttle switch, which would explain a lot of my troubles, but they can be bought new for not too much money. Try www.triggerwheels.com (test the existing one first to see if that is actually the problem)

As for cork gaskets, they go hard a lot quicker than rubber ones and then leak like a sieve. They also are a lot more prone to splitting due to overtorquing.

[TRD184]

nah the half moons are fine, got new ones not long ago, its leaking along the passenger side of the rocker cover. when i had a cork one, all i had to do was sit it down, bolt it down properly, and it never leaked, no need for any silicone or anything. whenever i use the rubber ones i end up having it pop inwards or outwards, and i only tighten them to 4Nm, i also find i have to be heavier then id like with the gasket silicone. perhaps im going wrong somewhere? do you perhaps not use silicone to seal it at all? although i can see it leaking if i didnt, i considered this a possibility.im bewildered why the rocker cover hasnt got the little valley for the gasket most newer cars rocker covers have, makes life so easy

[2004lowlux]

i just wasnt sure about its configuration as to imput sensors ive got the 18rgeu tps but then i havent been able to sit down and have a good look at it all yet

[73Sell_Liquor]

Hey fellas. I've been on the forum for awhile, but not sure if I've ever posted here. I have an RG question I can't seem to get answered. The rest of my answers to my questions I found in the RG book. It's a long story but my car is at a shop who disassembled the front end timing stuff and I'm having to reassemble it.

So here she is at 'Shop of Horrors'



3. What mounts to this? Sorry I didn't undo all this, so clueless. Where the two holes are for bolts.


4. Is it optional to put a bolt in here, the empty hole?



6. Head gasket dilemma for timing cover. I have the piece that broke off. Any ideas besides pulling the head?

[o_man_ra23]

Items 3 and 4 are not generally used. I am not sure what goes on there, however having had several 18R-G's, not all of which have those castings, the ones that did never had anything bolted to them.

Item 6 - pull the head off. I have done what you are contemplating, and can emphatically say that it is a bad idea and WILL leak. Sorry champ, get a new head gasket and sump gasket (you also MUST remove the sump) and re-install it.

[73Sell_Liquor]

Thanks o_man. The head is definitely not coming out at this shop. I just need a temp fix for about a month or two on the head gasket. I know how that answer sounds. I really do understand the head needs to come off, so since it's not seeing the compression pressure exertion on the gasket at the front of the timing cover, like the head itself, I'm going to attempt some type of un-recommended repair. I am doing all this work myself at a "repair" shop. If you knew the nightmare this shop was and the bind I'm in you'd realize why I am try to cut a corner I know that I should not. But thank you for the help. That really helps.

[o_man_ra23]

As a dodgy get you home job, silicone will do the job, but be careful not to use too much as a glob of goo can cause significant damage if it gets into your oil pressure system. Be aware your timing cover will leak badly, so only use it to get you from the shop to another place of repair (backyard, another shop, wherever).

Good luck champ, and hopefully things get better from here for you. Of course, you could look at getting a tow truck if that is within your budget??

[73Sell_Liquor]

Put the timing cover back on. What a mf it is. Pulled top chain up and tied it off to the a/c condenser with no slack in chain so I could maneuver the timing cover. I am definitely out of slack with the tensioner not being on. Water pump dampener is all the way down with no torque on bolts. Tensioner slipper is all the way to the left, not torqued down either. I got nine pairs of links starting from top of head where gasket sits. Anyone know if this looks correct or are you sure I'm kinked down on the cam drive gear?

If you'll count the links from left to right, there are 9 pairs of links. The 9th one going left to right, the back of it is pretty much even with edge of the head's inner lip there. Sorry the sun is right in front of me washing out the picture. Can anyone tell if I'm off a gear tooth?

[o_man_ra23]

That looks about the right amount of length (without dummying one up and trying myself). To get the timing cover on, you need to lay the carby side of the chain over the top of the lower cog while holding the exhaust side of the chain vertical as the timing cover has a hook which comes back on itself on the carby side.. After that you then need to maneuvre the tensioner slipper down and through the hole, which is a very difficult task. None of this is impossible though.

[73Sell_Liquor]

Hey o_man. That's just my problem. I have the timing cover on. The chain tensioner itself is still off but I've installed the chain tensioner slipper (LH,next to dizzy) and the chain dampener (RH, next to water pump), but I still have the oil sump pan off. The slipper and dampener are loose so they are not pushing against chain in an upward manner.

I can't tell if I'm off a tooth on the cam timing chain drive gear. I was really hoping someone was in the middle of a build who could verify it's 9 coupled links that touch like in the pic. Pics are usually clear, but I took that late when the sun was high in the sky, washing the color out of photo, & I'm shaking trying to hold chain at that angle. Is there some sort of maneuver that guys use if they have to re-align the chain with the timing cover on??? I thought about tying string around the chain and then letting it slowly drop down into timing cover and see if I can walk it back up on the right side. With the oil nozzle and RH chain dampener off.

I've put upper chain on several times with the timing cover off on this build, but never with timing cover on. With cam lined up properly I can get chain around one cam gear and then it seems I am like 1mm away from getting cam gear to line up perfectly with pin (3 bolt cam gear) on the second cam, but it won't maneuver that last bit no matter how much I go back and forth with easing tension, by rotating cam to loosen chain. It literally seems like I am just 2 hair's thickness off.

[o_man_ra23]

To make sure your chain is properly aligned, rotate the crankshaft two turns. The 18R-G should be a non-interference motor (didn't bend any valves when the chain in my first 18R-G let go due to a bolt falling out) so you shouldn't have an issue with valves. If you are worried though, you can pull the cams out to do this. While rotating the crank, hold the chain up with a bit of dowel or similar.

[73Sell_Liquor]

This is a first for me. This would be just the cams, and caps? Yeah, I've read the RG was non-interference motor but kept hearing a particular gentlemen I trust emphatically point out how easy it is to bend valves on these by rotating the cams too much. Good point though. So just pull the cam caps per RG book in numbered order and then cams?

[o_man_ra23]

The issue with rotating cams too much is that the valves can interfere on each other, rather than the pistons. The cams should be rotated together or not at all.

The method you describe is spot on. I like to use a staggered release the same as would be used for pulling a head off. This negates any chance of bending a camshaft.

[73Sell_Liquor]

Thanks o_man. I've read this whole thread a few months ago over the course of a few weeks, but have been watching it off an on for a few years now. It's primo. Thanks for the info. You're an awesome mate.

[Suavemechanic]

i made the marks easy to see with a chemical pen and found i could look through the dizzy hole to check the chain was seating nice and hadnt " walked "
good luck