Need advice..

[1958 harry]

I'm guessing it was 2 exhaust valves that were at fault?

Have you been using any lead additive? Most likely damage caused from using unleaded fuel on leaded heads.

Are the replacements converted to run on unleaded (hardened valve seats)?

[bulls in transit]

Thats what surprised me,since ive had van,1st thing i did was put some of those lead replacement tablets into tank,did that before id even drove it anywhere,ive always put 98 super in it,plus since then been putting lead substitute into it when filling up( various makes,wynns,castrol,stp etc), knowing its not designed for lead free,purely to "save" the valves,and i haven't driven it hard whilst traveling,purely cos its my only means of transport.on motorways ill only do about 45, so its not revving its nuts out,mind you got 62 once,but that was freewheeling down a massive hill!
So i thought id covered all bases,before the van i had lots of older vehicles,1939 dodge,mustangs,mk1 consul,etc,treated them the same and never had any problem,all designed for leaded,running on unleaded.
Can only really put it down to previous use,when have you seen an on call fire service being driven slowly?,and since it was in service till 2009,thats 9 years running on unleaded.
Between 2009 and feb 2014 it did 200km,was never registered for use apart from getting German Oldtimer paperwork,part of someones collection in town where it was originally fire van.
The new/ rebuilt heads have hardened valves/ valveseats designed for lead-free.

[1958 harry]

My Pinto engined Firevan was in service until the end of 2013 I put Castrol Valvemaster plus in at every fill up but I'm waiting for it to have problems with the valves.

[jonochap]

My only thought is find a spare head, have it re engineered and hardened seats done as soon as, then fit it when you need it. Some heads seem to work on unleaded regardless of not having them. It's sods law that a head will give in exactly when you don't want it to and all these pintos are all 30 years old now

[bulls in transit]

Heads ordered,two weeks till there here,looks like transitmania is off for me,cant get a ferry till late September cos of school/summer holiday bookings(kennel space not available for dogs).Calais is 1200 miles away,bit long for first test run on new heads,the French customs tend to stop other nationals just over the border from Spain to check paperwork,vehicle etc.( happened to me twice out of three times),dont know if they'd swallow the"im just driving to the MOT test,look its booked "line!

[bulls in transit]

Heads arrived,went to install them and gaskets,following manual install procedure,came up with a minor question,manual says gaskets are marked top front,new ones have no mark,but have a line of sealent on one side,as the gaskets could go on either side(one way sealent up,one way sealent down),manual says apply sealent,assume because gaskets supplied from Motomobil are for Saab( same lump),that saab mechanics dont need to apply sealent.
Thing is would you put sealent side on cylinder head side,or engine block side?
Dont wanna get it wrong as its another week waiting for more gaskets.

[bulls in transit]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1440331195.234924.jpg

Got gaskets right,put it back together,filled fluids,and starts/runs ok,lot quieter,valves and new engine mounts help,mounts have made clutch lot better,used to judder with rocking of engine,now doesnt,just driven it round barn( back and fro) until warm,pi##ing down here so ill wait for it to clear before test run,but feels better in limited space,exhaust sounds better,just gotta play mixture screw,exhaust smells petrol.should it?

[1958 harry]

It'll smell a bit of petrol if its on choke. Take it for a run, and remove a plug if they look ok, not sooty then I'd leave the mixture alone.

[Luke]

good stuff

[bulls in transit]

Think i found the original reason for valve failure on the original heads,reading manual it said that rocker supports with external oil holes should be on r/h bank at rear,l/h bank at front,follows oilways in heads under each of these supports.anyway,from what i remembered from previously adjusting valves and changing a rocker in my mind on the engine these supports were opposite to manual,id put it back same as it came apart(know they went back on same way etc because of new rocker position).
Took rocker covers off and the supports correct positions were reversed,explains,i think,why the valves failed so early?
Anyhow reversed them to correct position,started,with covers off and theres definitely a lot more oil coming up around rockers vales to there was before,id had it running with covers off before to find noisy rocker.
Looked at assembly photos in ford manual,looks like one of them printed is a reversed negative,with text next to it assemble as in photo.
Glad i double checked,new heads wernt cheap.
As far as i know the vans been like this since ive had it,so no wonder the valves failed.
Anyhow,took it on first run with new heads,runs better than it has,pulls up hills in top further than it ever has before i need third,running cooler on temp gauge,did about 70km no oil leaks,no water leaks etc happy days,
Got to readjust tappets,but with new heads i expected to anyway.
Another bonus,found an agricultural supply yard that sells 10/30w mineral oil( for a lot less than i can get it from on ebay,and the ebay stuff hasnt arrived yet,refund time,ive been waiting five weeks now).
So,another oil change,readjust tappets,another test run,but alls looking good.

[bulls in transit]

Made it to ferry,3rd time lucky..
Even better than that van passed mot first time,no advisories,tester saying van could be a museum piece,somehow makes all the grief of getting there worthwhile.
Now at least im legal for another year of the ups and downs of using a mk1 as a daily

[Luke]

all good in the end - driving it about you soon forget the 'bad times' lets hope you can make it to transitmania 8 next year