Yes, and the chains as well. But they needed to be.
gazzat22,
Jan 11, 5:14am
Actually I was referrng to the Chains.The A and B series motors powered a lot of vehicles for a long time.They had their faults but so did most others at the time.
tony9,
Jan 11, 5:18am
I assumed that (about the chains). But the A series in particular frequently needed a rebuild around 40K miles, like many others of that vintage. Engine reconditioners loved them. Theses days one expects at least 5 times that from the engines before the head comes off, or it disintegrates.
mechnificent,
Jan 11, 5:58am
Yes isn't it amazing the improvements in mileage. Once a few of the best designs, sixes or eights, got to one-hundred thousand miles, and some only to sixty, and sixty thousand was considered good for four cylinders. and that's with head-gaskets and valve grinds before that.
gazzat22,
Jan 11, 5:59am
I dont disagree with that statement but was referring to the Chain versus Belt arguement.The family had a large number of BMC cars over the years from MM minors to Wolseley 6110,s and the only one that needed a recon motor was a Hillman Hunter which we knew would need work when purchased.
gazzat22,
Jan 11, 6:13am
Totally agree.Theres no comparison with todays cars.My first car was an E93a ford prefect aka Puddle jumper. 1952 .
mechnificent,
Jan 11, 6:22am
HA. I used to grind the valves on one of those about every ten thousand miles for a customer. If it's the side valve you are talking about.
And yeah the old cars the timing chain covers were easy to get off mostly.
drog,
Jan 11, 6:33am
Getting rid of 'lead' (Tetra Ethyl Lead) was the major part of the increase in engine longevity of modern engines. 'Lead' prematurely destroys engine lubricant. True.
mechnificent,
Jan 11, 6:42am
Interesting theory Drog about the oil. I haven't heard that one before. Not saying it's wrong.
I really think though that most the improvements are in materials, design and the improved manufacturing process we now have. Better oil and filters help too. Clean oil has always helped.
drog,
Jan 11, 6:50am
Fact. Engine reconditioners went out of business when 'lead' was removed from fuel for health and safety reasons. Exhaust systems don't rot out any more either. Your comment about clean oil is absolutely correct.
mechnificent,
Jan 11, 7:01am
I see this about it Drog.
"Historically, halogen compounds added to gasoline as scavengers for lead-based antiknock compounds could be oxidized to halogen acids; however, with the general elimination of lead in this role, this is no longer of significant concern.".
Common lead gets into the oil anyway from the bearings, and there used to be additives for oil that were lead, copper and molybdenum.
The additive claimed to build up bearings and rollers and even gear surfaces. haha. So perhaps a bit of lead's good. I could never figure out how it knew when it had done enough to make things like new again as claimed, and to stop building up.
It probably did an excellent job on timing chains though. (just to stay on topic).
franc123,
Jan 11, 7:01am
Hell yes, I remember when leaded fuel disappeared the amount of exhaust work we were doing fell right off to almost nothing, it was already reducing as more cars were changing over to 91ULP from the old leaded super. Putting tetraethyl lead into petrol wasnt good for cars, the environment or people. Manufacturers use better materials for all this stuff now, the lubricants and metallurgy have improved hugely since the 1950's.
tygertung,
Jan 11, 7:07am
And are not the exhaust pipes better now, made from aluminised steel?
gazzat22,
Jan 11, 7:34am
Theres no comparison with modern cars to 50 years ago in performance,economy,speed comfort,reliability etc ,its sadly the same(just a different generation) of stupid idiots who drive them.!
saki,
Jan 11, 7:49am
only on the outside of the tube, called AliClad.
gunna-1,
Jan 11, 7:52am
Bs i dont want a cambelt, i,ve never had a chain break, they only put the timing out some if they are worn enough, a broken cambelt sent an immaculate 2ltr mk3 cortina to the wreckers as the owner didnt want to pay to tow it home halfway across the country in the early 2000s a real shame, but give me a worked 1600 pushrod engine one anyday, it blew itself to bits while overtakeing a truck.
franc123,
Jan 11, 8:07am
Lol what a complete dumbass, it should have been towed to a garage and fixed,not like it's an expensive job to do the belt nor would there be any engine damage. It's possible to do one of those belts in a roadside situation if you have another belt and the right basic tools and know how. It was only the 1600 OHC that could bend valves. None of this is a problem as long as long as oil wasnt leaking on the belt from any of the three seals or the rocker cover and you did it say every 50K being an old style square tooth belt. It's the operators fault not the technology.
gunna-1,
Jan 11, 8:11am
Realy? he reconed it bent all the valves, it was a mk3 cortina probably the later one that only had the 2ltr OHC engine from memory, the mk5 had a 1600 OHC engine and was totaly gutless, yep hes a right plonker then.
franc123,
Jan 11, 8:15am
1600 OHC replaced the pushrod well back in the Mk3 run, '73ish from memory. It was standard in all the basic Cortinas up until in sale's finished in 83-84.
gunna-1,
Jan 11, 8:17am
They were pushrod 1600 motors surely, Tell me they didnt install those gutless grenades in them?, In 73?.
tony9,
Jan 11, 8:27am
Yes, the crossflow.
gunna-1,
Jan 11, 8:28am
Good grief a 1600 crossflow in a mk3?.
bill-robinson,
Jan 11, 9:16am
the OHC ford engine was introduced as a cost measure.a rocker between cam and valve, verses cam follower, pushrod, and rocker. the accountants rubbed their hands in glee.
gunna-1,
Jan 11, 9:22am
That sounds about right, and people call it "progress" unless you had a service log or a stamp under the hood of an old mk5 OHC engine you had no idea when it was going to go bang.
mechnificent,
Jan 11, 9:28am
I just replace my belts when I buy the car, no matter what the previous owner says.
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