Info on cylinderhead problems

Iwan Louwage · Joined: 09 Oct 1989 Posts: 6 Location: Belgium

Hi everybody,

I was wondering if somebody could give me some info on the derby 4 1/4 cylinderhead problems. What are the problems with it, how to detect it and what the possible solutions are?

Many thanks,

Kind regards

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 10:08 am Post subject:

Had you anything specific in mind apart from frost and heat cracks,severe corrosion, hard silting up between the copper stud tubes,causing overheating, along with hard silt in the cylinder block?
The turbulation of the combustion chambers led to many instances of end charge detonation,"pinking" and the lip ridge was removed. Although this reduced the compression ratio a little there was no reduction in performance.

I have a modern (multi-thou pound) Fiennes "cure all" alloy head waiting for the rest of the engine to be machined, so when I have a "minute", I will take some pictures of it.

Iwan Louwage · Joined: 09 Oct 1989 Posts: 6 Location: Belgium

So i can asume that a original cylinderhead which is still doing what it should be will still have problems?

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 3:04 pm Post subject:

Even with an LE series 4 1/4 litre car, there are no certainties until an inspection, at least, is made.

Paul Spencer · Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 10:33 pm Post subject:

Aren't there enough problems with things not doing what they should without worrying about those that do?