Hitchcocks Forum

Hi,

I have a bit of a smokey problem with my Meteor engined Bullet (Mullet!!) & I thought I'd run it by the board to get opinions/thoughts!

While away on a weekend trip a couple of weeks ago the left hand cylinder dropped out as a result of a fouled plug. My riding buddies told me that that exhaust had been smoking quite badly for a while, especially on the over-run. Changed plug & it got me home ok. While on the journey home oil began to appear around the head bolts, ah-ha looks like the head gasket leaking then. I have now replaced the gasket twice & the bu**er still is smoking on the over-run! I had the engine rebored last year so it has new pistons & rings & fitted new valve guides at the same time.

I have a couple of local trips that I want to do in the next few week so will probably use it as it stands before another teardown.

Does anyone have an opinion as to where to look further? I guess I could look at getting the head lightly skimmed in case it somehow warped (can that occur when it is all bolted up?)


Cheers

Hi shirty, these engines are prone to drawing oil down the valve guides even with new valves and guides fitted, I cured mine by machining the top of the inlet valve guides to take a stem seal, when you close the throttle on the over run a lot of suction is generated.

Hi Dennis,

I have ponderd about fitting valve stem seals in the past, which seals did you use?


The reason I thought it could be the head gasket is there is quite a bit of oil coating the gasket when I took the head off (I also took the other head off to check & that gasket was comparativly clean!)


Cheers.

Hi shirty, The seals I used were purchased from my local motor factor, not sure what they were from I just bought the correct valve stem size then machined the guide to suit. ------ have you carefully examined the head with the problem to ensure someone has not cracked it in the past?. --- If the head is OK possibly using a composite gasket will help if you think the seal is suspect.

Shirty, Mark here. You can use the seals offered by our Hosts for the Bullet, they're all the same diameter. I've fitted them to my Interceptor, inlet only just to be on the safe side! I'd also draw the guides you have while the head is off and check to see if oil is passing down the outsides, if so oversizes are available up to +10 thou I think?
REgards,Mark

I learned a few weeks ago, by happy chance, that the longer [on the rockerbox side] 'Super Meteor' valve guides can be fitted to the Meteor, provided you also use the slightly longer S.M. valves and do away with the lash caps. Because the guides stick up into the rockerbox more than the standard ones, their tops are further away from any residual oil in the area.
I have just completed the first 110 miles on a totally rebuilt Meteor that had previously used oil, fouled the left plug frequently and smoked. It had a crank regrind, I fitted new rings, valves and guides and made sure the inner race of the timing side main bearing was flush with the end of the crank, to form a good seal with the large metal disc which lives inboard of the timing side outer race in the crankcase. If this last thing is not done correctly, oil can get from the timing chest to the crankcase very easily and cause smoking, but usually on the right hand cylinder. The rebuilt engine is not smoking or using oil at all, now. Paul.

Dennis/Mark/Paul,

All good interesting info there with some good mods for the valve guides too. I'll let you know if I find anything significant when I do get round to pulling it apart (again!!). Cheers

Just a question Shirty, I'm assuming a 700 Meteor, where are you getting your head gaskets?

Hi Norm,

Yes it is an early 700 Meteor. Over the last couple of years I have collected several sets of top end service gaskets mainly through ebay, they all have the composite type of head gasket. Cheers.

Shirty,
We got some head gaskets laser cut in aluminium a few years ago that seem to be working ok but we will need to get another lot cut. Could be something Mr H could stock because I'm surprised at how many of these 700 are still out there. They just seem to keep coming out of the woodwork