Wills Rings Question
I have an original Holbay built 2.4 N/A Cosworth engine using gas filled Wills rings and the separate soft gasket. Unfortunately the head gasket has failed. Rings are about 3mm dia x 102 o/d. With Holbay long gone and Burtons no longer able to supply I am at a loss to find a supply.
Does anybody have some tucked away? or has anyone gone to an industrial suppler?
Or tried another solution to fill the 2.8mm half-round grove in tho top of the block.
Another question, can the 2 or 3 rings that have not failed be used again?
Many thanks.
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Racer
Re: Wills Rings Question
My 205 block pinto had wills rings originally. When that failed I got some gas welding wire of the closest thickness to the wills rings an bent it round to make 4 new rings, then filed the ends to make them fit to length exactly in the groove an used a normal head gasket.
It's a long time now though an I can't remember what head gasket it was, and the engines had litterally no use since so I can't really vouch for how reliable it might or might not have been.
Last edited by rallyrob; 23-06-2018 at 12:01.
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Re: Wills Rings Question
Thanks for that. So effectively a big wire rung block. The wire would have to smaller otherwise it would be too proud I would have thought, unless they are machined a little.
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Racer
Re: Wills Rings Question
Yea basically. I can't remember but I think it's about 2 or 2.5mm welding wire, I just bought the closest to the size of the
original wills ring. Make 4 little rings or hoops out of it an lay it in the groove. You'd still want a good head gasket to go over it too...
An obviously enough allowance for the oversize pistons. What are they 93mm or close to... My pinto's got 93.50mm pistons in it. I really can't remember, but at the time I think the suggestion as to the gasket to use was a Grp A Cossie gasket. But don't hold me to that.
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Re: Wills Rings Question
Have you tried the engine builders like Wilcox and Millington?
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Racer
Re: Wills Rings Question
maybe connaught race engines ?
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Re: Wills Rings Question
92.8 bore, tried Coletec (who sort of took over the Holbay mantle) and Dave Brooks, but not gone round other builders, sounds like i may have to. The 94.5 Adjusa maybe worth a try with with a Cossie one if 93 or over. Don't really want to go to a new block as this is a 200 block and a fair bit of machining required to fit a 88mm crank etc.
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Racer
Re: Wills Rings Question
Don't think I'd trust an adjusa gasket on that, too cheap Im afraid. Not sure if there is a reinz gasket the right sort of diameter but I'd definitely prefer to use something like that.
I also seem to remember using the tiniest bit of sealer just to plug the left over space the wire rings hadn't occupied then the gasket on top. Can't remember what sort of sealer though, but it was recommended for that.
Definitely think it's worth a punt round those other engine builders 1st though, just incase they've got any or indeed know where to get them.
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Racer
Re: Wills Rings Question
Don't suppose this is very current but I googled Wills rings head gasket and came up with a pdf catalogue for them. They were made in switzerland by a company called busak and shamban. But it looks like the thing was last edited in 2004. Though there was also a UK phone number in Solihull.
Then I found this one
https://www.tss.trelleborg.com/globa...ls-rings-o.htm.
That's very current...
Crap sorry just checked that an the link doesn't work.. Try Googling trelleborg sealing solutions
Last edited by rallyrob; 23-06-2018 at 21:41.
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Re: Wills Rings Question
Thanks Rallyrob for for checking that and looks like they still supply. Industry still use Wills rings for high performance seals and I may look down that route, aint going to be cheap for 4 though. Actually hoping someone had some old stock lurking under the bench
https://www.tss.trelleborg.com/globa...s-rings-o.html
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Racer
Re: Wills Rings Question
No problem.
It's roughly 25 plus years since my engine was 1st put together using wills rings and I seem to remember they were £100 then.
That was for the 4 wills rings plus the gasket so I'm sure inflation will have taken it's toll on that.
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Racer
Re: Wills Rings Question
I remember trying the Holbay Wills ring set on an engine in the 90's when I was having head gasket trouble only to find the head had gone soft.
As RallyRob suggests the wire ring could be an option, however the Wills ring is quite thick due to it being gas filled so that'll have to be taken into account when trying to source the wire ring. I have a Cosworth Turbo block that's wire ringed like that and uses a GPA head gasket.The idea is that the wire preloads the fire ring on the head gasket unlike the Wills ring idea that seals against the head face.
Try giving Paul Gardner Racing engines a ring and have a chat with him, he's over 40 years experience machining and building Race and Rally engines so he should be able to give you some sound advice and help.
Last edited by Forest_rallying; 24-06-2018 at 08:24.
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