Head gasket replacement

[Matelotman]

I'm looking forward to doing it (though nervous) - and I will be taking it very carefully.... cheers for the encouragement.

Craig, you have PM

[Shug]

Yup - it's something that is basically quite easy, although nerve-racking, as long as you're meticulous and organised. Rocket science, it is not

You'll also get that lovely pang of fear the first time you turn it over (using a bar, please, not on the starter ) and the flood of relief when nothing goes clunk and you can turn the key and she fires up again

[robin]

Top tip:

Leave the spark plugs out when you make the first few revolutions using the crank pulley and a spanner/ratchet. If there is any sudden resistance to rotation you know you have piston/valve contact and can stop turning and start re-aligning the cam/crank ...

There is more than one SEr that seems to have managed to bend a valve or 8 by using a breaker bar when the engine went tight

cheers,
Robin

[mac]

Top tip:

Leave the spark plugs out when you make the first few revolutions using the crank pulley and a spanner/ratchet. If there is any sudden resistance to rotation you know you have piston/valve contact and can stop turning and start re-aligning the cam/crank ...

There is more than one SEr that seems to have managed to bend a valve or 8 by using a breaker bar when the engine went tight

cheers,
Robin

It was a 22mm spanner

[steve_weegie]

Top tip:

Leave the spark plugs out when you make the first few revolutions using the crank pulley and a spanner/ratchet. If there is any sudden resistance to rotation you know you have piston/valve contact and can stop turning and start re-aligning the cam/crank ...

There is more than one SEr that seems to have managed to bend a valve or 8 by using a breaker bar when the engine went tight

cheers,
Robin

It was a 22mm spanner

Raise you a starter motor

[Matelotman]

May be counting my chickens... but as it stands, the manifold gasket seems to be the culprit of the leak (cigar goes to Hiscot ) - gasket is pretty crappy and there's an obvious split in it

[Rich H]

Not sure that is the culprit. The water channels are at the extreme ends of the gasket, the little ear bits. Sorry

[Matelotman]

Not sure that is the culprit. The water channels are at the extreme ends of the gasket, the little ear bits. Sorry

I looked at that - the ears aren't in the best condition either with numerous cracks. Also when I initially loosened the manifold, the water that p1shed out followed the same path as the trickle had (around the N/S of the block and down the front of the gearbox join). I'm probably 60-40 split on whether it's the manifold, I'll try the PRRT fitting today and cambelt/tensioner change and then reassemble

I've been reading various things about the PRRT fitting, I couldn't get the landy (grey) stat but did get the MG (cream) stat - did you say that you had fitted one Rich?..... any words of wisdom to be had?

[Matelotman]

Changed manifold gasket and eventually got the new timing belt and tensioner on after a few hours of fiddling (was a mega tight mother to get on but was fine once on). Started her up and........ it runs, but, and it's a big f*ck off BUT.

The engine lost a lot of water when I took the manifold off but it still p1shes out the bleed screw when opened. When I started it,the temp gauge went up within seconds and as the temp climbed to about 70, the exhaust manifold started glowing red and a very dull squealing started (not fan belt). Switched off immediately and stepped back waiting for the boom. On googling "scorchio manifold" I got a range of answers about blocked exhaust,blocked cat, engine running lean,timing out etc etc. (the one that sticks out there is obviously the timing, my marks seemed ok but I've no idea). Anyone know a quick fix or is it time to strip it down again?

[r10crw]

If the manifold glowing red it has to very hot by using lots of revs, or not cooling properly (possibly HGF).Was the exhaust smokey? Dont think timing would matter that much to be honest if its out. Id look at making sure all the air is out of the head first. Dull squaling does sound a little worrying though but as a plus point you may have to fit a vhpd

[robin]

Glowing manifold is not a symptom of any cooling system fault.

It's almost certainly one or more exhaust valves stuck open, or the exhaust timing so advanced that your launching burning mixture straight into the manifold.

(1) Check all the timing marks.

(2) Check compression.

(3) Fit VHPD ...



Robin

[r10crw]

Naturally Robin I believe every word but could you advance the exhaust cam far enough to cause this at idle without fouling the valve on the head? Chris are you working tomorrow? Im off tomorrow afternoon so we could redo the timing from scractch and do a compression test if you like. Then order the emerald ?

[fd]

The engine will run with the belt at least one tooth wrong perhaps more, and this could well cause cherry manifold syndrome, in short it's almost guaranteed you have incorrectly refitted the belt . . . like so many others . . . get it removed and get someone who knows how to do it to check it before you break something . . . and hope you haven't done any damage already . . .

Fd

[Matelotman]

Wont be able to work on it tomorrow Craig - won't be home until after 5 then the Mrs is out so I have to look after the wee fella

[r10crw]

No worries mate, later in the week I can start work on the exge(just little things) so I could take it round and do a bit of both?