Tale of Woe, make sure you dont make the same mistake as me.

Big lumps of metals and spanners. Including servicing and fluids.

Moderators: User administrators, Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
123-jn
Registered user
Posts: 588
Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 19:50
80-90 Mem No: 12161
Location: Bromsgrove Worcstershire

Tale of Woe, make sure you dont make the same mistake as me.

Post by 123-jn »

Yesterday I put the long awaited 2.1 engine in a 1.9 old case that I have lovingly built over the last 6 months into the van. I filled it with oil and removed the plugs to turn it over in order to get oil pressure. It took a long time in bursts of 5 seconds but eventually it came up to 95psi cold. Great I thought . Then I remembered that I had not connected the brown earth to the block above cylinder 4 on the head. So I looked for the bolt. I had used a 25mm bolt with two nuts screwed on it as I didn't have a shorter one. On this head though the tapping was not so deep so I used a couple of m6 stainless washers as well for now. Now for the first run. It started straight up but there was a noise like the worst tappets you have ever heard. Now this did not suprise me as I had noted that when setting the tappets just 10 mins after fitting them, three had already drained down. After a minute I heard the noise change, now that is not normal for a tappet so I shut her off quick. Could this be the crank hitting part of the case, could I have failed to clearance enough? In which case why did it turn over with the plugs out With no noises? I was so disheartened as the tick over was beautiful. So with a heavy heart I dismantled the engine and removed it from the van back to the shed. (Goodbye three days) What did I find when stripping it?
Piston 4 is battered on the top as is the head a little in cylinder 4 and a small lump of melted M6 washer is buried in the rim of the piston. Now where did that come from!!!!!!!!!!!! Clumsy Oaf!!!!
Under that earth connection is just one M6 washer.
So now I am short of a DJ piston. Does anyone happen to have a decent one just waiting to be part of my engine?
Wanted , DJ piston, will have a good home in cylinder 4. :( :(
123-jn Autohomes Komet 2.1 DJ AUTO 1989 (closed loop LPG pierburg 2E3)
- Citroen C4 Picasso 1.6 HDi

User avatar
itchyfeet
Registered user
Posts: 12425
Joined: 23 Jul 2007, 17:24
80-90 Mem No: 12733
Location: South Hampshire

Re: Tale of Woe, make sure you dont make the same mistake as me.

Post by itchyfeet »

Offf I feel for you, but it can be fixed

Give Campershack a call he will have the bits you need.

Visit The Campershack - Just T3s
LPG, Engine Rebuilds & Conversions
07813 324365
1988 DG WBX LPG Tin Top
itchylinks

User avatar
123-jn
Registered user
Posts: 588
Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 19:50
80-90 Mem No: 12161
Location: Bromsgrove Worcstershire

Re: Tale of Woe, make sure you dont make the same mistake as me.

Post by 123-jn »

Does anyone know if the DJ piston on Brikwerks site is compatible with three originals? I have heard rumours that some new pistons have a different deck height?
https://www.brickwerks.co.uk/piston-com ... l?___SID=U" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
123-jn Autohomes Komet 2.1 DJ AUTO 1989 (closed loop LPG pierburg 2E3)
- Citroen C4 Picasso 1.6 HDi

User avatar
R0B
Moderator
Posts: 19496
Joined: 07 Oct 2005, 17:33
80-90 Mem No: 864
Location: Cheshire

Re: Tale of Woe, make sure you dont make the same mistake as me.

Post by R0B »

Not DJ But got four usable MV pistons here you can have for nowt should you need them fella.
2.1 LPG/Petrol Auto Caravelle

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits"

Jawin89
Registered user
Posts: 190
Joined: 01 Feb 2014, 09:04
80-90 Mem No: 13200
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Tale of Woe, make sure you dont make the same mistake as me.

Post by Jawin89 »

Your correct about the different stroke heights of the Pistons, have look at the link below

http://www.gowesty.com/tech-article-details.php?id=82" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
1989 1.9 WBX pop top

silverbullet
Trader
Posts: 17231
Joined: 08 Jun 2009, 09:51
80-90 Mem No: 6908
Location: Surrey Syncronaut #156
Contact:

Re: Tale of Woe, make sure you dont make the same mistake as me.

Post by silverbullet »

The term is "compression height" and the problem seems to be with Brazilian 1.9 pistons being about 1mm short (Aircooled part?)

Ich fahre einen Bulli. Ich hilfe mir selbst...meistens!
1985 Oettinger 3.2 Caravelle RHD syncro twin slider. SA Microbus bumpers, duplex winch system, ARC 7X15 period alloys

Jawin89
Registered user
Posts: 190
Joined: 01 Feb 2014, 09:04
80-90 Mem No: 13200
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Tale of Woe, make sure you dont make the same mistake as me.

Post by Jawin89 »

The Chinese repro ones also seem to be 1mm short on the compression height. The one from Brickwerks is from a German manufacturer but I would of thought the best thing to do would be to measure against the existing just to make sure.

Can you ever be really sure who is supplying who these days ?
1989 1.9 WBX pop top

User avatar
123-jn
Registered user
Posts: 588
Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 19:50
80-90 Mem No: 12161
Location: Bromsgrove Worcstershire

Re: Tale of Woe, make sure you dont make the same mistake as me.

Post by 123-jn »

Hi Rob , THanks for the offer of the MV pistons but I do have a set of those already. I was hoping to go with the higher compression to suit my lpg. I thought I might put the MV's in my old 1.9 case if I can get hold of another 2.1 crank, then keep it as a spare.
123-jn Autohomes Komet 2.1 DJ AUTO 1989 (closed loop LPG pierburg 2E3)
- Citroen C4 Picasso 1.6 HDi

User avatar
123-jn
Registered user
Posts: 588
Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 19:50
80-90 Mem No: 12161
Location: Bromsgrove Worcstershire

Re: Tale of Woe, make sure you dont make the same mistake as me.

Post by 123-jn »

I've had to order one from Brickwerks due to time constraints!!
123-jn Autohomes Komet 2.1 DJ AUTO 1989 (closed loop LPG pierburg 2E3)
- Citroen C4 Picasso 1.6 HDi

Post Reply