Tips or advise for head gasket change - 1.6d

Post by **SplendiferousII** » 19 Jan 2007, 10:56

Tomorrow I am about to embark on a head gasket change on my 1.6d n/a but I don't have a manual. Can anyone explain the timing marks or provide me with the relevant page from a manual for my engine? I am guessing that I don't need to peg the cam or pump? Any words of wisdom? Thanks in advance.

Post by **camper** » 19 Jan 2007, 12:15

You will need to keep the engine TDC .There is a plug right hand side back of engine gearbox bell housing.Remove plug turn engine untill you see the pointer in the middle of V a pen light torch is handy to see it.Pump will need to have the sprocket pegged with an arrester pin a specific tool or other inserted .On removing the cam cover no 1&4 cam lobes should be facing up. There is a slot at the back of the cam that a locking tool will slide into this holds the cam in position for as to remove the cambelt and to provide timing adjustment.You need to obtain a locking plate/tool for the cam.You can now remove the cambelt.What is most important when you undo the cam sprocket you must not use the cam locking tool to pull against the 19mm socket to undo the bolt.Or you will most likely break the camshaft.Find a way to lock up the cam sprocket separate from the locking plate to remove the bolt.If you are able to do all this slacken the head bolts in sequance .I am sure you will get other help on here.

Post by **SplendiferousII** » 19 Jan 2007, 12:36

Cheers Camper. I am now onto GFS for the cam locking tool.

Post by **SplendiferousII** » 19 Jan 2007, 12:40

Right GFS do not hold the Cam locking tool, so I guess its something I will have to knock up when I get to that stage.

Post by **Westy.Club.Joker** » 19 Jan 2007, 21:29

Cam locking tool is nothing special, neither is the pump sprocket locking peg. Peg is 15mm diameter and 36mm long, the cam locking bar is flat, fits into the slot in the back end of the cam, is 5mm thick and 130mm long. You put it in the slot, and use a pair of feeler gauges either side between the locking bar and the flat face of the cylinder head, so you get the bar exactly flat across the top (ie, same size feeler under each side)

Post by **HarryMann** » 19 Jan 2007, 21:58

Where did the gasket 'go', if at all?

Was this a (suspected) cracked head, head gasket or something else?

Suggestions:
Clean out all the bolt holes, soaking up all the oil in them, and test run a bolt down each hole, ensuring they all run down nicely. Stop if it locks up, and find out why.

Check the level and flat of both the exhaust and inlet manifold, if they've been taken off. The exhaust manifold can distort quite a bit, and be prone to leaks. Stick some 80 Grade on a very flat surface (kitchen worktop?) with spray glue and flat it off, you'll see if its warped almost instantly.

If they're still on the head, check for leaks a round the ports.

Post by **SplendiferousII** » 20 Jan 2007, 10:26

Just popped in to see if anything else had been posted before I leave to go rip the head off. Fantastic a couple of new postes and descriptions of the tooling required. I will fire up the lathe and knock out the pump locking pin, I will asses the cam locking plate when I get to that stage.

I will let you all know my findings on the cylinder head / gasket later when I know more. I am planning to carry out a cylinder head pressure test today if I get time - I would image I just need to bolt / clamp it down to a plate with a sheet gasket as a face and pump it up? Any idea on a test pressure? was thinking about 10 barg and see if it dropped over 30 mins

Note to self - Tools to remember Torch & feeler gauge oh and hammer. (fags and coffee too!)

Post by **HarryMann** » 20 Jan 2007, 11:28

Where did the gasket 'go', if at all?

Was this a (suspected) cracked head, head gasket or something else?

Unanswered questions

Post by **camper** » 20 Jan 2007, 11:59

HarryMann wrote:
Where did the gasket 'go', if at all?

Was this a (suspected) cracked head, head gasket or something else?

Unanswered questions

Regards to the head gasket change what sort of problems where you having?.Was it overheating or oil in water .When i changed my head gasket on my 1.6td the initial reason was becouse of an oil leak coming out of the right hand side of the cylinder head where the notch holes is on the gasket and oil in the expansion tank.After the gasket change i had overheating problems after various checks with cooling system it was becouse the cylinder head was warped.I removed the cylinder head again and had it skimmed i have had no problems since.Oh i replaced the oil cooler as i was told this may have been the cause of the oil in the water as they are prone leakage.

Post by **HarryMann** » 20 Jan 2007, 13:55

Oh i replaced the oil cooler as i was told this may have been the cause of the oil in the water as they are prone leakage.

They are, but often just need a clean up and a new O-ring in the filter housing, inserted with a good mear of oil so it doesn't pick-up when re-tightening. I'm sure its also true the oil heat-exchanger itself can develop leaks through corrosion.

Post by **SplendiferousII** » 20 Jan 2007, 14:49

HarryMann wrote:
Where did the gasket 'go', if at all?

Was this a (suspected) cracked head, head gasket or something else?

Unanswered questions

I suspect that the head gasket has blown due to excess pressure within the cooling system, So much so that it blew the level sensor out of the plastic header tank. But that may have also been due to stagnet water boiling within the engine. (see my other post)

I have since tried to bleed the system but air keeps getting pumped in and the system pressurises up in seconds - not as per thermal expansion.

I expect to find gasket blown between cylinder and water jacket only. No other symptons at all.

So far so good. Manifolds off tools all made and installed - only broke one stud on exhaust manifold not the one in the head, so will get that out later.

Popped back to my desk for Tipex to mark up cams etc and thought I'd log in here.

Will keep you posted - probably about another hour and head will be off - allowing for tea and fag breaks of course - it is saturday you know.

Post by **HarryMann** » 20 Jan 2007, 15:02

Good progress then!

Also note the exh. manifold bolts are a bit special and have extra thick steel washers. The holes in the cylinders 1,3,4 being larger than the bolts and those of No. 2 being about normal, so the manifold can expand and contract lengthways pivoting about port No.2 (Bolts/washers not cheap, but best to try to use the correct ones or very similar.

Post by **SplendiferousII** » 20 Jan 2007, 15:42

Thanks Harry.

Well the head is off, nothing obvious to report yet. just popped back to my desk to get my steel rule to do a sort of head flatness check.

Balls up with my cam holding tool and had to remove it to get to one of the head bolts, just would not go on there, but then the cam didnt move anyway so no worries - the belt was off by then anyway.

more later.

Splend

Post by **SplendiferousII** » 20 Jan 2007, 16:19

Right I recon the head is about 6 to 7 thou (0.15mm) out of flat. Comes and goes a bit between cylinders in four spots. Think its going to need a skim! But anyone know what I can get away with?

Looking at the head, the valves are well below the surface so no need to take them out at all. Just cam removal and hydraulic tappets out - so a bit of saving there with luck.

Splen

Post by **camper** » 20 Jan 2007, 18:37

I suggest you get it skimmed .Cost from a local engine reconditioner near me was £80.00 but that included a crack test.Good luck