2001 Berlingo top-end rebuild DW8

tino · Post by **tino** » 16 Mar 2010, 16:34

Think it's a dodgy oil pressure switch.

It seems like somone else disconnected it a while ago. I don't remember disconnecting it myself and there does not seem to be any way it could have come lose during the repair.

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 16 Mar 2010, 16:40

An engine will run ok for longer than you might think with low oil pressure so dont let that fool you.
Dont assume that it's just a faulty switch without checking the oil pressure or it could end up a very costly assumption.
Was the oil pressure light working ok before the re build ? if it was then whats the chances of it just failing now.
It might sound like a silly thing to say but can the head gasket be fitted the wrong way around ?
If i remember right (its been a good while since i've had the head off an XUD) the XUD gaskets can be fitted the wrong way around & it looks almost identical the wrong way apart from one thing..... the oil feed hole to the camshaft.

tino · Post by **tino** » 16 Mar 2010, 16:48

Think I had the gasket on every way around until everything lined up and looked right. There's a location dowel in the back left corner of the head which won't go through any hole under than the right one.

spider · Post by **spider** » 16 Mar 2010, 18:25

I wonder if for the cost of a new switch, its worth replacing it anyway.

You can always use the 'new' switch direct with a bulb / battery to eliminate any possibility of it being a wiring issue itself.

tino · Post by **tino** » 17 Mar 2010, 13:03

I believe I have eliminated the wiring by removing / reconnecting the terminal to the switch. This changes the behaviour of the dash warning so I suspect wiring is ok. I note it took a very long time for the original oil to drain. I suspect possibly proper servicing was neglected on this vehicle. If the oil was so thick perhaps the oil pressure switch is clogged. I have a new switch and I'm going to change it over. Will let everyone know how it works out.

Thanks for all helpful comments so far.

tino · Post by **tino** » 18 Mar 2010, 10:50

Replaced the oil pressure switch and the dash stopped going mad about oil pressure.

There is a leak from the rocker cover gasket because I tried to use a gasket included in a kit which didn't quite fit - I did the best I could with the dodgy gasket but wasn't quite good enough. I suppose I would advice anyone thinking about doing this not to buy the kit. Just get a few useful individual gaskets from the Citroen dealer. That would be rocker cover, exhaust, inlet and the gasket for where the fuel filter bolts to the head. Apart from that, nothing else in the kit was useful and the rocker cover one is going to have to be replaced anyway. Oil is pumping out the hole so oil pressure is certianly high enough!

Post by **CitroJim** » 18 Mar 2010, 10:56

Excellent tino. Pleased it was only the switch

I've seen some new rocker cover gaskets leak. They don't always bed down well around the end cam caps.

The other big secret with them is not to tighten them down too hard. I think about 7 Lb/ft is the right setting. It's very low...

tino · Post by **tino** » 18 Mar 2010, 11:00

There was a ridge to help locate the gasket on the inside of the rocker cover. When I was fitting I noticed the locating ridge was a bit useless and didn't actually properly fit into the rocker cover.

The gasket I've just bought from the Citroen dealer looks like it should fit a lot better.

tino · Post by **tino** » 18 Mar 2010, 11:32

Me spoke Citroen dealer. He say no no cam gasket, me best use RTV yes instead please!

Makes sense, it was an akward shape and when I took things apart the first time there was a load of sealant bunged in there.

tino · Post by **tino** » 31 Mar 2010, 13:26

GRRR... gave the Van back to customer this morning and he's driven it 5 miles up the road and the tensioner slipped on the cam belt.

Cam belt is still in place and hasn't snapped but has gone slack. What are the chances of a smooth correction process? Somebody please tell me this will be an easy fix! I'm so annoyed!

tino · Post by **tino** » 31 Mar 2010, 13:40

Right, think I know what I did wrong. We all make the odd mistake every now and again... shame it had to be on a cam belt though. The tensioner on this belt is a rubbish thing altogether. It works using an offset cam lobe arrangement. As you turn the tensioner round on its mounting bolt the offset mounting hole in the tensioner forces the roller tighter against the belt. What I've done was to mistakenly turn the tensioner clockwise so the tensioner comes down into the belt. With the belt turning in it's standard direction the lash will be tickling the tensioner looser. If you turn the tensioner anti clockwise into the belt then the belt lash can only make the belt tighter and this explains why they have paid such little attention to the fastening mechanisim that holds the tensioner in it's fixed position. Of course, not being entirely familar with this engine setup is starting to cost me! Like I said in my previous post... GRRR... I really hope all I need to do is reset the belt tensioner!

Post by **CitroJim** » 31 Mar 2010, 13:47

It's a roll the dice sort of job Tino. Depends on how fast the engine was spinning and how quickly the driver reacted and switched off. Also depends on just how far the timing has drifted out..

With any luck, either the cam or pump pulley verniers have worked loose and slackened the belt as a result. Hopefully then, there will be no damage.

I must say the DW8 enjoys quite an odd way of tensioning the belt and is open to a bit of interpretation. Why on earth did they change from the foolproof tensioner system used on the XUDs? Shame is they don't even offer a SEEM value to enable it to be double-checked.

Fingers crossed there is no damage and all will be fine when the belt is reset and re-tensioned.

Post by **CitroJim** » 31 Mar 2010, 14:15

tino wrote:It works using an offset cam lobe arrangement. As you turn the tensioner round on its mounting bolt the offset mounting hole in the tensioner forces the roller tighter against the belt.

Ahh yes, a variation on the theme of the 2.1TD tensioner and indeed similar to the horrendous auto tensioner arrangement used on early XU 8V petrols.

It was rubbish then and it's still rubbish

Fingers still firmly crossed Tino... Don't beat yourself up about it, all of us have been there in one form or another several times. It's called being human...

tino · Post by **tino** » 31 Mar 2010, 17:54

Thanks for the support. I sincerely hope the pistons didn't hit the valves. By the sounds of it the guy was coasting down to a roundabout when it turned off. It worries me he mentioned a clunk! We'll see!

tino · Post by **tino** » 02 Apr 2010, 15:19

FAIL!

1. Tried to align the crank, cam and fuel pump to re-time it. Couldn't get the camshaft to move so slipped the cam belt off as it was fairly lose anyway.

2. Noticed cam sprocket very lose and flappy.

3. Got bits off top of head to expose cam. Camshaft snapped!

On the plus side, the tensioner haddn't slipped. The belt was lose because of the floppy camshaft sprocket. Looks like it might not be my fault after all. The camshaft seems to have melted the race at the end near the sprocket. Either poor oil supply to head or more likely too much drag on the bearing resulting in seized/snapped camshaft. We'll see what the machine shop say when I bring it back to them.

Further plus points, all the valves seem to work still. Won't know for sure until the head comes off, but initial signs are good in that department. Further supports incorrect camshaft fitting theory.