Brief Encounter II - The Sequel

Unread post by **xantia_v6** » 13 May 2009, 22:15

The V6 engine does not really get in the way of a matrix replacement, I don't remember cursing it at all, unlike the seats, the centre console, the gear selector, the passenger airbag wiring, the air flap cables, the ....

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 14 May 2009, 10:40

XantiaMan583 wrote:GF??

Yes

A lady by the name of Val whom I've known for a long, long time and our friendship has deepened more recently

She drives a Vauxhall of some description

xantia_v6 wrote:the centre console, the gear selector, the passenger airbag wiring, the air flap cables, the ....

Been there

I know.....

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 14 May 2009, 14:17

Not too much achieved today on the V6 project as time is short. I have to collect the junior SWMBOs from school this afternoon and then take them clothes shopping. I'm also hoping I'll have time to slip into the Vodaphone shop and look at the possibility of getting a new mobile phone.

Soeaking of the junior SWMBOs, it is my daughter Robyn's last day at school today and she will only now return to sit her remaining GCSEs. In September her world changes as she begins sixth form...

I'm still cleaning bists up and today I attended to the cooling system components. Back along I reported that the cooling system was full of something nasty; something used in an attempt to possibly seal up a leaky heater matrix. Today I found out just waht damage it did

The expansion tank was first on the list and this was full of the stuff and it ran out in great clods during flushing

Some of the smaller ipees were clogged with it and worst of all, the old transmission cooler was totally blocked with it. This may well have helped to kill the gearbox and my recommendadtion stands never to use any sort of rad sealant on an automatic with perhaps the exception of the Forte product.

Looks like it was a blessing I killed the old radiator getting the engine out as it too must have been somewhat clogged.

Although the "bubble breaker" was substantially clean, I was worried at how much of this gunk was in the engine itself so I cracked open the block drains (one for each bank of the vee) and was pleased to not the coolant that drained was clean.

I also removed the thermostat (it's a strange old thing on the V6) and saw the engine internals look perfectly clean. The V6 waterways are wide and unlikely to clog up. That said, as soon the the engine is in a suitable position, I shall give it a thorough flushing before the radiator and replacement transmission cooler is connected as I cannot risk any of this remaining stuff (whatever it was) getting trapped in the transmission cooler.

I think now, fingers crossed, that everything is now clean and the days of painting things with white spirit and blowing them clean and dry with an air-line are now behind me. Interestingly, although I got hold of a can of Gunk, I still find good old white spirit is still my degreaser of choice when used in conjunction with an air-line.

Next job is to fit the new cambelt but there will now be a delay whilst I source a replacement thermostat and som other odd items. I've got to find either a local'ish Stealer or a purveyor of Stealer-only parts that will send me the items by post...

Unread post by **RichardW** » 14 May 2009, 15:19

"I've got to find either a local'ish Stealer or a purveyor of Stealer-only parts that will send me the items by post..."

Jim,

Dealer just round the corner from work, and one at the top of the town at home. PM me if you need a parts run.... 8)

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 14 May 2009, 18:16

I'm just a few miles from my local Stealers as well Jim - happy to post bits on if need be.

Unread post by **xantia_v6** » 14 May 2009, 20:29

You just reminded me Jim, before you discard the old radiator, could you take the tanks off to see if there is anyhing intersting in the plumbing design. I am baffled by a design that appears to have the top hose going in just above the middle of the radiator, with no bleed tube at the top. I forgot to open my old one up.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 14 May 2009, 21:45

Richard, Mike, that's brilliant and thanks ever so

I popped in to have a natter with our local Citroen Indie this afternoon as he is in the same town and he is willing, with full part numbers, to get any bits I need. He was very insistent on part numbers but looked a bit blank when I told him that would be no problem as I have access to a copy of Laser... If it does not work out with him, I'd be most grateful if I could take one of you up on your kind offer.

Whilst there he showed me a DW8 engine that had been in an accident. It had, on close inspection, a cracked block

Mike, I nearly took the old rad down the tip this afternoon but something stopped me

I now know why!

I'll be most happy to do that as the same thought occurred to me a while back. It's a wonder it works but then again the whole V6 cooling system is a real plumbers delight. To be honest, it took me a while to work out how the thermostat works

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 16 May 2009, 09:55

hiya Jim, glad it's progressing well

When I went to get the 306 from North Wales, the guy had a XUTD with a hole clean through both sides! must have been one of the bad batches...

Anyway if your about tomorrow morning, I should be in MK looking at an old boat

Unread post by **xantia_v6** » 16 May 2009, 14:58

Jim, I changed the spark plugs on my Mk1 V6 today (will be posting more on that later), but I need a check on the spigot (or whatever) which comes out the back of the inlet manifold, just inboard of the LH lifting bracket.

Is it blanked off with a rubber blanking plug? Mine had what may be half a blanking plug, or may be the end 10mm of a rubber hose, the other end of which is nowhere to be seen....

I had the brilliant idea of checking my other Xantia, but the Mk2 does not have the spigot on the manifold.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 16 May 2009, 23:14

jgra1 wrote:Anyway if your about tomorrow morning, I should be in MK looking at an old boat

I'll be around John

Might be at Tesco so give me a quick call on the mobile and then pop over for a cuppa! Be good to see you

Had it been next weekend, I'd have been ready to have dropped the engine back in

xantia_v6 wrote:Is it blanked off with a rubber blanking plug? Mine had what may be half a blanking plug, or may be the end 10mm of a rubber hose, the other end of which is nowhere to be seen....

Yes, that should be a full blanking plug Mike. That's what it is on mine. If it's not there it'll be allowing an air leak into the manifold and upsetting the mixture. Not sure of the purpose of it - I guess a place a vacuum gauge can be attached for test purposes.

Progress continues with mine although nothing today as we went to Sheffield to visit friends. A really great day out, even though I travelled there and back in a Vauxhall of some sort...

The cambelt is on and it's just final assembly of the engine left to be done before it is ready to go back in the engine bay.

The spares I need (thermostat etc) are on order and I hope to see them early in the week, ready for final reassembly...

Mid June should see the car back on the road and who knows, it may even be ready for the DS/SM rally

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 18 May 2009, 20:43

I'm now well into the final assembly bits now and this evening saw all the engine ancillaries refitted and the gearbox ready to be lifted up and be rejoined onto the engine

Here is the current state of play...

After the gearbox is on (tomorrow hopefully as I need to use my crane), there is little to do before lifting it all back into the car

I can do odd jobs like fitting the pressure regulator block and accumulator sphere ready but I guess my time will be best spent loosely reassembling the remains of the spares gearbox currently cluttering up the conservatory and annoying the cats

Not much of it is really a lot of use and I'm not sure what to do with it. I guess I'll store it somewhere; you never know...

There are a few minor jobs like de-rusting and painting the battery tray and de-rusting and resealing the gearbox ECU that got rather sad-looking sitting for so long under the battery tray.

So, until the engine is back in, that's it really and that won't be happening this weekend as I have my girls for the duration and we are off to London...

After what seemed ages with little to show for all the hard work, it's now all coming together very nicely.

Just hope the autobox works after all this work

KP · Unread post by KP » 19 May 2009, 10:25

Jim if it were me I'd keep the bits that show the least wear and are re-usable in the future and then wiegh in the rest with any other non-usable metals you have, get a few quid back from the local scrappy, specially as its been drained of oil as well

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 20 May 2009, 13:09

Good thinking Will as the castings are not much use

Not a lot of progress last evening but I did get the crane out and mate the gearbox back onto the engine.

It's a pretty precision job and the two guide pins supplied with the kit of special tools are pretty much essential for the job.

After fitting the pressure regulator and installing the new thermostat (when it turns up), that'll be it. Job done until the big lift back into the car

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 28 May 2009, 19:55

Good work achieved this evening

The engine and gearbox (with the excepting of the exhaust headers) is now all reassembled and ready to drop back in the engine bay..

More soon but in the meantime here's a picture of the reassembled engine and gearbox now just waiting in the wings for its big moment