I've always just ensured the block face is spotless (I have a blunt wood chisel for this) and just lightly smeared the paper gasket with Vaseline and never had a problem.
Touch-wood....
Cambelt and Alternator Belt Change..... HELP!
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CitroJim
- A very naughty boy
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wainy
- Posts: 108
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- x 1
Well, I tried to do the cambelt this weekend. Worked from half ten 'til about 6 although quite a bit of this time was taken up with cleaning up all the bits that came off.
I found one of the bolts that hold on the upper belt cover to be an absolute pig for access with the tools I had at my disposal, not helped by the fact that it also acts as a mounting for some tube or other (?). Anyway, this didn't stop me..... managed to get the top cover off.
What stopped me was the bolt that holds on the crankshaft aux belt pulley. Tried all sorts to get this off but it just won't shift........... any ideas
As I needed the car on Sunday I was forced to put it all back together again. To make matters worse, before I gave up, I decided to give the offending nut one last almighty heave to see if it would give up, my hand slipped and my knuckles had a very heavy coming together with sheet metal
. I now have a right hand that looks like I had a bare knuckle fight on Sat night 
! Not good for making a good impression when shaking people's hands at work, which typically seems to have happened 6 times more often this week than normally!
On the plus side, I didn't lose any bits of finger (Citronut.... OUCH...... very nasty!) and I can confirm that the aux belt is an absolute cinch to change once you've got access through the wheel arch
!
WAINY.
I found one of the bolts that hold on the upper belt cover to be an absolute pig for access with the tools I had at my disposal, not helped by the fact that it also acts as a mounting for some tube or other (?). Anyway, this didn't stop me..... managed to get the top cover off.
What stopped me was the bolt that holds on the crankshaft aux belt pulley. Tried all sorts to get this off but it just won't shift........... any ideas
As I needed the car on Sunday I was forced to put it all back together again. To make matters worse, before I gave up, I decided to give the offending nut one last almighty heave to see if it would give up, my hand slipped and my knuckles had a very heavy coming together with sheet metal
. I now have a right hand that looks like I had a bare knuckle fight on Sat night ! Not good for making a good impression when shaking people's hands at work, which typically seems to have happened 6 times more often this week than normally!On the plus side, I didn't lose any bits of finger (Citronut.... OUCH...... very nasty!) and I can confirm that the aux belt is an absolute cinch to change once you've got access through the wheel arch
!WAINY.
WAINY
2016 C4 Picasso Exclusive (Black)
1983 GSA X1 (Black - being restored)
2016 C4 Picasso Exclusive (Black)
1983 GSA X1 (Black - being restored)
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addo
- Sara Watson's Stalker
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Any ideas, you ask? Yep, beg borrow or steal a ½" drive rattle gun and suitable impact sockets.
For the water pump I like to check all threads into the block are clean and the bolts may be readily screwed home by fingers. I also clean them with a spritz of carby cleaner spray followed by compressed air, and use a smear of threadlocker on each.
Pretty much every gasket here gets Hylomar - even the head gasket is sprayed with it on both sides.
For the water pump I like to check all threads into the block are clean and the bolts may be readily screwed home by fingers. I also clean them with a spritz of carby cleaner spray followed by compressed air, and use a smear of threadlocker on each.
Pretty much every gasket here gets Hylomar - even the head gasket is sprayed with it on both sides.
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CitroJim
- A very naughty boy
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- Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
- x 8058
That'll do the job Adam 
I'm surprised as normally the crank bolt on petrol engines is not that tight. A decent breaker bar normally does the trick.
If not, revert to the starter motor method; Put a 22mm socket on a good T bar and jam this under the wishbone. Making sure the engine cannot start, give the starter just a very quick run. The crank bolt will loosen very effectively against the jammed T bar. I have used this technique many, many times, usually on diesels, with complete success.
It also helps to have the engine HOT when doingt his as if someone previous has been a bit generous with the old Loctite, the heat will help soften it.
Please only give the starter a quick flick and nothing else.
Retightening torque is 88 ft. lbs.
I'm surprised as normally the crank bolt on petrol engines is not that tight. A decent breaker bar normally does the trick.If not, revert to the starter motor method; Put a 22mm socket on a good T bar and jam this under the wishbone. Making sure the engine cannot start, give the starter just a very quick run. The crank bolt will loosen very effectively against the jammed T bar. I have used this technique many, many times, usually on diesels, with complete success.
It also helps to have the engine HOT when doingt his as if someone previous has been a bit generous with the old Loctite, the heat will help soften it.
Please only give the starter a quick flick and nothing else.
Retightening torque is 88 ft. lbs.
Jim
A bit of a Citroen AX fan...
A bit of a Citroen AX fan...