XANTIA HDi RUNNING ROUGH

[mickthemaverick]

Yes I like that thought about the diesel puddle Dan, now I can see it could well be the piston and you can see the dimmed bright ring under the fuel. I delete my first thoughts in the first picture on that basis

[Rhothgar]

Yes. That does appear to be just a puddle. I’ve not seen who said that.

Revert to my previous post.

[Rhothgar]

Really doesn't look like a bad piston to my eye, looks like a bit of liquid down the bottom & an otherwise healthy looking piston crown.

Academic now since there's a mirror stuck in there, but I honestly don't see anything wrong & still think it could've been a random rocker failure.

The circular area in the centre is the combustion chamber in the piston. I've a set of HDi pistons/rods somewhere if we need a clearer photo for reference? I think the "missing chunk" is liquid diesel from being unable to fire due to no valve opening.

Fully concur. I was in process of posting which you will now no doubt have seen.

Mirror can be removed with magnet if it was metal on it.

[Rhothgar]

Yeah Mick the camera wasn't easy to control the focus of the piston crown and in an attempt to improve the view I used the camera mirror attachment which er ... detatched inside

I don't see how the core plug would have found it's way into the combustion chamber but I think I'm still going to pull the cylinder head off but with the view that it won't be put back together ....

Try and retrieve mirror with a magnet or a miniature grabber.

If it’s not going back together there is nothing ventured nothing gained in removing cam and confirming compression beforehand as if you can get that piece of mirror out then you’re potentially all good to go and if you can’t then if compression is good, replace follower and let the engine munch the mirror up and out. Nothing ventured. Nothing gained.

[ekjdm14]

Exactly! Nice one Roger, saved me a schlep out to the shed!

Doesn't the "missing chunk" just look like liquid though? Coming from a "moderately experienced" eye in looking through borescopes.


More cross posting, glad you fellas are smelling what I'm stepping in here.

My vote goes with careful extraction of the lost mirror & a "hail mary" rocker replacement. I'll make a £25 donation to the forum if that doesn't bring compression back, as long as Skull promises to do likewise if it does fix the car! EDIT-: come to think of it, it's been nearly 6 years so about time I paid my dues anyway so I'll chuck 25 quid in the coffers soon as we can afford it. Up to Skull if you wish to gamble too

[mickthemaverick]

So Gary, the audience has assembled and we all await the removal of the head to see what is what!!

[ekjdm14]

So Gary, the audience has assembled and we all await the removal of the head to see what is what!!

NOOOOO! don't pull the head! Either fish the mirror out or let the engine munch it up, but throw a rocker at the thing please. What's to lose compared to what's to gain? (also see my above wager)

[Skull]

Really doesn't look like a bad piston to my eye, looks like a bit of liquid down the bottom & an otherwise healthy looking piston crown.

Agreed that's possible but to my eye there is a edge

Skull's - hole or puddle

[ekjdm14]

No, I'm 99.5% sure given moderate prior experience interpreting borescopes.

Good way to check maybe pull the glow plug and blast some air at it see if it ripples, but FWIW I'd still be throwing a rocker in it and rolling the dice if it were my call.

I do see what you mean with that weird bit in the corner looking a good "fit" for the dark area, but really looks too much like liquid to me. Even fancy I can see the LED's from the borescope in the reflection if that's what it is. Also would be VERY unusual to lose a chunk of piston that large & still have some compression, no damage from it bouncing around & no mention of loud bangs or rattles.

[mickthemaverick]

So Gary, the audience has assembled and we all await the removal of the head to see what is what!!

NOOOOO! don't pull the head! Either fish the mirror out or let the engine munch it up, but throw a rocker at the thing please. What's to lose compared to what's to gain? (also see my above wager)

I should of course have said 'removal of the mirror'

[ekjdm14]

So Gary, the audience has assembled and we all await the removal of the head to see what is what!!

NOOOOO! don't pull the head! Either fish the mirror out or let the engine munch it up, but throw a rocker at the thing please. What's to lose compared to what's to gain? (also see my above wager)

I should of course have said 'removal of the mirror'

That's much more like it

[mickthemaverick]

Good way to check maybe pull the glow plug and blast some air at it see if it ripples, but FWIW I'd still be throwing a rocker in it and rolling the dice if it were my call.

Or you could simply keep the scope on and get a straw down there and have a suck

[Skull]

Mirror - It’s only a tiny plastic periscope type attachment so shouldn’t do too much damage if it’s sat in the ‘puddle’…even less if it’s gone through the ‘hole’

I’m in the bath now otherwise I’d nip out and have another lk ….

Not sure I’ll be putting a gamble on though…. although it does make more sense to start with removing the camshaft next ….

[ekjdm14]

Good way to check maybe pull the glow plug and blast some air at it see if it ripples, but FWIW I'd still be throwing a rocker in it and rolling the dice if it were my call.

Or you could simply keep the scope on and get a straw down there and have a suck

Yummy yummy!

Fair enough not wanting to gamble, money's tight this time of year. Mind you, £30 is rather less than a replacement car of unknown provenance £5 rocker arm plus 25 "for the lads"

[Skull]

Or you could simply keep the scope on and get a straw down there and have a suck

Yummy yummy!


Not often I say this …. but on this occasion I’d rather blow