XANTIA HDi RUNNING ROUGH

[Rhothgar]

I've gone back a couple of pages ....

Well the results of my inspection today ....it's fair to say that it needs more than a Cam-Follower

I can't tell from the camera orientation as it just gives a peep-hole view (edit: photos with fuel injector removed and camera inserted through the hole)



That looks like the final chapter @ 168K

I'm not sure whether this is a piece of the missing piston or the valve seemingly sat on a ledge or perhaps a piece held by the valve.

It's now apparant that the 'piece' you can see in the above image is the Valve recess on the piston

I went back in between today's rain and had another look, I lowered the pistons for a better view and I can now see that the hole/puddle is at the front of the piston .... the engine is canted backwards so if it was a puddle it would be at the rear of the piston (right side of first photo below), the valve recess is more to the front on these engines so I'm still inclined [sic] to think it's a hole ....



This one shows the mirror that fell off the endoscope



I've carried on and taken out the Bearing Cap for the Camshaft and Followers and noted a chink in the Camshaft - will that be a DIY job to minimise




I note Rothgar's idea to try and re-test compression now that the Camshaft is removed, so all Valves should now be closed but also note his caution that this will also lose it's compression stroke position for any rebuild that might happen in the future, I haven't measured any valve spring height yet but I'm inclined to think it's decision time on 'head off' or 'new follower on and fingers crossed' .....

I wouldn't be in the slightest bit embarrassed about the 'shard' being the valve recess. It shows simply that you should never assume.

As for the puddle, maybe you are thinking your camera is rotated 180 degrees out when it isn't or vice versa. It might even show a reversed image especially it is using mirrors...

Personally I think you are wrong and you are assuming again. Think about it! Surely the valves sit near to the rear because the inlet and outlet manifolds are on that side so therefore the puddle is at the back? Be interesting to find out.

Something has thwacked that camlobe and it's possibly a now bent valve but we cannot say for sure at present. Time will tell.

Personally I wouldn't be worried about the chink as you can see either side is fine. If it was mine and I was having to go a head gasket then would I be bothered about it? Wouldn't I? I'm not sure. It would irritate me I guess.

Stickyfinger made a good point about the amount of valve bend. He's probably right or it's a very badly burned seat and we shall never know unless it is stripped.

The decision, as they say, is yours.

[Skull]

Rothgar It's more that the valve recess is more on the front of the engine rather than central on the piston, with the engine laying towards the rear the 'puddle' would also be towards the rear edge.

[Rhothgar]

Rothgar It's more that the valve recess is more on the front of the engine rather than central on the piston, with the engine laying towards the rear the 'puddle' would also be towards the rear edge.

I've no idea on the HDi. I've never had mine apart. Have you got a photo with the rockers in place that you can upload?

Could do with a nice Citroen Factory Manual drawing right now to make sense of it.

[Skull]

Personally I think you are wrong and you are assuming again. Think about it! Surely the valves sit near to the rear because the inlet and outlet manifolds are on that side so therefore the puddle is at the back? Be interesting to find out.

The decision, as they say, is yours.

Agree with you now - just had a look at a similar head on ebay and the recess is offset more to the rear of the engine

It's been 30 years since I went inside an engine so you'll have to bear with me ....

[Rhothgar]

Personally I think you are wrong and you are assuming again. Think about it! Surely the valves sit near to the rear because the inlet and outlet manifolds are on that side so therefore the puddle is at the back? Be interesting to find out.

The decision, as they say, is yours.

Agree with you now - just had a look at a similar head on ebay and the recess is offset more to the rear of the engine

It's been 30 years since I went inside an engine so you'll have to bear with me ....

Mate. Don't worry about it. I've no idea what I am looking at. As I say I've not been inside mine otherwise I'd have tens of photos for reference.

All I could see from a photo on Page 10 was one valve to front of car and it's zoomed in so no real overall view.

I might still be wrong on this but we have to use our powers of deduction to try and help as best we can. Sometimes we have to bounce off each other.

It will still likely be a red herring as you were, and no doubt may well still be, losing compression. I'm just trying to encourage you, rightly or wrongly, to take a measured approach in the hope that it can be assessed and made good without the faff of taking the head off. I might be right and, more probably, I may very well be wrong.

It's always better to assess fully before making a decision.

BTW, the valves on a S1 sit at the front on the upside of the engine so maybe they do on yours.

[mickthemaverick]

Now you have the camshaft out of the way you can have a play with a laser pen. Shone down the length of each valve stem you should be able to see if there is a bent one. I managed to light the full length of the side of an old meccano axle with my laser pen whereas my kinked axle went black at the point of inflection! Worth a go if you have a laser of some sort!

MTMO - using a laser

[Rhothgar]

I'll try and comment as and when I can and will be interested to see how you get on but I am trying to focus on getting my annual accounts sorted before next Friday so I need to crack on and focus.

[Rhothgar]

Now you have the camshaft out of the way you can have a play with a laser pen. Shone down the length of each valve stem you should be able to see if there is a bent one. I managed to light the full length of the side of an old meccano axle with my laser pen whereas my kinked axle went black at the point of inflection! Worth a go if you have a laser of some sort!

But for the springs, collets and caps which are in the way?

Great idea when stripped. Although do you need to be careful of reflected laser?

[mickthemaverick]

Reflections are not an issue using my rifle sight laser, you'd have to get it straight into the centre of your eye which won't happen while viewing from an angle. The collet may have sufficient clearance to shine the beam down through its centre hole along the stem, just a thought!!

[Skull]

............I've no idea on the HDi. I've never had mine apart. Have you got a photo with the rockers in place that you can upload?

Skull's - Camshaft prior to removal

Best I can do at the moment ...After Camshaft Bearing cap removal

[Rhothgar]

............I've no idea on the HDi. I've never had mine apart. Have you got a photo with the rockers in place that you can upload?

Best I can do at the moment ...After Bearing cap removal

So are the valves on the right of the cam in that photo?

If you do end up taking the head off, I'd degunk the inlet manifold. Been wanting to do mine for a few years. I am sure that it is causing poor MPG on mine.

[Skull]

Yes valves on the right of the camshaft - towards front of the car ....

[Rhothgar]

Skull

Are you still with us...

Or have you joined me as a gibbering wreck in the corner rocking backwards and forwards?

[Skull]

Rothgar

I'm still alive ...I haven't got any further yet and am having real motivation/debating my sanity problems, I can't decide whether to call the men in white coats to take me away . I think the biggest problem I have, is that I don't need the car to get around, we have 2 other cars so it's surplus, I've never been in this position before...normally I need to fix the car so just crack on. It's only curiosity that is tempting me to do the strip down.

I hope you haven't had the same trouble with your Tax Return

[Rhothgar]

Rothgar

I'm still alive ...I haven't got any further yet and am having real motivation/debating my sanity problems, I can't decide whether to call the men in white coats to take me away . I think the biggest problem I have, is that I don't need the car to get around, we have 2 other cars so it's surplus, I've never been in this position before...normally I need to fix the car so just crack on. It's only curiosity that is tempting me to do the strip down.

I hope you haven't had the same trouble with your Tax Return

I've already made representations for them to take away.

Finished the accounts last night and emailed to accountant for number-crunching and CT preparation and 2.5 months early. That's a first for Mr. Procrastinator.