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XantiaMan · Post by **XantiaMan** » 20 Jul 2008, 15:05

MikeT wrote:Slowly getting there What appeared to be an obstacle (triple-square nut) was easily defeated by a 10mm ring spanner

Told ya

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 20 Jul 2008, 20:03

As I say, Jim, I'm in no rush - it's not like I can work hard anyway or if I do, I pay big time

What I failed to mention was one turbo allen bolt (typically the last one of four on a flange

) has snapped my allen bit; and the aux. belt tensioner nearly did the same; and the latest sticking point is now the damper pulley refusing to budge and not offering much purchase as it is (although I was just about finished for the day so didn't really try) . If it's going to be as difficult as the one I took off a scrapper then I'm going to need a lot of patience. (I don't remember my last one offering too much resistance, do you?).

Gareth, thank you. Yes you did and as with all other suggestions offered, I'm grateful. $\:D/$

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 21 Jul 2008, 19:51

Fortunately, Citroen provided an easy solution to the damper pulley removal problem via two threaded holes either side of the pulley bolt. See here for my home-made puller.

With the pulley out of the way, I had to get the cambelt off, requiring removal of the upper engine mount - no problem there, once the engine was supported at the sump.

Next was to release the cambelt tension but I couldn't see what I needed to access and don't possess a 10mm square drive anyway - so I ended up forcing the belt off the pulley instead

(What I did find was the adjuster locking nut was loose).

The cambelt looked pretty new and in very good condition but there's no mention of it being replaced in the recent service history I was given.

Considering the top cam covers are missing and the bottom one is broken, it's surely not the original belt. Not a bad thing normally but knowing the cam cover has been off too makes me a little uneasy about what I might find inside the engine.

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 22 Jul 2008, 23:47

citrojim wrote:The knocking will be a drop link Mike..

Clutch Judder is often nothing more than worn nylon bushes on the clutch release shaft. The top one can be replaced in-situ but to do the bottom one the 'box has to come off.

I've got very good access to the steering gear and the gearbox at this point

so what could I check and how, please?

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 23 Jul 2008, 11:36

Not releasing the cambelt tensioner meant I wasted time struggling to get the engine mount bracket off

and even though the adjuster nut was loose, the tension was loading the bracket, causing difficulty all round. I also needed to remove the cam pulley to access all the fasteners. To hold the cam, I removed the cover to hold the cam with a spanner while I undid the pulley bolt but the cam wasn't at the right point and wouldn't rotate more than 10-20 degrees (I didn't want to force it!) but that small resistance was enough to free the bolt!

Seemed very loose IMO.

Once I released the tensioner itself, the plunger fired leaving the bracket more free but still trapped by the close proximity of the wing. A lift of the sump moved the engine back enough to lift out the bracket leaving the way clear to do what I've set out to do.

Examination shows the cambelt, tensioner and water pump to be in very good condition like new.

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 23 Jul 2008, 14:05

And finally, we get to the heart of the matter. A passing friend offered to help remove the head and no sooner had I propped up the bonnet he had grabbed the head with both hands, shook it a bit and lifted it straight off!

Now, I admit I don't really know what I'm looking for but this gasket looks fine to me.

CitroJim · Post by **CitroJim** » 23 Jul 2008, 15:38

Good stuff Mike

That, in all honesty, is about how they look when lifted. Nothing immediatlely unusual to be spotted.

You can see why they need a light skin can't you? You'd be there for a month of Sundays trying to get that lot clean whereas a 'thou or so of a skim will do it in a jiffy and true it up at the same time as well as pressure test it..

You are now at the point of.....

Reassembly is a reversal of disassembly...

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 24 Jul 2008, 08:36

aaaah now seeing these picys it looks like the gasket failed between 1 and 2 again between 3 and 4, in the picys it looks like the surface were the coopers rings in the gasket sit are discoloured at these points, on the block and the head

regards malcolm

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 24 Jul 2008, 08:43

MikeT wrote:Not releasing the cambelt tensioner meant I wasted time struggling to get the engine mount bracket off and even though the adjuster nut was loose, the tension was loading the bracket, causing difficulty all round. I also needed to remove the cam pulley to access all the fasteners. To hold the cam, I removed the cover to hold the cam with a spanner while I undid the pulley bolt but the cam wasn't at the right point and wouldn't rotate more than 10-20 degrees (I didn't want to force it!) but that small resistance was enough to free the bolt! Seemed very loose IMO.

Once I released the tensioner itself, the plunger fired leaving the bracket more free but still trapped by the close proximity of the wing. A lift of the sump moved the engine back enough to lift out the bracket leaving the way clear to do what I've set out to do.

Examination shows the cambelt, tensioner and water pump to be in very good condition like new.

if you undid the cam spocket bolt useing the valves against the pistons to lock the cam, you may well have bent some valves, this is one reason to set up the cam timming before removing the cam belt whilst doing a head job

regards malcolm

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 25 Jul 2008, 11:17

I've wiped clean the gasket and can't see anything unusual, it looks undamaged and uniform except for the thin rubber-like coating that has peeled in various places but like I say, I don't know what I'm looking for in the detail.

The sprocket bolt really was not tight at all and required minimal leverage to undo. I'll have to source a spring compressor before I can remove the valves to check for trueness but I'm confident they weren't stressed.

I've been distracted lately but I did remove the camshaft last night. Interesting to see the wear patterns on the bearings and although not scored or seriously marked, there are some minute pits on each one. You may also notice the heat mark (looks yellow in pic but is more brown) on the mating surface of the vacuum pump bearing? Please note, that's not a crack on the bearing, just a dirty streak.

I was quite surprised to see how much oil was retained within the bearings, caps etc. This engine certainly needed an oil change and probably a flushing agent too.

On the cam cover mating surface there is some gum or varnish deposits at each corner both outside and inside the seal circumference - but only at the corners.

The protrusions that hold the inner parts of the seal to the cover have marked the mating surface on the head. Surely they should have been seperated by the seal thickness? Perhaps this was the cause for the oil leak?

CitroJim · Post by **CitroJim** » 25 Jul 2008, 11:35

Hi Mike,

I hope you kept the valve buckets and shims in order, otherwise you're going to have fun getting the valve clearances set again!

The marks on the ends of the cam caps is sealant residue. If the two outer caps are not seald, they will weep oil..

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 25 Jul 2008, 11:36

That brown discolouration and crusty bits either sides are the remnants of the sealant.
Don't forget to use some when you put it back together!

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 25 Jul 2008, 11:51

Yes, shims and buckets in seperate containers Jim

Thanks xac,
I did suspect it was a sealant but the cover came off too easily so it didn't work if it is. EDIT: The position made me think it was gasket sealant

I'll be calling some engineering firms later to see what I need to remove off the head for testing etc but I glanced into the ports last night and they look exactly like the inlet manifold - oily gunk residue buildup on 3 & 4 and dry soot buildup on 1 & 2 - these are the dirtiest and most encrusted valves I've ever seen.

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 13 Aug 2008, 12:49

I've had to order a spring compressor so I can eventually get the valves out then we'll see how mucky they are and if there's been any overheating.

The head gasket set and bolts arrived this morning. I'd like to understand the notch system a little better though because the new one has 3+1+1 whereas the old one has 3+3 yet they match each other.

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 16 Aug 2008, 14:50

Spring compressor arrived today and all valves are now out. As expected, the inlet valves are host to massive build-up of gooey, oily paste from the exhaust and crankcase mist. Thinking about it, the additional weight cannot be good for the valve and/or the spring. What's worse, is the inlet valves sealing faces all have at least one spec/spot of this "gum" presumably allowing them to leak when shut?

I don't know what it may indicate but the valves had varying degrees of resistance to being removed from the guides. The majority resisted enough to hold the valve in the guide but gave up when pulled lightly. One just dropped out and two were highly resistant to being removed but did come out eventually.

I'm finding more evidence the oil leak was from the cam cover gasket. I have just noticed how uneven the cam cover mating surfaces are along the lengths. The highest run is slack at each end (steel rule slightly see-saws) whereas the lower run is slightly slack in the middle.

I have a new cover gasket in the head set but it didn't include the three bolts rubber washers which may be crucuial to getting a good seal.