Sometimes bad stuff happens ....

AndyP · Post by **AndyP** » 26 Sep 2004, 21:43

... today was my turn.
I've been spending the last couple of months tracking down small water leaks and reckon I had it all sorted. However, after the last minor one to be fixed on the thermostat housing I thought I had an airlock, temperature was erratic and water was disappearing to fast for comfort. So I was driving home on Friday night and the temp suddenly rises very rapidly, stopped the car and with engine running I put in two litres of water, followed by another two - the giveaway was the engine chugging and steam coming out of the back of the head/block somewhere, oil and water all over the place, and mayonaise for oil - head gasket had gone - dammit. So I nursed it home the final couple of miles and shut it in the garage.
Saturday I go out and buy a headset plus the usual gubbins you need and set to work a couple of hours ago on Sunday afternoon.
After I short while it was pretty obvious that it's been apart before, lots of loose-ish bolts and bits missing etc. Plugs out and I can see water sloshing around cylinder number 4. Drain the oil and I've managed to comphrehensively disprove that you can mix oil and water ! Anyway, in the middle of getting the head off it seems like there are fewer bolts than holes, specifically at the rear between cylinders 2 and 3. Head off and the gasket is a mess, definitely completely rogered. Take a look down the back of the block and the centre head bolt appears to have sheared off at sometime in the past ... Dunno what to do now, I'm sure this didn't help with the head gasket failure, not sure if the head is warped (seems OK with the basic steel rule test).
Is this a common problem ? Should I just put it all back together, do up the head bolts FT and hope. Should allow me to drive it to the dump at least [;)]
FWIW its a 1996 1.8i 8v Xantia estate with a knackered 3rd gear synchro .... It's now done 130,000 and although it's a bit tatty it's only my going to work and carting junk around car so I don't give a damn what it looks like.
[:(]

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 26 Sep 2004, 22:09

Andy -
To give yourself a chance for a sensible payback on your efforts - then all headbolts must be good.
If any smallish bit from the sheared bolt(s) protroding the block, then the vibration method is the best to get out the bit.
This method involves a standard air hammer with a pinpunch chisel tool fitted, then hammering on top/center of the bolt.
The result is amazing : you can see how the rust is working up the threads, and finally it is in fact possible to move the bit by hand.
May help soak the bit with rustloosener.
If not possible to get all bolts working, find yourself another engine, it's not worth the hope with missing headbolts [B)]

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 26 Sep 2004, 22:11

stick an engine in it. Petrols are cheap and plentiful. Get one with a box on the end and you should be able to do it in a weekend with a helping hand. I wouldn't bother putting the old one back together- if it is stuffed then bodging it back together is a waste of time and effort.

AndyP · Post by **AndyP** » 27 Sep 2004, 02:35

Hmmm, well because I had nothing better to do I've put 90% of it back together, just need to sort the tension on the timing belt and put all the plasticy rubbish back on.
The new engine idea does seem tempting, having a working 3rd gear seems appealing too. Anyone, know of an engine available anywhere, or some breakers in the Essex-ish area ?

Richard Gallagher · Post by **Richard Gallagher** » 28 Sep 2004, 03:21

Try Edwards and son just outside Billericay 01277 651486, they will have something suitable that can be relied upon, but they may not be the cheapest.

johntaylor · Post by **johntaylor** » 28 Sep 2004, 04:52

You could bin it and buy any other car from an auction or otherwise for less than sticking a new engine in (horrible job). Is it time to say goodbye to it? I have recently done that with a 1.8 with a good body and knackered cam. For £300 you could have a better car??? Why bust a gut for what could be further trouble? Best of luck whatever you do!

AndyP · Post by **AndyP** » 28 Sep 2004, 05:04

Well it was running again this evening, started first time, so for the moment it's mobile again. Will see what the future brings.
I know I could buy another but I've fixed a bunch of stuff on this one and feel it owes me a few thousand miles yet. Also, most of the cheap ones on eBay are hatchbacks and if I must have a cheap and nasty car like this then I have to insist on it being a totally practical estate. BTW that is no insult to Citroen etc, but this was bought as a disposable car for me in order to save my gas guzzling road rocket from wear and tear - unfortunately I've come to quite like it !

AndyP · Post by **AndyP** » 29 Sep 2004, 17:05

Situation has now got worse !
As far as I can tell one of the headbolts is supposed to be slightly shorter than the others and the previous butcher has managed to get them in the wrong holes, causing the longer bolt to break through the block into one of the waterways. So this explains my long term slow water loss. I have now removed and replaced the self same bolt and now it is more of a run than a drip - dammit. Further to that, because the lower thread of the both was damaged the thread in the block has also been damaged. So now I have a block with one siezed sheared off bolt, one water leak and one damaged thread. Looks like it's time for a new engine or the scappy ....

Post by **Jon** » 29 Sep 2004, 17:20

Bad lucky Andy.
I wonder whether the previous mechanic had used the wrong headbolts? They should be equal length, but if he used early BX16/19 ones for example (which look identical to the later BX/Xantia ones apart from length!) one will be too long which either breaks the water jacket or pump when its tightened!

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 29 Sep 2004, 17:42

On earlier XU engines this bolt must have a tubular spacer approx 20mm, exactly to avoid mentioned disaster.
Can be seen on parts lists for XU engines.

AndyP · Post by **AndyP** » 29 Sep 2004, 17:45

Hmm, not sure, they seemed to be about the right length according to the (Haynes) manual, but it did suggest one should be shorter, unless it was referring to the thicker spacer that's used for that corner. Anyway, there is still a hole in the water jacket now (and perhaps not coincidentally that was also the end that the head gasket let go).