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Removing Head - On a time Limit!!!

2K views 57 replies 14 participants last post by  Laney 
#1 ·
I've never removed the head before. I've got up to the point of removing the Inlet Manifold. Not actually removed it but started. Do you think its possible to remove the head. change the gasket. change the water pump. and put it all back together (with necessary new bits) between 5:30pm until about 8:30 pm today and then 9:00am until 3:00pm tomorrow???

Any Tips?

Cheers

Andrew
 
#27 ·
Right.

To remove the timing belt totally and replace it do I need to remove the bottom Pulley (the one the alt and PAS belt goes on)?

When removing the head do I need to remove the Cam Pulleys or the Camshafts with the pulleys attached?

Cheers

Andrew
 
#29 ·
I went to Donnington park on Thursday Afternoon and didn't come back until yesterday afternoon. The first thing I did when i got back was go to bed!!!!!!

I was gonna work on the car today but i'm still knackered and its way to windy (can't get in the garage!).
 
#30 ·
Can anybody give me advice on this? Do I remove just the pulleys or the Camshafts aswell? Ho do i remove just the Pulleys? What size Spanners do I need? I've got behind on this due to my weekend awy and really want to get it sorted ASAP. I want to find out what work needs doing internally so i can start saving and get it all done before.......

I've just realised the Billing is the same weekend as the MotoGP MotorBikes..... hmmmmm..... Which one do I go to? Can I get the car sorted by then?

Lifes full of difficulties aint it?
 
#32 ·
Got one mate. Never had a car yet and not got a haynes maual for it. I just know that the haynes manual sometimes has you doing things that aren't necessary. I'm looking to take off the Pulleys but don't have the Right size spanner to hold the cam still. I was hoping someone could tell me what size it is so I can pop round to my grandfathers and borrow one.
 
#35 ·
Laney, to take the cams out you need to remove the puiley as that metal plate gets in the way, the spanner u need is from 24-27 mm...cant remember exactly as i did mine 2 months ago..and dont use a scredriver as it will press agaist the head and dent it up....do things properly....you do want to go around damaging things...i did this in the past and would end up costing more....
 
#38 ·
ITS OFF!!!!!!! Thanks for the sarcasm!!!!:( I don't have all the tools necessary and its easier to ask first before i wate my time getting tools That I don't need. Now I know how its done it will be much easier and quicker a second time round.

Ok. The head gasket appears fine. No breaks or heavily worn patches so it looks like a porous head. Where would the CosCast stamp be. i can't find one but i can find a GM stamp on the end of the head. Does this mean i haven't got a coscast???

Also. The piston at the Dizzy end (don't know if this is 1 or 4) looks a bit worse for wear. and so do what i assume are the bottom of the valves (above the piston in the head). Whats the possible cause? Whats the short term solution? I say short term cos i hope to get some low comp pistons ASAP but that may be a couple of months away. How do i check the head for porousity? Is there any way i can check myself or do i have to take it somewhere?

Thanks Guys. You've been really helpful.
 
#44 ·
You donj't need to see the coscast stamp its a bugger to get to. look on the end of the head on the dizzy side if it has a core plug it's not coscast. also you ma be able to see a couple of letters in the casting kf i think this tells you again that it isnt coscast.

A core plug if you didnt know is a circular metal plug shaped like an inverted bottle cap...

try headway on the deeside industrial estate north wales in flintshire about two hundred and fifty quid to repair plus courier fees strip the head bare the valves/springs.

hope that helps
 
#45 ·
So do headway replace valves etc or do i remove all of that before sending it to them. In which case i'm paying £250 just to have a whole made bigger and a peice of pipe put in it?!?!?!

The Performance Place which is about 30 metres from my office say they will do that (They do it on C20XEs) for £70. They even said its possible to do yourself and if I went round they would explain the procedure.

Does anyone here know exactly what they do to fix a porous head?
 
#46 ·
They drill out the offending cracked oil gallery and then sleeve it to prevent further leaks i believe courtney do something slightly different whereby they put a new pipe external to the head there is no need to remove valves or springs just all the other bits and pieces.

£70 quid sounds very good wish i'd known about that one where is it by the way?
 
#47 ·
sorry may have got the wrong end of the post here do you think you have pourous head or not? your water tank will filled with mayonase like crap but you wont see any water in the oil if you arnt seeing this then worry about it if it happens, loads o peep dont have coscast and they havent all gone pourous...
 
#48 ·
I think i've got a porous head. The coolant is thicker than mayonaise and its brown. Theres a bit of water in the Oil aswell. enough for it to steam when i remove the dipstick. The Head Gasket looked fine. I can only put it down to a porous head. Unless there is any other way for oil and water to mix. Can oil and water mix at the turbo?????

The company quoting £70 is in York (well, near york). They only usually do them if there tuning the engine but said they would help me out as I am only round the corner and I may be putting some business there way.
 
#50 ·
Its like chocolate mouse. Or Chocolate ice cream when it starts to melt. Its thick and brown not slightly cream but proper brown.

I just want to make sure i've ruled out any other way of oil and water mixing before paying for work on the head. One of the pistons is heavily worn with bits missing at the edges. Enough it would seem to let oil through as the piston top and the bottom of the valves are covered with baked on oil aswell as fresh oil.

Is it feasible to replace a single piston or do i need to replace all 4. Would the piston damage explain the 'diesel engine' noise that i'm getting?

Cheers

Andrew
 
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