Tigra engine swap. X14XE.

[Turbostevo]

Not really a project as such just what I'm working on at the minute. Car came to me with a hole in the block where it has spat a rod out so here's a few pics of the conversion work.



Not sure why but it has full Opel accessories!



Bonnet and battery are always the first things to come off.



Followed by bumper and cross member



This picture shows the rear mount bolt as it was when the car arrived ( nut was only on by a few threads!). This will explain why the car didn't feel "right" as she said!



Started at 2pm and the engine was out by half 6 so not a bad effort.



From the front.



An unbelievable amount of cables and hoses in this thing! Especially with the A/C.



Reason for the engine swap!




Replacement engine looking all nice and shiny!



A few more pics will follow tomorrow!

[GTE 16v]

nice work.

[Paul]

New engine looks good

[Turbostevo]

Few pics of tonight's progress, hindered severely by major oil leak from new engine! (I should of checked it had been drained before spinning it about!) lesson learnt there then! Anyway hope you like the pics. Comments and questions are welcome as usual. : )



Some new goodies still to follow is the water pump, front and rear crank seals, spark plugs and oil+filter.

Obligatory new head bolts


Bottom end showing signs of wear in cylinder 2's bore, also in pretty **** state were the piston faces and block face.

Before clean down/polish


About an hour later...


Same goes for the head. Carbon staining on all valve faces and cylinder head face.
Before clean/polish...

First clean/polish...

Final clean/polish...


Nice 'n' shiny block with new H/G.


As I said at the top this is not a project just a little job on the side while I wait for parts for the tigra : )

[Turbostevo]

Few more parts and pics here.
First pic shows the main service parts/fluids, crank oil seals, aux belt and water pump.

Sump removed for easy access to rear crank seal.

New timing belt fitted also new water pump fitted.


Hoping to have this 1 done by Tuesday latest! Just had my engine crane fail on me which is slowing me down

[Turbostevo]

Not sure what or even if I have done anything wrong but the new engine has failed already despite a full top end rebuild including all seals and gaskets and a brand new head gasket. Now I think it's h/g failure but can't come up with a reason as to why so here's a few pics with the cam cover off. The oil was new, new filter etc and I don't have a clue as to how it's got to be this bad. The engine has only been running for 30 mins max from the rebuild. Any help or advice will be highly appreciated. I am a skilled mechanic and I'd like to think I know what I'm doing so hopefully it will be a part failure!
Cheers

[Turbostevo]

Thanks again for any help.

[Joker]

to be honest mate that cylinder 2 bore looks really bad, More than surface rust, was it pitted at all? I know i'm probably telling you how to suck eggs but did you get the h/g the correct way around? I have done it once before I put a multi-layer gasket on a rover with a shim the wrong way and it leaked water straight away.

[Turbostevo]

Yes mate bore 2 was ****ed! Did my best to get it straightened out again, but it was not perfect. I tightened the head bolts down following the Haynes manual and I think that I've tightened them down too much but I did follow the manual exactly! Also the head of one of one the headbolts sheared! The h/g will only go on 1 way luckily so i don't think I've put that on wrong. My only explanation is I've tightened the head down too much or the head itself. could tightening the too much cause h/g failure? It's never happened before to me! Cheers

[Joker]

not sure mate, I've never over tightened one before but its quiet possible that if the head was warped it could cause h/g failure did you skim it first? or check it with a straight edge?

[Joker]

If u need another engine mate I have a fresh one here thats done only 46k Only removing due to total loss on the chassis

[Turbostevo]

I didnt get it tolerance checked bud. Wish I had now. There was a recess in the head which was about 8mm diameter and. About a mm deep but it wasn't in a critical area. Im going to use the spare head and see what happens with that. If that fails I might very well be looking for another engine. How much do you want for it out of interest?
Stevo

[Turbostevo]

I know now what I did/didn't do to to get it right the first time! Where the head bolts thread in, I hadn't cleared the remaining water out properly causing a **** load of water to come out into the bores and under the head gasket upon refitting the headbolts.
That's rushing for you! Lesson learnt.

[Joker]

so because you didnt blow the head bolt holes out the water that was stuck in their got up into the head?

[Turbostevo]

Yes mate. Such a basic mistake! I've done well over 50 head gaskets and never not cleaned the bolt holes! I put it down to rushing. Went to put the new head on and it struck me seeing as the bolt holes were full again! I just stopped and shook my head, called my self a silly twat and carried on! Cheers for the suggestions mate.

[Joker]

hmmmm did it not feel different when torquing the head down? surely it would be spongey as such. Got me worried now cus my engine was stood inside for ages but it did get wet at some point aswell but I never blew them out lol, By the time I thought about it I had torqued it down so lets see! haha

Do tell when you put it together again if you have any problems I will be curious to see if that was your fault.

[Turbostevo]

It all felt very tight mate. Actually snapped the head off a brand new bolt following the Haynes manual. I'll keep the info coming!
Stevo.

[Joker]

strange. So you think somehow the water hydraulic-ed when you torqued it down thus not gripping the head tight enough which lead to water getting through the gasket?

[Turbostevo]

Screwing the hold bolts in pushed the water out so it was laying in the chambers. Let's hope I've not cracked the block!

[DrewyCoupe]

easy done you carnt compress water

[Joker]

you had a lot of water by the looks of it in your cam area though surely there wasn't that much water in those holes?

[Andy^mk3]

you had a lot of water by the looks of it in your cam area though surely there wasn't that much water in those holes?

That's what I thought, unless the damage caused allowed lot of water into the oil pretty quickly!

[Turbostevo]

That's what I thought, unless the damage caused allowed lot of water into the oil pretty quickly!

Well on first start up it smoked as expected due to oil being all over and in the exhaust, then it cleared. Happy days! Went to take it for a drive say half hour later and it was smoking really bad so I'm thinking the damage was caused a bit later on.

[Paul]

I know now what I did/didn't do to to get it right the first time! Where the head bolts thread in, I hadn't cleared the remaining water out properly causing a **** load of water to come out into the bores and under the head gasket upon refitting the headbolts.
That's rushing for you! Lesson learnt.

I always grab some kitchen roll to make 100% sure there is no water down the thread holes.

[Turbostevo]

Still having this problem, not got a clue whats up with it. All the timing marks are set correctly.
Any help appreciated!
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...o/264d6aae.mp4