Headgasket Gone

[tagy 1]

Started car(1.6) yesterday, and it sounded a bit rough running on 3 cylinders, set off anyway as it has done this before and cleared itself pretty quickly. Then I notice lots of white smoke behind me get it back home and it struggles to start and won't idle without giving it some revs. Checked oil on dipstick and it has gone a milky coffee colour.

 

So did a compression test and got 150 - 130 - 50 - 130. Pretty conclusive the headgasket has gone?

 

Going try and fix this myself, I have changed the clutch and all the brakes/suspension before but never touched the engine. Following haynes manual, I have a couple of questions about removing the cambelt.

 

-I have put a locking dowel into both pulleys, but I can still get a very small amount of movement with a spanner on the crankshaft pulley. Is this OK? or should it be locked solid?

 

-The haynes manual mentions the following when refitting the cambelt: "the timing lines on the cambelt which align with marks on the crankshaft and camshaft sprocket". But I can see no white lines on the cambelt or on either sprocket at all?

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

The pulleys will not be locked solid, you will get some movement, this is OK.

 

The white lines will have gone from a used cambelt, but will be there on a new one. Don't worry about this bit until you come to put it back.

[Mikey S 29 1 Cars]

the white lines are not critical when it comes to timing them back up again. i personally never use them. as long as the belt is tensioned correctly and the pins locked in the crank and cam, the timing will be spot on.

[tagy 1]

ok thanks

 

Another question do you have to remove the inlet manifold as per haynes manual? Could this not be left attached to the head?

 

Also not sure why you have to remove the camshaft cover?

[Mikey S 29 1 Cars]

ok thanks

 

Another question do you have to remove the inlet manifold as per haynes manual? Could this not be left attached to the head?

 

Also not sure why you have to remove the camshaft cover?

 

i'd personally remove the inlet manifold, but leave the exhaust manifold bolted to the head. its more to do with the weight of the complete head and manifold assembly, it weighs a fair bit, so it will make it abit easier to lift it off the block.

 

iirc the rocker cover will be in the way slightly when you come to remove the front head bolts. you need to make sure that the torx bit is properly seated down on the headbolt, you really dont want to round it off.

 

 

 

mike

[westy 0]

ok thanks

 

Another question do you have to remove the inlet manifold as per haynes manual? Could this not be left attached to the head?

 

Also not sure why you have to remove the camshaft cover?

 

Yes, the inlet manifold needs to be removed - it makes things a LOT easier.

 

And removing the camshaft cover gives much better access to the headbolts, allows them all to come out completely.

 

It's also advisable to do an oil change at the same time.

[ablister 31]

best to get a timing belt kit with new tensioner if you can and also a new water pump so you won't need to worry about touching the timing belt again