Arse Biscuits

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

I've been to a rolling road day today with my 205 turbo. The good news is that it made 192bhp on these rollers, so certainly well in the ballpark compared to the 195bhp it made before.

 

The bad news is that on doing the rundown, all of a sudden it started throwing steam out like billy-o. Knocked it off, had a check round, then fired it up on 2/3 cyl.

Pulled it off the rollers and whipped the plugs out, all appeared reasonable looking, certainly no steam cleaned plugs. Span it over with no plugs in and it spat the tiniest bit of moisture out. Plugs back in and fired up again on 2/3 so not healthy.

However, I went to drive it off to the nearest town to find a pub to sit in whilst I waited for the RAC to collect me, well bugger me anywhere above about 2500rpm and its fine. So I drove it nearly 60 miles home on the motorway, above 2500rpm fine, boosting well, temps fine, no smoke out the back, going as normal.

Got off the motorway and the last couple of miles home at crawling speeds, throwing steam out, water temp gauge got hotter than it ever has before, although not hot enough to bring the light on.

 

Next step will be a compr test I guess, but any answers on a postcard as to what it is? Head gasket I hope, but I've certainly never had one that would clear up over 2500 rpm before....

[miamichris 9]

These 205's are sent to try us aren't they Tom!

 

I would have said head gasket, but clearing up over 2500 rpm is a strange one, compression test should tell you what next but as you say..arse biscuits!

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

Cyl 1 = 11 bar (result, it was 10.5 when I first built it, the rings have bedded in nicely, remember it is a low comp engine)

 

Cyl 4 = 11 bar

 

Cyl 2 and 3 = 4.5 bar

 

That will be the problemo then! Hopefully it is just the gasket and nothing more sinister!

[Alfie 6]

Cyl 1 = 11 bar (result, it was 10.5 when I first built it, the rings have bedded in nicely, remember it is a low comp engine)

 

Cyl 4 = 11 bar

 

Cyl 2 and 3 = 4.5 bar

 

That will be the problemo then! Hopefully it is just the gasket and nothing more sinister!

 

Christ! and I thought I'd had a bad day! Think I've managed to resolve all my Mot problems today, but yours is more problematical than mine. Best of luck.

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

These things happen, to be honest it was an experimental engine when I built it, and it could have taken the gasket out long before now, so a bit of a setback, but I'm not really that concerned about it. Hopefully its just the gasket and not a cracked head/liner, will have to wait till later next week and see, because its going to be a toil, but I'm off with work to Italy on Monday morning, staying in a 4* hotel on the shore of Lake Garda, bummer eh!

[welshpug 1,657]

my logic would agree that its likely to be the gasket, not a liner unless you've been very unlucky to crack two.

 

headbolts still tight?

[Cameron 16]

Yeah my money's on the fire ring gone between the two cylinders.

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

What gasket have you used when rebuilding the engine Tom?

[2-Pugs 57]

The engine's just getting back at you for swanning off to Italy on a jolly

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

After tonights outing it will have to do better than a head gasket! I don't think I've ever eaten as much, our hosts were worried that perhaps we might Order something we did not like, so instead they ordered for us a selection of things to try. So I've had, in order, antipasto cold meat and aubergine, followed by rigatoni with duck Ragusa, followed by porcini mushroom tagliatelle, followed by spinach pancake, that was then the end of the starters (not joking) and was followed by milk pork with polenta, chicken with mushrooms with roast potatoes, and some kind of very nice chargrilled cured beef with canneloni beans. To follow this, tiramisu with an obligatory espresso afterwards. Not to mention 4 bottles of beer, 1bottle of prosecco, and half a bottle if both red and rose. Oh and a grappa fit to strip 2 pack at the end as well. Just got back to the hotel and I have to be honest I couldn't give a toss about the 205 just now. Although having just been fetched back in a 535d touring twin turbo diesel BMW I could quite fancy one of those....... Over and out!!!

Edited October 4, 2010 by Tom Fenton

[blue_haddock 2]

After tonights outing it will have to do better than a head gasket! I don't think I've ever eaten as much, our hosts were worried that perhaps we might Order something we did not like, so instead they ordered for us a selection of things to try. So I've had, in order, antipasto cold meat and aubergine, followed by rigatoni with duck Ragusa, followed by porcini mushroom tagliatelle, followed by spinach pancake, that was then the end of the starters (not joking) and was followed by milk pork with polenta, chicken with mushrooms with roast potatoes, and some kind of very nice chargrilled cured beef with canneloni beans. To follow this, tiramisu with an obligatory espresso afterwards. Not to mention 4 bottles of beer, 1bottle of prosecco, and half a bottle if both red and rose. Oh and a grappa fit to strip 2 pack at the end as well. Just got back to the hotel and I have to be honest I couldn't give a toss about the 205 just now. Although having just been fetched back in a 535d touring twin turbo diesel BMW I could quite fancy one of those....... Over and out!!!

 

 

grappa is evil stuff!

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

So back to reality with a bump, I dismantled the engine yesterday.

 

Pictures say a thousand words and all..

 

 

It was only a cheap standard headgasket, the fibrous material has swollen badly all over it, compared to others I have seen with a lot longer service life than this one has had, so I'm inclined to blame a crap headgasket. The good news is that the head and liners are untouched and perfect, the other good news is that the pistons are immaculate, no signs of det whatsoever.

 

However in its defense, I deliberately did not use any expensive bits when I first built the engine, as it may have only lasted a few weeks with boost applied. As it is, it has done nearly 2 "seasons" worth of use, and it has certainly had some grief during that time.

 

I've ordered an uprated Spesso gasket so I'll have the head faced off and give it a try.

Edited October 10, 2010 by Tom Fenton

[TT205 42]

So Cameron gets the obligatory packet of Hob Nobs

 

 

Good to hear it's just the HG Tom (phew)