Head Swap And Nasty Surprise... Bets Taken!

[dani959 0]

So,

 

After getting all the parts together, a head gasket set, a head (cheers Johnny! , coolant, etc, I decided to swap my 1.9 head.

I got all the bits out, removed the head and found the head gasket gone. The culprit was a small scratch in the head that just led the coolant through to a combustion chamber! I'll try to get a pic soon.

 

Fitted the "new" head and left it for a while before filling the engine with coolant. After about 3l of coolant in, I started to hear water droplets falling on the floor. "how is this possible???" - I thought. Well, after a lot of investigation, there it was on the back of the engine block!!! A hole left by a previously badly fitted rear left head bolt! Eihter that or the ones I got were really bad quality (also possible).

 

As I said on previous posts, this is my daily driver, so I went for a trip to homebase on Sunday afternoon (on a bicycle) to get some chemical weld and fix the Pug.

 

Exhaust off (again) and a very careful cleaning operation on the rear of the block. Get the glue mixed, put in place, head bolt back on, turn the engine just a bit to make sure the glue wouldn't foul the water pump and then wait. A few hours later, coolant in and started it. All was fine!!!

 

Today, after 120 miles it's still fine and pulling strongly past 6000rpm.

 

 

So...

Any bets on how many miles before the hole starts leaking again?

 

Cheers all, just thought I should share this one with you guys!

 

Long live the 205

[carbers205 1]

my money is on 237

[sNaKePiT 1]

I'll bet forever if you done a good job and used something like JB weld! As average temperature for an engine would be around 150° to 200° and JB is designed for safe, reliable, permanent repairs in engine compartments and heated environments up to 500° F. It's strong as steel and impervious to water, gasoline, chemicals, and acids. I swear by this stuff!!!

[sNaKePiT 1]

I have Faith. Do You???

[StuF215 1 1 Cars]

1082 miles is a winning bet I reckon

[Anthony 1,003]

It'll outlast the car if you did it properly

[ALEX 98 1 Cars]

There's supposed to be 2 spacers under that head bolt over the water pump.

did you fit them both?

[joe1joe 3]

2 spacer the little one and the inch (or so) one and if its not fitted then u get nice hole like on yours! so did u not put the spacer on? i always though it scraped the block?

[dani959 0]

There's supposed to be 2 spacers under that head bolt over the water pump.

did you fit them both?

 

That might have been the problem... I only fitted the long one (I didn't have any more washers).

 

Still going... guess I did a good job!

[steve@cornwall 100]

That might have been the problem... I only fitted the long one (I didn't have any more washers).

 

Still going... guess I did a good job!

 

I took a good running engine out of a 1.6 a few years ago and thought, what's this gunk? Turned out to be a similar repair. It was well covered in engine and road gunk and looked as if it had been there a while.It ran in at least 2 other cars after this with no ill effects. I reckon it will be fine.

[Atari Boy 11]

I hop it works out okay for you, I might well have a spare spacer if you need one, PM me if you would like me to post it.

 

Jonny

[Atari Boy 11]

I also have a bare block if you needs be.

[sutol 0]

I once did a very bad job of drilling out a broken exhaust manifold stud on a BMW head.

I filled the hole with Milliput (modeling two part epoxy putty) stuffed the new stud in smoothing the face flat before loose fitting the manifold and leaving overnight.

Everything held and I ran it for over a year before selling on

[dani959 0]

Thanks Johnny!

 

I really don't think I'll be touching that headbolt for now! I've had enough this weekend!!!

I have to say it's a farly easy job (if the engine is out of the car, that is)!!!

 

In summary, I cleaned the back of the engine fairly well wish some Fairy (lol) and then with some brake cleaner. The block looked completely clean and dry after this (from what I could see with my head stuck between the cylinder head and the bulkhead or through the RHS wheelhouse.

 

I fitted the headbolt right after the adhesive, so it should have pushed a bit of it into the hole, making sure it won't unstick from there.

 

So far, it's been well past 6000rpm several times (just for peace of mind) and it is still dry... (which reminds me, I haven't checked it since monday... )

 

So... the block has a hole in it, but is FAR from being scrap! In other words, you can "unscrap" a block for a fiver...

 

Cheers all!