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MIXA
Tuesday 5th June 2012, 22:06
I new myself the head gasket had gone, you tend to know things like that when you have been playing with motors for 40 od years,, , anyway seeing as the cost on a 5 pot aint cheap i had a sniffer test done , this just entails having a syringe type thing put on top of the headertank , this has a blue dye in it which when the engine is run turns green if the gaskets gone, it sences hydocarbons reminder to self get mine back ( never lend tools such as this out they never come back ) they can be purchased from about £50 at a garage prices range from what i paid £7.20 inc up to one who quoted £56 plus vat.
This confirmed what i already knew so start ordering bits i use GSF , 1 X HEADSET £98 ,. 1 X TIMING BELT KIT £102 ., SET HEAD BOLTS £26 there is some people wont change these, but once you have had one snap when reasembling and have a full strip down, and the problem of removing the remains you change them . Also allow for oil ,antifreeze,filters,clips etc this can easily add another £100.Then theres the pressure test and skim this can be anything from £80+
Bits ordered and the collected skim booked time to start
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notice no water in header
so make sure your up to the job if your not sure get some one who is to help though mainly its comonsence every one has to learn so take your time read your manual mark were everything goes make notes and its fairly easy
I start by removing the top hose completely and the bottom from the radiator,then i remove the plastic cover from the rockercover,i then mark all the coil packs and wires and all the other plugs though the wiring plugs only fit in there partner there all different sizes
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I then removed the wiring or should say unpluged the wiring conectors ,then unbolt the coil packs and remove to a safe place were they wont get damaged , unplug wires around the radiator unbolt the fan shroud ,2 bolt at the top each side and remove , once this shroud is off you have more room to work at the front of the engine ,BUT the radiator is now exposed and easily damage so take care.
I then removed the header tank and power steering tank from there mounting point they just pull up of the clips , the hard bit is spliting them they are cliped to gether but dont just pull apart i used 3 screwdrivers and a bit of brute force dont tip the power steering tank so it loses is fluid once apart remove the header and lower the p/s back it has to be moved about quite a bit,then the spark plugs out,top engine mount 4 x bolts to block and one though rubber, themostate housing the so called quickrelease fuel pipe .ye requires a lot of patience and if you dont have a special tool ,i dont iused 4 watch makers screwdrivers ,
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remove the thermostate housing ,inlet manifold these are easy jobs and straight forward unbolt jobs with 13mmsocket and no 40 star drive, then remove the cambelt cover,it has a long 12mm bolt in the centre the top cover will be held by a clip each side put the front to one side keep the top handy you need to mark timing points,i now mark the bottom pully in 2 places and the block so they are easily seen later i mark the top cams the same and the top cover has the timing marks on it , these i mark with white paint infact all of them ,ive seen tipex used but it rubs of the paint dont,
Undo the exhaust ant the down pipe the books say remove the ex manifold this is much easier to do later,
Now the timing belt has to come off slacken the tentioner and slip belt off cams ( no need to lock cams there coming out and the timing marks are painted remove the bottom belt cover this is a small plastic cover held by 2 bolts its a bit fiddly to get out NO i havent removed the bottom pully there is no need to the belt will twist out from behind it with this cover off remove tensioner and guide roller,
There is a cam sesor on the inlet right hand side that most be removed and then the end cover put these safe
Now the 42 bolts on the rocker cover there is a sequence for this but as long as you work from the centre out youll be ok ,removing the cover is another story its held on 5 dowls so take it easy you have to knock it up slowly and equaly all around this is what holds the cams in place,
once off remove cams this engine is me7 with vvt so no need to mark which is inlet/exhaust, place in clean safe place.
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next bit is head bolts you will need a large breaker bar and a long hex head socket of very good condition ( i bust 2 on this job) i also tape the top of the socket so it just fits into the bolt hole it stop the socket moving about while you are trying to losen the bolts 12 off 14mm and bloody tight 60 n plus 120degrees with these out it time to lift the head off .NO IT AINT theres a small water pipe metal on the back of the head drivers side and an oil one on the far right hand side now the head can come off ,its quite heavy so dont drop it as it will cause considerable damage, with the head off remove the exhaust manifold and cam followers these are on top of the valves and should pull off easily BUT keep them in order they should be returned to the same valve on assembly
So the heads off to be pressure tested and skimmed some wont bother its false economy if theres a crack or slight warp remember the headset is 100 notes and a lot of time building to strip it back down and the have the job done do it right first time there is also a sequence for removing the head bolts and for replacing them this i havent discribed as any one doing this job will need a manual or already know these sequences
If all is well the head will be back within a day looking nice and shiney dont drop anything on this faced up head ive seen it done
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll273/fordracingmondeos/V70%20SE%20AUTO%20ESTATE%20V%20225%20GBF/59.jpg
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll273/fordracingmondeos/V70%20SE%20AUTO%20ESTATE%20V%20225%20GBF/58.jpg
now you start the rebuild which is just a reversal of the strip down,
I refit the exhaust manifiold and heat shield and thermostate housing while the head is on a bench, the block is cleaned of all traces of the old gasket and all crap removed from the bores any water oil etc that went in when the head was removed and then the new gasket is fitted over the dowls , then lower the head in to place now i drop the head bolts in and turn them a couple of turns then with a small amount of movement left i refit the small water pipe to the rear of the block, the head is then full bolted down to the correct torque this is in 3 stages 20nm ,60nm,+120 degrees,
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Then put the camfollowers and cams back in place with the timing marks in the correct place refitt the top timing belt cover for a moment to check this put cam cover in place with all 42 bolts in place ,( no the book says a special tool is needed to refitt this or make one details given ,this is not needed if the bolts are tightened down a small amount at a time and end to end .once fully down recheck timing marks, then refit new pully and tensioner for timing belt and then belt itself again twisting slowly under bottom pully , i dont take the pully off as the central bolt is mega tight and then a puller is often needed to then pull the pully off ,once the belt is back on timing marks correct turn the engine over clockwise by hand 2 full revolutions and check timing marks again if all is ok the marks will be in line it will have turned with out problems,the vvt hub should be turn fully clockwise and then the timing mark set, and then the manifold rad shroud and electrics can all be replaced ,new plugs refit coilpacks bolt down refit wiring cam end cover and sensortop engine mount next, bottom hose and the header tank with the p/s tank refitted to it i then use a hose and flush the system through to ensure all old coolant and antifreeze is out refit top hose drain oil fit new filter and new oil ,mix antifreeze and water and fill system up 50/50 mix refit exhaust at down pipe and then recheck everything is reattached ,tight , and were it should be ,and that you have no bits left over
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Then insert keys turn and if you have done the job correctly shell fire up and run perfectly which she did so then wash all the oily hand prints off the wings unless you have wing cover anti scratch cover that fitt over the wings when working on the engine and if you do have these you will no doubt have done this job or similar ,with the muck gone waxed tools sorted and away i thought them calipers look manky so wheels off calipers painted no wheels not back on me then thinks them wheels look crap so up shed quick flat down and resprayed then refitted
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll273/fordracingmondeos/V70%20SE%20AUTO%20ESTATE%20V%20225%20GBF/74.jpg
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All in all 8 days work but thats because i still have my Vectra ST and i am a 24/7 carer for my better half plus the weather was great burnt shoulders so no real rush ,.
And i must add a BIG THANKYOU to LYRON for advice on vvt and a nice chat as well
And the thing now is to try and double the milage
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Some things are not as a book or garage will say to do things ie
I dont remove the bottom pully to much agro when i can do the job with out a little fiddly admitted but beats busting the pully when it wont come off
I dont lock the cams together if the timing marks are all in line when the belt comes off, and the same when it goes back on, and the revolution test is done and there still ok it will be ok, you can use cable ties if you dont have a locking tool and want to stop them moving
Hope this helps in some way Its the first Volvo ive worked on though ive probably dont 100 headgaskets but an engine is an engine wether its in a MINI or V12 DAIMLER or a V70 VOLVo
,, There are no special tools i used, the only thing was a torque wrench, angle gauge and a long reach 14mm socket, The type with 6 sides not a multi spline type, as they break so easily and i would advise that the socket is new ,i managed to bust 2 that i had been using for some time the new one cost me £7.50 from a local tool merchants it sticks out of the top of the bolt hole by about 1/2 inch so i wound tape around it 1/2 inch from the top until it just fit the hole this makes the socket stay square on the bolt head . this socket is about 3 inches long

All the parts i used were from German,Swedish and French autos, branches every where .
The head set being a Victor Reines This is what the place that did my head testing and skim use
The cam belt set is by INA 530 0063 10 RENAULT/VOLVO
The bolts by BGA BK5341 94> 2435cc
I have used GSF for many years now theY stock many parts, what they dont have they get next day ,i have ordered stuff at 4.45 pm and still had it by 1pm the next day, as long as you have your reg no.they will find the part

The special tools they say you need to remove the bottom pully you dont as i said it dont need to come off
And the one to pull the as they call it top head down, i dont use one just steadily tighten each bolt a small amount at a time and it works


SO REALY THE ONLY TOOLS NEEDED FOR THE JOB ARE

Combination spaners 10,11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 ,17mm
Long breaker bar 1/2 inch drive about 24inch long
Torque wrench
Angle guage
Jack and axle stands
Wheel brace
14mm long reach socket
1/4 drive socet set 8mm-17mm
Extension bars 1/2 and 1/4 small and long
Oil filter wrench
Set of star drives must have 20,25.35,40,45 in it
Set allen keys long ones if possible
Drill or grinder to remove poprivets that hold the arch liner
Plastic scraper
Pop rivet gun
A manual for motor

AND THE PARTS I USED

Head set gsf
Head bolts gsf
Cam belt kit gsf
Oil filter halfords
Oil 7lt halfords on offer at the time £7 off and a free set of screwdrivers
Antifreeze 5lt halfords
Plastic gasket local factors
firegum already had this is just exhaust paste
copper slip already had this i put on all thread when refitting
Spark plugs local factors
pop rivets already had but correct ones are main agent

Think thats it.

paul7278
Tuesday 5th June 2012, 22:13
good job mate and nice to see you replaced all the bits and no skimping! Im a manager at a auto factors and the things i hear and see makes me shiver. typical one is im after a cambelt i say what cambelt kit? no just the belt lol.

any way nice job mate!

MIXA
Tuesday 5th June 2012, 22:21
I know what you mean then they wonder why they need a new engine when the tensioner lets go.
It wasnt a cheap job to do all in i think i spent somewere in the regeon of £350=400 but when the average garage wants around 750 to do the same job, ,the best is they have to refit a timing belt ,but because its a new kit they charge for that on top of the head job .

paul7278
Tuesday 5th June 2012, 22:50
well least you can stand back at say you done it! ive had to call the Gates field engineer to so called failed timing belt warranty claims and on there report what a surprise either tensioner not replaced or fitting error. the engineer told me 80% of failure is due to these not the belt.

t5 pete
Tuesday 5th June 2012, 23:14
Brilliant write up and a job well done the thread is fine where it is but would you mind if i moved it into the how to section as its just brilliant info for people wanting to do such job.
Either way im happy.
Cheers

MIXA
Tuesday 5th June 2012, 23:35
no problem Pete if it helps some one else great

V70 Graham
Tuesday 5th June 2012, 23:38
An excellent write up, thank you.

M-R-P
Wednesday 6th June 2012, 00:04
Damn fine writup mate. deserves a few stars next to it and the how - to section will be a better place for this thread ;)

shaun850
Wednesday 6th June 2012, 00:11
I love reading stuff like this, good job.

Did you change the water pump? ( runs and hides)


Shaun

MIXA
Wednesday 6th June 2012, 00:33
No i didnt change the water pump as it was only about 7mths old and still looked and felt like new but would have normaly had the age not been known ,saying that perhaps i should have still changed it , but its only a couple of hrs to do at a later date if it is needed
The next planed job is repair or change tail gate, as the only rust on the car is under the rear window only bubbling at the moment, and spray bumpers were they have been scuffed on the courners previous owner i might add ,and to fit a tailgate rear spoiler.
will do another how to when i do them.
I am a trained motor vehicle refinnisher so hopfully that will be of help to others as paint and bodywork scares people off but if tackled correctly is easy to do ,hopfully no welding will be needed though again if tackeled correctly with the correct kit is not rocket science ,

julek780
Wednesday 6th June 2012, 16:30
Hi Mixa , great write up, i've just had my headgasket change at T Burgess near Hyde at a total cost of £850 which included the water pump.
I've tried doing this before on my S70r so i know how involved it is, as well as the cost of parts.
Good luck with your work, its very pleasing when you've done a good job by yourself.
Julian

kfc
Wednesday 6th June 2012, 18:01
Thanks for the write up, very well written.

shepbomb
Sunday 10th June 2012, 08:59
Excellente write up