pete_griff 0 Posted January 1, 2008 aawwww - i tucked my engine up for the night! do you think james may would be a fan of the way i've "organised" my tools?! - seems the more time the car has spent there, the more my kit has exploded everywhere :oops: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted January 2, 2008 Yeah the tools get everywhere when doing jobs like that! Those plastic guide rails always go like that, but at least it can be changed without dropping the box! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fla 9 Posted January 2, 2008 Griff, you're prob right, i'll swop the heads over, rather than messing with this one. Can i use the other caps and valves in teh replacement head - i'm picking one up soon off a friend, but i thought i'd replace teh other stems and valves while i'm at it. The chain guide broek in exactly the same place as mine and i think this is what caused the chain to break. Is there not an uprated part available? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pete_griff 0 Posted January 2, 2008 Griff, you're prob right, i'll swop the heads over, rather than messing with this one. Can i use the other caps and valves in teh replacement head - i'm picking one up soon off a friend, but i thought i'd replace teh other stems and valves while i'm at it. The chain guide broek in exactly the same place as mine and i think this is what caused the chain to break. Is there not an uprated part available? don't think so mate - you're right they are pretty crap - they are only plastic and when they've been in an engine for ages with hot oil/chains running over them it's no wonder they go brittle and crack with age - guess it's a good idea to maybe rip the cover off every 3 or 4 services and just check the chains/guides out - only a bit of instant gasket to seal the cover up, so if you're planning on holding onto the engine for a while... you should get away with using the caps off the replacement head with your cams, but obviously check them for any obscure wear/pitting and/or raised surfaces before slapping your camshaft in, & the same with your camshaft - might be a good idea to get the least abrasive scotchbrite you can and run it over the surfaces of the caps/camshaft/head just to help it all bed in when you start it up again. probably a sensible move to replace all the valves/guides as well if you're planning on keeping the car with that engine in it for the forseeable future - at least there are only 12 and not 24! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fla 9 Posted January 2, 2008 Well i'm hopefully taking Haywires spare head so that will save a lot of faffing around. Still, the block will be inspected thoroughly before reassembly. Your pictures are invaluable. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pete_griff 0 Posted January 2, 2008 glad i can help buddy :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pete_griff 0 Posted January 5, 2008 hooray - my car works again and is on all four wheels! - only snag now is that now i've also put a new coilpack on it and had the head steamcleaned the leads are arking onto the head - have wrapped the metal in a V thin layer of insulation tape and got the leads securely on the plugs and as central as possible, but they are still very faintly doing it (you can see it in darkness) - i'm guessing that means new leads now i've got a new coilpack and plugs as well... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zak 0 Posted July 26, 2008 Pete just read through your thread, love the makeshift workshop in the kitchen :lol: I noticed that one of your head bolts sheared in the block, how did you get it out in the end? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
