Today has been at times frustrating but overall was productive.
I didn't actually have much work to do in terms of cleaning up the mating surface of the new head. This is what it looked like when I first looked at it. Reckon someone had already made a first pass over this before I got it.
Likewise the block actually wasn't bad at all. Didn't take long at all to get it all cleaned up - though I failed to take a photograph of that stage for either head or block at this stage.
Before I could start building things back up I needed to reset that blasted ratcheting timing chain tensioner.
First step of that is to remove this huge great bolt-like thing, which requires you to remove all but one of the alternator bolts so it can be swung out of the way.
This required the biggest socket in any set I own, but thankfully I did have one big enough.
I had assumed this would bring the whole tensioner out...no, it retains the spring and forms the outer oil seal...but the core of the tensioner (and the bit I needed to remove) was completely separate.
...Which required a 17mm hex bit to remove. Which I didn't have. Biggest I could find in the garage was 12mm. Biggest I could find separately anywhere locally in stock was 12mm...so ended up having to spend £20 on a whole set of 10 sizes just for the 17mm one which was annoying.
It was also biblically tight. Though after hanging off the end of a breaker bar - which was bending worryingly itself - it eventually gave in and came free and could be unscrewed from the block.
One timing chain tensioner assembly.
All this faff so I could do this.
The way it works is that the plunger can move freely from frame right to left, but cannot move the other way. So the only way to back it off is to pull the plunger all the way out and insert it back into the other end of the body. When you screw the outer cap back on with the spring under it, that then applies the correct amount of tension to the chain. In addition to the spring tensioner, there's also a hydraulic circuit built in to push the plunger out...so basically there's a layer of redundancy there in case either the spring or hydraulic system were to fail.
If it didn't involve having to remove the alternator to get at it and require tools beyond what the average DIY mechanic are likely to have to hand I'd call it clever.
Having just got that sorted out it looked like we were making good progre...Oh.
Yeah, then the weather decided to play around which lost me about an hour.
Undeterred though once the skies cleared I got back at it.
No pictures from when I was actually wrangling the new head into position as you'll understand it was quite an awkward job to do myself.
The head bolt torque specs and the bolt tightening sequence were helpfully included with the gasket. Nice touch - I did check online too and they matched up.
However as soon as I dug out the torque wrench I realised I had an additional problem.
Yep...Torque wrench is 3/8" and the Torx bit I had for the head bolts is 1/4". Back out to Halfords *again* to get an adaptor. I knew from prior experience that I didn't have one in the garage...so bought all of the usual suspects suspects so shouldn't run into this problem again.
After what felt like an eternity...
I tell you now though, that last 90 degrees nearly killed me. I was near enough *hanging* off the end of the thing to get there. I will definitely be feeling that from my back in the morning.
Head is torqued up, timing chain sprocket, guides are fitted and the tensioner has been refitted.
I was pretty beat at this point from torquing up the head bolts but wanted to get one last thing done, even though I knew there was no way I'd be getting to a test firing today. I wanted to verify the engine would actually turn over through a full revolution without valves hitting pistons. I had followed the instructions (crank pulley to the O/T mark and the notch on the camshaft level with the head), so it *should* have been fine...but this is the sort of job where I really do feel out of my depth so am questioning everything.
I dumped a pint or so of oil over the camshaft so everything was lubed up (in addition to the smear of grease I put there when I put it together), then got a socket on the crank pulley...and it turned over absolutely fine. No unpleasant noises, binding or anything...so there's hope for me having got that bit right.
Next up:
[] Set ignition timing (as I suspect it's a mile out now as I'm sure the chain jumped a few teeth while it was loose.
[] Check and adjust valve clearances. I did ponder doing that before it went on the car.
[] Put the spark plugs in.
[] Bolt inlet manifold to support bracket.
[] Reattach exhaust.
[] Reattach fuel flow and return lines.
[] Hook back up 384756392 vacuum lines.
[] Reconnect gearbox kick down cable (NOT throttle cable, it has to go on after the rocker cover).
[] Cobble together a throttle return spring (I mangled the original one removing the head).
[] Clean antifreeze crud off water pump & any other areas where it's an issue.
[] Bolt thermostat housing back on.
[] Reattach alternator & set belt tension.
[] Check torque of camshaft sprocket bolt.
[] Bolt the suspension hydraulic pump back on.
[] Temporarily hook up HT leads (they'll need to come off again to refit the rocker cover).
[] Replace oil filter.
[] Flush out any debris in the sump with some diesel.
[] Refill engine oil.
[] Refill cooling system.
[] Refit battery.
Then we should be able to see if it will run and confirm we've got good oil flow to the camshaft and no nasty noises.
If all seems well with that brief test...
[] Refit rocker cover.
[] Reconnect throttle cable.
[] Refit HT leads and their guide channel.
[] Refit air cleaner.
Plus probably half a dozen things I've forgotten.
...Then we should be able to do a proper test.
Between the original problem possibly not being the head and my own cack handedness there's plenty of scope for us being right back where we started.
Place your bets!
