My timing belt went while driving down the motorway and engine died. I decided to take the cylinder head of to check the damage. Spent ages trying to get the right size bit that was also long enough to reach the head bolts.
Finally got the spline bit to take off the head today (£24 with postage, what a rip off) could only find one supplier in the UK after two days of browsing the internet.
As expected the valve stems are bent and as a result the head is siezed, cant turn it easily as the valve stem wont go up into its bore (sorry dont know the terminology).
The pistons look ok, I turn the crank shaft with a spanner and they rise and fall, when two are up the other two are midway. There is some stiffness as I turn and it goes slack when the pistons reach the top of the cylinder (from what I remember from working on my Ford many years ago this is normal?). The seals appear good as some coolant water fell into the cylinders and it stayed there without seeping down between the cylinder and piston head.
The only problem I can see with the pistons is the valves when they hit left a semicircular impressions on each piston. These marks are the shape of the valves and about 0.5mm deep at their deepest part.
Finally my questions to those who know a bit about motors, do you think the engine is ok to keep and just replace the head?
Will the impressions on the pistons adversly affect the running of the engine, is it vital to replace or resurface them, or can I leave them?
Also is it OK to reuse the gasket and head bolts as I want to spend as little as possible if I can help it?
Thanks in advance
Ian
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Finally got the spline bit to take off the head today (£24 with postage, what a rip off) could only find one supplier in the UK after two days of browsing the internet.
As expected the valve stems are bent and as a result the head is siezed, cant turn it easily as the valve stem wont go up into its bore (sorry dont know the terminology).
The pistons look ok, I turn the crank shaft with a spanner and they rise and fall, when two are up the other two are midway. There is some stiffness as I turn and it goes slack when the pistons reach the top of the cylinder (from what I remember from working on my Ford many years ago this is normal?). The seals appear good as some coolant water fell into the cylinders and it stayed there without seeping down between the cylinder and piston head.
The only problem I can see with the pistons is the valves when they hit left a semicircular impressions on each piston. These marks are the shape of the valves and about 0.5mm deep at their deepest part.
Finally my questions to those who know a bit about motors, do you think the engine is ok to keep and just replace the head?
Will the impressions on the pistons adversly affect the running of the engine, is it vital to replace or resurface them, or can I leave them?
Also is it OK to reuse the gasket and head bolts as I want to spend as little as possible if I can help it?
Thanks in advance
Ian
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