NiftyNev
Member
Arrggh. One of those days you don't really want to have. Or at least your bank balance doesn't. I have been having coolant disappearing, trouble starting and loosing power for a while, and was getting difficult to start and turn over after sitting for a while in the last few months. So I bit the bullet and ordered a new head and VRS kit in preparation for hopefully a quick head change.
Stripped the engine down in a few hours, most problems I had was not surprisingly with the exhaust/turbo studs, snapped two of them even with heat and as much penetr8 as I could muster, but, not a big deal. Found a split hose on my intake post turbo, so that explains where my 4psi of boost that I have been missing has bee going, it was hiding under a hoseclamp where I couldn't see it, so that was a positive to find. Also once I got the heat shield off the exhaust I found that cyl. #1 was missing both its exhaust studs.... and they were not snapped, so must have rattled out at some point. I don't mind finding these things, as it means the old girl will be happier when I put her back together again, and doesn't cost me bugger all.
Anyway... I got around to pulling the head off, injectors out etc. Injectors don't look flash at all to the untrained eye, but I will get them tested and see if they go alright. But I am not holding my breath. Glowplugs... now this is where all my problems start. #3 and #4 have both shattered the tips, and had the bits bouncing around the cylinders. So now the bore is rooted on both of them, which means whole block out and machined. Not what I was hoping for when I was thinking I would have the old girl off the road for just a few days. Now comes the drama of trying to find a hoist, get a gearbox off the back by myself, and the expense of the piston/ring combo etc. There goes the rest of the months renovations on the house.....
At least I will get to replace that rear seal now that has been leaking, and perhaps the clutch that has been playing up. More money. FML.
Anyway, just wanted to vent, after my head is hurting from trying to drown my sorrows last night. And warm people... check your glow plugs more regularly than you might... it could save you a lot of money...
Off to beg on the street in the rain for spare change for my engine...
Stripped the engine down in a few hours, most problems I had was not surprisingly with the exhaust/turbo studs, snapped two of them even with heat and as much penetr8 as I could muster, but, not a big deal. Found a split hose on my intake post turbo, so that explains where my 4psi of boost that I have been missing has bee going, it was hiding under a hoseclamp where I couldn't see it, so that was a positive to find. Also once I got the heat shield off the exhaust I found that cyl. #1 was missing both its exhaust studs.... and they were not snapped, so must have rattled out at some point. I don't mind finding these things, as it means the old girl will be happier when I put her back together again, and doesn't cost me bugger all.
Anyway... I got around to pulling the head off, injectors out etc. Injectors don't look flash at all to the untrained eye, but I will get them tested and see if they go alright. But I am not holding my breath. Glowplugs... now this is where all my problems start. #3 and #4 have both shattered the tips, and had the bits bouncing around the cylinders. So now the bore is rooted on both of them, which means whole block out and machined. Not what I was hoping for when I was thinking I would have the old girl off the road for just a few days. Now comes the drama of trying to find a hoist, get a gearbox off the back by myself, and the expense of the piston/ring combo etc. There goes the rest of the months renovations on the house.....
At least I will get to replace that rear seal now that has been leaking, and perhaps the clutch that has been playing up. More money. FML.
Anyway, just wanted to vent, after my head is hurting from trying to drown my sorrows last night. And warm people... check your glow plugs more regularly than you might... it could save you a lot of money...
Off to beg on the street in the rain for spare change for my engine...
