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[PeddyP]

Evening Folks!

Well after owning and loving my first Vauxhall for 3 weeks... It's dead!!
It was all going So well. Engine was beautiful/flawless and absolutely silent on tick-over. For the last week or so I'd noticed that a teensy tapping noise had appeared only on tick-over. Nothing concerning as it was minute but now I've been informed this may have been... THE TICK OF DOOOOOM!!! lol

Anyways, having myself a nice cruise down a plain simple flat dual carriageway in moderate traffic at about 60-65mph at low revs and I notice my temp warning light was on and temp gauge had hit the roof!! I immediately cut the engine off and rolled to a stop.
After sitting around for the AA to come n save for 1:30 minutes they took me tons safe layby, filled the water back up and I fired her up. Straight away it got (what i presume to be) piston lock then started, sounding very unhappy and there was Niagra falls coming out of my lovely Powerflow system and the clear smell of fuel poofing out of my coolant tank...

This to me screamed headgasket failure but I may be wrong...

My question is, given the facilities, is it easier/quicker to drop the engine out to do the work?!

It's a really clean car and also my new daily driver so I'd love to see her up n running ASAP!!

Any help would be appreciated guys. I've already started stripping the engines intake route and a few other bits n bobs...

Thanks in advance, Pedro 

[The Red Baron]

tbh pedro its not a too hard a job in situ. not long since done the wifes 3l elite.

what year is it by the way??.

[PeddyP]

It's a V-Reg bud. To be honest I wanted to modify a few things while I was there and the engine bay seems fairly tight...

I wanted to blank/remove any EGR existence, Possibly remove complete AC system, fit uprated oil coolers, do something with that hideous "trident like" air intake gizmo and heatwrap/protect a few things... I understand that these cars running hot is fairly common but Heat can always be beat 

[jonathanh]

hmm - where was the water from? back of the engine?  could be HBV.

as to modifying a few things- up to you but if you remove the trident like air intake performance will degrade.  its purpose is to keep smooth power delivery across the speed range and taking it out will cause all sort of flat spots. 

i think you are more "trident" like with it removed and working properly it is more " tristar" like.  (i.e. it may not be moderns but working properly it will pull like anything

[PeddyP]

hmm - where was the water from? back of the engine?  could be HBV.

as to modifying a few things- up to you but if you remove the trident like air intake performance will degrade.  its purpose is to keep smooth power delivery across the speed range and taking it out will cause all sort of flat spots. 

i think you are more "trident" like with it removed and working properly it is more " tristar" like.  (i.e. it may not be moderns but working properly it will pull like anything

What do you mean about the water? It was pouring out the exhaust in clouds of steam and when I ran the engine with the coolant cap removed there was pressure/clouds of vapour coming out of the tank matching the revs and smelt very much like petrol!

Yes I understand Standard is often best when it comes to things as developed as the Trident (What's it called btw?) but I've seen a resonator box on eBay recently and apparantly it removes the standard system and surely shortens the air-travel time?!

[Entwood]

hmm - where was the water from? back of the engine?  could be HBV.

as to modifying a few things- up to you but if you remove the trident like air intake performance will degrade.  its purpose is to keep smooth power delivery across the speed range and taking it out will cause all sort of flat spots. 

i think you are more "trident" like with it removed and working properly it is more " tristar" like.  (i.e. it may not be moderns but working properly it will pull like anything

What do you mean about the water? It was pouring out the exhaust in clouds of steam and when I ran the engine with the coolant cap removed there was pressure/clouds of vapour coming out of the tank matching the revs and smelt very much like petrol!

Yes I understand Standard is often best when it comes to things as developed as the Trident (What's it called btw?) but I've seen a resonator box on eBay recently and apparantly it removes the standard system and surely shortens the air-travel time?!

But ensures that hot air is drawn in .. hot air has a lower density, so has less mass. Engines require a MASS of air and a MASS of fuel  (thats why its called a MASS AIR FLOW sensor MAF) .. not volume. The arrangement as designed ensures 2 things ... the air coming in is as cold as possible as it comes right from the front of the system, the air coming in is at as high a pressure as possible due to the ram air effect at speed ... (you might think thats wrong given the angle of the intake, but it is correct .. the airflow hits the radiator and builds up a pressure wave , which is directed down the air intake).  "air travel time" .. whatever that is .. makes not an iota of difference to power... the only thing that matters is MASS ... and MASS is a function of temperature and pressure .... (See Boyle's Law and Charles's Laws ) 

Just think ... why use a turbo ?...(increased mass but hot) ... and why put an intercooler on the turbo ?? (remove the heat to give high pressure cold air ..= maximum MASS)