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[Abiton]

Unfortunately it would appear to be going into pot number 4. 

Been suffering steadily increasing coolant loss for quite a while now, coupled with things like the matrix popping, and radiator springing a leak.  Writing was on the wall I guess.  161K, original HG to the best of my knowledge.

Just started being a bit ropey for the first 30 seconds after start-up; the early stages of hydro-locking I fear.

Anyway, having failed to spot any bubbles in the expansion tank, or whiff of exhaust fumes from there; today I whipped the plugs out one by one and shone my mini-maglite down into the cylinders.  All dry except No.4, which had definite wetness sitting on the piston crown.  Dipped a tissue-wrapped stick down there and although there's a tad of oil, it's mostly coolant...

Bother.

A bit on? Yep

Anyone fancy helping me change it? 

Pete

Edit: Off out to drown my sorrows now, but please, if anyone has experience of 4-pot HG changes, please let me know if you'd be interested in helping.

[TheBoy]

You'll be pleased to know its a fairly easy job on 2.0l

Best advice its to make notes of every bolt you remove so you get it all back properly

[Abiton]

Thanks for those words of encouragement TB.

It might be an easy job for a lot of folk who post on here, but it's going to be an immense and scary mission for me. 

I just checked through my receipts and found that the cambelt and tensioner (and waterpump) were changed almost exactly two years ago and 23K miles ago, (by Vx).  I guess that means that a new belt and tensioner is going to be on my shopping list, as well as everything else.  Madness to re-use the tensioner, bearing in mind that I wouldn't expect this car to survive beyond another couple of years' use??

Is there a guide on here anywhere for 4-pot HG change?  Can't think I've seen one, but haven't really searched around yet.

Thanks in advance for any tips and tricks. 

[Darth Loo-knee]

Quiet suprised being honest the head hasket has gone in such a short time

[Abiton]

Quiet suprised being honest the head hasket has gone in such a short time

 :-?
161K miles was quite good going on a 4-pot, I thought?  It was the cambelt stuff that was only done recently-ish, not the HG.

[NaughtyNigel]

Are there any 'Must Replace' parts when changing head gaskets apart from the obvious? (2.5 V6)

The Haynes manual reccomends changing the cylinder head studs. Would it be a good idea to change the Oil Cooler whilst everything is apart? The cam belt and rollers seem obvious ones.

Is it still neccessary to change the valve guide oil seals? And what about the valve springs themselves?

(I should, at this point, come clean and admit that the last car engine I completely rebuilt was an Austin Maxi 1750 HL in the late 1970s.)

NN

[Abiton]

Well I'm busy assembling my shopping list, using Haynes as a guide.  Think I'm going to remove inlet mani, but leave exhaust one attached as it had a new gasket not long ago and I'd rather not disturb it.

New cam sprocket bolts seem to be required as they're an angle-tighten item.  New camshaft oil seals are suggested, but I'm not sure on that one, definitely no leaks there right now.

No idea on the V6 engine Nige, but there's a guide on the maintenance section.

I'd be hugely grateful if someone volunteered to help me get the (new) cambelt on right when I re-assemble.  That is, assuming that head and block damage doesn't rear its ugly head and make it a write-off, once I get to look in there...

Loving the way Haynes says on page 2B.10, paragraph 4 "Remove the timing belt as described in Section 7. Prior to releasing the timing belt tension and removing the belt, rotate the cranskshaft backwards by approximately 60°..." [My emphasis]

You'd be sick as a pig if you removed the belt and then read that next sentence. 

Edit: Sooo tempting to try some snake oil...http://www.steelseal.co.uk/index.asp?function=DISPLAYPRODUCT&productid=1
 

[tunnie]

Quiet suprised being honest the head hasket has gone in such a short time

 :-?
161K miles was quite good going on a 4-pot, I thought?  It was the cambelt stuff that was only done recently-ish, not the HG.

161k is good for a 4 pot, mines on 119k and orginal one.

Hope my lasts as long as yours!

As said, its easier on 4pots due to loads of space, and its pritty easy to work on.

[NaughtyNigel]

Very few garages seem to want to touch head gaskets these days at any price. Either life is too easy for them or they don't have the spannermen to do the work.

When I enquired locally I was told "what's the point - you could get two grand for scrappage". 

I would have thought a 2.0 or 2.2 should be able to cover 150,000 miles or more without too many problems. My old 1.6 Cavalier had done well over 110,000 miles when I sold it, and it was still going strong three years later - albeit with a bit of blue smoke on the overrun. 

I have heard of several 2.5 V6s which have covered well in excess of 250,000 miles as well, although I don't know how many head gaskets they went through in that time. 

NN

[tunnie]

Very few garages seem to want to touch head gaskets these days at any price. Either life is too easy for them or they don't have the spannermen to do the work.

When I enquired locally I was told "what's the point - you could get two grand for scrappage". 

I would have thought a 2.0 or 2.2 should be able to cover 150,000 miles or more without too many problems. My old 1.6 Cavalier had done well over 110,000 miles when I sold it, and it was still going strong three years later - albeit with a bit of blue smoke on the overrun. 

I have heard of several 2.5 V6s which have covered well in excess of 250,000 miles as well, although I don't know how many head gaskets they went through in that time. 

NN

That scheme is just 'dangle berries', car companies are so hard up, if you just walked in off the street you can get MORE than that off without giving them anything.

[NaughtyNigel]

Very few garages seem to want to touch head gaskets these days at any price. Either life is too easy for them or they don't have the spannermen to do the work.

When I enquired locally I was told "what's the point - you could get two grand for scrappage". 

I would have thought a 2.0 or 2.2 should be able to cover 150,000 miles or more without too many problems. My old 1.6 Cavalier had done well over 110,000 miles when I sold it, and it was still going strong three years later - albeit with a bit of blue smoke on the overrun. 

I have heard of several 2.5 V6s which have covered well in excess of 250,000 miles as well, although I don't know how many head gaskets they went through in that time. 

NN

That scheme is just 'dangle berries', car companies are so hard up, if you just walked in off the street you can get MORE than that off without giving them anything.

The pount is, I wouldn't want to scrap the miggie anyway. I haven't looked after it for ten years just to scrap it.

Problem is, none of the garages seem willing or able to do anything more than an oil change these days. 

NN

[arlee219]

I'm having similar problem, although there arte no traces of oil or petrol in the coolant tank. Loosing water and having to refill the tank every 2-3 days. Enormous pressure in the pipe (hard to squeeze). Believe it's a HG seal. Willing very much to change it, but first need to find a place in Brum that can skim the head. Otherwise I might ending up with giving the car away...

[Miggy24]

Mine has 185,500 on the clock and still going but it is the 8v engine

[NaughtyNigel]

I'm having similar problem, although there arte no traces of oil or petrol in the coolant tank. Loosing water and having to refill the tank every 2-3 days. Enormous pressure in the pipe (hard to squeeze). Believe it's a HG seal. Willing very much to change it, but first need to find a place in Brum that can skim the head. Otherwise I might ending up with giving the car away...

Brum of all places should have it's fair share of engineering shops well capable of doing this work. The same shops usually do crank regrinds and cylinder rebores, which should help your search in Yellow Pages!

Otherwise, try asking at a good motorcycle shop, as bikes tend to need reboring rather more often than cars in my experience. 

NN

[deviator]

Head bolts are worth replacing, you can measure them and re-use, but for the costs, just buy them new.

I would change the cambelt regardless, for the sake of £30 it's silly not to. If you had the tensioners done 23k ago, they should be fine. You didn't mention you water pump, if you are doing the belt - change the pump at the same time, unless that is a recent one. If you go for new rocker gaskets, save the troubles I had and get genuine ones only the pat parts are shocking and the half-moons just don't seal.

I am assuming you have a V6 here? Although both are mentioned in the thread.