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After checking valve clearance, it was time to remove the AVCS and exhaust cams. This turned out to be incredibly challenging.
I had previously ordered the special Company 23 tools to lock the cams in place, however, even with the correct sprocket on my break bar, and the AVCS tool, the cam sprocket bolt threads gave way and stripped under the torque. The meant that the bolt wasn't going anywhere.
There was only one thing for it....break out the MIG welder and weld the Torx socket onto the cam bolt. With a friend holding the cam tool, I was able to literally hang off the breaker bar (13 stone of body weight!) and the bolt finally cracked loose.
Don't worry about the colour change of the AVCS cam sprocket, its just the bolt welded in place you need to focus on!
After using all the tools, the cam sprockets came free and the plastic rear timing covers could be removed.
The timing belt and all pulleys and belt tensioner were removed and I could then use the factory service manual to remove the cam cap cover bolts. The cams then slid out. Its important to keep the engine standing on its side in the engine crane, so you can work on it like a flat table. That way when you remove the cams, the bucket shims don't fall out. Its critical to keep these in the same order as they determine your valve clearance!!!
There seemed to be large areas of damage to the actual cam shafts. Although not on the bearing or contact surfaces, Im at a loss as to how this happened.
Minor impingement damage on the head combustion chamber surfaces. Im getting the impression something was bouncing around in number 2 cylinder. As all the rings were tight, it must be some foreign material or perhaps part of the cam???
Once the cams were out, I was able to slacken the head bolts - MAKE SURE you do this in the factory sequence, to avoid distortion of the heads. I kept them in order and placed them in a cardboard template to keep them in original position Because I have ARP 2000 head studs instead of factory bolts, you need to remove the securing cap first, then remove the heads, then you can use a Torx socket to remove the studs from the deck.
Water pump was removed as well as thermostat housing.
Then the oil pumps also. No signs of damage.
Internal of oil pump shown above.
Serious discolouration.
Very bad wear to number 2 cylinder. Looks again like foreign material bouncing about in there.
Once everything was removed, it was time to open the wrist pin covers. Rotate the crank until you can see the circle and use pliers to remove it.
Do this for all 4 pins. Then I found the easiest way is to use a home made special tool....a long socket extension ground down. Then, hammer through on the back side of the wrist pin passing through the crank case to hammer it out for each cylinder. This was TOUGH. As I write the blog, Im still having aches and pains from all the cut hands, stiff back and arms. With the crane I manage to rotate the block around but it still takes longer than you think. Plus the oil separator plate in the flywheel housing is brittle....and one screw bolt did break. Yet another part to add to the rebuild list.
The trick is to use enough force to get the screws out without cracking the separator plate. It will probably crack. £25 pounds through Import car parts......
Its the wrist pin out, push down on the piston and rotate it slightly then rotate the crank and this will pop the head of the piston out of the deck.
You are left with the con road in the bore. Be careful not to let it knock on the liners too much. Cover it in a rag. Or if your getting a hone, just be careful it doesn't crack the liner.
Trust me you need plenty of space. This is pretty much the full engine down to the casing spread out in a single car garage.
Next up is to remove the casing bolts to allow you to split the case and remove the crank. My 1/2' 12 point 12mm socket is too big to fit into the water chamber space between the liners, so yet again, another return to the tool store is needed to get a 1/4' socket! If you think you have all the tools you need, trust me you don't!!
I think the rear crank shaft oil seal was starting to go anyway, that would explain the sludge around the bell housing, as the oil mixed with the clutch dust. Ill update again once I get the tools and split the casing this week.
Not that it matters now that he engine is knackered, but I checked the piston wall-to-skirt clearances and ring gap and butt clearances as I removed each piston. It just gives you a good insight into what went wrong and which units are in spec still.
Ill take a full set of measurements for ovality before splitting the block too. This will let me determine if any cylinders are out of roundness. Its better to do this with the casing in a fully torqued condition as this give a truer reflection of the readings.
I had previously ordered the special Company 23 tools to lock the cams in place, however, even with the correct sprocket on my break bar, and the AVCS tool, the cam sprocket bolt threads gave way and stripped under the torque. The meant that the bolt wasn't going anywhere.
There was only one thing for it....break out the MIG welder and weld the Torx socket onto the cam bolt. With a friend holding the cam tool, I was able to literally hang off the breaker bar (13 stone of body weight!) and the bolt finally cracked loose.
Don't worry about the colour change of the AVCS cam sprocket, its just the bolt welded in place you need to focus on!
After using all the tools, the cam sprockets came free and the plastic rear timing covers could be removed.
The timing belt and all pulleys and belt tensioner were removed and I could then use the factory service manual to remove the cam cap cover bolts. The cams then slid out. Its important to keep the engine standing on its side in the engine crane, so you can work on it like a flat table. That way when you remove the cams, the bucket shims don't fall out. Its critical to keep these in the same order as they determine your valve clearance!!!
Once the cams were out, I was able to slacken the head bolts - MAKE SURE you do this in the factory sequence, to avoid distortion of the heads. I kept them in order and placed them in a cardboard template to keep them in original position Because I have ARP 2000 head studs instead of factory bolts, you need to remove the securing cap first, then remove the heads, then you can use a Torx socket to remove the studs from the deck.
Then the oil pumps also. No signs of damage.
Serious discolouration.
Very bad wear to number 2 cylinder. Looks again like foreign material bouncing about in there.
Once everything was removed, it was time to open the wrist pin covers. Rotate the crank until you can see the circle and use pliers to remove it.
Do this for all 4 pins. Then I found the easiest way is to use a home made special tool....a long socket extension ground down. Then, hammer through on the back side of the wrist pin passing through the crank case to hammer it out for each cylinder. This was TOUGH. As I write the blog, Im still having aches and pains from all the cut hands, stiff back and arms. With the crane I manage to rotate the block around but it still takes longer than you think. Plus the oil separator plate in the flywheel housing is brittle....and one screw bolt did break. Yet another part to add to the rebuild list.
The trick is to use enough force to get the screws out without cracking the separator plate. It will probably crack. £25 pounds through Import car parts......
You are left with the con road in the bore. Be careful not to let it knock on the liners too much. Cover it in a rag. Or if your getting a hone, just be careful it doesn't crack the liner.
Trust me you need plenty of space. This is pretty much the full engine down to the casing spread out in a single car garage.
Ill take a full set of measurements for ovality before splitting the block too. This will let me determine if any cylinders are out of roundness. Its better to do this with the casing in a fully torqued condition as this give a truer reflection of the readings.
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