Saxo head now removed.

2nd September 2012, 18:03

Dear All.
On Thursday, I renewed the crank sensor, to try and rectify the car brea-
king down " losing " power and dying. This so far, seems tobe starting and
running properly now, so hopefully that problem may now be cured.
On Friday, I removed the cylinder head from my daughters 1.4 Saxo auto.
because the car was using a litre of coolant every couple of months, and also
because of the " low " compressions on the middle two cylinders, ie;- Nos 1
and No 4 cylinders are both 170 psi, but the middle two cylinder compress-
ions are, No 2 is 157 psi and No 3 is 165 psi. and both middle spark plugs are
orange rusty colour too.
I have checked with a straight edge, the heights of all of the liners, for
some " protrution " from the cylinder block, of which there seems tobe a small,
but definate amount of clearance.
I have only done a visual, check of the surface of the head, and despite
the car having had a new head gasket, a year and only 7,000 miles ago, I can
see that the head gasket has not been sealing correctly, between the middle
two cylinders. Tomorrow I will be checking the head correctly with a straight
edge and some feeler gauges, so I am expecting to find that the cylinder head
is warped and will need " skimming "
Having lived most of my life in Lincoln and therefore not knowing my way
around down here, I was wondering if anyone could kindly recommend anyone
locally who could skim the head for me

I have tried googling but ot much
comes up.
Many Thanks indeed for any advice would be really great

Vince.

2nd September 2012, 18:06

I'm not reading that.

2nd September 2012, 18:13

Don’t know around there but I always get a head skimmed when doing the gasket

pointless doing it unless you get it dont i think

2nd September 2012, 18:20

[QUOT]pointless doing it unless you get it dont i think [/QUOTE]

pointless wastin money getting it skimmed if its still level

and sorry mate cant help you with that one

2nd September 2012, 18:23

Gosnays... Other side of the puddle but good

2nd September 2012, 18:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigezz

[QUOT]pointless doing it unless you get it dont i think

pointless wastin money getting it skimmed if its still level

and sorry mate cant help you with that one[/QUOTE]

I always do and pressure tested just the way I like to do things

2nd September 2012, 19:45

pretty poinless especially when your changing cr ect for fukk all

2nd September 2012, 19:57

Just know how I like to do a job mate (y)

2nd September 2012, 22:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigezz

pretty poinless especially when your changing cr ect for fukk all

If you take it to a decent machine shop though, they can reface it without taking so many thou off it that affects the Compression ratio to a large degree. I always do that when doing a HG, it gives a good clean surface for the gasket too

4th September 2012, 12:53

Dear All.
Thank-you all very very much for your really kind advice and comments
etc

Yesterday I measured the distortion on the head, with a straight egde and
a pair of feeler gauges, and the gap inbetween no 2 ans no 3 cylinders at a
whopping 7 thou. which is quite alot to say the least.
This morning the chap arrived and I told him what I had found and he has
taken it away to be skimmed, and also supplying us with a full head gasket
set and associated parts and some new stretch bolts aswell.
I will keep you all posted as to how the car is going

Vince.

6th September 2012, 19:39

stretch bolts,is it a rover 25

8th September 2012, 15:40

Dear All.
On Wednesday the very kind people who have been skimming the Saxo,s
cylinder head, brought the head back, which was fantastic service and the
real bonus was that it is all checked out ok and now it looks like a new one

They had checked the " gas tightness " of all of the valves, which I
had lapped-in anyway, and they said the valve seats were really good. So I
am really happy about that.

On Thursday I rebuilt the cylinder head including thread-locking all of the
inlet and exhaust manifold studs, camshaft sprocket bolt and all its, other
important little pieces. I refitted all the valves etc. By the end of play today
I had just " rested " the head on top of the cylider block, ready to start fitting
it back on tomorrow. ( I even managed to remove the idle air valve and cleaned it and the throttle housings with carb cleaner and refitted it with
thread-lock on the screws etc. )_
Yesterday I fitted the rebuilt cylinder head, with the existing, but new ca-
mbelt and waterpump, with new gaskets everywhere and new stretchbolts,
adjusted the valve clearances, new oil and filter etc. by lunchtime I had the
Saxo running and idling perfectly, with her new crank sensor, which I am really
chuffed about that.
All I just have left todo is refit the cambelt covers and fill the cooling system with anti-freeze and bleed the system and fit a new alternator belt.
Today I am having a day off and perusing the saxo forum of course

Anyway, I will keep you all posted with how she progresses and how she
gets on when she is finished.

Vince.

8th September 2012, 15:45

Sounds good mate hope its all fine now

8th September 2012, 16:53

Dear Cam.
Firstly, thanks ever so much Cam,

It is really very very nice to
have such lovely friends on the forum, like yourself Cam

The " proof in the pudding " will be, whilst I have being doing all this work
on her, she has run-out of M.O.T Cam, so whilst I have being doing the work,
I have also had to be looking for things regarding the M.O.T. especially the
emmissions etc etc.
Thankfully all I have found so far was a broken exhaust flange " cup " that
has been over tightened and a loose battery and 2 unserviceable rear number
plate lamps. The battery is now secure and the lamps have been renewed

I just need to locate an exhaust flange " cup ". I think I may try an exhaust
fitters for one of those Cam.
I will keep you posted Cam ok

Vince.

8th September 2012, 17:38

hope all is fixed up mate, with the MOT
How much was the whole headgasket kit?

8th September 2012, 21:14

Dear DUFC.
Firstly, DUFC thank-you and I hope so to

Secondly, The Saxo hasn,t been in for it,s M.O.T as yet, as I am still just
putting the finishing touches to renewing the head gasket.

The garage who do all of my M.O.T,s only charge £ 35.00 ( with no V.A.T
charges ) and with me being " Scottish " that helps.
The costs of the head gasket problem, were as follows;-
To have the head skimmed was £ 45.00 + vat.
The head gasket set was £ 59.00 + vat.
New stretch bolts were £ 15.00 + vat.
Other expenses were 4 litres of engine oil and a new filter, 3 litres of anti-
freeze and a new alternator belt. All in all still not a cheap job, even though,
( apart from the skimming of the head ) I did all the work myself

I hope this helps DUFC, why do you think you will need to have yours done sometime ?
If you need any advice just ask away, I don,t mind

Vince.

8th September 2012, 21:26

Nah mate not necessarily needing it done, (although iv had my fair share of scares from thinking it has gone)

I admire that you done it all yourself, if such a thing were to happen to me, then id have to think twice before doing it myself.