Snowflake

[Tkeenan2107]

Anyone care to tell me if this looks right?



Starting stripping down the engine iv recently purchased and inside the air box if you will this is what was there

[craigyboy]

Looks like the cylinder head gasket needs replaced mate

[Tkeenan2107]

Looks like the cylinder head gasket needs replaced mate

Cheers Craig, thought it would be, seen a few people have a look at the thread so either they didn't know or didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, I'm looking to rebuild the engine to the best I can never doing it before, but replacing the head gasket, in fact to that note all gaskets will be getting replaced, along with new belts, water pump, new plugs too, this is how I pulled the plugs out, everyone was like this was told because the engine has been moved about but surely not

[Allys Cally]

Could be your head gasket

although if there's excess pressure it would suggest H/G failure, Have you done a sniffer test?

Head gasket mate, as I said earlier in your post I had the exact same symptoms, get it tested to make sure, but i'm going with the head gaskets gone.

no offence mate but the head gasket was mentioned a few times at the beginning of the thread

[Tkeenan2107]

No offence pal but if read correctly you will see that today's pics are of the new engine I recently purchased not the one that's already in it

[Allys Cally]

apologes mate i thought that was the engine that was in it, so now you have two engines probably with the same problem?

[Tkeenan2107]

yep, possibly, but hey ho took a chance just have to see if replacing the headgasket will solve it? the engine is getting fully stripped new gaskets for everything, new belts and water pump and few other bits and bobs, wouldn't have a clue what to look for when it comes to cams and pistons so going to leave them in, get it all stripped and cleaned then some bits painted, really just hope I don't come to put it back together put it in and it work out the head has gone.

[craigyboy]

Terry,when you take the head off check to see if it needs skimmed
and get it pressure tested.If its damaged you can pick up another
head for a x20xev cheap enough.

[Phill]

this is how I pulled the plugs out, everyone was like this was told because the engine has been moved about but surely not

[/quote]


Hi pal, The plastic rocker cover is crap and will leak oil in to the spark plugs. I went through 7 gaskets and bought a new rocker cover for my old ecotec and it still leaked. What i would say is get a rocker cover gasket from vauxhall as the gasket and rings that came with the rocker cover was more supple and was a better quality than auto shop parts. I also tried to clean the oil breather on the under side of the old rocker cover ( the one that connects to the throttle body ). It's a sealed unit and if partially blocked could cause the pressure to build in the rocker and force the oil out the gasket. This is just from my experience ( and boring with endless questions as to why it's still leaking ) with my ecotec.

[Tkeenan2107]

Terry,when you take the head off check to see if it needs skimmed
and get it pressure tested.If its damaged you can pick up another
head for a x20xev cheap enough.

How would I go about checking to see if it does need skimming? And can I pressure test it without it being in the car? At the moment iv got it on a make shift stand.

Hi pal, The plastic rocker cover is crap and will leak oil in to the spark plugs. I went through 7 gaskets and bought a new rocker cover for my old ecotec and it still leaked. What i would say is get a rocker cover gasket from vauxhall as the gasket and rings that came with the rocker cover was more supple and was a better quality than auto shop parts. I also tried to clean the oil breather on the under side of the old rocker cover ( the one that connects to the throttle body ). It's a sealed unit and if partially blocked could cause the pressure to build in the rocker and force the oil out the gasket. This is just from my experience ( and boring with endless questions as to why it's still leaking ) with my ecotec.

Is the rocker cover plastic? Is they no other type? Are the z20let covers the same? The engine in my car is past it so trying to rebuild the spare engine as fast as I can but its to the £££££££, and everything else that keeps cropping up like the exhaust

[craigyboy]

Terry get a straight edge and put it across the base of the cylinder head
there should be no gaps.Check with a feeler gauge to make sure it can't
get under the straight edge,If it does the head needs skimmed.
To get the head skimmed and the valves re seated will cost around about
£100

[Tkeenan2107]

mmmmmmm think I may need to re-evaluate my decision making now, I was told that the engine was sound and now it turns out its not so bit peed off, its not something I had planned to have done, nor the extra money spent when a hundred other things need replacing, with it being my one and only car its my daily so don't have the luxury of being able to work on it when ever. really peed off now and at this moment in time my thoughts are to just scrap it.

[craigyboy]

If you get the head checked out and buy a complete gasket set
timing belt kit and water pump I think that will be the problem
solved,then you could swap the engine over a weekend.
DONT GO SCRAPPING IT

[Tkeenan2107]

scrapping seems to be the better option at the minute craig, and im normally against it but theres just soooo much that needs doing, and I know theres people out there that just say it wouldn't be a calibre or a Vauxhall without problems, but not this many, the body work has rust spots all over which I think are becoming bad, the engine that's in is knackered, I need to carry 6 2litre bottles in the boot because within 4-5 hours its either leaked out or consumed it, the headlights are knacked I ended up in a ditch as I couldn't see the road, iv no reverse lights at present due to needing a switch, I bought the other engine to strip clean up rebuild and put it in but at his moment in time its looking like to much hassle for me to have the same sort of problems iv got with my existing, then theres the suspension front shocks are knackered and I mean knackered, but because iv been driving it still and with all the speed bumps around here and pot holes iv done damage to I believe the track rod end, front brakes are shocking when braking it like being on a bumps street with the amount of vibration through the pedal and steering, handbrake none existant, cant get 1, 2 or reverse 80% of the time especially gearing down. clutch is extremely high, exhaust snapped yesterday, sunroof doesn't work, just found out the heaters don't work correctly you position it to be on you and it still blows to the bottom and only out of one of the top vents, iv only 3 studs holding the drivers wheel on due to one being snapped off, and tyres could really really do with changing so im starting to think its better off being scrapped as I really don't have the sort of cash it needs right at this moment in time and again with it being my daily its a bit pants, but no doubt theres someone reading this thinkin just buy another car! well we all don't live off mummy and daddy now do we.

[rich30mex]

The problems are not major the car is running at the min so strip the engine and rebuild (as was your plans anyway) a compleat gasket set for the xev is not dear

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 13&alt=web

get 4 part worn road leagle tyres about 40 quid for near me or ring motorhog in Doncaster part warn will last 6 months at least

If I remember rightly tosh said he had a set off struts for you off the mamba


I have 2 sets off headlights I'll lend u one till you get sorted

As for the gears have you looked at the linkage or tryed to adjust the cable see if that helps

And get the exhaust temp welded till funds are better that should keep you mobile for a few monthes for less than £100 and a bit off hard work

There's a place in Rotherham called Rotherham rebore he will pressure test and check the head for cracks and also skim it if it needs doing he's sh1t hot been there years up near Tivoli

If I didn't have so much on I would sort it but got way too much on at the min I can give you an hour here and there that's about it mate
And as for the body work like I said Saturday rub it down and primer it up your going to have it professionally painted anyway so it's more a case off stopping it going any ferther than it is making it look good for the time been pal