removing the head and cam towers

[bigsi]

ok, i concede defeat, my head is now hurting big time with the amount of info i have shoved into it today.

i have spoken with splashout for a while and after going back to the manual totally lost it all again..

i guess its the fear of doing more damage to the car by working on it without understanding what im doing or where im going.

I really need to get the head off to check the valves so i can decide if its worth replacing one or two valves and doing the shims or to just bite the bullet and replace the whole thing with one already set up by gary kemp.

im not scared of doing the work, just the damage i may casue by not doing things correctly.

heres what i understand so far.

1: drain oil out of cam towers by using my oil syringe

2: figure out how to get the pistons to tdc then back 1 turn ( i understand the put something down either cyl 1 or 4 and rotate so it goes up and down then get it half way i think)

3: remove timing belt (this bit is really throwing me)

4: i need a special bit to undo the bolts in the cam towers

5: do i need a special one to undo the head assy?

6: after removal carefully place on clean surface and begin to strip and clean up everything. i intend to use a home jet steamer i have got to do this along with carbon remover gunk

keep all items with their respective valves tappets etc.

do all this without hitting or damaging my damn finger again ( no wise crack troy!! i have only hit the damn thing about 20 odd times so far) its a wonder it still works..

if theres anything else you guys can think of let me know as im now at a loss and im more than likely going to cause more damage by not knowing.

thanks as always

si

Edited January 29, 2007 by bigsi

[bigsi]

right here we go!

had a busy day the sun shone and i started again, got loads done before i really made a big mistake!.

undoing a really stiff bolt , my hand covered in grease slipped off the ratchet and i hit my bad finger into the car with a massive force, then a big crack! seems my joint popped so now its back in the splints again with bruised tandons.

as you can see i got a lot done but nothing conclusive.

i also got so far and basically chickened out of doing any more a: due to the finger and b: because im a coward.

pics follow

notice the lovely throttle spring attatched a bit stretched and does it really need to be there or is this a botched addon?

also notice the lovely crap in the coolant inlets behind the carbs, i dont think this thing was ever flushed.

[yeller77]

I really need to get the head off to check the valves so i can decide if its worth replacing one or two valves and doing the shims or to just bite the bullet and replace the whole thing with one already set up by gary kemp.

im not scared of doing the work, just the damage i may casue by not doing things correctly.

heres what i understand so far.

1: drain oil out of cam towers by using my oil syringe

2: figure out how to get the pistons to tdc then back 1 turn ( i understand the put something down either cyl 1 or 4 and rotate so it goes up and down then get it half way i think)

3: remove timing belt (this bit is really throwing me)

4: i need a special bit to undo the bolts in the cam towers

5: do i need a special one to undo the head assy?

6: after removal carefully place on clean surface and begin to strip and clean up everything. i intend to use a home jet steamer i have got to do this along with carbon remover gunk

keep all items with their respective valves tappets etc.

if theres anything else you guys can think of let me know as im now at a loss and im more than likely going to cause more damage by not knowing.

thanks as always

si

First, invest in some "Mechanix wear" gloves.

The timing marks on the flywheel and/or front cover should get you to TDC along with (I think) the dots on the cam pulleys when lined up. The 910 has a 3 in. stroke so I should think if you stick a dowel in a plug hole and move/bump the crank to displace another 1.5 in. it should get you half-way, and should be pretty close to the same measurement on all holes at that point. Belt tensioner is an eccentric bearing, back off/turn to ease the belt and it should slip off the aux and cam pulleys. May be a good idea to grease pencil the cam and aux pulley orientation if working on them in other than TDC. The brass hex plugs expose the cam tower bolts of which all but 2 are torx HEAD (male) for which you need torx (female) sockets. Most any full service auto part or tool house has them, you end up getting a set, I forget which size you need ("E10-E14"?). JAE over here has a nice ARP 12 pt. replacement set, but once you buy the sockets, why not just keep the quirky bolts? Intake and exhaust manifolds off, of course. Head nuts are hex, usual loosening/retightening pattern. Remove head, assure that there's no way that the crank can turn and/or fashion some washers and short pipes on the head studs to keep the liners secure.

Consume 2 pints favorite ale, lick wounds.

Replacement is reversal, yada, yada, yada.

Pulling the 4 cyl. Esprit head is an obvious PITA. If it were me and I had a set up Garry Kemp head suitable for the application, I'd probably go with it. Be careful dealing with Garry, though. He's always got another go-fast bit to tempt you with and next thing you know, you'll be buying an engine from him!

Good Luck!

Edited October 13, 2006 by yeller77

[molemot]

Nothing magic about "half way". The idea is just to provide clearance for the valves to open, without hitting the pistons, when you turn the camshafts to align them. Stick a slim screwdriver carefully down 1 and 2, turn engine until they are the same height, that's half way. Don't turn the engine so that the pistons get to TDC if the cambelt is off. The socket for the torx bolts is sold individually by Halfords. Timing belt removal usually requires unscrewing the tensioner screw and locknut; I find that undoing it completely is easiest, don't forget it's under spring pressure so will try to project itself out the window when undone! Don't back off the locknut more than is required to loosen the assembly, as that gives you a good idea as to how tight it should be on re-assembly. The book talks about inserting a 4mm pin to lock the tensioner, but since this hole is often obscured by one of the washers under the nuts holding it on to the engine, it's a bit frustrating! You'll have to undo the crankshaft pulley, remove the other belts and slide the timing belt off the engine. I've marked the distributor drive pulley, a simple scratch mark which aligns with the top of the casting, so that I can ensure that the ignition timing hasn't changed. Trying to sight along the marks from under the car to align the spark timing is a pain. It all becomes clear as you go along and keep thinking!

[yeller77]

John's probably right on the tensioner. My only frame of reference is the earliest spring-loaded type and the eccentric bearing on an S4. The socket is E10 size, great if you can find it individually. Constant message is: before or as soon as you take the timing belt off, mark all the pulleys!

Cheers!

[bigsi]

i took another stab at doing it today, i took one look at things and chicken'd out, i just do not have the confidence i will be doing the right thing and will probably cause further damage.

[Splashout]

Si sorry your still strugaling here is a guide to getting started and getting the carbs off

1 & 2 - Remove fuel feed and return from pressure regulator find a suitable bolt and clap hoses to them to stop fuel leakage

3 - Remove water pipe, undo jubalie clips and remove whole pipe.

4 - Remove choke cable

5 - Remove home made throtle return

6 - Remove throtle cable

7 - undo all bolts holding intake manifold and then you should be able to remove the carbs, be carefull incase i have forgotten something that is attached.

If you want me to do some more step throughs for you just take a number of pics of what you want to know and i will do my best for ya mate.

Glyn

[bigsi]

thanks glyn thats sort of thing doesnt bother me, but its the carbs and head removal, and getting the tdc stuff right then sorting the tensioner and re fitting etc.

i have to admit all confidence i had has gone, its also harder now the finger is splinted up to the one next to it to stop it going anywhere.

i REALLY do not want to hit it again, although i probably will!!

i will tryand get some more done tomorrow and see where i am.

Edited October 13, 2006 by bigsi

[bigsi]

progress today was slow and tedious, not helped by this damn finger!!

i removed the fuel line feeds to the regulator top and bottom, this way the regulator could stay attached to the carb side box ( i don't know the tech term for it sorry!) on the side next to the firewall was a small black tube connected by a nut to the side of the box (thats the only thing you forgot Glyn) i removed that. I then proceeded to remove the other coolant rail from the top of the carbs.

The nuts on the carb mount studs are M14 size, mine were actually easy to take off and only one stud undid in the process, a quick blast of wd40 while off and grips on the stud i was able to take the nut off the stud, clean it up and re thread it into the head. I have now cleaned all the studs up and given them a coat of wd40, until i coat them with some copper grease and new nuts.

Taking the carbs off was not easy at all, the whole thing would not budge for ages, i did think about just giving it a good tug but after (yep you guessed it) slamming my finger into the side of the carb housings i thought better of it. Instead i just gently pulled on the side closest to the rear of the car first and got a lift there, i then put a screwdriver under and gently prised the end up the rest followed and i was able to lift the whole thing off.

while off i had a quick check to see how much crap was covering them before they go off for refurbishment and ultrasonic cleaning. (more details on this process and details of the company doing the work to follow)

As you can see one half came up very nicely and I'm sure that when returned to me they will look fantastic, before refitting.

I also drained the oil from the cam towers with my Clarke oil syringe, and emptied it into an old Pepsi bottle i had laying around.

Also much to my surprise i found that one of the main bolts and nuts that hold the engine to the gearbox was missing, i have yet to check if any others are missing. As i have contacted the last service agent twice and spoken to them twice and never been called back by them twice it is not difficult to understand the level of incompetency of the work carried out on this cars last "c" service.

I am now ready to take the cam towers off, i couldn't find a torx E10 socket locally so i will order one Monday.

Well i am now truly at my limit of knowledge and i have to say hand on heart, i cant go any further due to total fear!!!

A couple of guys have offered to help me get the head off so I'm probably going to have to take them up on that offer now. I'm hoping that its just one or two burnt valves and a few changes to the tappets. then a refit and things getting back to normal...... i hope!

The plan is to at least get the engine bay to an almost concourse level of cleanliness with the boot panels all colour coded and the carpet sections replaced with carbon fibre matting.

many thanks to Glyn for the how to's above.

once this has been finished i will turn it into an "how to " photo pdf and possibly with some editing and tidying up make it an addition to the tech section.

Si

Edited October 14, 2006 by bigsi

[bigsi]

ok.

today i started stripping the carbs down , the head mount section and the main trumpet box.

the main box will go off for blasting and powder coating, the carbs are going to a refurbishment specialist for concourse restoration and cleaning.

i have removed all the studs from the carb head mount and the jets off the side, that will be blasted clean.

new seals for the spacer plates and gaskets all round and the full carb refurb.

i found only two of the studs were difficult to remove, so i clamped them one at a time in a vice and rotated the head mount back and fore gently while adding copious amounts of wd40 at the same time, both studs were removed this way with no damage. After removal i used a tap to clean the threads out and used a clean stud to check fitment in all holes.

The carbs go off next week and will take about 5-7 days i have told the firm not to rush.

I would love to get the engine out and get that cleaned up also, so i may go down that route, i have an engine hoist i can borrow so it looks like i may go down that route and while the heads sorted clean the rest of the engine up and give it a nice coat of silver engine paint, probably the same with the gearbox.

i guess this is a trial by fire for my first esprit and i have to say im enjoying it.

si

the inlet manifold vacum unions

the butterfly valves were spotless and inside the chamber was absolutley pristine

the head spacers, needing new seals

the head unit cleaned up slightly but needs to be cleaned properly.

Edited October 25, 2006 by bigsi

[matk]

You're turning into Troy!

[mr50bmg]

Your progress is very encouraging and the photos are helpful and educational. Did you put on the aeroquip hoses? One of the things I want to do when refurbishing my engine is to replace as much as I can with aeroquip hoses.

-Dave

[bigsi]

todays progress.

hampered by the unsettled weather there was not much i could do, however.

I was able to take the diffuser box off the carbs and take that and the turbo to back plate pipe outside and strip them down.

I am having them powder coated shortly so i needed to get them cleaned up, one problem is there is no longer a media/shot blaster near me so i had to do it the hard way/

I got a tin of nitromors paint stripper and liberally coated the parts, i went back after 5 mins to re-apply some more and work it in, after 20 mins and a blast off with the hose they were almost clean.

I have now given them a second coat as you can see and will now wait another 20 mins and then blast clean again. hopefully that will be it, if not another coat will go on.

then a good clean in strong soapy hot water, a good drying off, then a clean with some isopropyl and then wrapped in some cling film to stop moisture getting to the aluminium.

then its off to the powder coaters next week, i believe the yellow is the primer coating possibly an acid etch, im not sure. but its coming off all the same.

i am tempted to have them polished up.. decisions!!

heres the progress pictures.

Edited October 18, 2006 by bigsi

[Advantage]

Well done Simon. You're cracking on at a fair old pace. Do have a stab at lifting the head, there's plenty of help up for grabs on here as you've already discovered.

What's the worst that could happen.......?

[bigsi]

a couple of guys had offered to come and help me out, one of the members is going to sort out a convienient time and day to pop up and help me sort this head out, once i see it done i will be able to do it anytime then.

[bigsi]

well i finally finished cleaning up the diffuser box, back plate and turbo feed pipe, also the rocker covers.

i have got the spacer, fuel pressure regulator and the pressure valve, also the two aluminium cooling pipes going off to a specialist polishing company.

I did think of powder coating them but im going to have a nice bit of shiny metal in the boot area.

heres a piccie of them all cleaned up before they get boxed up and sent off.

[bigsi]

one thing that is no where in the service manual is the removal and tightening pattern for the cam tower and head bolts.

i believe there are 10 bolts in the cam towers which is the correct way to remove them pattern wise?

i have attatched a picture is it the top way or the bottom way? as i have no clue.

also what is the removal pattern for the head?

it would be good to have these as i can then add them to this photo pdf i am building as i progress.

thanks

si

[WayneB]

Si , I do them like this:-

Cam tower tightening sequence (removal its the reverse)

9 5 1 3 7

8 4 2 6 10

For the head removal its this:- (tighten its the reverse)

3 5 10 7 2

1 8 9 6 4

Also dont forget to lay some magnets alongside the camshaft/ buckets when removing the cam carrier or the buckets and shims will fall out and get mixed up, meaning you will have to start from the total begining when figuring out the clearances when you have re-assembled it.

[bigsi]

ok wayne so going by that i have made this for future reference. this is correct i hope!!

i will add the torque settings later and then add this tothe pdf im amaking also

thanks wayne!!

Edited October 20, 2006 by bigsi

[WayneB]

Nice diagram Si (compared to my crap one)

[bigsi]

well today hasnt been a very good day..

i really managed to crack my hand today and caused more damage to my finger, not good at all.

im at the point now of either breaking down and crying or just selling it on as a breaker.

I have never been so frustrated by anything so simple in my life, im at the last hurdle and its evading me i still cant get my head around getting thigns marked up ready let alone anything else.

I tried getting my arm and hand in there to rotate the crank with a socket and ratchet.. big mistake!! hand got jammed, finger got caught and the rest is a whole world of pain!.

needless to say, i gave up for the day, kicked my toolboxes from one side of the drive to the other, and almost... almost put a hammer into it..

how can something so simple be made so hard by a goddamn hand.. well finger!! it doesnt help being right handed but my word..

anyway, i am now going to have a cup of tea with some nice new pain killers the docs have given me and will call it quits for the day.

all my new rivnuts and collapsible star fixing came today so i can remove all the crap old ones tomorrow and replace every single one in the boot section with new fixings tomorrow.

ps: if i wanted to spray up my diffuser box and plenum pipe myself, does the under coat /primer have to be an acid etch primer first before the base primer?

thanks guys.

pps: do you guys remember the diy nut that used to be on the kenny everette video show he did?? mr mann i think.. starts off all fine then by the end its a bloodbath.. yep.. thats me!

ppps: i need some magnets for the cam towers to stop the shims falling out, anyone got a link where i can get some or does anyone have any i could borrow to do this?

Edited October 21, 2006 by bigsi

[Splashout]

si bummer about th efinger i know how you feel!

As for the magnets you can manage without if there are two of you as while one slowly lifts the cam towers off you can push the tappets out leaving them on the valves then transfer them back into the cam towers.

A bit more fiddily than using some magnets but certainly doable (this is the way I have done it)

[Tentenths]

Si, your poor finger must hate you for buying that Esprit!

You'd only end up hating yourself if you threw in the towel now, so keep the faith

By now hopefully the recuperative powers of a 'nice cup of tea' will have worked their usual magic and the world will seem a better place

Anyway, a couple of online magnet suppliers can be found here and here.

James

[bigsi]

thanks for the info reguarding the magnet suppliers , im going to use the first one. i will have to measure the spaces and then they will cutom cut them for me, then i have a set there for future uses.

im going with the magnets as you can guarantee it would go wrong any other way ( will more than likely go that way anyhow!!)

still work to do but i will try my best to get there.

or i will have me finger chopped off!

[bigsi]

todays update:

I was able to get on with other things today, i removed one of the gear translator arms as the bushings need replacing.

Upon taking the arm off it was absolutley coated in crap and rust, so after a good clean off and then going over with the grinder with an heavy duty rotary wire brush i was able to coat it with a few coats of hammerite. i cleaned the threads for the arm join and taped them off prior to painting.

The bushes themselves are of no use at all, the arm actually flopped back and fore in its fittings, the bushings are split, crumpling and the plastic bush inserts are split as the picture shows.

After that i then got on with starting to clean the engine block up prior to removing the head assembly, i also finished draining the oil from the cam towers, there is now very little oil in there and that can stay until the heads are due to come off and i will finish syringing the rest out.

I now have new lengths of braided fuel line and new aeroquip connectors to replace some of the worn ones.

I will shortly be collecting all the new rubber pipework for the angine bay and all new upgraded pipe clamps as i do not like jubilee clamps.

While working on the car i did make a nice find!! lying next to the fuel tank was a nice old snap on mini ratchet with 13mm snap on extended socket!! nice find