206000 miles - Life after death

Level 5 User Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 112

As promised here are the pics i took while changing the head on the 1.4 S to Chris's mildly worked one example. I was planning to do something about the cambelt anyway as it looked old when i had to do the water pump before. Also the timing marks looked strange on the old belt so it was definately in need of sorting. Also decided to buy Chris's head and do the laguna throttle body upgrade to see what all the fuss was about.

The plan is to change the heads with fresh new oil, filter and coolant. At the same time, all the belts will be done and some new plugs will go in. Also bought some magnecores to give a bit of colour to the engine bay. Finally, another inlet manifold was bought and bored out to the correct size for a laguna 1.8 SPI throttle body to be used on the car.

So, here is Chris's head cleaned up and sat in my living room. This was done one night while watching the facalty on channel 4 iirc. Note inlet manifold already attached as the work has already been done on that.

[IMG:800:600:5d0e1f28ad]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/newhead.jpg[/img:5d0e1f28ad]

[IMG:800:600:5d0e1f28ad]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/newhead2.jpg[/img:5d0e1f28ad]

And a box full containing some of the bits that i'll be using in this job. The exhaust manifold gasket design is of the older type for this engine as they all are in head sets from gsf/euro but they do the job fine none the less.

[IMG:800:600:5d0e1f28ad]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/newbits.jpg[/img:5d0e1f28ad]

Little shot of where i was working in the garage. Not a bad space but could be better. Better at least than doing it outside like the last time.

[IMG:800:600:5d0e1f28ad]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/workingarea.jpg[/img:5d0e1f28ad]

Right so first the engine was drained of its oil and coolant. Next, it was supported and the top mount came off. Also removed coolant hoses, leads etc.

[IMG:800:600:5d0e1f28ad]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/mountsoff.jpg[/img:5d0e1f28ad]

Whipped the rocker cover off, yes it is a plastic item found on the phase 3 energy engines with its own built-in rubber gasket instead of the metal item normally found. For this reason, i didn't have to use the rocker gasket included in the headset. Gave it a clean-up also after taking this pic.

[IMG:800:600:5d0e1f28ad]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/rocker.jpg[/img:5d0e1f28ad]

Right then, with the rocker cover off, i removed the throttle body from the inlet manifold and also removed the exhaust manifold from the head and moved it down at bit so it was resting on the oil filter, no bother though as this will be changed.

[IMG:800:600:5d0e1f28ad]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/rockeroff.jpg[/img:5d0e1f28ad]

Next, the head was wipped off. Face of the bm didn't look too bad and there was no surface damage either so i got to work cleaning it up.

[IMG:800:600:5d0e1f28ad]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/headoff.jpg[/img:5d0e1f28ad]

Half way through a clean. Didn't take one was it was finished though Embarassed

[IMG:800:600:5d0e1f28ad]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/bmclean.jpg[/img:5d0e1f28ad]

Piccy of the old head with its inlet still attached, at this point i still needed to get a few bits of it to attach to the new one.

[IMG:800:600:5d0e1f28ad]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/oldhead.jpg[/img:5d0e1f28ad]

Level 5 User Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 112

Removed the old tensioner. You can see the score marks around the bearing, it was badly worn and was not smooth when revolving. New one next to it. Refitted new one to the water pump stud.

[IMG:800:600:34db12c14c]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/tensioners.jpg[/img:34db12c14c]

Right so with all the old bits bolted to the new head, the head gasket was put in place and the head lifted on. Head bolts were coated in the supplied grease and done up finger tight. Next the bolts were tightened correctly. At this point i put the exhaust manifold onto it's studs so it wasnt resting on the oil filter. Decided to just finish the exhaust manifold totally at this point so gasket went on and torqued up nicely.

[IMG:800:600:34db12c14c]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/headon1.jpg[/img:34db12c14c]

[IMG:800:600:34db12c14c]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/headon2.jpg[/img:34db12c14c]

Here are the three new belts going on, alt, pas and cambelt.

[IMG:800:600:34db12c14c]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/newbelts.jpg[/img:34db12c14c]

Cambelt on. Timed and tensioned correctly.

[IMG:800:600:34db12c14c]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/cambelt.jpg[/img:34db12c14c]

Placed the rocker cover on just to stop crap getting into the area. Re-attached coolant hoses.

[IMG:800:600:34db12c14c]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/headon3.jpg[/img:34db12c14c]

New torx rocket bolts for the cover.

[IMG:800:600:34db12c14c]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/rockerbolts.jpg[/img:34db12c14c]

Old and new dizzy. New one is attached. Note the bad centre electrode on the one old. Looks like electrolysis has taken place on it or similar.

[IMG:800:600:34db12c14c]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/dizzys.jpg[/img:34db12c14c]

Bolts torqued up in correct order, new plugs in.

[IMG:800:600:34db12c14c]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/boltsnplugs.jpg[/img:34db12c14c]

New magnecore leads in. I left the old TB attached until after i fired it up for the first time because i wasn't 100% whether it was working. Turned out it was though and was installed afterwards.

[IMG:800:600:34db12c14c]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/leadson.jpg[/img:34db12c14c]

New oil, type D coolant and everything connected. Top mount re-attached. Battery in etc.

[IMG:800:600:34db12c14c]http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i222/1fast6/done.jpg[/img:34db12c14c]

Started first time which was good. Seems to pull a bit more steady though i am goign to put some injecter cleaner through it as i think the laguna TB needs it. Unfortunately, it did leak a bit from the back of the head on the dizzy corner but that has been sorted now.

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

Tidy job, nice work Thumbs Up!