Taking the car to bits - 11th April 2004
Vehicle "A", the faithful Astra 1987 Mk.2, blew a head-gasket on the way to work, just 5,000-odd miles short of doing the magic 200k (320,000 kilometres). Rather than spend tons more money on it, Nosher decided to cross a part-time car-mechanic's rubicon and do the head-gasket himself. After all, it's kind of a "shit or bust" thing: 195k from a car that only cost £600 can't be bad, but two-ton is within tantalising reach...
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These are cropped thumbnails. Click on an image to view the full photograph.
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The unmolested engine, minus the air filter: a 1300 OHC with Weber 37 DMTR twin-bore carb |
From the "timing" end, with the cam-cover removed |
Cam (rocker) cover removed, with distributor top-right (showing the "hat" thing that is the vacuum advance) |
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Front view of the cam |
Cam case removed, showing the hydraulic valve lifters and springs |
With the head removed, the old gasket still in place, showing the four pistons. The third piston from the left is the one that was burning the oil, which can be seen pooled on top of it |
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The cylinder head removed, along with the inlet manifold and carburettor |
The underside of the head, showing the 8 valves. The slightly larger ones are the exhaust valves, the smaller ones the inlet valves. |
MC Marcey-Marc came round to help stick the whole lot together again |
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Having cleaned the underside of the cylinder head... |
...and the cleaned main block. Considering this engine has done 140,000 miles, there's not a lot of carbon about, and there's very little play in the piston rings |
The new gasket in place makes the rest of the engine look like a rusty hunk o' shite |
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The cylinder head (valves 'n' stuff) returned | ||
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