felicia N-reg 1.3 glxi AFTERMARKET & SUPERIOR head gasket?

[RicardoM]

According to Lugosy, the mystery pipe is just a test port for emissions during MOT. The pipe is fitted only to 135B and 136B engines.

 

[Breezy_Pete]

Ah yes, for setting up the idle mixture accurately, by having a pre-cat 'sensing port' where the CO level can be measured and then the mixture adjusted as necessary (somehow).

 

Good to see the progress.

 

I like the tip for turning the engine via the wheel.

[RicardoM]

I like the tip for turning the engine via the wheel.

 

http://imgur.com/MSjmFsw

[RicardoM]

More photos from fpga.

 

Inlet manifold cleaned

 

Inlet manifold fitted

 

Half of thermostat housing fitted. Observe the aluminum housing... good stuff.

[fpga]

Ricardo

Like Wino said...thank you to you and Lugosy for solving the pipe mystery and the puzzle of needing to be in two places at once i.e. both rotating the crank AND seeing it's effect on the rockers. That's one elegant solution and I'm really pleased I asked.

Edited 17 November, 2015 by fpga

[fpga]

Nearly done. Just got to put oil and water in now and connect things like the air cleaner/rocker cover. It would probably have been finished today but both wires broke off flush at the back of the connector that goes into the back of the inlet manifold and it rained heavily this afternoon.

 

I wasn't really putting enough pressure on the connector to break both copper wires in exactly the same place but did note that when I was removing that connector that the wire was quite tight so....20 years of vibration could well have fatigued the wires at the point of fracture.

 

Breaking off flush I had nothing to solder to so...I hacksawed the back fo the connector off and removed the blue spongy insulation which gave me some length. I then soldered two new wires to the exposed pieces and pushed some plastic cable sheathing down each remaining hole to insulate each wire and taped the whole lot up to seal it.

 

You can never count chickens doing any job can you

 

That jack the wheel up and use it as a crank spanner to do the tappets worked a treat and also showed me that everything is spinning very freely.

Edited 18 November, 2015 by fpga

[fpga]

I did wonder if I could get away with not connecting the broken connector but dismissed the thought as it seems that everything nowadays is highly dependent upon sensor information to function. To confirm the same I thought I'd try to locate what the connector connects and this is the closest I've seen...so I'm guessing not fitting it means lumpiness at best or something like that

 

Brand: BOSCH
Bosch Part Number: 0280130026
Product Type: Temperature Sensor
Product Group: PETROL - SENSORS
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181723220559?clk_rvr_id=932681796715&rmvSB=true
 

Edited 18 November, 2015 by fpga

[RicardoM]

That is a 2-pin coolant temperature sensor fitted on 135B/136B engines before November 1995. Not using this sensor is a big no-no as this sensor tells ECU if the engine reached the operating temperature. Consequently the ECU commands the injector to squirt more or less fuel. When the sensor is bad or the wiring is open circuit, the engine runs rich on fuel, shakes and stalls.

[RicardoM]

Here is a large offer of heat shrink tubing for car electrical repairs in case you don't find at local electronics shop.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/heat-shrink-tubing

It is best the tubes have adhesive inside for extra insulation.

 

And here is a crash course on using them.

[fpga]

Thank you very much for the advice, supplier details and howto video (I always like those).

Just came back to say I've done about 5 miles (2.5 there and the same back to get some anti-freeze) now and the car seems to be running fine other than some white stuff coming out of the exhaust and the brakes catching a bit when I started off as they've been on for about 4 weeks. The white stuff was billowing a bit initially but settled down and I saw a bit when reversing. It is cold and wet around here and the car's been standing for 4 weeks.

 

Re reassembly...the only thing I struggled with was one of these hose clips

http://www.hcl-clamping.com/Ezyclik-M-Spring-Automotive-Hose-Clip-P7

clamping the bigger of the two rubber hoses from the air cleaner to the oil filler neck in the rocker cover.

I suspect you need some special pliers for it but I just went and got a worm-screw clamp with a nut into which are cut philips and straight screw-driver slots. 30 seconds later it was on the car....a pound well spent

By contrast the car also has these spring clips on the fuel hoses...

http://www.hcl-clamping.com/Rotor-Spring-Band-Hose-Clamp-Constant-Tension-P9

but they're lightning fast to remove/replace with just your fingers.

 

One thing that did surprise me was... I took the temperature sender out of the thermostat housing and started filling with water and also removed what I thought was the block drain plug intending to flush the block a bit. I was surprised that the water came out of the top of the thermostat housing whilst none came out of what I thought was the block drain plug. I poked a bit of wire up but immediately hit something very solid i.e. not crud blocking any holes. I'll take a photo tomorrow of the "drain "bolt.

In the meantime any comments?

 

Irrespective...I just need to put some miles on the clock now and change both the oil and coolant i.e. I didn't have much antifreeze today so need to change the coolant when I change the oil.

 

I never count chickens but am quite hopeful. Thanks Ricardo and Wino for all your help.

Edited 19 November, 2015 by fpga

[Breezy_Pete]

White smoke is probably just coolant residue in the exhaust from before the repair.

And don't panic if you have to top up your coolant as any trapped air works its way out.

[fpga]

Thanks for the reassurance and advice.

[RicardoM]

Re. the odd clamps: yes they need special pliers

Re. the white smoke: I agree with Wino. Could be part old coolant leftover, part oil left on top of the pistons and part condensation. If the smoke doesn't disappear aftet cruising a while on highway... that's bad sign.

Re. the coolant level: when the engine is at 90 C, the coolant level in expansion tank must be at MAX mark. If not, refill the missing volume with water after the engine cools down. Keep a constant eye on coolant temp. gauge and pay attention to radiator fan kicking in and out at 95C / 86C respectively.

Re. the purge screw in the engine block: you can't miss it, it is 3 inches above oil pressure switch.

Edited 19 November, 2015 by RicardoM

[fpga]

Thank you very much for the advice and information.

I've done 24 miles now and the coolant level's gone down from max to min.

I filled to max yesterday by removing the sensor in the thermostat housing and pouring water in through the header tank until it came out of the thermostat housing (all done cold and with the engine not running). The point is no water got past the thermostat when filling whereas after 24 miles it would have so this might account for the lower level in the header tank.

Any air over and above this extra volume being filled might easily be attributed to air making it's way out of the system as Wino suggested.

 

The white stuff's gone when I'm moving along but I'll have to check on tickover after a good run i.e. I was getting white yesterday. Fingers crossed.

 

The temp gauge never moved above normal much so the fan didn't seem to cut in at all.

 

The car seems to run very smoothly.

 

The drain bolt was very short and irregular on the end.

I have a nasty feeling it has been broken off previously...that's if the photo I sent IS the right bolt.

Edited 20 November, 2015 by fpga

[RicardoM]

The drain bolt was very short and irregular on the end.

I have a nasty feeling it has been broken off previously...that's if the photo I sent IS the right bolt.

The bolt marked on the photo you sent me is NOT the block drain bolt.

 

The block drain bolt location (only on cars before 04.98) is shown below.

 

[fpga]

Thank you very much for the advice, posting my photo first and then another photo showing the correct position of the drain bolt.

Both look immediately below and to the right of that big horizontal access hatch which spans the width of the front of the block

so...I'm not sure why they're not the same hole.

 

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Edited 20 November, 2015 by fpga

[RicardoM]

Both look immediately below and to the right of that big horizontal access hatch which spans the width of the front of the block

That would be the push rods cover.

 

Let me check with Lugosy about that bolt and get back. We don't have in here any Felicia with 135B/136B engine. It is possible they have a slightly different block. But I'm puzzled by your observation, no coolant coming out. Is that bolt stripped in the block?

[fpga]

___the push rods cover

Thanks

___puzzled by your observation, no coolant coming out

Me too

 

The bolt was very short and had a very irregular end.

At first I thought it was eaten away by coolant but today it dawned on me that it might have been broken off and that's why the wire I stuck in the hole came to an abrupt halt.

Ideally I could do with an endoscope but will stick my phone down there tomorrow.

The problem is my old Sony Ericsson cybershot (used for all photos to date) focuses better at a distance.

I'll have more information tomorrow and thanks for checking.

[RicardoM]

According to Lugosy, your engine block is an intermediate version and it is slightly different. Meanwhile, from the last photos you've sent, I see there is a broken bolt and a stub left inside the block. I think the stub is 2-4 threads deep.

 

 

[fpga]

That's great and thanks for posting the photos!

Your confirmation of a broken bolt and estimate that only 2-4 threads remain helps a lot i.e.

whereas I was reluctant to drill the head bolt with a depth to diameter ratio of 70/11 which mean't that being out by a few degrees would cut into the head even I'd have a go at drilliing this one...with a depth to diameter ratio of 17mm diameter + 2-4 threads.

Thank you very much for this.

Edited 22 November, 2015 by fpga