Fabia Mk1 1.4p 8v Cooling system problem

[TMB]

13 minutes ago, Alexandru said:

Yes, around 143.000 miles on clock.

 

Yeah, 70,000 on mine.

[Alexandru]

 

[TMB]

You must be getting blow-by if you have to have the oil cap tied down Alex.

[Alexandru]

Yup, another reason why I regret not checking the piston rings when I took the engine apart. Once it was smelling in the car pretty badly so I found the cap was actually rubbing the accessories belt..so I tied it. 

[TMB]

Just now, Alexandru said:

Yup, another reason why I regret not checking the piston rings when I took the engine apart. Once it was smelling in the car pretty badly so I found the cap was actually rubbing the accessories belt..so I tied it. 

 

Shame but these engines seem to soldier on forever. You'll probably get lots more use out of it.

[Alexandru]

Well, I don't complain. In the past few years it's got it's timing chain serviced, new brakes, clutch kit, battery and both O2 sensors replaced, but other than that, just quality oil and filters. I'm running it on Motul 8100 5w40 and OEM filters. It's always a pleasure driving it around town. It's doing an average of 21-22mpg around town, usually short trips, 2-3miles from home to work. It was well serviced and looked after, but yet I admit, mistakes were made, some of them due to lack of time, others due to lack of knowledge .. but all in all I can say it's bulletproof. 

Edited 9 February, 2020 by Alexandru

[TMB]

Yes they are decent little engines. They are not particularly fast but I like the torque they give. Considering they are basically an ancient Skoda design, it's pretty good going.

[TMB]

I'm not sure what to do about the tappets. If I adjust them to what Skoda say, the valves are hanging open and the engine won't run. The procedure is the usual pretty common procedure for setting the preload on hydraulic lifters for OHV pushrod engines  - adjust the rocker arm until it's only just making contact with the valve stem and then turn the adjuster down two more turns in this case. If I do that it doesn't work. I can only presume that the setting procedure is meant for brand new lifters with no oil in them, only spring pressure. Or that the oil should bleed out when adjusting used ones. The lifter piston is meant to compress to the preloaded position but my lifters must be full of oil and solid, so the engine valve is moving down instead of the lifter piston. This is stopping me from making a proper setting. Not sure how to overcome this.

Edited 9 February, 2020 by TMB

[Breezy_Pete]

I'm not sure of relevance Lee, but did your machine shop tell you how much material was removed during its skim?

[TMB]

7 minutes ago, Wino said:

I'm not sure of relevance Lee, but did your machine shop tell you how much material was removed during its skim?

 

They didn't. Pete.

[sepulchrave]

If you want to go old school on the tappets then set exhaust to 0.016" and inlet to 0.012".

No need to overthink this one.

[TMB]

I wonder if I tried adjusting them on a warm engine. Maybe the thinner oil will bleed out of the lifters more easily.

[TMB]

On 09/02/2020 at 21:07, sepulchrave said:

If you want to go old school on the tappets then set exhaust to 0.016" and inlet to 0.012".

No need to overthink this one.

 

There is meant to be zero lash before making the preload of two turns. Nothing to do with overthinking and everything to do with doing things properly. Giving something a clearance when it's meant to have a preload is not the answer.

Edited 17 February, 2020 by TMB

[sepulchrave]

Generally when you overhaul the head you empty the hydraulic tappets on OHC engines but since yours is OHV the tappets are hiding down in the engine block so this is not possible.

When the engine is running the tappets should take up excess lash by pumping up with oil pressure so I don't understand why you wouldn't want any lash when there's no oil pressure.

[TMB]

35 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

When the engine is running the tappets should take up excess lash by pumping up with oil pressure so I don't understand why you wouldn't want any lash when there's no oil pressure.

 

Because there are springs in the lifters which take up the lash for initial setting. And because Skoda say so. From what I can gather, the purpose of the 2 turns preload is to set the plungers inside the lifters to about the midway point to give the plungers some leeway from hitting the top or bottom of the lifter cylinder.

 

See Tech1e's post here...

 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/203744-fabia-14-mpi-valve-clearences/

 

Skoda says zero lash then adjust to preload, and so does every other OHV lifter setting procedure I've read. Some of the preloads vary but all have a preload.

 

 

Edited 9 February, 2020 by TMB

[sepulchrave]

I thought you tried setting it up this way but there was no compression so you couldn't start it? There seems little point in going round in circles desperately trying to follow a process that simply isn't working, I'm trying to suggest something that might work.

[TMB]

You are wrong. You apparently don't understand what a preload is.

Edited 17 February, 2020 by TMB

[Breezy_Pete]

How long did you leave it between doing the 'book' adjustment and trying to start the engine?

[TMB]

About an hour.

Just tried the Skoda settings again on just one cylinder, and it doesn't even start with just the one. If I put it back to just zero lash it runs well but sounds like a Chrysler Alpine.

[TMB]

I've made the book adjustment on cylinder 1 again and will leave it overnight to see if the oil bleeds out of the lifter. It's going to take an awful long time to set the valves if I have to leave it overnight for every cylinder.

[TMB]

If overnight doesn't work, then a warm engine might. Not a Skoda but this guy had the same problem and a warm engine worked because the thinner oil was able to bleed out...

 

http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/hydraulic-lifters-ive-worked-it-out_topic32754.html

Edited 10 February, 2020 by TMB

[sepulchrave]

You could lean on the pushrods to push the oil out of the lifters, it'd be a lot quicker.

[TMB]

Success!!! Leaving it overnight for the excess oil to bleed out of the tappet has worked. I just need to do the same on the other three cylinders, but rather than leave it again overnight I will try a few hours.

[TMB]

Two hours worked for the next cylinder. Only two cylinders to go 😁

[TMB]

All done and running and sounding great!