volvodspec wrote:only a really; really tiny ammount of oil or you get a wrong setting too.
holes aren't all the way through the block so oil can seal the space under it and you'll create a sort of hydrau-lock when torquing the bolts.

if the head goes off to be skimmed, i'd do a pressurisationtest first; a crack in the head is a possibility, especcially with the condition the head was in in the first place.

Indeed, oiling the bolts as with any lubrication it is not meant to drown the poor bolts, just to get lubrication all over the bolt threads, sometimes wiping excessive oil lightly with paper is good. WD40 is not proper oil for lubrication there, motor oil should be used.

Of course holes should be cleared before adding bolts, if there is coolant at bottom of hole, that too could cause some problems when tightening bolts, some things that for me at least are difficult to remember while doing the work, but that is probably because I do so little such stuff so I prefer to put things on list and check that I did remember to do all

Does it not make more sense to just ditch the silly thing thats on points and oldskool ness and drop in the perfectly good 4E you have. Or, Tommy's 35k sexy 4E? Or, a screamer of a valver

Chris_C wrote:Does it not make more sense to just ditch the silly thing thats on points and oldskool ness and drop in the perfectly good 4E you have. Or, Tommy's 35k sexy 4E? Or, a screamer of a valver

Here comes the Mod vs Orig argument again.

But I vote Valver.

I've just realised this never got updated....

Having decided it was a failure to retorque we took the head off again, fitted a new gasket, put the head on, reassembled everything and fired it up.

Let it run for a bit to warm up, then switch off and wait 2hrs before retorquing. After an haour and a half decide to remove rocker cover ready for the retorquing and do an oil and coolant change.

When we filled her back up with coolant water droplets were seen to be escaping from the top of the head through a 9" long crack just above the pushrod tubes!

That explains it then!!

Chris_C wrote:Does it not make more sense to just ditch the silly thing thats on points and oldskool ness

Kids these days!

As I type that Foggy shaped object is currently scraping 6" of snow off its bonnet and intends to try and fit (yet) another cyl head to it.......!

If only I wasn't outside refitting my exhaust, I'd feel a great sense of one up ness

It starts, it runs, it drives, it does donuts in the snow!!

Now waiting the obligatory 2.5 hrs cool down period before re-torquing the head.

V6 Man wrote:It starts, it runs, it drives, it does donuts in the snow!!

Now waiting the obligatory 2.5 hrs cool down period before re-torquing the head.

Woohoo!

It does indeed live! I'm very happy to see it back in action. It now just needs a few bits and bobs for the dreaded test, and we're back in action!

cheers

James

Hi James.
Well done on getting the mk1 up and running again.
Mine is at the welders at the moment, although i don't expect him to do much
with it in this weather. I wonder how many are left still driving?
Cheers Mark.

Probably more than you think. A friend is into the Citroen GS/GSA series, and they're similarly scarce on the road...and I think the DVLA still have 2-300 registered.

cheers

James

foggyjames wrote:Probably more than you think. A friend is into the Citroen GS/GSA series, and they're similarly scarce on the road...and I think the DVLA still have 2-300 registered.

Probably less than that. I heard 36 taxed up, and maybe double that on SORN.

Doesn't help when folk like me nab one for export

(plus I use it in all weathers which seems to be frowned upon by some )

Admittedly, that was in 2004 or so...

cheers

James

Just a quick mini-update. This is back at my house now. I've cleaned it out inside (it has become its own parts store...) and am running it for 10-15 mins at least once a fortnight while I wait for the weather to get better so I can be bothered to fix the remaining mechanical issues...then it's MOT time!

cheers

James