Tappets

[snapper]

bastard car, is one problem after the other!

anywho, are these easy to replace? mate of mine at work says you just need to remove the rocker housing and pop the new ones in. is it that simple?

[neiloakley]

what engine is it? you will need to take out the cam but on mine it is only 8 bolts i think.

[snapper]

doh, it's a 1.2. if the cam comes out, that obviously means the timing belt is going to have to come off too. is it easy to get the timing good enough to get the engine running?

[neiloakley]

as long as you get the two marks on the cam pully lined up (one on the pully, one on the cover at the top) then just put it back in the same place and the timing will be ok. Also, make a mark on the dizzy and the camshaft housing so you know where to put them back. Once it's all back together than it shouldn't be a problem.

[Manta Mad]

you should really release the tension on the belt before removing - you need a big spanner on the flats of the water pump (sometimes they sieze) to do this. Probably best to fit a new belt as well.

[neiloakley]

water pumps are a fucker. And instead of using a big snapper, why not use water pump pliers? I think thats what they were designed for (name kinda gives it away)

[Aragorn]

all engines after june 1990 have an auto belt tensioner on the cam belt, to find out if yours is >june 1990 look at the belt cover - if its flat at the top its got the auto tensioner

look in haynes and you'll see ow to disengage it

shouldnt need to touch the waterpump with the auto tension models i think

[Manta Mad]

Would guess water pump pliers would work, if they give a decent grip - always find them to be one of these tools that sounds good but in reality are useless :(

Yep that is right, if your engine has the auto tensioner you don't have to touch the water pump. The auto tensioner makes it so much easier but make sure you get the right belt - I am sure the auto tensioned ones are longer.

[Stuart]

not all engines after june 1990 have auto tensioners ;)

the 1.2 non injection around 1991 arent auto tensioned

[Aragorn]

well according to haynes all engines assembled after june 1990 so these carbed 1.2's could have been stockpiled

[CP]

errm I'm confused - i maybe being very stupid here but there aren't any "tappets" to change in a 1.2 head?

AFAIK the 1.2's that i've had apart have hydraulic lifters which use oil pressure to push rocker arms up onto the cam lobes on the cam shaft as in the 1.3, 1.4, 1.6 s. They are self adjusting and if its making a racket then the likely problem is poor oil supply into the hydraulic lifters so they aren't keeping enough pressure on the rocker arms. You can try using special oil cleaner to clear out your system and see if that works otherwise it may require taking the sump off to check the gauze in the oil pick up pipe. You could also check your oil grade - if you are using a thin oil switch to a 15W40 which will help keep the pressure up better. In extreme cases it might be that the oil pump is worn so pressure is low.

[snapper]

cheers lads. i did mean hydraulic lifters but tappets requires less typing :)

if i change the oil in the engine and then flush the engine, could this possibly cure the siezed lifter? it's well overdue for an oil change anyway (about 20k overdue *cough*) and cleaning each lifter individually and setting up the timeing and shit sounds like a days worth of work....