head gasket replacement, can some one check this for me please!

[Tomm]

hey,

After speaking to a few people i have come to the conclusion that the head gasket has gone on the X14XE (well thats what i think it is, 1.4 16v ecotec) so today i went to the spares shop and got the parts to do the job. I have the following.

Head Gasket
Cam Belt
x4 plugs
Air filter
Oil Filter
Oil
Rocker gaskets
Antifreeze
Air filter


And i think thats about it.

My only worry is the car i am working on is not my own so i want to make sure i do everything 200 perfect as it should be done by the book, only thing which i cant do is replae the head bolts.

Everything will be baged and labled and loged upon removal so i know what i should have and where it goes back. All of the head bolts will be numbered and boxed up so they are replaced in the correct order and done up to the correct N/m.

Is there anything which i should take into consideration for this job? anything which is different to other engines as i have never done a vauxhall head gasket before.

Does anyone know of a photoed how to of this which is on the internet? Not to use as complete guidance but something i can use as refferance if i hit a problem.

Any help would be mega good!

Thanks agin, Pogg

[Welsh Dan]

Get new head bolts! IIRC they're stretch bolts and cannot be re-used.

A suitable how-to will be in the haynes manual for the car/donor car :thumb:.

[napalm_27]

i would of bought a head set and bolts

[Tomm]

**** it, ill pop into the shop tommorow and pick some up. To be honest it was only once i got home i realised that i should have idealy got some!

considering My HG cost £11 how much am i looking at for head bolts?

[brainsnova]

maybe another tenner for the bolts.

[G-nova]

[quote=Tomm]hey,

Does anyone know of a photoed how to of this which is on the internet? Not to use as complete guidance but something i can use as refferance if i hit a problem.

Their will be a how to guide on how to do it but not sure it will be step by step photo's. Maybe you should be the first one to do it lol

[Tomm]

I can give taking some photos a go, knowing my luck it will turn into a what not to do how-to!

Tenner on bolts! i was expecting a mega price tag, Ill give them a call in the morning when i drag my **** out of bed!

[AlexW]

If you get stuck with anything PM me, i own a X14XE and have done all the work your doing, 3 times lol

Another thing i would say is spend £20 on a water pump, as your changing the belt the pump has even more chance of failing.

One problem you may come across is the bottom pully, they are very tight and usualy only come off with a airgun.

Bear in mind your need to read the instructions about the cambelt, as its not easy to do and can be a pain in the ****! The timing marks can be hard to read and if there even slighty out there could be some valve smashing action.

Head gasket shouldnt be too hard to sort, if its in a corsa/tigra your have to remove a lot of things to even get to all the bolts and everything.
Dont bother trying to unbolt the lower section of the intake manifold, leave it on untill you have the head sat on a bench.

Exhaust unbolt the manifold from the head, makes it much easyer.

Dont think there is much else to mention, just take your time.

[phazer]

Change the cambelt rollers while you do it if they are the original nylon ones (same as water pump, saves agro later).

[Tomm]

****ing hell this is a right pain in the ****!

Head is off, Head will be skimmed tommorow or monday if we can get it in. New bolts have also been purchased!

I so hope this thing starts again!

[AlexW]

Shouldnt be too hard, just be carefull when doing the cambelt. I didnt mention the cambelt rollers/tensioner as its usualy part of the cambelt kit.

They are a pain in the **** to work on presuming its in a corsa/tigra.

[Tomm]

We had a lot of troubles trying to get the bottom pully off to remove the casing, so much so that i had to remove one of the upper rollers to losen the cam belt to get the head off.

We will be re fitting the cam belt and then taking the car to a mates gargae to get the pully off and change the cambelt.

It was so strange that you had to remove the aux belt and bottom pully to remove a plastic cover to losen a tensioner...

kin vauxhalls!

PS yes its in a tigra! I have been told once its all done its very worth it!

[AlexW]

Ahhh, so excatly the same as ive done then!

The timing belt cover is a bit weird and it is a pain in the ****.

By the way you say i presume you just bought it? Same as me, well worth it imo.

[Tomm]

well we sort of mashed the cam cover, we will jut buy a new one! I was hoping i could get away without skimming the head but there is no point in doing a job half arsed now is there?

Yes you are right the car was bought by my uncle for my cousin as his first car, we got it off f ebay and the car was faultless till he got it home :( .

I aam hopin that its just the head gasket, we will be checking the valve oil seals aswell whilst we have the head off.

you know when you wish you just never started haha