Oil in coolant? and oil leak

[Tpeti]

The plan is the following: on the weekend of the may bank holiday a friend of mine and I will do the job. He is a garden machinery mechanic, he changed a few head gasket and timing belt. If the problem lies in a cracked piston or something else, we will still change the head gasket but thats it, I will return the other parts for refund and I will make a decision.
On the weekend I have done a 120miles run mostly motorway and Sunday when was a bit warmer, no problem, no smoke no power loss but the coolant stayed at 80degree, all the times. I suspect this thermostat a chinese crap, so will order an another one. I will need to change the coolant anyway
I have changed the oil and filter 2 weeks ago, I will store in a clean container and pour it back.

[jj9]

I know I've said this a few times but....

When the cylinder head is off,  DO NOT turn the crankshaft over to move the pistons, only if the liners are clamped down can you move the crankshaft, make sure your friend knows this, don't assume he will know!

If the crankshaft is turned without the liners being clamped the liners will lift up which will damage the O rings seals at the bottom of them, you will then have to strip half of the engine to replace the seals, so make sure it doesn't happen!



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[Tpeti]

Just one thing: I have just watched the video(half of it) and I dont need to remove the exhaust port at all! Is this right?
I hope so because now everything looks easier

[Gadgetman]

Which year is your engine from?

The big difference for the timing belt is that in 2003 they went from a manually adjusted belt tensioner to an automatic, and also switched to a different water pump. So the newer engines have the longer belt.

Quick tip BEFORE you start pulling the engine apart is to compression-test it.
Pull all the plugs first, then use a compression gauge to check the cylinders. Ideally they should be within 0.5Bar from each other... On older engines we can expect a 1Bar spread without too much worry...
Low compression or larger spread means you may have other issues to take care of, too.
A test to see if the rings or liners is the issue is to squirt some oil into the cylinders, then do a compression test again. The oil will end up in the gap between the piston and cylinder wall, and will help seal it. If that give a noticeable difference, then yeah, you have bad rings or a worn out liner.

To check if you need to polish the valves, reinstall the spark plugs, turn the head upside down, then fill the 4 chambers with a thin liquid such as acetone. If the liquid level sinks(as in 'noticeably after a 15minute tea break), or you see wetness in the ports you have an issue and should try polishing.

The next step for fixing compression issues is the piston rings or the cylinder liners. And that requires pulling the pistons from the engine. That requires you to fully drain the coolant and emptying it for oil before droppign the sump. It's fiddly, but you can remove the pistons while the engine is in the car.
On older engines you don't really have to worry too much about the liner 'popping up' when you rotate the engine. The rust around them will hold them securely in place...
(I had to use a slide hammer when I replaced two of mine)
New sleeves, though... will pop up the moment you turn your back on them.

Another thing to examine while you have the head off is the oil seal at the top of the valve guides. You need a special clamp to compress the spring to release it, though, in order to get to the seal. If they leak oil down the valve shaft it will eventually damage the valve stem or the guides. (Particularly on the exhaust valves)
On my 1999 the seals just about fell apart between my fingers.
Also check the valves for slack(if they can be moved from side to side, even the slightest it means either the guides or the valve stems are worn. Replacing the guides is what I understand 'not for home mechanics')
Also, roll the valve stem along a flat surface and observe for wobble indocating an uneven or bent stem. Don't bother trying to fixi, it will need to be replaced.

Tools you need to replace headgasket:
E14 'inverted Torx' pipe, torque wrench(any small to medium size will do as long as it does 20Nm), a rotating gauge to measure degrees of rotation, and a long lever.
It's a good idea if all those items use the same size socket.
A couple of hex keys for loosening the tensioner for the servo belt, 8 and 10mm sockets for assorted screws acround the belt covers and such, 13mm spanner(head cover, exhaust manifold to downpipe join), screwdriver. Pliers... for those awkward to reach electrical connectors and their fiddly locking springs... Don't drop them!
Your SO's scraper for ceramic cooktops... To clean the surfaces for crap and old bits of gasket..
I think the alternator needs a 15mm spanner to unlock the tensioning system.
If you have a manual tensioner on the timing belt, you'll need a square tool to hold it while tightening the bolt holding it. A square socket that fits the oil drain plug is the exact size needed.
Also, a M12 bolt, about 50mm long to lock the camshaft, and a 6mm rod to lock the flywheel.

If you want to drop the sump to get to the crankshaft, oil pump and to remove the pistons you'll need another Hex tool, slightly larger than the ones for the servo belt, to loosen the downpipe from a mount on the back of the gearbox. (It'll allow the pipe to drop 2 - 3" and for you to push it to the side to reach all the bolts holding the sump easily)
I find that loosening the downpipe is a good thing even if you're 'just' popping the head off, since you can then match up the downtube to the exhause manifold after the head is bolted securely back in place. Less bolts and holes to align at any one time.

If you decide to pull the pistons you'll need a torque wrench that can be set to 40Nm.
Piston rigs are cheap, £10 - 15 for a full set. New liners can cost £30 each.
But liners last a long time if the engine isn't being mistreated. (My engine is at 240.000Km)

Depending on the engine you have, it may be possible to remove the oil pump while the engine is still in the car. If it can't be removed easily, you'll need to remove the 5 bolts holding it together, then the 3 bolts holding it in place to first remove the oil pickup unit and then to move the rest to the side, to get access to the bolts holding the con rod to the crankshaft.
The bearing shells clamped around the crankshaft can be examined for damage and refitted, but new ones are cheap. Check them for damage anyways, then at the crankshaft if there was significant damage. (Damage on the crankshaft is not something we can fix at home. And replacing it is an 'out of the car' job)

If you have a nice garage/workshop, keep the Gospel of Haynes open at the relevant chapters, and always remember to disconnect the battery first, you should be done with a gasket replacement in an afternoon.
A bit of headwork shouldn't add more than an hour or two to that.
Needing to replace the piston rings or the liners can add another day, if you have all the parts available.
(may as well swap out both at the same time... Saves you from testing, swearing, pulling everything apart and doing it all over again... Been there, done it, got the oil stains to prove it)


EDIT:
Exhaust manifold. No, it's not necessary to remove it. It can be useful if you want to test the head, though. The nuts holding the manifold onto the head is brass, though, so while they sit tight, they wont't have rusted in place.

[Tpeti]

That is a well composed write up! I am sure I wont do anything else then change the gasket and that it is! That work worth it, anything more not really!

[Gadgetman]

I still reccommend doing a compression-test first so that you know if you only need a new gasket. (plus bolts, timing belt and water pump)

The TU3 engine is an incredibly robust engine, it was even used in rallying(in the AX GTi), so if it's treated well, it should outlast the rest of the car, really.
Unless you know your car is going to fail the MOT the next time it's in for checkup, I'd say it's worth keeping alive a while longer.

[Tpeti]

I still reccommend doing a compression-test first so that you know if you only need a new gasket. (plus bolts, timing belt and water pump)

The TU3 engine is an incredibly robust engine, it was even used in rallying(in the AX GTi), so if it's treated well, it should outlast the rest of the car, really.
Unless you know your car is going to fail the MOT the next time it's in for checkup, I'd say it's worth keeping alive a while longer.

I will take the risk, I will change the head gasket and if the oil still gets to the coolant, then I will use it until it dies. The engine was treated well as much as I saw from prevoius paperwork.
I treat it with caution, no low rpm(around 2k) and I change the oil every 10k - total 10w30 semi synt - plus I have just changed the plugs too.

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[Tpeti]

6mm rod to lock the flywheel.
How long does it need to be? I might have a rod if not, I will buy a bolt.
I will figure it out the build date of my engine or is there an easier way to tell if the tensioner an automatic or manual?

[oilyrag]

The rod ( I used a piece from a clothes airer!) does not have to be long - three inches or so to go into the flywheel hole, but it's an easier tool to use if you have a longer piece that you bend into an L shape, giving you a handle. So if you can find 8 inches or so of rod, all the better, but it's not hi-tec, and a piece of scrap will do fine. The manual tensioner is not difficult to set up - do you have a Haynes manual, as it is described there. It's not going to stop you doing the job, whichever one you have.
Cheers

[Gadgetman]

This is a B59? Then the odds are that it has the automatic tensioner.
(The changeover was at about the same time as they changed from B49 to B59 designation)

I use a long M6 threaded rod, and with a slacker bend, it will hook into the side of the engine compartment so that it stays rock solid until I release it. Not a chance that it drops out.