Oliver's son - 79 Opel Kadett

M3lover said:
I have haerd they have started cleaning engine bays with dry ice - blastning it in, in small pellets, like sand blastning.

It's supposedly very effective and dosen't leave any fluids or the like.
Click to expand...

They do sodium bicarbonate (as in baking soda) blasting also.. not to be used for derusting but very useful for cleaning and getting the paint off.
 
bone said:
i seem to be in the minority here, but i don't like painted engines. definitely not in a color other than black or aluminium
Click to expand...

The nice thing about brightly coloured motors is that it's easier to spot leaks and such.

And if you leave the motor bare metal it rusts.
 
The motor still is black. We'll see how much of it is paint and how much is dirt. If there will be paint-free spots, i'll touch them up in black.
 
Fehlfarben said:
Keine Atempause
Geschichte wird gemacht
Es geht voran!
Click to expand...

https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/05/16/IMG_0752.JPG
https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/05/16/IMG_0754.JPG
https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/05/16/IMG_0756.JPG
https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/05/16/IMG_0757.JPG

Cleaning goes well so far. I decided to lower my target a bit, though: There will be no disassembly for the sake of cleaning. For example, the water pump casing is uncleanable while mounted, but as far as i see i don't have to remove it for any of the planned repairs, so it'll stay where it is, and a bit dirty as a consequence. My biggest problem right now is that the v-belt pulley is still stuck. Any ideas on how to get it unstuck?

The broken and oily mess is the starter motor and magnet switch by the way, my current cleaning/guesstimating project. The magnet switch is shot, but the starter motor looks OK. Now shall i gamble and just replace the switch?
 
Last edited:
Last edited:
Spectre said:
Did you get the pulley of doom off?
Click to expand...

As you already know, i did. And, as you can see above, i got a brand new one to replace it...
 
Time to devise a plan (actually, time to work on my Ph.D but making plans is more fun).

First, i'll change the timing gear. That is easiest done with the engine assembled so it has to be done as the very first or very last step, so i'll just start there. It will also give me a reference point when doing timing-related work later on.

Then the flywheel will go off so i can change the rear crankshaft seal.

Next, the cylinder head will go. This will basically leave me with a stripped block, close the lowest weight achievable. I'll use this to my advantage by changing the oil pan gaskets. As the engine sits on the oil pan right now, i figure it's best to change the gaskets when i can move it around easily.

Then it's time for a new head gasket. Once that's in, the air intake, carb etc will be reassembled. This includes a rough adjustment of the valve play (valve play has to be adjusted with the engine running and being on working temperature, so a rough estimate has to be used to get it running after assembly). Somewhere around here the flywheel will go back on as well. Have not yet decided if i'll do that before or after i'll do the head gasket. Most likely before so i can use it to turn the crank.

Moving on to the distributor, which will get a new breaker contact, finger and cap. Easy-peasy.

Now, with all timing-related stuff done the timing case cover goes back on, with it my new v-belt pulley.

As a final step, the starter motor, alternator and engine mounts go back onto the engine.

Afterwards, off to the workshop it goes. As the steering column got in the way of the oil filter when taking out the engine, i'll remove the old oil filter before putting the engine in, then put the new one on afterwards. Connect exhaust, electric and fuel lines, turn the key and drive off into the sunset (or, more realistically, to the local classic car specialist for a fine tune).

EDIT: Green parts are done.
 
Last edited:
Triple Post! Yeah!

Some real progress...
I sucessfully removed the timing gears and the woodruff key in the crankshaft:
https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/05/28/IMG_0789.JPG

After that, i went parts shopping and got myself a new woodruff key (fifty cent, yo!). That enabled me to install the new timing gear:
https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/05/28/IMG_0794.JPG
https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/05/28/IMG_0798.JPG

The new timing chain tensioner is a different model from the old one. First I wondered if it might tension the timing chain too much, but then i figured it's called a timing chain tensioner, not a timey timey wobbly wobbly so it should be alright.
https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/05/28/IMG_0795.JPG
(Top: old tensioner, or remains therof. Below: new tensioner.)

Tomorrow it's time to turn to the other side of the engine and replace the crankshaft seal. But first: The Runaway Brides!
 
Last edited:
Moving on from "advanced cleaning project" to "actual work on the engine", i removed the cylinder head in order to replace the head gasket.

First, the intake mainfold and valve casing had to go:
https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/05/30/IMG_0818.JPG

Then i removed the cylinder head:
https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/05/30/IMG_0819.JPG
https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/05/30/IMG_0824.JPG

This is my screw storage. In the instant pasta sauce jar to the right: the pushrods. It's like half an American V8 :)
https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/05/30/IMG_0821.JPG

Next: Replace the oil pan gasket while the head is removed, then clean the head surface, put the flywheel back on, install the new head gasket ;) I hope i'll get the oil pan done tonight.
 
Last edited:
Propose to your girlfriend already. 99% of all other women stabbed you for this. Oh and you made the chair dirty! Tz Tz Tz :p
 
D-Fence said:
Propose to your girlfriend already. 99% of all other women stabbed you for this. Oh and you made the chair dirty! Tz Tz Tz :p
Click to expand...

You know, proposing will much more likely make her kill me then this engine project :-D .
 
Reinzosil easily takes the price for the most annoying substance i've ever worked with.

In semi-related news i consciously overtorqued the oil pan gasket screws by 2nm. Theoretically that should not have destroyed the gasket, but we'll see how it goes.
 
Last edited:
Another detail: After a week of soaking them in deruster daily i was able to remove the two screw stumps which heads i ripped off from the exhaust manifold.
 
I don't care if no one's replying any longer, i'll just post some more pictures:
https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/06/02/Schwungrad_ab_001.JPG
Removed the flywheel in order to change the crankshaft seal.

https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/06/02/IMG_0838_002.JPG
And finally got it out! ;)

https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/06/02/IMG_0836_001.JPG
This enabled me to put the flywheel back on.

https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/06/02/IMG_0827_001.JPG
https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/06/02/IMG_0828_001.JPG
I also installed a new head gasket.

https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/06/02/IMG_0840_002.JPG
After adjusting the valve play I put the intake manifold...
https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/06/02/IMG_0841_002.JPG
...and the carburettor back on...
https://pic.armedcats.net/d/dr/dr_grip/2011/06/02/IMG_0843_002.JPG
...before I, finally, installed the valve cover.

I'm almost finished, it looks like an engine again!
 
We were waiting for moar pics ofc :) You didn't clean the cylinders and valves of all that soot?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top