BROKEN DOWN!

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 9:39 am

If your Xantia is an 8 valve - it may have not done any damage - which would be born out by it spinning merrily on the starter without any untoward noises.

I think the 8 valve engines have combustion chambers - and se there is a distance between the valve head and the pistons.

If you really want to be sure - rotate the camshaft so that the valves on one cylinder are shut - then test the compression - and repeat for all cylinders.

If all are OK - just fit a new cambelt - but examine all jockey pulleys etc very carefully as there is some reason it failed in the first place. (may just be old age - wear - separation of teeth . . .

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 9:44 am

Worth a try I expect but theres no compression at all on any cylinders. IM going to pop the head off and take a look to be sure.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 9:57 am

There won't be any compression at all if any of the valves are open - take the cam cover off and see if a pair of valves is shut. If no pair is shut you can't expect any compression.

If the head is sealing satisfactorily there is no point in breaking the joint.

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 10:07 am

This car is petrol guys not diesel, i think the cambelts jumped so far everythings out of kilter! Am towing it home, will hipw the head off and have a looky!

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 10:25 am

Diesels have flat heads with negligible clearance between the valve heads and the piston crowns. This is why when the belt comes off or snaps they do serious damage - like breaking the camshaft and its bearing housings.

16 valves have angled valves that contact the pistons and bend. The damage on these can be confined to one or 2 cylinders - but it means new valves at the very least.

8 valves will probably just turn round harmelssly - and a new belt will cure all if you're lucky. - just like my 2000 Cortina many years ago - apparently collisions occurred on 1600's but not 2000's - new belt and all was fine.

Post by **docchevron** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 11:07 am

TIM! I agree with Jeremy. Dont make extra work for yourself, or pull the head off for no reason! As Jeremy said, why split the joint if the engine wasn't overheating / pressurising? It's just asking for trouble.....

It takes a few minutes to wham a belt on and fire it over. Thats got to be the place to start mate. If it runs fine (which I suspect it will) then the cars fixed for what, 30-40mins work!

If it runs like a bag of sh!t then, ok, the head will probably need to come off, but I reckon unless you've been very unlucky a new belt (obviousley with everything timed up first!) will see it good!

Cheers
Chris G

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 12:03 pm

Worth a go I think, the thing is its sounds horrid when it turns over now which it didnt before?

thanuttiscotsman · Post by **thanuttiscotsman** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 4:03 pm

hi tim,
thats a real bugger man!

well you will have to get it off for inpection and see if any valves are bent, hopefullt not!

rossco

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 4:36 pm

Well the technical data book says these ARE interference engines so im not building my hopes up

, but its not the end of the world, worst case scenario is a recon engine, or at least 4 new valves, best is there no damage!

Will keep yuo posted, work starts friday!

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 4:23 pm

Main cambelt tensioner was at fault! The engine wont time up as its all busted, heads coming off as we speak!

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 6:13 pm

tim leech wrote:Main cambelt tensioner was at fault! The engine wont time up as its all busted, heads coming off as we speak!

So the belt jumped some teeth on the junction then?

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 7:32 pm

I pulled away a bit hard and it must have been enough for it, cambelts been changed before but looks like they didnt do the tensioner!

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 10:08 pm

Can you complain about that? or is the usual lost cause for negligence?

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 9:27 am

It was changed by the previous owner at sometime and ive had it a year so I guess its as much my fault for not getting it done straight away when I had it!
Shant make that mistake again!

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 10:26 am

ARSE!

the head needs skimming aswell so im going to try and locate a good used cylineder head, so anyone knowing of one please get in touch, i think its the same engine as the late 405 1.8i 8v but i cant be 100 percent sure? Also possibility of the 1.6i or 2.0i 8v heads being the same.

Any information would be gratfully appreciated!