Ahh cheers Dave.

yes, its a bit fuzzy but I get the gist! If you could get an in focus shot, that would be great.

Been out just now investigating further and can lock the cam with one of my torx keys which fits really snug .. when locked it all lined up with marks someone had previous made on the pulley, so timing looks good and I will use them as a reference again.

Bar the tool to stop stuff falling out, and actually ordering the gasket, I'm all ready to go (need to get the right size ribe/torx bit though as I wont have much luck undoing head bolts with keys )...

Cheers for the second pic dave. Presuming I need 2 of those for both sides of the carrier?

yes think mine ended up bigger as i just used shelving uprights, but the lengh same and the cut out was in right place, i had an old carrier to hand so make them to match that

The bit you need it actually known as a 'Bristol' bit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_screw_drives#Bristol, but a ribe is virtually identical and will do the job. Just be careful when loosening the head bolts. When I did mine the bolt were so tight they snapped 2 rive bits, and they aren't cheap to buy time and time again

Also I 'think' it's a size 8/9 you need? Can't 100% remember.

I made a start on the head gasket tonight. Got as far as I could before needing ribe bits, which ive ordered but still havent turned up. I've opened a case on ebay as its been well over a week now. Most likely going to pop out tomorrow and get some from EuroCarParts or a local factors if I can find one that stocks them. ECP are £25 for a decent looking set. The ones from ebay were £15 inc postage.

Anyway, I photographed every step so will be making a guide once I've finished. There doesn't seem to be one anywhere and it really would have been helpful when researching what I needed.

Here is as far as I got...


Cam carrier off (without any mishaps) and awaiting the head to come off once I've got some ribe bits! Took me about an hour and a half to this point. Not bad going

Cheers for the help

i got draper pro long ribes, not broke any yet used them loads

I know my local factors keeps draper stuff but they seem to keep more basic stuff. Ribes maybe a little too exotic. There's a slightly bigger place not far though, will be passing there if I do end up at ECP so may as well pop in and see what they have first

Looks like you've made an enemy, Dave.

Well. After all that, engine died on the way home today.

Nothing dramatic. Just went to switch up gear and the engine stalled and refused to restart. No bang or nasty noised. Engine has Spark and fuel but just spins with no compression on any cylinder.

So either the new head gasket has exploded into a million pieces or as the AA man suggested, maybe the cam has snapped etc. Who knows. It turns without any drama. Just spins and spins smoothly. Doesn't even try to fire.

Got towed home and the punto now sits out in the road looking sorry for itself. It's fate isn't yet decided. Next time I get a chance (probs next sun/mon) I'm going to strip the head off again and see if I can spot anything obvious. I nor the AA man could see anything obvious with the car on the side of the road. If stripping the head off doesnt reveal anything obvious or cheap, its being broken.

Fingers crossed its something simple but I'm assuming the worst at the moment.

So, anyone got any requests for parts?

could be you put gasket on upside down and oil starved cams seized and stripped belt?

Potentially with the gasket, yes, but the cams haven't seized and the belt is still intact. The whole lot still spins freely and the belt is still on.

Just confused how the whole engine can loose compression in an instant with no noise, no broken belts and still (atleast externally) seem intact. Obviously the gasket could have failed but would be strange to have lost compression totally on all 4 cylinders in 1 go.

Just gonna have to strip it down again and see whats what...

could be slipped cambelt..

Yeah.

I haven't had a change to get a look at the timing yet. It is possible. Happened as I went to shift up gear, the revs dropped and it just died. Could have jumped as I came off the throttle.

Just need a chance to get a look at it. Not going to be any time soon as I havent got a day off until Monday again now. Hopefully the belt did just jump and just needs retiming. Still want to get the head off and check this gasket over though.

did you remember to torque cam sprocket?

Yep everything torqued (or at least everything I could find figures for).

I'm just hoping that there isn't any internal damage. I'm confident there isn't a the moment as there wasn't any nasty noises and as I say, the engine spins freely. Surely damaged valves/pistons would make a racket and the engine isn't seized.

Bit of an update.

Got the car on the drive and started taking bits apart. checked the timing and it looks as if the cambelt did indeed jump. 2/3 teeth on the crank by the looks of it!

Stripped it down so far to the cam carrier coming off. Although a bit dry (hence the loud tappety noises) it is in good condition and perfectly usable. Cams are still in one piece so the AA mans hunch wasn't right, thank **** . Turns round easily by hand and no scouring or damage to the cams or followers. There was some oil in there but not as much as when I originally did the head so something is obviously wrong somewhere with regards to the oil circulation.

There was oil in the top of the head so seems the oil is getting into the head but not the carrier. Strange. But still, I need to get the head off really and check for valve damage, although from the top, everything looks right. Can open and close each valve with no issue.

So, if this nice sun holds out, head off tonight and check for any real damage and to see if I've either put the head gasket on wrong (probably ) or if theres anything causing the lack of oil circulation...

Then back together, oil change and off we go

did you tension it with cam pulley loose? belts shouldnt just jump

I'm thinking it jumped due to resistance from the cam. Think it was this thread I said the engine was slowing loads quicker than before. Defo lack of oil in the carrier (what caused the noise) and it jumped as I changed gear. Easy enough for the slack on the belt to shift quickly and the unoiled cam causing enough resistance to cause it to jump.

Just to ask though, what is the point in a sprung tentioner? Why is it needed? Surely it aides belt jumping as it is allowed to loosen and tighten

i think because as you accelerate belt may tighten slightly so spring stops it jumping rather than the other way around

I can confirm...



bent valves...

4 or 5 of them don't seat right, just on the exhaust side. So, its either new head (£100) or replace the valves.

I've no idea how to replace valves, although they are cheap enough to buy. Anyone willing to do it for me?

Kinda tempted to break it now. Defo not spending £100 on a replacement head. £30 odd quid on a new set of exhaust valves I might be tempted.

Dave? You ever done valves? Rabbit food money in it for you