Technical Head gasket blown, balancing options, little money

[PuntoHowTo]

View attachment 449786

I just got the thermostat housing ready to be put back on and I broke a bolt as I was screwing it in

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It’s a pain but you’re not screwed (excuse the pun)

There is usually plenty of room to get a drill into the old bolt and if you use left handed drills it will normally take it out without any hassle. As it broke when you were putting it in, often they will come out pretty easily

 

[jrkitching]

How annoying to have this happen after you've got this far. I hope very much that you're able to extract what's left of it without too much trouble.

 

[koalar]

No big deal at it broke going in so unlikely to be tight

If you take the housing full off is there any left sticking out at all

You might get away with, mole grips or hacksawing across and using a screwdriver

You mechanic friend could weld a nut on top

So many options, best to decide after the housing is off, my guess it will screw out by pushing it round with a scribe, fingers crossed

 

[Keepthe12alive]

Update: I worked away at the screw with a razor blade for like almost an hour and created a grove that I could maneuver with my flathead screwdriver — I was lowkey proud of myself

 

[Keepthe12alive]

Sorry for my delay, my phone died

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Update: I worked away at the screw with a razor blade for like almost an hour and created a grove that I could maneuver with my flathead screwdriver — I was lowkey proud of myself

View attachment 449792

That’s dedication

If you’re going to be doing jobs like this, it is worth investing in a decent set of stud extractors

 

[Keepthe12alive]

Update: everything is back together and just took it for a drive — seems to be going really smooth

Only thing is that I’m getting a P0016 code (the timing is off by maybe 1 tooth, my mechanic and I went over everything yesterday and double check it was right with the locking tools)

Any thoughts on if this is deadly serious?

 

[koalar]

Koalar random thoughts | FIAT Panda (Mk3)

You can tell if the coil pack is getting a control signal and giving a good spark like this If one is weeker and the spark does not jump as far than the others it's suspect It is possible to get a jolt if you do something wrong, probably not a good idea if you have a pace maker As long as the...

www.fiatforum.com

It can be a timing error

But click on the link above first

 

[Keepthe12alive]

Koalar random thoughts | FIAT Panda (Mk3)

You can tell if the coil pack is getting a control signal and giving a good spark like this If one is weeker and the spark does not jump as far than the others it's suspect It is possible to get a jolt if you do something wrong, probably not a good idea if you have a pace maker As long as the...

www.fiatforum.com

It can be a timing error

But click on the link above first

You are amazing — thank you

We double and triple checked the timing yesterday after the scare of putting the cam timing tool on 180 degrees off, and we confirmed that we are half to one tooth off on timing

I’ll try to give that component in the cam cover a look tonight

 

[koalar]

it seems as both bits can be locked it would be impossible to get wrong

But it's very easy to mess up, even garages have gotten it wrong or had problems so you are not alone

Each problem, overcome, just adds to your experience and makes the next one easier

Your making good progress, fingers crossed this is the last hurdle to cross

 

[DaveMcT]

To anyone fitting bolts in awkward locations (thermostat diesel air pump etc) be 100% sure to use the correct length bolt. It's all too easy to use one that too long and shear it off when it bottoms in the hole or worse cracks an overhanging bracket or strips threads if its too short.

 

[Keepthe12alive]

I’m running into some trouble again — rough idle at stop and is seems like it jumps to 1500 rpm on cold start again (wasn’t doing this at first) but doesn’t feel like misfiring the way it was before the HG repair

I’m wondering if I might have an air intake issue or something

Only engine code is still the P0016

The full timing kit came in, would it be recommeneded to try the timing again to see if I can get it exact?

 

[Keepthe12alive]

Haven’t check the cam cover bolt sensor yet

 

[jrkitching]

The full timing kit came in, would it be recommeneded to try the timing again to see if I can get it exact

Are you loosening the cam sprocket to set the timing? If you do, then the timing can be set exactly, otherwise you have to settle for the nearest tooth (just as if you had fixed timing marks and keyed sprockets).

Just be careful, as loosening the cam sprocket has given some folks another opportunity to go wrong and get into difficulties.

 

[Keepthe12alive]

Also unrelated— would anyone know if I could put seats from a 2014 into my 2011?

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[Keepthe12alive]

Are you loosening the cam sprocket to set the timing? If you do, then the timing can be set exactly, otherwise you have to settle for the nearest tooth (just as if you had fixed timing marks and keyed sprockets).

Just be careful, as loosening the cam sprocket has given some folks another opportunity to go wrong and get into difficulties.

I didn’t loosen the sprocket — my mechanic thought it was weird (maybe panda-specific?)

 

[Keepthe12alive]

Are you loosening the cam sprocket to set the timing? If you do, then the timing can be set exactly, otherwise you have to settle for the nearest tooth (just as if you had fixed timing marks and keyed sprockets).

Just be careful, as loosening the cam sprocket has given some folks another opportunity to go wrong and get into difficulties.

Also, is it easier to get the belt on with the sprocket loose?

 

[jrkitching]

Also, is it easier to get the belt on with the sprocket loose?

Yes, it's much easier to get the belt on, but...

...the securing bolt for that sprocket is often extremely tight; loosening it can be challenging, and is quite likely to break cheap tools.

You also have to be sure it's retightened correctly at the end; if it slips in service, your engine will be scrap.

If you can find a way of positioning the belt so that it's within half a tooth of the exact position when the tools are out without loosening the sprocket, then that's what I'd do.

IMO fitting the belt on these engines is way harder than it ought to be.

 

[Keepthe12alive]

Yes, it's much easier to get the belt on, but...

...the securing bolt for that sprocket is often extremely tight; loosening it can be challenging, and is quite likely to break cheap tools.

You also have to be sure it's retightened correctly at the end; if it slips in service, your engine will be scrap.

If you can find a way of positioning the belt within half a tooth of the exact position without loosening the sprocket, then that's what I'd do.

At the moment we’re running with it half to a a whole tooth out — but getting that P0016 code and the rough idle symptoms

 

[jrkitching]

At the moment we’re running with it half to a a whole tooth out — but getting that P0016 code and the rough idle symptoms

What I'd do is to move the belt one tooth toward its optimum position, and see if that fixes the running problem. It might be easier to do this with the tools out, but be very careful - and be absolutely certain you're moving it the right way!

This is one way of doing it.