General Panda Panda's Panda Parade Purchase.

[panda panda]

Bought privately after failing to find a buyer twice on ebay.

After 30 mins of motorway driving, started to run like a bag of spanners so AA was called.

No compression between cylinders 3&4.

After 5 hours of dismantallage (by my own fair spanners!) this was found.

lots more images in my gallery if that kind of thing is your thing.

Hopefully I can get it skimmed and put it back together, along with a timing belt.

Should I buy new head bolts or reuse originals?

More engine pawnage:

 

[AndyPanda4x4]

Well done John, always worth having a go and gaining confidence with inner workings! Have you told the seller what's happened?

Get new bolts, you should always use new ones every time - they can lengthen once torqued down and if used again you can get an inaccurate torque setting when tightening the head down.

 

[panda panda]

New bolts it is then!

No not told the seller yet, thought I'd get the head looked at first, don't want to go off half cocked.

Quite enjoyed taking it to bits, everything came apart easily, even the exhaust.

I have to take a few bits off Fizzle for Henry (all brake related) which will be another first!

Any recommendations for a reasonably priced torque wrench and the rest of the parts Ling Ling needs?

 

[pandamonius_maximus]

Ah lame. That is the most common HG fail point I think

Hope you get it sorted ok!

 

[northernchap]

Any recommendations for a reasonably priced torque wrench and the rest of the parts Ling Ling needs?

Got a torque wrench you're welcome to borrow anytime mate! Also got a valve spring compressor but never having taken one of these apart I have no idea if you need one.

 

[panda panda]

Got a torque wrench you're welcome to borrow anytime mate! Also got a valve spring compressor but never having taken one of these apart I have no idea if you need one.

Cheers, I'll take you up on that, just looking for a local place to skim the head now.

If I can get it sorted this week I'll have half a chance remembering what goes where!

 

[northernchap]

Cool, let me know when you need it and I'll drop it round!

 

[panda panda]

Cool, let me know when you need it and I'll drop it round!

I'll be needing it tomorrow!

Can meet you half way if you like?

 

[panda panda]

I rang my MOT garage and they recommended a place literally down the road by 200 yards from where I work.
Valves will be sorted too and HG kit and bolts supplied.

Fretting about cleaning the block head now, does it all have to be shiney shiney?
I can't find any abrasives though cleaned off the muck with a stanley knife blade and some thinners.

I can't find anywhere that sells scotch brite pads locally, will wet and dry do?

Is that a bit out of the cylinder top owt to worry about?

 

[AndyPanda4x4]

Brake/carb cleaner, Stanley blade and emery paper or wet 'n dry

 

[northernchap]

I'll be needing it tomorrow!

Can meet you half way if you like?

I'm out tonight but I should be able to drop it over tomorrow night, or if you're wanting it in the day I can leave it somewhere safe and you can come and grab it.

 

[panda panda]

I'm out tonight but I should be able to drop it over tomorrow night, or if you're wanting it in the day I can leave it somewhere safe and you can come and grab it.

I can swing by the hidey hole tomorrow morning and pick it up ta.

Better PM me the details, you never know who's watching!

 

[panda panda]

Heads back and it all looks very nice, the valves have been cleaned up and had the bits from the gasket set fitted.

Now I'm a bit confused as the bloke said something about shims and adjusting them. What is that exactly? More bits to buy?

*sigh* I'm out of my depth here and I don't want to damage the expensive repair work by not doing things right.

 

[northernchap]

On one of these engines, you adjust the valve clearances by putting in various shims I believe - you should get away with it for now, you can always do that part once it is all back together. Plus on a job like this where you haven't done it before, the less you mess with at the same time the easier it is to work out what is going on!

 

[panda1408]

If your man has reground the valves, the shims will need adjusting before you run the engine. The valve will sit further into the seat, which means the clearance will have closed up. In the most extreme, this leads to no compression as the valves cannot fully close because the shims are too big.

If you have a set of feeler gauges you can check the clearances, specs and instructions are in the Haynes. Give me a call if you want some guidance.

 

[panda panda]

I just picked up the wrench Jimmy, thanks.

If your man has reground the valves, the shims will need adjusting before you run the engine. The valve will sit further into the seat, which means the clearance will have closed up. In the most extreme, this leads to no compression as the valves cannot fully close because the shims are too big.

If you have a set of feeler gauges you can check the clearances, specs and instructions are in the Haynes. Give me a call if you want some guidance.

Oh.

Yes the valves have been ground as someone told me to have it done!

Nada on the feeler gauge front.

and the stuff from tool station isn't like any emery cloth/ wet and dry I've used before, it's hard and stiff and looks way too course.

there still is a mark on the head between 3&4 despite skimming.

Metal work at school wasn't this complicated - toffee hammers ftw!

 

[pandamaniac]

Don't forget the head gasket only goes one way round.
Check manual!
Dave

 

[panda panda]

I've given the block a going over, it feels smoother, I'll have a go at reassembly tomorrow.
New cambelt via amazon prime hasn't turned up yet - so much for next day delivery.
Presume it all needs to be together to do shim thing so stumped if that doesn't show up tomorrow.

Bah, if the Italians had sold me that Van I wouldn't be doing any of this and would be having a proper trip away!

 

[panda1408]

The clearances can be adjusted with the head off the car. I would suggest you take it back to to machine shop and get them to sort the shims, you need feeler gauges and measuring equipment to do it and then will need to order the correct size shims for each valve.

I guess the machine shop just regrind the valves as a matter of course when they are removed to replace the seals, which is all I suggested you have done! It's not a problem on a pushrod engine with adjustable rockers, but does make more work on an engine with shims, and is a little annoying if the valves seats were OK in the first place. What is more annoying is the machine shop go ahead and do this without first making you aware of what will be needed or offering to set the clearances!

 

[northernchap]

Yeah sorry, I missed the part about the valves being reground - I was thinking they'd just done a skim and left them in place. Freddy is right (as usual!) that they are probably needing some fettling. On the plus side, I don't have any feeler gauges anymore so you couldn't have picked them up when you were round here earlier - saving you another trip to the Bradford ghetto!