Technical Stupidly loud engine after head gasket change...

[Bushboy]

It's one thing after another with this bag of crap.. but I'm sticking to my guns and want to sort it

Just replaced the head gasket over the last 2 days and everything is back together now. Started up and it runs perfectly. Drives really well and pulls great. The only issue is that the engine is really really loud. Sounds like a clapped out old Transit diesel.

The engine also seems rather stiff. Before doing the gasket, when you switched off the engine, it would smoothly slow to a hault. Now, it rapidly stops dead. I also noticed the revs dropping much quicker than before when dipping the clutch to change gear etc.

Prior to doing the gasket, the engine ran quiet, except for one noisy tappet which quietened after a few miles. This noise seems different but I am assuming it is still the tappets. Just sounds like all of them rather than the single one before

Now, bearing in mind that the cam carrier and head were off overnight, and quite a bit of oil drained out of them. Could it just be that the tappets aren't fully lubed up yet and will quieten down over time?

Would an oil change help? I don't know what oil is in the car, nor how long it's been in there. Obviously an oil change will help keep the overall condition of the engine but the last thing I want to do is go dumping a few litres of new oil in for it to do nothing.

Cheers!..

 

[Bushboy]

One other thing I will point out though is that the timing is different to how it was prior to changing the head.

I retimed the engine by locking the cam and setting the pistons level. The timing before was with the pistons off set.

Level pistons is correct right? Although surely, if the timing was off, it wouldnt drive so well. Just this noise is bugging me.

Advice from another forum was that I should change the oil incase its contaminated anyway but to either give it a good run or leave on a fast idle for 10-15mins. I opted for good run. Did approx 15-20 miles and I think it quietened slightly but maybe just because I got used to it. Doesnt tap as the engine turns. Only when actually firing. Doing an oil change tomorrow regardless so fingers crossed it helps.

Any ideas?

 

[dave]

did you not remove clean and oil all the buckets when cam carrier was off?

you still running on the old oil? stick some 4w 40 in there

 

[Bushboy]

Nah didn't touch the buckets... didn't realise I had to do anything with them.

Yeah same oil at the moment but I'm changing it tonight. Hopefully thats all it is!...

Setting the cam and crank is definately having the pistons level and the cam locked into position? It wasn't set like that before :bang:

Looked this morning and the cam carrier seems dry. No pools of oil in the carrier bolts like there was before. Could be from crap oil not circulating properly I guess.

Either way, oil change tonight. If that doesnt help matters, I'll just have to strip it down again and double check stuff

 

[dave]

all pistons should be level, though every one ive done its 1st change on the middle 2 pistons seem to have been set 2mm lower at factory for some reason :shrug:

did fit head gasket right way up didnt you?