Is a consequence of being forgetful :D

hopefully you will not have lost the plot and forgotten everything by time I get my gearbox out. Will be picking your brain when that day comes

James Martin is the gearbox guru. What's wrong with it?!
 
Progressing quite nicely today with building it back up. Gold links correctly timed, tensioner, guide rails, lower tensioner rail all fitted, and then front cover refitted with new gasket and a smear of blue hylomar. PAS and AC pumps fitted, and now the crank pulley hub needs fitting.

The process is clear in RAVE, 100Nm, then 60°, another 60° and finally 30°. Obviously it is crucial this is exact as the oil pump relies on this correct torque.

How do people best approach this? I have the holding tool LRT-12-105, but because the flywheel holding pin is already fitted (and was a nicely tight fit), it doesn't feel like this will ever be holding the crank, especially with just my foot resting on it. Do people really worry about the load through the crankshaft when torquing the crank hub bolt, if relying on the flywheel pin?

Furthermore, how do people fix their torque angle meters still when doing this job, or is the easiest approach simply to use the hex sides of the bolt (each flat being 60°) to check the torque angle, i.e. two flats and half a flat?

Finally, is the bolt a stretch bolt, or can it be reused with care? It doesn't feel like it is, but best for me to ask.
 
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Progressing quite nicely today with building it back up. Gold links correctly timed, tensioner, guide rails, lower tensioner rail all fitted, and then front cover refitted with new gasket and a smear of blue hylomar. PAS and AC pumps fitted, and now the crank pulley hub needs fitting.

The process is clear in RAVE, 100Nm, then 60°, another 60° and finally 30°. Obviously it is crucial this is exact as the oil pump relies on this correct torque.

How do people best approach this? I have the holding tool LRT-12-105, but because the flywheel holding pin is already fitted (and was a nicely tight fit), it doesn't feel like this will ever be holding the crank, especially with just my foot resting on it. Do people really worry about the load through the crankshaft when torquing the crank hub bolt, if relying on the flywheel pin?

Furthermore, how do people fix their torque angle meters still when doing this job, or is the easiest approach simply to use the hex sides of the bolt (each flat being 60°) to check the torque angle, i.e. two flats and half a flat?

Finally, is the bolt a stretch bolt, or can it be reused with care? It doesn't feel like it is, but best for me to ask.

DO NOT attempt to tighten the crank bolt relying on the flywheel locking pin. A special tool is required to hold the crank. It says not to, but yes it can be reused. But best to replace it if you can. With engine timed up remove locking pin and use crank holder.
 
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DO NOT attempt to tighten the crank bolt relying on the flywheel locking pin. A special tool is required to hold the crank. It says not to, but yes it can be reused. But best to replace it if you can. With engine timed up remove locking pin and use crank holder.

Appreciated. In that case I will fit the head and camshaft sprocket before I proceed any further with the crank pulley.

Speaking of which, do similar rules apply for the camshaft sprocket bolt? (I.e. replace ideally, but can be reused, or is this a stretch bolt?)
 
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James Martin is the gearbox guru. What's wrong with it?!

Nothing ; I’ve not touched it yet :p:D

Not sure how much life is in my clutch as I approach 150,000 mark. Know you’ve done it few times with little or no help. Tbox seal on front shaft too me thinks. something transmissiony grinding will have to source it soonish.
 
Nothing ; I’ve not touched it yet :p:D

Not sure how much life is in my clutch as I approach 150,000 mark. Know you’ve done it few times with little or no help. Tbox seal on front shaft too me thinks. something transmissiony grinding will have to source it soonish.

Last time I had a young lad from across the road who used to row for Bristol. Very useful when lifting and bodging!
 
The engine went back together quite nicely over the xmas period. The head was torqued exactly as RAVE describes, with new head bolts from Victor Reinz. The engine has not yet been started, so it has yet to receive the final 90' of torque.

I was ready to start it up this morning. On filling up the coolant, after it took around 7-8 litres, I noticed a drip from underneath at the front of the engine.

There is now coolant leaking from between the head and block, from the very front of the engine - visibly appearing from the head gasket around where the thermostat passage is on the head and block. It is leaking a drop every second from here. It is not leaking from further up and running down.

As I am confident RAVE was followed exactly for the head torquing sequence and for the M6 bolts into the timing chest, the only possibility I can conclude is that something is warped. Although I did not measure the head with a straight edge and feeler gauges as I should've done, and it is highly more likely that the head is warped than the block, when the car overheated originally, the steam did come from the front of the engine and yet all the radiator, water pump and thermostat housing had no evidence of leaking when dismantled. I am starting to suspect that the front cover warped when it overheated, although I would've expected the clamping force of the M6 bolts and head gasket combined to compensate for this.

Unfortunately I don't think I'll have time to dismantle it again over the coming weeks, so if anyone would like a late 98 model 2.5 DSE in otherwise reasonably good condition, feel free to private message me.
 
The engine went back together quite nicely over the xmas period. The head was torqued exactly as RAVE describes, with new head bolts from Victor Reinz. The engine has not yet been started, so it has yet to receive the final 90' of torque.

I was ready to start it up this morning. On filling up the coolant, after it took around 7-8 litres, I noticed a drip from underneath at the front of the engine.

There is now coolant leaking from between the head and block, from the very front of the engine - visibly appearing from the head gasket around where the thermostat passage is on the head and block. It is leaking a drop every second from here. It is not leaking from further up and running down.

As I am confident RAVE was followed exactly for the head torquing sequence and for the M6 bolts into the timing chest, the only possibility I can conclude is that something is warped. Although I did not measure the head with a straight edge and feeler gauges as I should've done, and it is highly more likely that the head is warped than the block, when the car overheated originally, the steam did come from the front of the engine and yet all the radiator, water pump and thermostat housing had no evidence of leaking when dismantled. I am starting to suspect that the front cover warped when it overheated, although I would've expected the clamping force of the M6 bolts and head gasket combined to compensate for this.

Unfortunately I don't think I'll have time to dismantle it again over the coming weeks, so if anyone would like a late 98 model 2.5 DSE in otherwise reasonably good condition, feel free to private message me.

Step back, breathe. Let the f*cker lie for a bit. Get it nervous and think it is destined for the scrappy. In a few weeks go back and reassess.

How high up is the water? Sure it isn't the water-pump seal that has been disturbed?
 
Step back, breathe. Let the f*cker lie for a bit. Get it nervous and think it is destined for the scrappy. In a few weeks go back and reassess.

How high up is the water? Sure it isn't the water-pump seal that has been disturbed?
Or the o ring on the metal heater pipe?what is your location?
 

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