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Polar White and Rust - a restoration epic, can it even be done?


IanMc
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Apologies for repeating a post that I have just placed in the 'Basic Technical Help' section - but this is part of my project, so I thought why not?

 

As part of my mission to solve the reported 'valve problem' on my car I endeavored to remove the head this afternoon to further investigate (and fix) what appears to be a seized exhaust valve on cylinder number 2.

I removed the carb, manifolds, front cam bolts etc etc and then out came the head bolts - all going smoothly until now...  Basically the head is absolutely stuck solid, it wont budge at all.

So I appeal to the far more knowledgeable than myself - what do I do now to get it off?

I have tried:

- a few subtle strategically placed blows with a wooden block via my claw hammer - but nothing. Should I step up to a club hammer?

- placing a socket extension in the various ports on the manifold side and levering it up with an extension tube - no dice.

I am worried about cracking the head if I get too aggressive with it.

Help required please.

Edited by IanMc
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Head now OFF!!

Yes, thanks Mantaray I had remembered those two bolts.

Herman then showed me a good leverage point and with the help of a long lever it 'popped'.

The offending valve is clearly visible. Onwards and upwards now.

Thanks to all!

 

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Small update this morning as we are off out to the In-laws later, so early start to get my 'fix' -  you know how it is  :)

The block face and piston crowns have been cleaned up, thankfully nothing nasty or unexpected was discovered.

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Then I started on the stripping of the head - removed the thermostat housing (easier said than done!), nuts and rockers removed, then pulled the hydraulic tappets.

 

Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member.

 

Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member.

 

Just waiting for a friend to return the valve spring tool I let him borrow and I can get the 7 valves out that (hopefully) are not seized in the head. The problem child was left to soak last night in WD-40 (after angling the head to allow it to 'pool' around the guide to stem interface area).I had hoped for something to have happened overnight - it didn't..

Can anyone recommend a better penetrating fluid or mixture that might work here?

Thanks in advance, have a good day all.

 

 

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Hi all,

Had a productive day today.

After leaving the problem valve to 'bathe' is releasing agent for two nights while we went away to celebrate my Wifes Birthday, I returned to find it 'free' and easy to remove - result!

That prompted a productive day of head stripping, decoking, cleaning, regrinding valves etc etc.

I can now look forward to the rebuild...

 

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OK, so a bit more progress today.

- Cylinder head fully assembled and bolted back on the block - no problems at all.

- Everything lined up and the hydraulic tappets primed etc.

- Made sure that the engine would turn freely and completely on the crank bolt - no problems or nasty noises here :)

- Sorted out the dodgy wiring around the dizzy and coil etc

- Chucked a battery in.

- Made sure the car was in 'Park' - its an auto remember.

- Turned the key to see what would happen:

i) It turned over on the starter fine, if a bit slower than I anticipated - probably the old battery that I had fitted...  but no start, not a massive surprise really!

ii) There is a spark from the king lead when held top the block which is encouraging.

iii) No attempt to fire at all.

 

Things that I think I need to check next:

- Battery voltage? - I have my power pack on charge to lend a hand, but that's going to take at least 12 hours to be of any use to me.

- Spark at the plugs?

- Fuel to the cylinders?

- Static timing?

Anything else obvious I have missed/should check? - please feel free to add to the list.

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, blitzi said:

if you are getting spark disconect the fuel supply and pore a cap full directly into carb if not fuel some easy start and take it from there it will prob be mechanical fuel pump that is gubbed bud

cheers wullie;) 

Yes I had considered that, but thanks for reminding me.

I will probably give that a go tomorrow now as we are off out shortly.

Since my last post I have ascertained that I have a spark at each plug, albeit a pretty weak Orange coloured one...

In an attempt to improve that I have cleaned and regapped the points and tomorrow I will also clean all other associated connections.

Oh, and I checked and adjusted the static timing.

Fingers crossed, I’m hoping that by this time tomorrow it will bd running.

Edited by IanMc
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Hi All,

OK, so thinking that my carb and fuel lines were full up with either stale on congealed fuel, I followed the suggestion of pouring a small quantity of capful of petrol directly down the carb (with the throttle held up allowing it to pass). The result: absolutely nothing, not even a cough...

I have now convinced myself that despite a lot of cleaning that my entire HT an LT ignition components are pretty useless as they only develop a pretty lame Orange spark. I was assuming that I would/should get a nice fat, Blue/White spark?

To confirm my suspicions, could somebody with a points and carb set up post a link to the spark they get?

All help with this appreciated.

Note! I will post the same request in Basic Technical Help too, in case somebody not following this project thread reads it.

Edited by IanMc
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1) After deciding that my spark was pathetic, I have ordered myself some lovely new parts :)

In a few days I will be fitting new points, condenser, rotor arm, dizzy cap, coil and lead set. Fingers crossed that will give me a lovely fat White/Blue spark.

2) Today I stripped and thoroughly cleaned (inside and out) the carb. My car is fitted with a GM Varajet II carb. I’ve heard and read varying reviews on these carbs - anyone here have a view on them?

Next update when the new ignition stuff arrives.

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29 minutes ago, Exclusive Opel said:

If I can find it, I have an old magazine article somewhere about how to set up these carbs properly that I can scan and post up.

That would be really useful, thanks in advance!

Edited by IanMc
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A little bit more done today.

Frustratingly, my new ignition parts have not arrived yet so it was on with other associated jobs that hopefully will all help with starting and general running:

- removed and cleaned out the mechanical fuel pump.

- replaced all rubber braided fuel hoses.

- blew the Steel fuel line through (after removing it) from the pump to the carb.

- Carb refitted.

- checked I have 12v to the auto choke (I do).

- checked the height of the throttle pedal.

- replace a split vacuum hose.

- painted the brake servo and master cylinder.

- removed all coolant hoses for inspection and general cleaning.

- inspected and repainted the radiator.

I just need those ignition parts now to see if the old girl will now run! :)

Cheers all, enjoy your weekend.

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Tonight’s update:

All my new ignition parts arrived today:

- coil

- HT leads

- points

- condenser

- dizzy cap

- rotor arm

Fitted everything up and gapped the points to 0.5 mm.

Did a test for a spark at No. 1 cylinder when turned over - and there was.

Then I set up a temporary fuel tank, which consisted of disconnecting the flexi at the inner wing connection and extending If with a 1m steel pipe, before dipping the end into a plastic fuel can.

Now for the moment of truth.... and nothing!

OK fair enough, I thought that maybe the fuel can needed to be elevated (in relation to the mechanical pump), like the tank of the car. I therefore put the van up on a stool/chair, which meant it now sat about 2 foot from the floor - still nothing.

As a last ditch attempt before the battery went completely flat, I poured some fuel straight down the carb. This resulted in some ‘burbling’ and spitting back while I turned it over, but it never quite felt like it was about to fire.

I just realised that I forgot to pull a plug out to see if it was wet - Doh!

Very frustrating, but I am a patient man and will double check a few things, like static timing etc - but I need some help and advice from you gurus now.

Can anyone recommend anything else I can try please?

I wondered if the exhaust might be restricted internally, preventing running - is that a possibility?

All help appreciated :)

 

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Just noticed something very strange, my car has three silencers fitted. Is that right for an auto?

I only ever recall having two silencers on all my previous (manual) Cavalier Coupe’s - one centre and the ‘cherry bomb’ and the back.

Could this be creating too much back pressure, preventing the car from starting?

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5 minutes ago, Shug said:

I have 3 on my a series, that's got a b jetex system on it. 

May have missed it, but have you checked you have a good earth from engine block?

Ok, thanks Shug that’s good to know.

I did try to clean it the other night, but could only get the block side unbolted to clean.

As a precaution I clipped a jump lead to the strap and ran it to the crossmember - is that OK? Should I have gone back to the battery negative instead?

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Hi Julian,

Many thanks for your input, much appreciated.

I plan on doing a compression test tomorrow evening, assuming I can find my kit by then lol

Apologies for being a but dumb, but I don't really understand your comment about earthing - could you elaborate please?

Thanks in advance.

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You said that you unbolted the earth strap from the block, then you clipped one end of a jump lead to it and the other end of the jump lead to earth. ie the crossmember, to me that is running an earth from earth and back to earth, the block is not in the circuit, so as the engine is sitting on rubber mountings, it is not earthed to the chassis, or as some say GROUND.  The battery is earthed to the chassis by another earth strap, from the negative terminal of the battery to the bulkhead very close to the battery.

Edited by Julian
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47 minutes ago, Julian said:

You said that you unbolted the earth strap from the block, then you clipped one end of a jump lead to it and the other end of the jump lead to earth. ie the crossmember, to me that is running an earth from earth and back to earth, the block is not in the circuit, so as the engine is sitting on rubber mountings, it is not earthed to the chassis, or as some say GROUND.  The battery is earthed to the chassis by another earth strap, from the negative terminal of the battery to the bulkhead very close to the battery.

Thanks Julian, now I understand.

My wording was not very good, apologies. What I actually did was to unbolt the earth strap at the block end only (as the other end would not budge), then cleaned it thoroughly and replaced it.

As I couldn’t get the other end off I used the jump lead to take the earth to another part of the chassis.

Is what I did OK?

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