No (near zero) Compression Cylinder Head Removal or?
#41
11-10-2016, 10:06 AM
Hello All.
So, done deal - kinda. All the parts came together and I set the new/used CHead. There was a small problem with one of the three (the one highest on the upper left facing engine from front) VVT bracket mount threads being different (larger) than the original at the point of the new cylinder head threading. I had to use a larger - and longer - M8 coarse threaded bolt to reach deeper into the CHead as the threads were stripped (probably the reason the new HCead was so cheap). I also had to carefully drill out the sleeve that allows movement in the tensioner AND the hole in the VVT mounting bracket. The longer bolt worked and caught tightly deeper into the hole on the CHead.
Another thing ---- In the reassembly process, when tightening down the curved upper tensioner on the drivers side (US auto) the loop at the top of the tensioner cracked, then, the rest of the hardened plastic guide kinda wobbled and fell off the metallic "blade".... I reattached the plastic guide with JB Weld (a US metallic epoxy product) and completed assembly. That tensioner is in the car now BUT keeps me up at night anticipating its failure. Thoughts?
Long story short - my question is - are tensioners interchangeable and will tensioner blades of this type work on left and/or right or are they specific L/R in design? I want to purchase a new one but dont know how.
Other than that.... After reassembly, setting timing, changing coolant, changing oil and filter, water pump and thermostat I turned the key and it started right up. First key turn!. Purrrring.... Idles and sounds amazing. No ****! I had some fault codes indicating that the KPS was malfunctioning or,,,,. I feared that during the process of for "pinning" the torque converter/flywheel with a long philips head to tighten and loosen the pulley bolt, or maybe even setting the timing lock tool, that I had misshapen the wheel somehow. Also some faults for misfire on the other bank, but they come and go. Thoughts, questions comments and concerns alllll welcomed?
I want to THANK YOU ALL for giving me the confidence to purchase the car in the first place (knowing this forum is here), the guidance and suggestions and walking me thru this repair and process. Eternally grateful!!!
Jason
ps.... aluminum is a awful material to work with for tight fitting bolts, especially as these beautiful machines age. When tightening these essential components I feel like I'm in danger - always. Any remedies for this?
pss - I hate torque wrenches, lol
psss - I'll break down soon, although ashamed, and send a picture of the patch job used to repair the hole in my timing chain cover. Removing the pulley I think was the most frustrating part of this job.
20161030_163828_zpspfvyrmlr.jpg Photo by jakecmichaels | Photobucket
So, done deal - kinda. All the parts came together and I set the new/used CHead. There was a small problem with one of the three (the one highest on the upper left facing engine from front) VVT bracket mount threads being different (larger) than the original at the point of the new cylinder head threading. I had to use a larger - and longer - M8 coarse threaded bolt to reach deeper into the CHead as the threads were stripped (probably the reason the new HCead was so cheap). I also had to carefully drill out the sleeve that allows movement in the tensioner AND the hole in the VVT mounting bracket. The longer bolt worked and caught tightly deeper into the hole on the CHead.
Another thing ---- In the reassembly process, when tightening down the curved upper tensioner on the drivers side (US auto) the loop at the top of the tensioner cracked, then, the rest of the hardened plastic guide kinda wobbled and fell off the metallic "blade".... I reattached the plastic guide with JB Weld (a US metallic epoxy product) and completed assembly. That tensioner is in the car now BUT keeps me up at night anticipating its failure. Thoughts?
Long story short - my question is - are tensioners interchangeable and will tensioner blades of this type work on left and/or right or are they specific L/R in design? I want to purchase a new one but dont know how.
Other than that.... After reassembly, setting timing, changing coolant, changing oil and filter, water pump and thermostat I turned the key and it started right up. First key turn!. Purrrring.... Idles and sounds amazing. No ****! I had some fault codes indicating that the KPS was malfunctioning or,,,,. I feared that during the process of for "pinning" the torque converter/flywheel with a long philips head to tighten and loosen the pulley bolt, or maybe even setting the timing lock tool, that I had misshapen the wheel somehow. Also some faults for misfire on the other bank, but they come and go. Thoughts, questions comments and concerns alllll welcomed?
I want to THANK YOU ALL for giving me the confidence to purchase the car in the first place (knowing this forum is here), the guidance and suggestions and walking me thru this repair and process. Eternally grateful!!!
Jason
ps.... aluminum is a awful material to work with for tight fitting bolts, especially as these beautiful machines age. When tightening these essential components I feel like I'm in danger - always. Any remedies for this?
pss - I hate torque wrenches, lol
psss - I'll break down soon, although ashamed, and send a picture of the patch job used to repair the hole in my timing chain cover. Removing the pulley I think was the most frustrating part of this job.
20161030_163828_zpspfvyrmlr.jpg Photo by jakecmichaels | Photobucket
Last edited by JayJagJay; 11-10-2016 at 10:23 AM.
#43
11-15-2016, 07:21 PM
From Cylinder Head to VVT and P1396 code
Hello All. On the trail for no codes.
Last week I installed the new/used drivers side cylinder head in my 2002 xk8 convertible. The car ran (almost well) before the repair. I had ZERO compression in Cyl 8, had seriously overheated my CATS once and finally discovered a dropped valve seat in Cyl 8.
I had never gotten a P1396 code before the repair. Now, I'm getting an intermittent/regular P1396 fault code.
That being said - now, the car is running great despite the fact that I get the check engine light with the P1396 fault code. I took it on the highway today for the first time after since the CHead repair and after a hard reset overnight. We Zooooomed! To "hard reset" I use a vise grip to hold the POSITIVE and NEGATIVE cables together overnight, drain capacitors, start the car the next day, let temp rise to operating temp to let ECM set idle, then drive for a couple of hours in various driving conditions. I STILL dont have the nerve or courage to touch the negative cable to the positive post with all wires attached to hard reset. I don't know WHAT it will take for me to have the confidence to do that. I'm hard wired that way I guess - no pun intended.
What I think I did to cause the P1396 problem:
One - that the new CHead came with a threaded third hole which was MUCH larger than the original one that held the VVT harness (the original) onto the drivers side CHead. It's the highest of the three VVT bolts, most towards the inner centerline of the engine, that also supports the curved swiveling tensioner blade on that side. I was forced to go with a bigger/longer M8 bolt to reach deeper into the threaded CHead hole, as the hole came stripped (explains the cost of the part) on the outermost threads. With that, the space between the VVT harness, the tensioner and its pivot point sleeve and the wall of the CHead - left a gap. The space between the CHead (which is limiting/resting point for tensioner pivot sleeve) and the VVT harness was toooo great and to fill the space I used 3- 4 thin 1/4 inch washers filling the gap. Not ideal but it's was I came up with. I tightened the two proper VVT harness bolts first, to set distance, and filled the space with washers. Then, tightened the 3rd bolt last. I also had to enlarge the hole in the sleeve and the hole in the VVT harness on a drill press to take the M8 sized bolt. My fear is that that I offset/misaligned the delicate relationship between the VVT cylinder where it sleeves into and enters the intake cam VVT apparatus... I'm not proud of that - but that's what I did.
Two - when I was removing dampening pulley and loosening the crankshaft bolt to do the CHead job I used an appropriately sized phillips head and pushed it thru a hole in the torque converter/flywheel at the openings where the engine and transmission come together. Is it possible that I bent or threw out of alignment/bent the torque converter/flywheel? The bolt was reeeallly ON there, and the force I used to undo the bolt was LOTS... I'm understanding there is a connection between the CKP and the VVT... That the CKP "reads" the spacings on the torque converter.
And three - in setting the timing - I used appropriate tools, and timing seems fine. Could I have locked down cams with intake cam in advanced position accidently and more importantly - how the hell would I know? I took the cam covers off yesterday and noticed that the B2 cam flats didn't line up but only by super slightly. So slight that I'm thinking it could be that the intake is stuck either slightly retarded or advanced. A quick aside - At one point, while still in the middle of the CHead job, in process of placing cam setting tools after locking torque converter with locking tool, I noticed the cam flats on Bank 1 were not lined up. As much as a tooth jump,,, it seemed. I huffed and puffed thinking that I would have to undo those chains too and,,,,,, on Bank 1. So by chance (unintentionally) I turned the crank bolt to move the cams (with timing chains still off bank 2 side) counter clockwise.... With a little click the cam flats "fell" back perfectly into place/alignment. Either stuck advanced or retarded? So, me being me - at the end of my 2hour driving to set ECU today - I turned the car off, then turned the crank bolt (intentionally) about 1/2 to full cycle counter clockwise and restarted car. As I stated the car is running nicely, so I didn't notice a major improvement on the highway home. I'm going to get up after writing this to pick up a friend from work and I will report what OBD reports.
Any comments, questions, suggestions, advice, admonishments, lol - welcome. What do you think I might do to chase down this VVT problem?
THANKS TO YOU ALL...
Peace and Love!
Last week I installed the new/used drivers side cylinder head in my 2002 xk8 convertible. The car ran (almost well) before the repair. I had ZERO compression in Cyl 8, had seriously overheated my CATS once and finally discovered a dropped valve seat in Cyl 8.
I had never gotten a P1396 code before the repair. Now, I'm getting an intermittent/regular P1396 fault code.
That being said - now, the car is running great despite the fact that I get the check engine light with the P1396 fault code. I took it on the highway today for the first time after since the CHead repair and after a hard reset overnight. We Zooooomed! To "hard reset" I use a vise grip to hold the POSITIVE and NEGATIVE cables together overnight, drain capacitors, start the car the next day, let temp rise to operating temp to let ECM set idle, then drive for a couple of hours in various driving conditions. I STILL dont have the nerve or courage to touch the negative cable to the positive post with all wires attached to hard reset. I don't know WHAT it will take for me to have the confidence to do that. I'm hard wired that way I guess - no pun intended.
What I think I did to cause the P1396 problem:
One - that the new CHead came with a threaded third hole which was MUCH larger than the original one that held the VVT harness (the original) onto the drivers side CHead. It's the highest of the three VVT bolts, most towards the inner centerline of the engine, that also supports the curved swiveling tensioner blade on that side. I was forced to go with a bigger/longer M8 bolt to reach deeper into the threaded CHead hole, as the hole came stripped (explains the cost of the part) on the outermost threads. With that, the space between the VVT harness, the tensioner and its pivot point sleeve and the wall of the CHead - left a gap. The space between the CHead (which is limiting/resting point for tensioner pivot sleeve) and the VVT harness was toooo great and to fill the space I used 3- 4 thin 1/4 inch washers filling the gap. Not ideal but it's was I came up with. I tightened the two proper VVT harness bolts first, to set distance, and filled the space with washers. Then, tightened the 3rd bolt last. I also had to enlarge the hole in the sleeve and the hole in the VVT harness on a drill press to take the M8 sized bolt. My fear is that that I offset/misaligned the delicate relationship between the VVT cylinder where it sleeves into and enters the intake cam VVT apparatus... I'm not proud of that - but that's what I did.
Two - when I was removing dampening pulley and loosening the crankshaft bolt to do the CHead job I used an appropriately sized phillips head and pushed it thru a hole in the torque converter/flywheel at the openings where the engine and transmission come together. Is it possible that I bent or threw out of alignment/bent the torque converter/flywheel? The bolt was reeeallly ON there, and the force I used to undo the bolt was LOTS... I'm understanding there is a connection between the CKP and the VVT... That the CKP "reads" the spacings on the torque converter.
And three - in setting the timing - I used appropriate tools, and timing seems fine. Could I have locked down cams with intake cam in advanced position accidently and more importantly - how the hell would I know? I took the cam covers off yesterday and noticed that the B2 cam flats didn't line up but only by super slightly. So slight that I'm thinking it could be that the intake is stuck either slightly retarded or advanced. A quick aside - At one point, while still in the middle of the CHead job, in process of placing cam setting tools after locking torque converter with locking tool, I noticed the cam flats on Bank 1 were not lined up. As much as a tooth jump,,, it seemed. I huffed and puffed thinking that I would have to undo those chains too and,,,,,, on Bank 1. So by chance (unintentionally) I turned the crank bolt to move the cams (with timing chains still off bank 2 side) counter clockwise.... With a little click the cam flats "fell" back perfectly into place/alignment. Either stuck advanced or retarded? So, me being me - at the end of my 2hour driving to set ECU today - I turned the car off, then turned the crank bolt (intentionally) about 1/2 to full cycle counter clockwise and restarted car. As I stated the car is running nicely, so I didn't notice a major improvement on the highway home. I'm going to get up after writing this to pick up a friend from work and I will report what OBD reports.
Any comments, questions, suggestions, advice, admonishments, lol - welcome. What do you think I might do to chase down this VVT problem?
THANKS TO YOU ALL...
Peace and Love!
#45
11-15-2016, 09:31 PM
Veteran Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Jersey, Channel Islands
Posts: 4,077
Received 2,291 Likes
on
1,503 Posts
Hi Jay,
You may well have an incorrectly-set VVT/static cam timing, and I'd be looking there first since work was recently done in that area. Your point about knowing whether the VVT is fully retarded is valid, and reinforces the observation in the training program on Gus' site that "reference must be made to JTIS for the correct procedures"
You are correct that the one of the functions of the CKP (like all IT nerds, I love these TLAs) is to work in conjunction with the CMPs to determine the inlet cam timings.
Thought: if you need reassurance over the reset procedure, look at the negative post on the battery once you've lifted the ground connection: there's nothing attached to it. You can't short out the battery by touching said ground connection to the positive terminal. No need to remove both
Glad you've taken dsnyder's advice on the primary tensioner. JB Weld is brilliant stuff, but I wouldn't rely on it to underwrite my engine's survival.
HTH,
Mike
You may well have an incorrectly-set VVT/static cam timing, and I'd be looking there first since work was recently done in that area. Your point about knowing whether the VVT is fully retarded is valid, and reinforces the observation in the training program on Gus' site that "reference must be made to JTIS for the correct procedures"
You are correct that the one of the functions of the CKP (like all IT nerds, I love these TLAs) is to work in conjunction with the CMPs to determine the inlet cam timings.
Thought: if you need reassurance over the reset procedure, look at the negative post on the battery once you've lifted the ground connection: there's nothing attached to it. You can't short out the battery by touching said ground connection to the positive terminal. No need to remove both
Glad you've taken dsnyder's advice on the primary tensioner. JB Weld is brilliant stuff, but I wouldn't rely on it to underwrite my engine's survival.
HTH,
Mike
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
