Series 3 mot fail

Bobsticle said:

...
Having the bottle to turn the key for the first time, now that's hard. Especially knowing if it's out your going to have to start taking that radiator off again.

Click to expand...

Why not turn the crank (only turn it clockwise as you are standing in front of it looking at it) by hand with the spark plugs / glow plugs {delete as applicable} out and feel for something going wrong or hopefully not...

surely you can fire it up for a short while before you put the rad etc back just to see if it goes? or connect the rad hoses and run it for longer till you are sure your work is done?

honolulujoe said:

surely you can fire it up for a short while before you put the rad etc back just to see if it goes? or connect the rad hoses and run it for longer till you are sure your work is done?

Click to expand...

I don't know about the lower compression petrol engines but a diesel engine is not what is called a "safe engine". This means if you don't have the timing chain in the right place piston crowns will get smashed into valves. Even at starter cranking speed it is possible to bend valves if they meet with pistons.

Find out if your engine is a safe engine or not before you flip that starter switch!

nothing is safe in my hands

I see what you are saying, I was thinking more along the lines of seeing if there had been a significant effect on the smoke level

It will chuff like a asthmatic octogenarian on snuff.
Once running you now have to fine adjust with the pump. It will be out by a mile as it was set to the old chain.

Dont let it get to you its easy. Most mechanics cant hold a conversation never mind a nammer.

Just go through the steps methodically.

Once rebuilt make sure you turn it a few times by hand making sure nothing is clashing.

oh... it might be worth changing that oil seal on the front plate as well. bit of a faff as its riveted on but well worth it.

I don't fancy fiddling with that seal I would have to get riveting tools.

not looking forward to taking the pump off to do that bit

Youll love it

Some new seal kits come with self tappers to replace the pop rivets.

You only slacken the bolts on the pump and twist it to fine tune. Easy peasy.

oo goodie.

one shock is off bit of a pita, maybe I need some better drill bits, seemed to take an age to go through the pin.

is it a good idea to slap a bit of copperlube on the prongy bits the shocks go on.

according to the "follow my parcel" the new shocks are 1 hour 15 mins away

shocks away

the old shocks had no resistance left at all I could move them up and down as easily as a bike pump not attached to a tyre, new ones are on, must thank the s3 designer for routing the brake pipes near the drivers side shock bolt nut, not at all inconvenient.

honolulujoe said:

is it a good idea to slap a bit of copperlube on the prongy bits the shocks go on.

Click to expand...

I slapped a load on to mine, the old ones were a bit of a pain to get off. Cant see what harm it would do, as long as the jipper doesnt break down the rubber of the bushes?

Rubins4 said:

as long as the jipper doesnt break down the rubber of the bushes

Click to expand...

as long as it waits till after I've got the mot I'm good

I've bought tin of red rubber grease for when I finally get round to doing mine. Definitely won't rot the bushes but cost £10 for something I will only use a very little of. You can buy smaller amounts but you pay over the odds. Because I'm a real tight arse I went for the larger amount but this probably means my son will inherit the still unused tin in about 40 years time

dang, I have some red rubber grease, didn't even occur to me to use it

honolulujoe said:

View attachment 107046 shocks away

the old shocks had no resistance left at all I could move them up and down as easily as a bike pump not attached to a tyre, new ones are on, must thank the s3 designer for routing the brake pipes near the drivers side shock bolt nut, not at all inconvenient.

Click to expand...

Cut the old ones open - make a mess - have educational fun

Used red rubber grease on my pins and smeared a little on the bushes too. Plenty of copper grease on the new pins and long bolts.

I replaced the rubbers on mine when they appeared on the advisory list. Ruined the ride. Much too hard now.

Oy @honolulujoe whaz apenin. You cant leave him with his trousers down for ever. He'll catch cold.

@Bobsticle the trousers are on but panel not all bolted up, virgin have been fiddling with the network round here, we had no internet from sat am till around 5 yesterday

anyway, had some trouble setting the timing, turning the camshaft by hand, I would get to a point and it would jump forward - guessing this was when a valve opened as it happened 4 times in a complete cycle of the engine - and I couldn't seem to get it to a point where I could turn the crank all the way when supposedly set and the chain back on. so it was obviously being blocked by a valve. the crank pulley has an arrow on it, I noticed a small notch on the block so I lined the arrow with that, put the chain on again and the crank turned through a full cycle of the engine. put it all back together and fired her up. started and the white smoke is gone but I need to adjust the pump as it seems well advanced.

major disaster struck during putting it back together, I noticed the bolt holding the ratchet thing on the tensioner was loose after having been tightened. it had sheared. hoping the front cover will keep it in place in the short term. just want an mot so I can park it on the road, don't really need it now till march and I was going to take the engine out over the winter to try and fix the leaks, so now I shall also be drilling that bolt out

you will be pleased to know I used plenty of instant gasket

is it pump clockwise to advance and anti to retard?