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lee16v · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:07 pm Post subject:

Al,
I had the spinning nut problem.........nothing to do now but prise it off the cam cover (carefully).
Once the cover is off use some WD40 to seperate the bolt from the captive nut thingy and what i did was use some Sticks Like Shit (that's really what it's called) to glue the captive back into the cam cover before reassembly. Job done!

BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

he lee,
Funny shi£, sticks like shi£, i will try asap to get the cover off, couldnt yesterday, toooo cold, couldnt today tooo wet doh!. Deciding on weather or not to run cam coverless atm, if i decide to keep cam covers I will not put those bottom bolts back in as their a pain in the ass!!.
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Scott Sander · Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 7:29 am Post subject:

I realise there is a "cool" factor about not running with the covers, but I think the risks out way any benefits. Anyway just my $0.02c worth (or what ever that is in pounds and pence Smile

)
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'91 Alfa 33 Boxer 16V Monza - Awesome
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bobbber · Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 11:42 am Post subject:

Get someone to make you up some clear perspex covers?

Bob
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BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

bobber lol, its not just looks, lol there a foook-in pain in the arse.
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x2 33 16v
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bobbber · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 8:49 am Post subject:

They're ok! You must have sausages for fingers! Laughing

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paulhide · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:46 am Post subject:

Or just freezing cold ones Sad

[/quote]
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BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

Its sooo cold iv not even tried, after about 5 mins my hands go blue. What i mean is, having the covers on means you have to dismantle a lot to work on anything, hence the pain in the ass to get off, esp if the nut spins Sad

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Sudmeister · Alfasud Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 55 Location: London, UK

Hi BigAl,

Sorry it's taken me a while but here are those pictures of the inside of the cambelt cover:

http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/7450493

Hope they help Cool

BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

thanks sudmeister.
I will be getting out a crow bar and lever out that sucker very soon.
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x2 33 16v
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BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

I'm torn between doing a compression test and just taking the head off. Obviously the compression test is a lot less work but my concern is as follows.
If the valves are bent and then under a compression test are moved, would the bend in the valves damage the valve guides.
Do the valves bend no where near the guides, or would the valve guides already be damaged?
Someone has said no to me, but I wanted to be sure.
Based on my earlier post about the vernier (cam) pulley turning 90 – 100 degrees before becoming hard to turn in both directions, were my assumptions of the valves being bent correct and therefore taking off the head would be the best option?

Thanks again
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Sudmeister · Alfasud Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 55 Location: London, UK

I don't know where the valves usually bend but when I (eventually) get the head off I'll let you know how it all looks on mine.

lee16v · Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 7:25 pm Post subject:

Al,
I'd be inclined to take the head off myself. It's not that bad a job and then you can properly assess the valves/guides on a bench. Even if things are ok you have the opportunity to lap the valves and get the best compression from your engine.

BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

If it was ok, I’d be seriously pi55ed off after doing all the work to take head off. Just wondering if guides would get damaged if valves were bent, if not then I would do a comp test, if they would I wouldn’t risk any further damage and not do a comp test and take head off.
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x2 33 16v
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BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

Sudmeister · Alfasud Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 55 Location: London, UK

On mine the tensioner seems to have gone first and then the belt broke. The tensioner bearing has let go in a big way and the tensioner is just flapping around on what's left of the bearing spindle, covered in lots of melted plastic - Nice!

I'd imagine that new tensioners must come with new springs but even if they don't I'll be looking for new springs as these ones look pretty tired even though they still work. The springs can't cost much and I definately don't fancy doing this again.

BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

Thats the thing, I was curious as to what was meant by tensioners, the bearing or the spring. You can order the tensioner kit, the whole unit with spring and bearing, you can order it all seperate and press the bearing onto the tensioner spring bit. There are 2 different types.
All my pulleys spin ok and when i asked the supplier about the springs they said not to bother??
I'm thinking that the spring is only used once, when setting up the tension and then the pully is locked of in place, so the spring isnt doing anything??

RE: head bolts I'm going to be reusing the head bolts, do i need to overtighten them, if so to what? I have always reused head bolts and never had a head gasket go, even though it is said that they are stretch bolts, comments anyone?

Anyone got anything on the valve guides?
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x2 33 16v
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lee16v · Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:40 pm Post subject:

Re the head bolts. I don't know if they are stretch bolts or not but I reused mine and tightened up to the spec torque setting.....no problems so far and that was 8 months ago.

Admin · Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 12:09 am Post subject:

Hi

It is meant to be the bearings in the tensioners so go. I have reused head bolts on 8Vs several times. Not seen anything saying they are stretch bolts (normally stretch bolts seem to have instructions to do up a certain amount and then a certain extra amount measure by angle).

All the best

Keith
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BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

Sweet, thanks guys, I too have never had a problem with 8v heads and reusing the bolts, thought it might be different for the 16v, phew, saved me a few bob there.
The thing I cant figure out is what caused my belt to fail as the tensioner bearings spin ok, could it be the belts stretched and was too loose? There was a squeaking / rattling sound coming from the tensioner / belt area before it went, any ideas?
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x2 33 16v
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BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

Weather permitting I will be making a start soon, curse my hands that turn blue and seize up in the cold.
I will prob just get another head and swap over the cams, I'm hoping that the rods havent been bent.
Wish me luck.
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x2 33 16v
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john 33_16v · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:28 am Post subject:

Hi,

I was once told by Boss of Alfarama that if a cambelt goes on 16v, it's very rare to damge anything other than valves as they're so light.

Good luck!

John
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BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

Yer, i read that aswel, was also wondering about the valve seats, I didnt get round to doing it today, maybe tomorrow.
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x2 33 16v
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ZeNiTh-PbArM · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:47 pm Post subject:

In my experience cambelt failure on 16V will destroy most valves and associated valve guides. Seats and lifters need not be replaced.

regards,
zp

BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

Hey guys, I got the head off today, with the engine in situ. I couldn’t get it out the top so had to drop it down and squeeze it between the 1/2 dangling loose front cross member.
Anyone else doing this, I advise you to remove the coolant temperature sensor as it will foul on the top of the block otherwise.

Upon visual inspection there seems to only be one valve bent, the front cylinder front exhaust one. It has a slight indent from the piston, where the cut outs are it doesn’t close properly and opens before the other one.

The front cylinder rear inlet valve has a shiny ½ edge to it and opens 1-1.5mm before the other inlet valve, could this be cam wear or possibly pressure left in the hydraulic shims or is that valve also bent?

Both rear cylinder rear inlet valves open at the same time but the front one has a shiny crescent moon shape on it.

The rear cylinder front exhaust valve opens slightly before the other one but only very slightly if at all.

I could be turning the cams the wrong way as I’m not sure which way they rotate, not sure if that will make any difference though.

I will get a friend to test that the valves seal by testing for leaks when valves are closed, all bar the visually bent one. If they are sealing ok, should I be concerned about the valves opening before and slightly before the other?

The head gasket came off complete with no residue left on the block or the head, that’s a first for me.

The fixed pulley spins freely. The tensioner pulley doesn’t spin freely and feels notchy when rotated. After removing the pinch nut for the pulley tensioner, it didn’t snap into place and was seized.

I will be fitting new pulleys all round with belts but need to remove the tensioner to press on the new pulley.

What is the correct way to remove and replace the spring, I can do it on the removed head, but can’t do it on the head that’s still on the block in the bay. Luckily it isn’t seized, is there a tool for this or a knack? I had the front cross member dangling to gain access.
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